Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

SaintPowelly wrote:Scheduling is a joke, under NO circumstances should the Semis be played on seperate days.

I can't remember but have they ever scheduled it like that in the past. Total right though especially soccer. Think it was done to favour the host nation perhaps.

Ridiculous decision to give Messi the Golden Ball (as much as I love him). Feels like a consolation prize. Robben, James and Mascherano were comfortably better in the tournament. Had to be Robben really.

I would of given it to Schurrle.

Muller had to win the Golden Ball IMO. 2nd most goals, 3rd most assists and to top it all off he's on the winning side.

Muller ended up with the Silver Ball, Robben Bronze.

SaintPowelly wrote:I would of given it to Schurrle.

Super sub, maybe.

don't get any of the balls, sounds like you would never be able to play with them.

dan08 wrote:James wins the Golden Boot and i win £175.

Nice pick!

SaintPowelly wrote:I would of given it to Schurrle.

Schurrle played 15 minutes of a first half in the tournament, and that was against a team who had played two consecutive 120 minute games, and had one days less rest.

While he played well, I wonder how many other players may have looked incredible had they played so little, and often against starting XI's forced through many minutes of football.

That's why Germany won it... incredible depth. Would Gotze and Schurrle have done that if they had played as many minutes as Messi?

Cant give it to the super sub.... two of his three goals were the 6th and 7th of a game, hardly "deadly"!!

shankycricket wrote:Ridiculous decision to give Messi the Golden Ball (as much as I love him). Feels like a consolation prize. Robben, James and Mascherano were comfortably better in the tournament. Had to be Robben really.

Yawn.... Messi had a brilliant game yesterday, save for the goal that never was. It seems people expect him to beat 7 men every attack to be acceptable. His subtle touch, and the quick acceleration of play was behind virtually everything that Argentina did this World Cup, he was really good.

And when he didn't play well, it was because he was treble marked.... when you play alongside Mascherano (no attacking prowess), an injured Aguero and half fit Higuain, Perez and Biglia as your midfield support, you don't have much to back you up.... but think, Holland tore Spain apart, but didn't commit ANYONE forward when Messi was against them... they were scared to leave their own half!!! So he didn't do much that game, but no one would have.... its ok to say German players would have, but then I am sure Messi would have destroyed teams if he had Schurrle/Gotze/Mueller/Ozeil, etc to work with. He setup Di Maria for the winner against Switzerland, and then Di Maria got injured.... after that Sabella even had to go to Aguero, who clearly couldn't move!!

Given half a yard space, in most games he made the difference, and he and Javier dragged what was an immensely average team with key players not fit, and took them to a World Cup final which they should have won.

But hey.... join all the other jealous pundits who are looking for a new tagline because "Messi being brilliant" doesn't sell the papers like "Messi isn't Maradona"........

First European team to win is South America. Only taken 84 years (Or 20 World Cups).

not sure that I'd have given Messi the golden ball. Great player though he is, he didn't quite light up the tournament the way he perhaps could have. I imagine he got the award more on reputation as the (undoubted) greatest player in the world atm.

I'd have probably given the award to Schweinsteiger. He didn't content himself with moments of magic in the group stages, he grabbed the big games by the throat and dominated everything.

decent enough final, for once, despite the lack of goals.

sussexpob wrote:

shankycricket wrote:Ridiculous decision to give Messi the Golden Ball (as much as I love him). Feels like a consolation prize. Robben, James and Mascherano were comfortably better in the tournament. Had to be Robben really.

Yawn.... Messi had a brilliant game yesterday, save for the goal that never was. It seems people expect him to beat 7 men every attack to be acceptable. His subtle touch, and the quick acceleration of play was behind virtually everything that Argentina did this World Cup, he was really good.

And when he didn't play well, it was because he was treble marked.... when you play alongside Mascherano (no attacking prowess), an injured Aguero and half fit Higuain, Perez and Biglia as your midfield support, you don't have much to back you up.... but think, Holland tore Spain apart, but didn't commit ANYONE forward when Messi was against them... they were scared to leave their own half!!! So he didn't do much that game, but no one would have.... its ok to say German players would have, but then I am sure Messi would have destroyed teams if he had Schurrle/Gotze/Mueller/Ozeil, etc to work with. He setup Di Maria for the winner against Switzerland, and then Di Maria got injured.... after that Sabella even had to go to Aguero, who clearly couldn't move!!

Given half a yard space, in most games he made the difference, and he and Javier dragged what was an immensely average team with key players not fit, and took them to a World Cup final which they should have won.

But hey.... join all the other jealous pundits who are looking for a new tagline because "Messi being brilliant" doesn't sell the papers like "Messi isn't Maradona"........

Erm, when did I say he hasn't had a good tournament? Although I disagree that he had a "brilliant" game yesterday. On the whole, he has had a good tournament but definitely not the best player of the tournament or even in the top 5, for that matter. Whether he'd have been better with a stronger midfield is of course conjecture. I am sure he would have and I'm not saying Robben, James, etc are better players than him but you can only go based on what happened and not "what would've happened". And in my opinion, there were at least 5-6 players more deserving of the Golden Ball (which includes a couple of goalkeepers).

I watched all of Argentina's matches and Messi was brilliant saving them at the last minute and producing a fantastic free kick. he was great in the final also, but lacked support from his midfield. He made at least 3 awesome runs down the left and nearly scored twice. He totally deserved the ball of gold.

Can't give it to Robben simply because of the diving. I noticed a number of the Germans whom play in zee Bund assleiga were also worthy of Oscars, but that's the only gold statue I would give them. Clearly it must be a bit of an epidemic diving in the German league.

As far as anyone else perhaps, but Maradona confirmed Messi was the right choice by saying it was the wrong choice. The day I agree with that old has been is the day I'm a geriatric.


Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi.