After that, you'd have to assume that the winner is coming from Spain-Germany.
What's been the most depressing image of the World Cup so far?
A talented France team, so uninterested that they sabotaged their own chances?
Or Uruguay and Holland, in a SEMI-FINAL, by contrast with France, trying their damnedest, but struggling to find a single moment of cohesive play to grace the stage?
The five goals are misleading. A speculative effort from Van Bronckhorst flew almost surreally into the top corner. Twenty minutes or so later, and Stekelenburg failed to deal with a Forlan pot shot. Nothing much happened in-between.
Second half, Holland failed miserably to rise above their workmanlike opposition, until a Sneijder effort dribbled past the keeper and nestled almost apologetically in the corner. The goal was not ruled out despite the ball coming through an offside Van Persie.
Holland followed that up with the only decent bit of team play in the match, and Kuyt's cross was nodded in clinically by Arjen Robben.
Uruguay's late goal sparked a brief period of pressure on the Dutch before the final whistle, but extra-time would have been torture for neutrals. After such a poor showing, it is hard to escape the notion that international football is again locked in a slide. Hopefully a thriller between Germany and Spain tonight can partially redeem the tournament.
Showing posts with label Uruguay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Uruguay. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
World Cup: It's Brazil's To Lose
The winner of Spain-Portugal tonight rounds off the quarter-final line-up.
Spain's trademark flair hasn't really reached full flow, and their defence is highly suspect, so Brazil are strong favourites.
Despite accusations that they are a dour outfit by previous standards, Brazil have an ominous momentum. They've swept aside Ivory Coast and Chile, always giving the impression that if and when necessary, they can shift into a higher gear.
Their final group game, the dead rubber against Portugal, was interesting in hinting at the problems Brazil may have breaking down a well-organised team with little attacking ambition. Then again, key forwards were rested, and you would back the men in yellow if they could call on the full compliment.
Could Portugal themselves have slipped under the radar as possible winners? They have an amazing defensive record in recent times. A team with a great defence and a decent attack is more likely to triumph in a World Cup than a team with a poor defence and a great attack. That is why I do not see Spain as likely winners. Tonight's outcome will tell us more.
Germany's destruction of England has been greeted with a little too much fanfare. Lampard's "goal that wasn't" would have had a huge impact on the game if allowed, to suggest otherwise is moronic. A team levelling a game from 2-0 down- in the space of a minute- is going to have serious momentum for the remainder. Instead, Germany collected themselves, sat back, soaked up and killed the game when the opportunity arose. England would obviously not have left those yawning gaps at the back had the scores been level.
The Germans were delightful in England's final third, and their continued presence in the tournament is reason to be pleased. But the latent flakiness of their young team- apparent in the concession of Lampard's goal and a shakey start to the second half- suggests that they would be no match for Brazil if there is to be a repeat of the 2002 final.
Before speculating about the identity of the finalists, there is the small matter of a mouth-watering quarter-final between Germany and Argentina. To me, Argentina look untested. Messi has been explosive at times, but looks obsessed with scoring, at times to the detriment of better-placed team mates. After a handy group, they enjoyed a lot of luck in negotiating what should have been a tight game against Mexico. Their midfield and defence are nowhere near as impressive as their attack. If they manage to reach the final, again I would see them as fodder for the Brazilians.
Assuming that Brazil will be in the final. This may seem an insult to a Dutch side that have been efficient if unspectacular so far. Unfortunately for Holland, Sneijder and Van Persie have a strained relationship, which is not to mention the fact that they do not dovetail naturally as players. If Arjen Robben plays a blinder, they could spring a shock, but it is more likely that Brazil will expose a defence that looked shakey at times against Slovakia.
Uruguay- Ghana will be the battle of the dark horses. Uruguay in particular could cause Brazil a problem in the semi-finals by refusing to become open to their counter-attacking threat. A cagey affair in prospect.
Spain's trademark flair hasn't really reached full flow, and their defence is highly suspect, so Brazil are strong favourites.
Despite accusations that they are a dour outfit by previous standards, Brazil have an ominous momentum. They've swept aside Ivory Coast and Chile, always giving the impression that if and when necessary, they can shift into a higher gear.
Their final group game, the dead rubber against Portugal, was interesting in hinting at the problems Brazil may have breaking down a well-organised team with little attacking ambition. Then again, key forwards were rested, and you would back the men in yellow if they could call on the full compliment.
Could Portugal themselves have slipped under the radar as possible winners? They have an amazing defensive record in recent times. A team with a great defence and a decent attack is more likely to triumph in a World Cup than a team with a poor defence and a great attack. That is why I do not see Spain as likely winners. Tonight's outcome will tell us more.
Germany's destruction of England has been greeted with a little too much fanfare. Lampard's "goal that wasn't" would have had a huge impact on the game if allowed, to suggest otherwise is moronic. A team levelling a game from 2-0 down- in the space of a minute- is going to have serious momentum for the remainder. Instead, Germany collected themselves, sat back, soaked up and killed the game when the opportunity arose. England would obviously not have left those yawning gaps at the back had the scores been level.
