Ghana Pay The Penalty, And Reserves Are Dwindling?
Jul 2nd, 2010 by 'holic
Well first of all, congratulations to the Dutch. I don’t mind admitting I am left with the slightly un-nerving feeling that the biggest divers and cheats were triumphant this afternoon, but that is probably going to be the lasting memory of World Cup 2010.
You need to have something out of the ordinary to come back from a first-half battering by Brazil, who have only themselves to blame for not wrapping up the tie in that opening three quarters of an hour. Any sympathy for the South Americans evaporated when Melo, presumably tiring of Robben’s going to ground, decided to foolishly give him a reason to scream out in faux agony.
Still, a big positive is that Robin van Persie has the opportunity to make his mark on the biggest stage of all. The Netherlands must be favourites to progress to the Final, but they will have to overcome the conquerors of Africa’s last representatives.
Ghana carried the host continent’s flag into the quarter-final tonight, and the high drama that ensued salvaged the reputation of the competition after this afternoon’s demonstration of the dark arts. Uruguay will know they have dodged a bullet, but what an astonishing end to such an important contest.
Now I need Spain to triumph in order to make a profit out of the competition. Why then am I hoping Argentina or Germany come good?
The Reserves Fall?
Reports continue to gather pace that the reserve team has been withdrawn from what remains of the Premier Reserve League. This is not entirely a surprise. The new rules on squad composition in the Premier League means that clubs would really want their nineteen and twenty year old players playing at a competitive level for more than a dozen games a season.
There is a feeling now that they will play more, and learn more, with other clubs able to give them first team experience, than from infrequent clashes with a limited number of opponents of varying standard. A number of highly-rated young players are knocking on the door of the first-team squad, but there are likely only to be a couple of vacancies for the likes of Jay Emmanuel Thomas, Henri Lansbury, Nacer Barazite, Sanchez Watt, Cedric Evina, Gilles Sunu, Havard Nordtveit, and Kyle Bartley to join Jack Wilshere in the senior set-up.
Most of these players will now face the prospect of competitive action in the Football League, or perhaps with other Premiership clubs, and we will have to knuckle down and make an impression during those loan spells if they are to make that step up.
An interesting question surfaces, however. The reserve team players have formed the basis of the Carling Cup squad in the Wenger years. If the bulk of them are out on loan will a number of seventeen year old youth players be making the step up, or will the first team squad be expected to compete in the coming seasons?
The New Home Kit
No surprise here. This old boy loves the reintroduction of the white sleeves. At last we have a proper Arsenal shirt to play in. The only downside is that we already know the kit will only last for a season before giving way to a ‘special’ shirt to celebrate 125 years of Arsenal Football Club.
Hopefully Nike and the club have learned something from the reported record response to the new release. Maybe all you need to bring out for the celebration is a collared shirt similar to that which Arsenal sported from the thirties to the fifties?
I’m sure some of you Young Guns may have other ideas though?
Thanks ‘holics
I have to pass on the thanks of the seller of the Highbury prints featured on here last weekend. The man at www.arseprints.com asked me to acknowledge you all, and I’m glad to oblige. Cleaned his stock out, you did, before even I could get one!
I didn’t make a bean out of that, and didn’t want to, but if you could order your new home kit through either of the links on this page, I would be extremely grateful. I have to say I would be chuffed to bits if the white sleeves covered this years hosting costs.
Anyway, thanks from me too. Have a good weekend all.
55 Responses to “Ghana Pay The Penalty, And Reserves Are Dwindling?”
Sheer pain…
As my friend said, to punctuate the painful loss, “Well, this must be the first time in history it sucks to be African…”
Shame, especially because Ghana played with such heart up to the last kick.
If the bars open, ‘Holic, I’ll have a Guinness. Thanks.
I really felt for Ghana in the way they lost. No soft spot in my heart for the Uruguayans. Ghana can’t reasonably expect to host a world cup anytime in the near future so this was about as close to hosting as they can expect to get.
Sure were a lot of players rolling about on the ground today, no? It’s downright offensive sometimes how blatantly they try to deceive the officials.
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On the house pik, and sorry.
Cheers. Whaddya think, ‘Holic, more blood or goals tomorrow?
This must be d work of the devil
It is evident the stakes are so high that some who we previously held in high regard will stop at nothing to win. I just hope we get one great game out of tomorrow’s two…
Agreed. It was great stuff to see Gyan step up and take the first penalty. Well done, considering the state he must have been in. I have to say, Boateng really impressed this tournament, wore his heart on his sleeve and played with a lot of skill.
I believe that in Fabiano & Lucio, Brazil have some of the biggest divers & cheats that took part in the World Cup finals.
They really irritated me throughout the competition, and I have to say I’m glad they got their just rewards against Holland/the Netherlands.
Sneider is one hell of a player.
Fair comment, Magneto. I didn’t mean to infer that the Dutch were the only culprits this afternoon. They were just better at it than Brazil.
It was sad watching two of my favourite sides playing like that though.
Agreed, Goonerholic, it is sad how diving has now apparently become ubiquitous.
I’m well in profit the world cup ‘holic. Spain plus any of the other two sees me further in the money. Extra Time is my devil.
Robinho by himself was dispicable. Not for diving, but his ranting tantrums, geez. Between the diving, the players calling for cards every foul, and that cream of the crop last second handball- FIFA’s ‘fair play’ agenda is waning a bit. Which is not to say there hasn’t been some brilliant footballing moments (Robinho’s drive down the left was excellent, as were RVP’s passes today), but I think ‘Holic is right: when the pressure’s on, nothing easier to do than look for an easy way out…
Let’s hope tomorrow serve’s us some delicious football, and not a ranting match.
By the way, please don’t shoot me for this, but I just can’t quite get used to the thick red bands on the sleeves… likely with time, sigh.
AHAHAHAHA see what the potters are upto!!
http://northy.footballunited.com/2010/07/02/arsenal-fc-is-their-style-ruining-the-english-game/?
Ah, Lord, welcome.
Gentlemen, if you are not just one club hounds you would do well to read http://thecelticblog.com/
The man is good!
While you are here Lord, are you like me today a co-owner of Stirling Albion?
Thanks for that 16! ‘Spreading their poison through the English Game..’ That’s brilliant analysis of Arsenal and Arsene’s contribution to English football. Guess we should all feel ashamed of ourselves for destroying ‘the beautiful game’…
It is funny that with so much emphasis on diving and cheating that little has been said about how Ghana were blatantly cheated out of a world cup semi final. I think back to the international incident and wild hysteria when Henry handled against the Irish. Presidents got involved. Appeals made to FIFA to have the game replayed. Henry treated as if he had just murdered someone. Can someone explain to me how his actions differ from those of Suarez this evening?
I agree with many that have stated how they detest all the diving and play acting that has gone on. But tonight Suarez is a hero back in Uruguay and no one outside of Ghana really seems that bothered. FIFA certainly wont give a toss.
I guess what I am really saying is that it is one rule for one and one for another, and I really have a massive hatred of hypocrisy. I feel sorry for Ghana and I along with everyone else await the official comment from Dublin.
Only 44 days to the start of the season and Murray got dinked at Wimbledon so not all bad news.
Keep the faith.
Steve T, France got off scott free. The Uruguayans had a man sent off and a penalty against them.
nice blog
Evening gents.
Firstly, loving the new kit, for the first time in ages it actually looks like an Arsenal shirt. (the 40plusers will know what I mean)
Secondly, Steve T, don’t really think you can compare the Suarez incident to the Henry one, mate. Thierry and France got away with it and proggressed to the finals without FIFA batting an eyelid. Suarez got a straight red (the apt punishment) and Ghana got a penalty that was the last kick of the game, if they scored they would of went through, they missed, tough titty! Suarez will still be suspended for the semi’s v Holland, Henry didn’t recieve any punishment at all.
Finally, Hup Holland Hup!! I watched the game in my bar in North Holland, if any of us are making a few pennies on the WC then it’s me, what a great comeback and what a party over here. You don’t see the Brazilians lose a lead very often and Oranje showed real balls to get back in that game after being outclassed in the first half. The way I saw it Brazil were much worse then NL in the “cheating” department, but I’ll hapily admit that maybe I was watching the game with oronge tinted specs.
Roll on Tuesday and the semi finals, the party continues.
Next round’s on me Holic.
Cheers.
Dunga’s selection just backfired on him.
We selected a very very strong defense with an average offense (Kaka, Fabiano and Robinho is average in Brazilian standards).
