World Cup 2010 is down to four teams, two of which play on Tuesday in the tournament's first semifinal. Uruguay, the surprise of the tournament, takes on a Netherlands team coming off their victory over the competition's favorites.
To talk about that match as well as answer some of the feedback we got from our Luis Suárez discussion, I welcome Kartik Krishnaiyer and Laurence McKenna to this edition of the World Cup Buzz Podcast.
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8 comments… read them below or add one
Kartik: eating during podcast
Laurence: can’t go three sentences without saying “if you like”
That folish guy call suarez of uraguay,we hate him for wat he did to our bloved contnent,AFRICA.
Good point! If this ever comes to penalties- It’s Uruguay’s game.
Why can’t FIFA do post game analysis and give suspensions to those players caught on camera diving?
Love the show, guys, but have to take a little issue with the discussion at the end about losing the “human face” of soccer by trying to make things fairer. As I recall, the argument was that soccer’s beauty is that it mirrors life, and that life sometimes isn’t fair, so therefore leaving some of the inequities of the game in place helps maintain soccer’s “human face.”
With respect, I couldn’t disagree more. I do think that soccer (like other sports) does offer a window into our own humanity. But, part of our humanity is to be working at ending injustice and inequity when we see it. Yes, inequity is part of the human condition, but so is working together as a community to end that inequity.
Soccer can and should mirror that very human struggle. Yes, the game is not perfect, just as we as humans are not perfect. But we should never accept the “life is unfair” argument to allow an inequity to continue when we have the perception and the will to change it. To leave rules in place that codify inequity in the name of preserving soccer’s “human face” is merely an attempt to mask injustice with a cloak of sentimentality, and betrays the brighter angels of our human nature.
Thanks again for a great show!
One factor I don’t remember you mentioning on this pod: fatigue. Uruguay played an extra 30 minutes just 4 days ago, and is going to be starting the game with a short bench. While Uruguay might have an advantage in a PK shootout, I imagine they might suffer more from another extra-time match than the Oranje — Uruguay certainly weren’t looking too perky against Ghana at the end, there (though, to be fair, Ghana were coming off their own extra-time match against the USA).
Will Uruguay have any assets to bring on if things aren’t going that well, along the lines of Elia or Huntelaar or van de Vaart? I think their only hope is to go up early, shake the Dutch, and hold on. If they’re not ahead in the 2nd half, and Elia comes on to press opposite Robben…well, that seems like a lot for Uruguay to resist given the injuries and suspensions they’re facing today.
Hello Nick,
Fatigue could be a factor but at this stage the main factors will be who has more experience, who has more quality and who will hold nerve.
This is the semi-final and for most of the players this will be once in a life-time experience. Some will be nervous, others will try to hard and consequently will disappoint by trying too much while some might be subdued because of pressure.
The Dutch are expected to win so let’s see how they will cope with this situation considering they were not favored against Brazil so they had nothing to lose.
Fatigue only becomes a factor after 90 minutes. At this stage all the players will be excited to play and the previous games are forgotten. Only concern is whether the Dutch will think they will win just because they have better quality and because Suarez is suspended.
The psychological aspect of the game is very important!
I can respect the fact that we want our soccer refs to be infallible – or at least trying to be. However, ask the refs in the NFL, NBA and NHL if they like having the help of video replay and/or extra eyes to help them out. When I took my soccer refereeing course, the first thing the instructor wrote on the wall was ‘GOD’ and then proceeded to tell us that unlike many refs of old, we are not supposed to be GOD. We are there to aid the play of two teams, in as fair a method as possible – so that the best team wins. Not the team that takes advantage of rules (hand balls, diving, etc.) or gets lucky and gets something overlooked. The game is faster than ever, and our referees need all the help they can get.