Would it have been farcical, perhaps. Would it have been chaos, probably. Would it have been wrong? No.
Had Howard Webb followed the laws of the game last night he would have reduced the World Cup final to a game nearing a five a side match. Was he wrong to to let so much go as it was the World Cup final?
I think he should apply the laws not the laws of the World Cup final which dont exist. If it means Holland are down to nine men at half time then tough. They chose to play that way.
De Jong - Booked when should have been sent off and arrested.
Van Bommel - Booked for savage tackle. Then fouls Xavi with body check and in second half blatantly pulls him back. Still no second yellow. Then stamps on Iniesta which is not given as foul.
Sneijder - Thigh high tackle that was only punished with talking to. Perhaps a booking would have done here as it could have been seen as attempt for ball but it was certainly reckless.
Robben - Already booked and deliberately kicks ball away. Webb knew he had to book him but decided against it as it was the final. He then books Xavi for the exact same offence.
Puyol - Undoubtedly impedes Robben who is bursting through on goal. Rightly plays on but once it was clear stride had been affected, play should be brought back and Puyol red carded.
Iniesta - Victim of stamping but gets up and takes out Van Bommel in retaliation. Clear red card but gets talking to instead. He is then booked for taking shirt off.
Heitinga - Correctly sent off but i am not sure Webb saw first booking. He may have had help from linesman. If so then fair dues.
Definite penalty when Heitinga made no attempt at ball in the box and took out Xavi who was aiming to strike the ball.
Free kick hits the wall, Casillas tips it round post and its given as goal kick. Kick gets taken, Elia gets it. He gets fouled and Webb says play on and Spaniards break to score.
The red card incidents are hardly debatable. De Jong, Van Bommel, Puyol, Robben, Iniesta and Heitinga were all clear cut. Sneijder's was a possible.
If Webb had done his job properly he would have probably have been slaughtered for ruining the game so i can understand his attempts at trying to keep the game even with 11 v 11. I have lots of sympathy for the position he was in but i feel he let the Dutch almost brutalise their way to the World Cup and that would have been the biggest travesty of all.
Had Howard Webb followed the laws of the game last night he would have reduced the World Cup final to a game nearing a five a side match. Was he wrong to to let so much go as it was the World Cup final?
I think he should apply the laws not the laws of the World Cup final which dont exist. If it means Holland are down to nine men at half time then tough. They chose to play that way.
De Jong - Booked when should have been sent off and arrested.
Van Bommel - Booked for savage tackle. Then fouls Xavi with body check and in second half blatantly pulls him back. Still no second yellow. Then stamps on Iniesta which is not given as foul.
Sneijder - Thigh high tackle that was only punished with talking to. Perhaps a booking would have done here as it could have been seen as attempt for ball but it was certainly reckless.
Robben - Already booked and deliberately kicks ball away. Webb knew he had to book him but decided against it as it was the final. He then books Xavi for the exact same offence.
Puyol - Undoubtedly impedes Robben who is bursting through on goal. Rightly plays on but once it was clear stride had been affected, play should be brought back and Puyol red carded.
Iniesta - Victim of stamping but gets up and takes out Van Bommel in retaliation. Clear red card but gets talking to instead. He is then booked for taking shirt off.
Heitinga - Correctly sent off but i am not sure Webb saw first booking. He may have had help from linesman. If so then fair dues.
Definite penalty when Heitinga made no attempt at ball in the box and took out Xavi who was aiming to strike the ball.
Free kick hits the wall, Casillas tips it round post and its given as goal kick. Kick gets taken, Elia gets it. He gets fouled and Webb says play on and Spaniards break to score.
The red card incidents are hardly debatable. De Jong, Van Bommel, Puyol, Robben, Iniesta and Heitinga were all clear cut. Sneijder's was a possible.
If Webb had done his job properly he would have probably have been slaughtered for ruining the game so i can understand his attempts at trying to keep the game even with 11 v 11. I have lots of sympathy for the position he was in but i feel he let the Dutch almost brutalise their way to the World Cup and that would have been the biggest travesty of all.
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