It was O.K when they were playing garbage but when that strong defense (and even a strong defense concedes 2 goals every once in a while) concedes 2 goals in a match, the offense isn’t good enough to win it for Brazil 3-2. With all due respect, you can’t have a center of the field being Melo and Gilberto Silva and expect to get plays out of them, Kaka was just overwhelmed when he had the ball, there should have been a playmaker deeper on the field.
Why is RVP so horrible this tournament ??? I’m really starting to get pissed at that, he deserves such a good tournament, but he’s just awful!!!
Steve T, the Henry handball was different ‘cos the media decided that with that offence he would instantly and exclusively become “the former Arsenal player, Thierry Henry”. Just one more stick to beat the club with – that’s what I would like an explanation for.
I actually watched the first half of the Ireland v France game, and France were fouled from start to finish of the half, particularly by O’Shae. Of course, no objections were raised at all.
As I understand it, Ireland were only in the match, in the first place, having scored a penalty against Georgia, awarded to them due to a case of mistaken identity, or some such. I read that the Irish player fouled a Georgian and was then given the spot kick.
No mention of this either, of course, throughout the whole “Henry Handball” saga.
For two days you would have thought that Henry had been secretly transferred back to Arsenal, the way the story was loaded. For most of the first day it virtually took over the whole of Sky Sports News, and was shown every 10 minutes on Sky News as well.
Henry’s Handball was as different to Suarez, as Eduardo’s “dive” was from Rooney’s or Ronaldo’s constant conning.
trev as people have said above that its a completely different scenario.. Ireland had the beating of France in both ties and also against Italy twice but they couldn’t finish at all ( which you could argue that in order to deserve to win have to take chances ) but a awful penalty call is not cheating compared to handling a ball TWICE , palming it into your hands . can’t really compare the two
Wow, I’m actually surprised at the massive minimization (as I see it) of what Suarez did today at the bar tonight. Sure, they got the penalty and missed. No argument. But Steve T’s point- as I understood it- was that this was blatant disregard for anything known as football, at a particularly poignant moment in the game- the final touch of the ball that brings an African team to it’s first ever semi in the first Cup played in Africa. To see this turn around from an inspired victory to a loss at the hands of blatant cheating is a shame. Does it happen? Yes. Did the ref give the punishment according to the rules? Yes. Did Ghana fail to score from the next position they were given? Yes.
None of that takes away from the shame of Uruguay’s victory. I understand that Steve T made a point about hypocrisy that I’m not sure I follow. But that most folks here tonight chalk this up to standard fare is disturbing to me. I may be misunderstanding some people’s points, but I would hope everyone would care more.
I agree and believe it was blatant cheating, but its tough to compare the two. Suarez cheating was caught and punished, and the solution was a pk. what he did we have seen before many times, or the thought has gone across peoples mind. the henry incident with palming it twice to your foot was never really seen before and was such a unique circumstance. he was attacking to cheat and Ireland dent have a chance to make it right ( although the rest of ET) and suarez was defending which gives the other a great chance to make it right, so many people figured that with the missed pk and poor shootout not as much uproar was shown towards suarez by many
I ordered the new shirt through your links, you deserve it!, but they don’t make it easy. I tried several times before it all went OK.
For supporters of our age shouldn’t we be advocating white collars on the shirt?
Yes I am ‘holic all clubs need a Lord on board and whose money do you think I’m gambling with?
I’ll have them back in division 3 before we know it.
@steve t 19 what more do u expect shud b done to suarez…he was shown a straight red…its not his fault that gyan missed the penalty..
wow with the reserve gone, it seems like the first team will actually be playing for the Carling Cup this season. Cool
Holland/Brazil……brutal, dirty, poorly reffed game. Pleased Holland beat them at their own game (acting) but sad to see both sides reduced to that….really sad. The Dutch will win this thing…they’ve yet to play really well and that’s still to come I think.
New Shirt….It will do nicely. Holic do you get the benefit with an overseas order too?
T
Tim, I think so, is the answer.
David, sorry it didn’t go smoothly.
Lord, good to see ‘public’ backing for our private venture 😉
Steve, I think the point has been made, here and elsewhere, that the handball was seen and punished according to the laws of the game. It may have been cynical and we may not like the result, but you can’t do any more than deal with the offence and that happened.
