World Cup 2010 - discussions & random thoughts

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Slovakia 3 - Italy 2 !! Fantastic match, easily the most dramatic of the games so far this tournament. Italy dropping out is putting England's problems in perspective; at least we reached our nadir in the 2nd game and had time to pull it round. Italy are just getting their's now. We can't be favourites against Germany, but given our players' mentality, I feel that we'd be more likely to underestimate a team we're "supposed" to beat and get embarassed. Sunday could depend on whose big players turn up - Podolski & Oezil -v- Gerrard & Rooney, to put it crudely.

 

Yeah man, well good to see the Italian's booted out. Horrible team, horrible attitude, horrible style of play! I'll have a beer later to celebrate that one.

Just think.. one of USA, Mexico, Uruguay or Ghana is going to be in the semi final... something has gone seriously wrong somewhere in this WC!

 

@ aldeth. The random draw does not mean all groups equal in strength. Also playing style is a factor. Groups G is the strongest on paper.

Take an NFL team weak on running defence stronger against the pass, they favour a passing team during playoffs.

England has had a knack for losing tight games, Germany mostly wins those. Guess who is soiling themselves the most.

 

Right, but the random draw is just that - random. My point is if you get an easier opponent in the second round it's more due to chance than anything.

 

A few things to always remember.

1. Never get involved in a land war in Asia
2. Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line
3. Never give a Japanese soccer player a free kick within 30 yards of the goal

 

4. Never tug on Superman's cape
5. Never spit into the wind
6. Never pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
7. Never mess around with Jim

 

Just beautiful goals from Japan. Looks like they have practiced freekicks with Jabulani .

 

Slovakia beating Italy. New Zealand drawing with Paraguay. An interesting night. A shame we're out, but to have come so far and still not lost a match is really something.

 

Congratulations to New Zealand for playing better than everyone expected in the beginning.
Hopefully they'll rejoin in Brazil.

And the game of Japan was very good, no mega stars like Messi but they acted perfectly as a team and managed to execute their few chances.
A pity though that our neighbour Denmark is out now

 

The groups aren't completely random, it's quasi-seeded. There's a top seed in each group and then three others from different continents. What's worked out so well for the US isn't just that they've topped their group over the seeded team (England) but in the group they're opposite the same has happened with Uruguay finishing above France (who do have a very good team on paper, just an idiot coach). Having both of the top teams 'missing' from your part of the draw has left it very open.

Spoiler

Half-time. Fantasy World Cup Punditry, all of them in the one studio. Ready?

Hansen: “Once England got the goal the confidence levels surged, they were excellent.”

Eamon Dunphy: “They just didn’t grow in confidence at all after the goal.”

Lineker: “The goal really settled them, didn’t it? They pushed on from there.”

Ronnie Whelan: “You’d think they’d have kicked on from when they scored, but they actually got worse.”

Roy: “England’s crossing has been absolutely outstanding.”

Giles: “Some of the crossing was just awful.”

Shearer: “Rooney looks more confident, he’s getting around the pitch a lot better.”

Dunphy: “It’s shocking to see Rooney so subdued, he’s been reduced to a shivering wreck.”

Shearer: “They look much more comfortable on the ball, they’re passing it with a purpose, with pace, they’re closing down – a much better performance, it’s encouraging.”

Giles: “They’re much better than they have been, but they couldn’t have been worse.”

No arguments, then. Second half. England held on. Full-time. Ready?

Lee Dixon: “A great performance.”

Dunphy: “Shocking . . . absolutely incredibly bad . . . pretty awful stuff.”

Hansen: “The commitment was there, the spirit was there, the enterprise was there, the creativity was there, they passed it better – they could have scored five or six quite easily. Capello will obviously be delighted with the performance.”

Giles: “If that’s the shackles off what’ll they be like when the shackles are back on?”

’Arry Redknapp: “We played with pace, we got after them, we pressed them, there wasn’t a weakness in the team.”

