He simply has a better penalty quota than the one playing. Not really an "inspired" decision by Van Gaal as people are saying. Any coach would have done the same in that situation. Great, now i have to root for Argentina. Ugh...
The Dutch should have taken it 2 or 3 to zip during the game with those crossbar bounces... the better team won, obviously.
The Netherlands are such an unlikeable side. And it's not just Robben. The goalie acted like a jerk during the penalty shootout. Trash talking the opponent ahead of a penalty? What is this? Boxing? I guess I'll be rooting for whoever faces the Netherlands.
Give me a break, never seen that done ever in football never mind a WORLD CUP Last 8 match. Van Gaal has HUGE melon size balls to make that change. Well done Holland but Costa Rica hold your heads high.
Yeah, whatever the goalies strengths, the sub is still going on stone cold at the crucial point... Big call.
In other news I thought Daniel van Buyten's post-match interview was really interesting. He said his own side was too inexperienced to make it. And he said he hopes none of the players will travel home thinking he didn't give everything he could. Van Buyten also thought that Argentina lacked structure and didn't seem at their best fitness. Quote: "If Argentina were to face Germany I'd bet everything I have on Germany."
Sure, but then, that's because number one goalies tend to be the best of their team at penalties, no subbing needed. Why? Few seconds away from the shootout, one sub left. There's nothing at risk here that wasn't already. Also, imagine the psychological effect this sub must have had on CR. It's like Jens Lehmann's famous paper notes in 2006.
As I said, to replace a goalie playing well with another that's stone cold ? That is a massive call, however you look at it.
No it's only logical. You gonna get into a penalty shootout, you'll want your best keeper for penalties on the field. If that's your second goalie, then so be it.
Whatever the case, the game was dull beyond all belief until about the 80th minute when both sides seemed to suddenly decide they'd better have a go. Disappointing for Costa Rica but it was great to see them get so far; here's hoping a Cameroon-style implosion doesn't follow. The Argentina-Belgium game wasn't much to watch either, which I suppose is only to be expected at the pointy end of a World Cup. So we're left with Argentina (deifies a cheat but has Messi), Holland (grubs like de Jong and Robben), Germany (err...yeah) and Brazil (Neymar-less and not a patch on past sides). I'm not sure which I find the least of the evils in that lot.
As I said when England went out, I'm supporting Holland, but think Germany will do it. As long as Argentina don't win it'll be O.K.
Yeah as was pointed out, if he was making a change based on previous penalty form he'd have put Vorm on, a man who has the nickname "Penalty Killer). Krul was taller with a better reach, and also left footed which probably helped given several of the CR penalty takers were left sided too. Ballsy decision really. He certainly doesn't lack cojones. I guess I don't really care who wins, so long as it isn't Argentina I'd prefer Holland to win it, if only because they never have. Germany winning would be annoying but they are a good solid team. Brazil are just too ordinary, and I can't help feeling they've had a lot of preferential refereeing from day one. Ironic that the ref letting them get away with stuff on Friday probably indirectly led to Neymar getting injured. Germany/ Holland final?
I still want Brazil to win, and I certainly want Germany to lose. Netherlands finally winning the Cup would be weird, as this team isn't nearly as special as other teams in the past that failed.