My point was simply one that cheats do actually prosper. Why? Because the rules allow them to. The red dealt with it correctly and within the laws of the game.
What I was trying to get across is that the end result of both incidents was effectively the same, but the reaction of the “football family” remarkably different. Henry gets caught and he gets a yellow card. End of. I hate the hypocrisy of those who wanted Henry hung drawn and quartered, but will hail Suarez as a hero.
My personal opinion is that neither Henry or Suarez are okay. If that happens to us in the last minute of a Champions League final and we go on to lose on penalties I wonder how many of us then will just say oh well, he got a red, we got a pen so fair enough???? I for one would be mightily pissed off by it. FiFA have to power to do something about these cheats. Why not just award a penalty goal as they would award a penalty try in rugby? Then justice is done. But while the punishment is negligible compared to the rewards cheats will continue to prosper in the game.
Cheating is cheating and we do sod all to remove it from the game.
Morning………..
Going to order an Eboue 27, and a Brady 7 (it’s a retro kit, it HAS to be done), will do through the link. Have yourself a good one ‘holic!
Cheers, Joe.
Understand you now Steve, and pretty much agree. As I hinted at the start of the piece I think this World Cup will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, with perhaps the exception being the organisation and welcome by the hosts.
It has been a tournament dominated by cheats, and I suspect we are looking forward to yet more skullduggery today.
Where’s my noose and footstool? 😉
I agree with Steve, what happened last night got me thinking and it should be possible to award a goal under such circumstances. Suarez wasn’t just preventing a chance to score, he prevented an actual goal by illegal means. I think bringing down a player who has an empty net in front of him or handling the ball as the last man should not be a red card, it should just be a goal plain and simple. Suarez deliberately broke the rules to get his team an enormous advantage (statistically about a 75% chance of a goal being scored instead of a 100% chance is one hell of an advantage and considering the pressure on a penalty-taker when it is literally the last kick of the game I’d say it is about 50/50 if he scores or not), how is that fundamentally different from Henry deliberately breaking the rules to get his team an advantage? As Steve T said, the punishment is negligible to the rewards – yes, Suarez won’t play in the semis but had he not handled the ball he still wouldn’t have and so would none of his teammates. And just to be clear, I don’t blame Suarez one bit, he did what he could to help his team but the rules shouldn’t allow it.
It’s a very hot day here today so a well-chilled Boddington’s for me, Sir!
Very good points there too, Lars. Interesting one about an equivalent of rugby’s penalty try. I wouldn’t object when the goal would undoubtedly have followed, as last night, but this last man foul thing is a bit of an unknown, given how many players have missed the target from close range when unimpeded. Worth a discussion though, cheers.
Have to agree with Lars there. It was undoubtedly a goal but was stopped illegally on the line. Goal should have been given.
Something cold and light from your Fullers range please.
I think it somewhat disingenuous to suggest that Hollands win over Brasil is based on who was the better cheater. The majority of the “dives – fouls” were inflicted on Robben by Bastos. Who else on the Dutch team was singled out to impede Brasil’s “right to own the cup”. You know Dunga had Robben marked and that is what backfired because Robben knows how to take a professional foul. That is not cheating!
As a Dutchman, I realize I lack some objectivity but I am insulted by your innuendo that the better team cheated based on what seems to be a criticism motivated on your own beating desires.
I am a Gooner because I stand in a long line of Dutchman who have played for Arsenal FC with integrity. Just because you don’t like Robben doesn’t mean Holland is the “best cheater”. Shame on you.
Go Arsenal you Red and White (white cuffs again).
Ghana were robbed but the Uruguayan Suarez must have made the most profitable handball infraction this side of Timbuktu.
How about those Germans? Could be quite a semi-final (assuming Spain beat Paraguay).
Gerard, sorry you took that personally. That was obviously not the intention. I wanted to see the Dutch football we have all loved and admired down the years. What I actually saw was very different, and it wasn’t only Robben’s balance problems that contributed to my disappointment. How the hell did van Bommel not see any card, let alone the several yellows he deserved. His partner in crime de Jong helped to kick the Brazilians out of it too.
To be fair though I accept that the Brazilians were equally culpable and added to the dark arts on display.
I hope the Dutch go all the way because Robin deserves it, but not like that please.
The main reason behind so much cheating in the game is that FIFA and to a lesser extent UEFA are very corrupt organizations, like the IOC. There is no oversight of how the insane amounts of money they generate are redistributed, bribery is the standard way of proceeding within the organization because in the end football is just the front business of the MaFIfA.
FIFA claim to promote the beautiful game but if there was even 1% of truth to it they would jump on the occasion to clamp down on cheating, not even mentioning the absurd number of games who have been decided by blatant refering errors. In truth since around the original hand of god, anything goes as long as the fifasis can keep lining their own pockets.
Suarez was “optimizing” the rules so technically he is not a cheat. He is boasting about the hand of god, says he made the best save of the tournament etc: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jul/03/world-cup-2010-hand-god-suarez
One thing is 100% sure: he has nothing to fear from FIFA, like any other cheat (moral or technical) before and after him. It would take either enormous pressure or a marked revenue decline for FIFA to act.
Can’t wait for the start of the season. European leagues have their own problems but at least it’s still mostly about sports.
Last summer the BBB was clamouring for Matuidi now we’ve had to listen to “Wenker buy Melo now, he’s worth 10 Denilsong” etc in loop for most of the season
Melo, huh?
And you guys still don’t understand why you’re the laughingstock of the Arsenal fandom?
Matt, please don’t tell me you’re satisfied with Spain after today.
They look horrible, even Inter is more interesting than them.
If they play this way against Germany the Germans will kill them.
A crazy note – If Holland wins the Semi Final and Final in 90 minutes they would win ALL of their qualifiers and ALL of the 7 fixtures of the WC… I don’t know if it has been done before, but it’s worth a check!!!
Chicago @ 25 – as I’m glad Steve T has now already confirmed, what I thought we were commenting on was not the relative rights and wrongs of the offences, but the difference in reaction to anything Arsenal related, however tenuously, and to other clubs and individuals.
‘Holic, you must be softening up in your old age – you recently advised me, on here, never to apologise!
Love this blog, by the way, it’s keeping me going through this interminable bloody world cup, with some Arsenal stuff. Good on ya!
Advocaat with lots of Ice and Bitters, if I may.
All I could think of with Suarez’s handball was Henchoz against us in the 2001 FA Cup final – at least Ghana got the penalty out of their incident!
All seems like bollocks to me. Although that mey be the vodka talking.
Been away for a week. Just watched the goals. Did I miss anything?
BTW…Lars – I agree, and with you too, Charlie
hey congrats everybody the clock has been restored
@Snir: Looks like after today everyone’s money will be on Germany for the title…
Spain have flashes of brilliance at best. Torres should not play or at least not start. If it wasn’t for David Villa I’d give them no chance against the Germans but if someone can turn a game around at this world cup it’s him.
Germany is petulant but mostly sitting back. If Villa manages to score first it will certainly be a riveting contest.
Fair enough trev!
and Germany’s style of play right now is extremely unique that I don’t think it’s anything we’ve seen for awhile. they’re playing beautiful football, yet while still almost playing counter attacking football to score the goals. a great mix which is proving tricky on how to attack them. always thought boateng ozil etc would be great players after watching all of their matches last year in the u21 championship, but this quick had been a pleasant surprise.
Yaya Toure is a very rich man. He will be paid £4.1 mils / year after tax and make as much with image rights and CL qualification. That’s well over 200K/week.
The most crazy thing is that Yaya Toure will cost Citeh a minimum of £80 mils (more if targets are met) over 5 years.
At the rate the sheiks are burning money none would be surprised if they decided to expand/build a new stadium. I hope United fans enjoyed the Ferguson ride because the sky’s becoming cloudy above their beloved club…
Lots of numbers here: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/865170/TOURE-IS-PREMIER-LEAGUES-HIGHEST-PAID-PLAYER.html
Suarez handled the ball in the penalty area got sent off Ghana had a penalty to win the game in the last minute of extra time but missed ,so there,s really no point in making excuses as the Yanks had a perfectly legitimate goal against Slovenia ruled out by an African (Mali) ref which would have had them in first place in their group ,so justice was served ,sorry Ghana who played against ten men Australia but still couldn,t beat them and also had a lucky penalty against Serbia ,no more excuses please ?