Brazil 3 Croatia 1. Fix or not?

[cuberider]

Very poor ref. It was never a penalty, Neymar was lucky to stay on and I saw nothing wrong with Croatia's second goal

I still expect both teams to progress though.

 

[Archie_tect]

I have Brazil in the sweep so I can't comment without bias.... at least Brazil scored all 4 goals, apart from the disallowed one.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The ref was as bent as most refs at Old Trafford. So not very bent at all, just becomes flexible under huge psychological pressure.

Some teams in the Premiership are twice as likely to be awarded a penalty at home than when playing away. Could be the defenders crack a bit too, but twice as often?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I wouldn't say bent, but I believe he left his man of the match award on the Brazil team bus when they dropped him off at his 9* hotel suite last night.

 

[PaulB]

Never liked the Croatians. Racist fascists the lot o' them. Hats off to 12 man Brazil!

My sanctimonies exactly! Well said, sir.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Brazil looked like the better team to me. The goal that was ruled out seemed a bit like Campbell's against Argentina. International referees tend to rule those out. The Brazilian striker could have stayed up under that challenge, but why should he? If it's a foul but you stand up, you lose your chance and you don't get anything. I thought some of the Croatian players were a bit dirty too, especially their number 2. I was hoping Croatia would win.

 

[cd365]

To me it was a case of Brazil has to win at all costs!

 

[AndyRM]

[QUOTE 3130520, member: 30090"]I have a good friend who would probably disagree with the above....[/QUOTE]

Likewise. And a couple of colleagues. it's fitba though, so crass generalisations are totally fine.

 

[TVC]

There is no fixing, corruption, dirty politics, drug taking, cheating, or exploitation in professional football. 'Cos Sep Blatter says so, and who are we to doubt his word.

 

[swee'pea99]

Likewise. And a couple of colleagues. it's fitba though, so crass generalisations are totally fine.

Mandatory.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Subconsciously intimidated by the atmosphere and got a couple of difficult-to-see decisions wrong would be my view. Remember, the referee does not have the TV view that we do and is therefore more easily convinced by what seems to be at ground level - South American teams have always taken advantage of this and see tricking the ref as part of the game not as cheating (I've had long discussions with Brazilian teammates). The only difference between this and the British attitude is that we pretend to be shocked by this but do it too anyway!

Brazil were the better team, but were in no way the kind of force we used to expect. The team does not look like a World Cup-winning unit and Neymar is going to get himself sent off sooner or later.

Oh, and the fixing at this level of football tends to go on in the boardrooms not on the pitch...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Qaulity oppostion dragged down to the level of inferior opponents and feeling the burden of expectation. The Brazil of old will turn up after the group stage.

And I hear today's ref hates Mexicans.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Qaulity oppostion dragged down to the level of inferior opponents and feeling the burden of expectation. The Brazil of old will turn up after the group stage.

And I hear today's ref hates Mexicans.

Well, from my view, both of those goals were good. The referee couldn't have known much about the first, but he missed the ball coming off the defender's head from the second...

 

[MarkF]

The penalty was shocker, Fred looked sad so gets a penalty? I don't know about a fix, but the ref couldn't wait to give it, I'd leaned towards fix till I saw Mexico have 2 perfectly good goals disallowed and clear penalty not given. Bizarre!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

[QUOTE 3130515, member: 30090"]The ref had a shocker it happens - like the idiot who issued three yellow cards to one player before sending them off - where did they referee and in what league?

[/QUOTE]
Oi, this thread already has a Poll!