Last night, we saw two teams (Brazil and Columbia) who showed that they could play some open, wonderful, exhilarating, stuff.
But there was also another side to the game - not helped at all by the referee's lax attitude - and that was the sheer lack of concern by several players for the physical safety of their opponents. Appendages flew in from all angles with most being ignored by the referee and we now learn that Naymar (one of the few that has demonstrated real skill in the World Cup finals) has a broken vertebrae resulting from another, careless, challenge.
And it exemplified how little the players knew about the rules of the game when James Rodriguez complained that he had been whistled-up for a foul but that he had used his shoulder. The trouble was that his shoulder had been applied to someone's chest. Do players' not know that the 'shoulder' rule applies to shoulder to shoulder contact? But he is not the only one not to understand this - many flout this rule and do not get disciplined for it. Pushing is rife.
For some years now it has made me boggle that players get away with so many fouls in the penalty area - particular when corner kicks are taken. Shirtpulling and pushing in these situations and in open play is rife and yet referees are tricked too easily. And many referees and their assistants seem to ignore their occurrence, particularly within the penalty area.
Last night's game could have been a a really great game. But it was so badly tainted by the rash challenges and referee myopia.
Added to the case concerning Suarez, I wonder what the likes of Pele think about what's going on? Sir Stan Matthews and Tom Finney would have been appalled.
But there was also another side to the game - not helped at all by the referee's lax attitude - and that was the sheer lack of concern by several players for the physical safety of their opponents. Appendages flew in from all angles with most being ignored by the referee and we now learn that Naymar (one of the few that has demonstrated real skill in the World Cup finals) has a broken vertebrae resulting from another, careless, challenge.
And it exemplified how little the players knew about the rules of the game when James Rodriguez complained that he had been whistled-up for a foul but that he had used his shoulder. The trouble was that his shoulder had been applied to someone's chest. Do players' not know that the 'shoulder' rule applies to shoulder to shoulder contact? But he is not the only one not to understand this - many flout this rule and do not get disciplined for it. Pushing is rife.
For some years now it has made me boggle that players get away with so many fouls in the penalty area - particular when corner kicks are taken. Shirtpulling and pushing in these situations and in open play is rife and yet referees are tricked too easily. And many referees and their assistants seem to ignore their occurrence, particularly within the penalty area.
Last night's game could have been a a really great game. But it was so badly tainted by the rash challenges and referee myopia.
Added to the case concerning Suarez, I wonder what the likes of Pele think about what's going on? Sir Stan Matthews and Tom Finney would have been appalled.
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