FIFA World Cup 2014 Brazil

[Blaat]

Unbelievable, surely van Gaal's golden substitution (this time the goalie) will work out again.

Originally Posted by Blaat

They frustratingly took the Dutch to penalties which is a lot further than most of us predicted.

Whoops had to edit my post there.

[KiraYamatoFan]

KRUL WINS IT AND KILLS THE DREAM!!! HOLY COW, LOUIS!!!

LVG really has a golden willie.

[Elazul]

Originally Posted by SigUp

The Dutch are changing keepers. In the last minute.

Well, It worked.


Congratz Holland!

[Sakuratsuki]

Respect! to Costa Rica. Much much Respect!

[Mentar]

The better team won in the end ... grats!

Still, a good show from Costa Rica. You even had one shot to win it in minute 116!

[Kakurin]

Now the deification of van Gaal again.

Honestly, the first penalty was one that Cillessen also could have gotten. Besides, sparing a substitution for a goalkeeper change neglects the opportunity costs. Perhaps another fresh player could have won the Dutch the game in regulation.

[ChampDream]

Respect for Costa Rica, they did a good job in this world cup.

[Kakurin]

Costa Rica goes out undefeated.

[Bri]

Holland has won a penalty series

The sky is falling!

[Blaat]

Originally Posted by Bri

Holland has won a penalty series

The sky is falling!

They won a penalty series in 2004.

[Sakuratsuki]

The Dutch team was better but Costa Rica managed to hold team off till the penalties. And when was it for the last time the Dutch won in a penalty shoot out?

And Van Gaal did it again....

[Jazzrat]

Awww damnit, there goes their adventure in this insane World Cup. LVG is going to be splattered all over the headlines making such a ballsy change of goalkeeper just for the shootout and having it paid off.

Hope this great performance will inspire a continued tradition of the great teamwork in their play for the Costa Rican. I don't think the Holland can be criticized, even though Costa Rica isn't one of the top teams, they have played great football with what they had and with great spirit.

The semis is going to be a massive face off between all the football great nations. Brazil vs Germany, Nederland vs Argentina. Quite surprising despite all the surprise we had since the tournament started with traditionally strong team being booted out early.

[Sakuratsuki]

I hope Di Maria is going to play in the semis, if not it's a big loss for Argentina.

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by Sakura_Tsuki

And when was it for the last time the Dutch won in a penalty shoot out?

And Van Gaal did it again....

Euro 2004 quarterfinals against Sweden. Ibrahimovic and Mellberg missed for the Swedes while Cocu was the only one missing his attempt for the Oranje.

Van Gaal... words can't really describe how this man can be a genius doing what he did with, let's be honest, the weakest Dutch squad in years. I hope he will eventually get the appreciation he deserves and be recognized as a legend among managers by the time he retires.

Originally Posted by Sakura_Tsuki

I hope Di Maria is going to play in the semis, if not it's a big loss for Argentina.

I just read that he's out with a muscle tear and will no longer play in this World Cup.

[Sakuratsuki]

I just read that he's out with a muscle tear and will no longer play in this World Cup.

Damn, that's really bad news for Argentina. Angel Di Maria is a very good player always running like crazy and playing good football.

Another big player is out of the competition.....

Well, with neymar and di maria out. It's 100% sure for me it going to be a Germany vs Netherlands final. But only if Brazil doesn't get help from the referee.

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by SigUp

Now the deification of van Gaal again.

Honestly, the first penalty was one that Cillessen also could have gotten. Besides, sparing a substitution for a goalkeeper change neglects the opportunity costs. Perhaps another fresh player could have won the Dutch the game in regulation.

I'm pretty sure Van Gaal knew it would come to this. He was told by one of his advisors to keep Krul on stand-by, and since there weren't any injuries on the Dutch team, he could bring him in as his ace.

And it paid off in the end. Regardless of what Cillessen could have done with these penalties, Krul was brought in just for this reason, and he did what was expected of him – secure our victory. And luckily, we didn't miss one penalty.


On a side-note, is there a record for many offsides one player can get? If not, then I select Van Persie to be the first title holder.

[Kakurin]

Van Gaal did great, but to deify him? At this World Cup there were a number of terrifc coaching jobs. Costa Rica's coach for example, or Pekerman with Colombia who did an equally good job. Van Gaal does have some blemishes on his record. Like missing the World Cup 2002 with the Netherlands, driving Barcelona into the relegation zone the following year. Or losing the support of his team at Bayern.

Originally Posted by Lord of Fire

I'm pretty sure Van Gaal knew it would come to this. He was told by one of his advisors to keep Krul on stand-by, and since there weren't any injuries on the Dutch team, he could bring him in as his ace.

He knew his team, even with a fresh face, would be unable to score? Not a lot of confidence I guess. Thing is, he gambled and won. This validates his decision, but doesn't make the decision a genius one. Imagine Costa Rica had scored with that chance in the 117th or so after that Costa Rica player ran around two or three tired Dutch defenders. That's the risk he was playing with.

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by Lord of Fire

I'm pretty sure Van Gaal knew it would come to this. He was told by one of his advisors to keep Krul on stand-by, and since there weren't any injuries on the Dutch team, he could bring him in as his ace.

Frans Hoek, he's the goalkeeper coach for Holland and soon at Manchester United as well.

Hoek certainly made the recommendation to switch for Krul, but nevertheless it still took balls for Van Gaal to make such a decision. I don't know many managers who would have done that a couple of minutes before a penalty shootout.

[Kakurin]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

I don't know many managers who would have done that a couple of minutes before a penalty shootout.

Because the cost most times isn't worth it. First, some teams' best penalty killer is actually their number one. Second, you are throwing away one substitution with which you can win the game (or lose it by not substituting). Like I said above, imagine the Costa Rican player scoring after running around those tired Dutch defenders. That's what van Gaal was gambling with. Or from another game, cup competition in Germany a couple of years ago. Dortmund's opponent changed goalkeepers, then Dortmund scored in the last minute.

Then, penalty shootouts are almost exclusively dependent on the shooter and his mental strength. If he is mentally up to the task and shoots it well no goalkeeper in the world has a chance. Just rewatch the shootout between France and Italy in 2006. Counting the one Zidane made in regulation there were 10 penalties. The goalkeepers got their hands on none of them, because they were shot so well. And we are talking about Buffon and Barthez here, two goalkeepers who have proven that they can kill penalties. None of the penalties were savable, and even the one Trezeguet missed by a hair, Buffon had no chance there.

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by SigUp

He knew his team, even with a fresh face, would be unable to score? Not a lot of confidence I guess. Thing is, he gambled and won. This validates his decision, but doesn't make the decision a genius one. Imagine Costa Rica had scored with that chance in the 117th or so after that Costa Rica player ran around two or three tired Dutch defenders. That's the risk he was playing with.

If he was lacking in confidence, he wouldn't have waited till the last minute to bring Krul in. However, as the extra time drew to a close, he knew he had little choice but to either stick what he had and risk losing, or follow Hoek's advice and bring in a keeper who apparently has more experience with penalties than Cillessen.

True, were there any seriously tired or inured players, he would probably have felt forced to replace them, but everyone of importance survived in one piece, so he had little reason to replace them. And besides, he probably talked this through with the team as well, so it's possible they anticipated this move as well and tried their hardest to stay on their feet to give him that one shot at victory.

Edit: Van Gaal knew that when we're on stream like we were here, but don't score within the given time, it usually means we lose. This helped him in his decision to bring in Krul for Cillessen.