Dunphy: “They were astonishingly poor.”

Lineker: “He looked more like the Rooney we know.”

Ronnie: “Rooney is a major worry, his form, his body language, his demeanour, everything.”

Dixon: “Gerrard was outstanding.”

Dunphy: “I can’t believe how bad Gerrard was today.”

’Arry: “Across midfield we were top drawer.”

Giles: “Barry got worse as the game went on, Milner, Gerrard and Lampard the same.”

’Arry: “Bring it on! Whoever we play we’ll be difficult to beat.”

Ronnie: “If they don’t improve they’ll go straight out, it was a very, very inept performance.”

The above is a comparison of the English and Irish analysis of the England match. There's quite a difference of opinion. The lads !

It's a bit depressing to see both France and Italy go out so early. Failing to qualify because we were pipped by the top two teams from last time around is no shame. Now it's really being shown that we had a great chance to beat them ourselves. Still, I'm aware the Irish team is lacking in quality.

 

Typical Irish anti-English bullshít to be fair, even you could admit that? the performance was good, a country mile better than it has been, and the score could (and should) have been at least 3-0, if not more.... I'm sorry mate, I love you loads, but if there's one thing I can't stand it's anti-English garbage from the home nations (and yes, I do count Ireland in that). It's pathetic.

 

Trust a hyper-sensitive Brit crybaby to get worked up over something like that.

 

So, now we know all the second round matches. Any predictions?

Uruguay - South Korea. Uruguay are playing some of the nicest football of the tournament, and I would love them to go through to the semis. Uruguay win.

USA – Ghana. Tough to call this. Both teams were pretty underwhelming. Ghana seems to play slightly better football, but the yanks appear better organised. I’ll go with Ghana – for their Serbian manager

England – Germany. If England play like they played their first two games, Germany should easily win. However, “the proud lions of Albion” (as the Serbian commentators refer to them) did slightly improve in the last game, and Germans didn’t exactly look terribly convincing against Ghana and Serbia. I’ll go with Germany but won’t be too surprised if England finally wake up and win this.

Argentina – Mexico. Argentina to win. Anything else would be a huge surprise. Their manager might be bad, but it looks like the players are starting to have fun and Messi is looking better and better.

Netherlands – Slovakia. Again, anything apart from a win to the Dutch would be a huge upset. Slovakia looked pretty tired and the Dutch play with ease.

Brazil – Chile. An interesting one. I don’t like this new, defensive Brazil. They seem to lack the imagination of old. I still think they will win, but I’ll be supporting Chile who played some nice attacking football.

Paraguay – Japan. It’s a pity they had to meet so early, as I enjoyed watching them both. I think Japan are looking slightly better, and played in one of the most entertaining matches so far.

Spain – Portugal. No idea. Depends on which Spain and which Portugal turn up. Portugal partially made up for their insanely boring first round match with Ivory Coast with a demolition of North Korea. Spain looked pretty nervous, even when winning, and have a long history of underperforming in world cups. I might go with Portugal but this one is tough to call. I do predict lots of dirty fouls, diving, playacting and petulant whining, though.

 

The scots are also guilty of this.

Maybe they're bitter that we're better than them?

 

My predictions?

Uruguay, USA, Germany, Argentina, Netherlands, Brazil, Japan and Spain.

I'm hoping South Korea and Chile somehow squeeze through, but I doubt it.

 

Montresor... what are next weeks Euro Lotto results?! :-)

So, USA are out... to be honest they were totally outplayed by a team of superior talent and technical ability. Both of Ghana's goals were crackers. The US have to be applauded though for showing the 'never say die' attitude we've come to expect from them. I genuinely felt for the players and fans with heads in hands and emotions totally on display, because I've been there more than once with England... and will dread getting that feeling tomorrow!

 

2-1 to Ghana, Montresor called it.

And ditto Barmy's sentiments.