What can we learn from Louis van Gaal?

[Iron]

https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/art ... ject-title

I'm looking forward to next season!

[JollyGreen]

There is so much hype about this guy, it is bordering on stupid. I think Martin O'Neill summed it up when he reminded viewers that LVG is not reinventing the game and some of his supposed "new" systems and tactics were being implemented 20 years ago.

I have no doubt he is an outstanding coach but it is getting stupid now. His substitution of goalkeepers was a no lose decision. If they had lost he would have said "I tried....because because because" and when they win he is hailed a genius and the media are lapping it up.

On this subject, I though Tim Krul's antics were awful and the referee should have given him a yellow card the first time he did it. That would have stopped it as the next one was red! Some say it is gamesmanship etc but there is no place for it in the game. We see the indiscipline in football, players diving, feigning injury and confronting the ref. We all want that stopped but somehow people chuckle and say Krul's antics were okay. Alan Shearer said "he liked to see it!"

It's not often I would support Argentina but I do hope they beat Holland tonight. If there are any Dutch people reading this let me expand. I have a few Dutch friends and would normally cheer them on but not tonight especially when you add Robben to the list of cheats. Apparently he had to seek confirmation from the referee that it was his penalty in the shoot out. He added it was the first penalty he's taken when he didn't have to dive!

[Iron]

JG - Maybe you're right, but I think that VG is a top manager in the Fergie mold (although like Fergie, his greatness is accompanied by character flaws).

Put yourself in the shoes of a United supporter - if you'd just spent a season with David Moyes as your manager, you'd be pathetically grateful, relieved and excited to finally have a genuinely top tier manager!

Jeff

[superfrank]

+1 JG. cheating has been the only real stain on the World Cup. Hulk, Oscar and Maicon should have been booked for embarrassing dives last night. Come on Argentina, I'm hoping to see Robben crying tonight...


hello Jeff, your exile didn't last long!

[fortfield]

Like most i cant stand Robbens diving but if he has to do against any team i'd want it to be Argentina. Cant stand them. Maradona and in part Simone both cheated England of World cup progression, not forgetting Rattin's behaviuor in 1966. Best thing Michael Owen and Beckham did in their whole career was win and score that pen in 2002 WC

Agree with JG on van Gaal. Media going well over the top on the guy

[superfrank]

Owen dived for that pen in 2002, just like he did against them 4 years earlier... http://youtu.be/WzHVpBINPkQ

England have robbed Argentina as much as they have robbed us.

[Iron]

+1 JG. cheating has been the only real stain on the World Cup. Hulk, Oscar and Maicon should have been booked for embarrassing dives last night. Come on Argentina, I'm hoping to see Robben crying tonight...

Where's your patriotism man? An Englishman supporting Argentina is a bit like an Englishman supporting Scotland - you can be sure as hell they will never return the favour!

hello Jeff, your exile didn't last long!

No, it was quite brief by the standards of your absences (speaking of which, I'm surprised you're back - I'd like to think my return to the forum was what prompted the return!).

Jeff

[fortfield]

Owen dived for that pen in 2002, just like he did against them 4 years earlier... http://youtu.be/WzHVpBINPkQ

England have robbed Argentina as much as they have robbed us.

Yeah great weren't it, like karma

Forgot to mention the argies shaming the 1990 world cup final ,playing for pens and getting 2 players sent off. Oh and 94 with Maradonas drug bust. What an asset to the W.C they have been over the years

[fortfield]

The 2002 pen in all its glory. Wonder whatever happened to that Argentine defender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuIczWO9T9I

[superfrank]

Where's your patriotism man? An Englishman supporting Argentina is a bit like an Englishman supporting Scotland - you can be sure as hell they will never return the favour!

Never liked the cheeseheads much and Robben is the divers poster boy.

No, it was quite brief by the standards of your absences (speaking of which, I'm surprised you're back - I'd like to think my return to the forum was what prompted the return!).

I look in most days but don't post much now - I don't think my posts were ever very popular!

Forgot to mention the argies shaming the 1990 world cup final ,playing for pens and getting 2 players sent off. Oh and 94 with Maradonas drug bust. What an asset to the W.C they have been over the years

They've also brought us some great moments too, like the 78 and 86 finals.

The 2002 pen in all its glory. Wonder whatever happened to that Argentine defender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuIczWO9T9I

Have a look at Beckham diving too in the build up before Owen's leg falls off in the box.

I just hate cheating and cheats - and I don't care if they play for Argentina, England or Sheff Utd.

[speakers]

It's footy, innit? It creates more opinions than any other sport. That's why we love/hate it

[fortfield]

They've also brought us some great moments too, like the 78 and 86 finals.

78, that'll be the WC held in Argentina where the hosts organised it so that all their games kicked off at night , giving them the advantage of knowing where they stood in the group.

The team that gave the world the best memories in the 70s were ironically the Dutch. If anyone team deserves to win a WC its them.

As for 86, yes the one man team scored 2 cracking goals against England and Belgium but the overriding image/memory from that WC is the hand of god.

I just hate cheating and cheats - and I don't care if they play for Argentina, England or Sheff Utd.

Agree, but cheating unfortunately is part of the sport and every team will do it to some degree. Your have a hard task finding a side with more black marks to their name in WC history than Argentina though.

[superfrank]

i take your points, i know the Argies are no angels but i'm still cheering them on tonight - their manager Alex Sabella played for the mighty Blades in the 70s, and that's good enough for me!

DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA (MAKE ROBBEN CRY INSTEAD)

[Iron]

True, although it's curious that this isn't a universal across sport. For example, if a snooker player hits a ball he didn't aim for, he'll often own up to the referee. I also remember watching a top flight table tennis game where a player thought his opponent may have committed a foul, and asked the player whether he did so. In football, there's no way a player would trust a fellow player to be truthful in a competitive fixture!

Jeff

Agree, but cheating unfortunately is part of the sport and every team will do it to some degree.

[Iron]

There is a positive to take from tonight's result - Van Gaal can now start focusing exclusively on Man U, buying in decent talent and selling off the dead wood like Jones, Fellaini and Cleverley! Hopefully he'll also be able to find a club willing to take Rooney off his hands, and knock £15 million a year off the wage bill.

Jeff