The Germans were delightful in England's final third, and their continued presence in the tournament is reason to be pleased. But the latent flakiness of their young team- apparent in the concession of Lampard's goal and a shakey start to the second half- suggests that they would be no match for Brazil if there is to be a repeat of the 2002 final.
Before speculating about the identity of the finalists, there is the small matter of a mouth-watering quarter-final between Germany and Argentina. To me, Argentina look untested. Messi has been explosive at times, but looks obsessed with scoring, at times to the detriment of better-placed team mates. After a handy group, they enjoyed a lot of luck in negotiating what should have been a tight game against Mexico. Their midfield and defence are nowhere near as impressive as their attack. If they manage to reach the final, again I would see them as fodder for the Brazilians.
Assuming that Brazil will be in the final. This may seem an insult to a Dutch side that have been efficient if unspectacular so far. Unfortunately for Holland, Sneijder and Van Persie have a strained relationship, which is not to mention the fact that they do not dovetail naturally as players. If Arjen Robben plays a blinder, they could spring a shock, but it is more likely that Brazil will expose a defence that looked shakey at times against Slovakia.
Uruguay- Ghana will be the battle of the dark horses. Uruguay in particular could cause Brazil a problem in the semi-finals by refusing to become open to their counter-attacking threat. A cagey affair in prospect.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The World Cup: 32 Teams is Far Too Many
Seven games in, the quality has been generally poor, with goals hard to come by.
The high-profile sides that have played so far- France, Argentina and England- all look flawed. France were toothless against Uruguay. If Gourcuff really is Wenger's preferred replacement for Fabregas, as has been suggested in places, Arsenal are in big, big trouble. For a supposed creative player, he does not seem hungry to get on the ball.
For Argentina, Messi provided a lot of the spark that many suggest he has lacked for his country, but his finishing failed him, and thus his side could not build on Heinze's early header. Nigeria were not much better than awful, but still troubled an Argentine rearguard that will surely be shown up later by a better team.
England's familiar flaws show no sign of disappearing. The return of the Lampard-Gerrard axis was predictably also the return of route one. The team lacks any kind of ethos of how to play the game constructively. John Giles reprised his on-the-money critique of both central midfielders- who are not really central midfielders. That England are relying on the return of Gareth Barry to provide some balance, after his underwhelming-at-best season for Man City, speaks of their problems. All that being said, they may well have emerged triumphant if not for Robert Green's hilariously bad mistake in fumbling Clint Dempsey's speculative effort.
That should not deflect attention from just how bad England are. The astounding thing about Gerrard and Lampard is that Giles' criticism of them is so simple, so plainly, undeniably true, and yet it is never mentioned on BBC, ITV, Sky Sports, or anywhere else. Gerrard was lauded in some places for his performance, which did include a well-taken goal and some MOMENTS of diligence, tracking back, tackling; but the glaring void in his game as a "central midfielder" is consistently ignored by English pundits and fans.
With the football so far uninspiring, one can rely on RTE's coverage for a bit of entertainment. The highlight so far, Graeme Souness today: "Vidic was raped... (awkward moment as he realises he shouldn't have said it) sorry, he was taken apart by Torres..."
Brilliant.
The high-profile sides that have played so far- France, Argentina and England- all look flawed. France were toothless against Uruguay. If Gourcuff really is Wenger's preferred replacement for Fabregas, as has been suggested in places, Arsenal are in big, big trouble. For a supposed creative player, he does not seem hungry to get on the ball.
For Argentina, Messi provided a lot of the spark that many suggest he has lacked for his country, but his finishing failed him, and thus his side could not build on Heinze's early header. Nigeria were not much better than awful, but still troubled an Argentine rearguard that will surely be shown up later by a better team.
England's familiar flaws show no sign of disappearing. The return of the Lampard-Gerrard axis was predictably also the return of route one. The team lacks any kind of ethos of how to play the game constructively. John Giles reprised his on-the-money critique of both central midfielders- who are not really central midfielders. That England are relying on the return of Gareth Barry to provide some balance, after his underwhelming-at-best season for Man City, speaks of their problems. All that being said, they may well have emerged triumphant if not for Robert Green's hilariously bad mistake in fumbling Clint Dempsey's speculative effort.
That should not deflect attention from just how bad England are. The astounding thing about Gerrard and Lampard is that Giles' criticism of them is so simple, so plainly, undeniably true, and yet it is never mentioned on BBC, ITV, Sky Sports, or anywhere else. Gerrard was lauded in some places for his performance, which did include a well-taken goal and some MOMENTS of diligence, tracking back, tackling; but the glaring void in his game as a "central midfielder" is consistently ignored by English pundits and fans.
With the football so far uninspiring, one can rely on RTE's coverage for a bit of entertainment. The highlight so far, Graeme Souness today: "Vidic was raped... (awkward moment as he realises he shouldn't have said it) sorry, he was taken apart by Torres..."
Brilliant.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)