Okay. I’ll keep this simple: if you haven’t been watching Barcelona out-pass and out-score all before them over the past two months, you need to repent. Seriously. And I’m not just talking about that 5-0 trouncing of Jose Mourinho’s lot at the Nou Camp the other week. That was just the icing on the cake, given that it was against their biggest opponents, and even more significantly, against the coach responsible for their Champions League exit last season.
The thing is, Barca have been doing this week in week out for the past couple of months, racking up an amazing 29 goals along the way and conceding just two – almost 600 minutes apart – in their last six league games. I know, it’s easy to dismiss Barca’s impressive run if you haven’t been watching – especially if you have concluded that, because La Liga is a two-horse race, the rest of the league isn’t up to scratch. Nothing could be farther from the truth of course; trust me, it’s no mean feat to bash five goals past local rivals Espanyol, as Barca did in hostile territory last Saturday; or to put three past Villareal and five past Sevilla.
But it’s not just Barca’s numbers that make this team deserving of your attention. It’s the manner in which they have gone about their business. For me, this Barcelona incarnation is playing the very best football seen anywhere on the planet in the last twenty years at the very least. Yes, better than Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan, Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona “Dream Team”, Louis van Gaal’s Ajax and any of Man Utd’s impressive teams of the last two decades.
This is history in the making, folks. We’ll be talking about this team for years to come, kind of like how the old-timers go on about Real Madrid’s five-time European champions; or Brazil’s sparkling 1970 vintage. It’s not just that they pass the ball better than any team we’ve seen in eons; or that they all seem to be on the same wavelength. It’s the mind-blowing speed at which they carry on that sets them apart. It’s not just that they boast the best players on the planet in Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi; it’s the manner in which those big names all graft and sacrifice for the greater good of the team. It’s not just that their patient, creative tiki taka style often results in loads of often spectacular goals; they’re actually pretty good at keeping goals out too. I suppose the simplest way to describe this team, at least for you Premiership-addicted anglophiles out there, is to say they are the team that Arsenal would like to become when they grow up – and Arsenal fans should take that as a compliment.
For all that high praise though, Barcelona may well end the season empty handed. Only two points separate them from Real Madrid in La Liga, and the minefield that is the Champions’ League is pretty hard to predict – as we saw last year when “the best team in Europe” knocked out the best team in Europe. They even drew 0-0 with Athletic Bilbao in the Cope del Rey on Tuesday night – proving they are human after all.
I’m pretty confident they’ll see off Real’s challenge again, but it really doesn’t matter one bit; Pep Guardiola’s team is putting on a show for the ages right now. If you’ve been missing it, it’s time to get with it.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Time to Shine!
First, a confession; I have been a Holland fan for over 30 years now - even own one of those bright orange shirts.
Ever since Mario Kempes scored twice to condemn the Dutch to a 2nd consecutive World Cup final defeat in Beunos Aires all those years ago, I have been a staunch Dutch sympathiser, living through the Euro glory days of Rijkaard, Gullit and van Basten; and plumbing the depths of despair brought on by penalty shoot out woes at Euro 92, Euro 96, France 98 and Euro 2000. Of course, the one thing that's been missing in all those years is another trip to the championship game at the World Cup final and an opportunity to ease the pain of 1974 and 1978. Until now.
You'll probably understand my angst then, that now that the world cup is finally within reach, the one team that stands in the way of Dutch glory is the very same one that has, over the last three years , stolen my heart with its very special brand of the beautiful game - Spain.
So, can this latest incarnation of the Oranje succeed where their illustrious forebears faltered and trounce the best team on the planet to make history? And on which side of this divide will I now sit?
I'll tell you this much; the first question is easier answered. As world cup runs go, Holland have been pretty solid at this tourney having won all six of their games so far. They've scored 12 goals and let in 5 - but that number doesn't do their defensive record justice when you consider the manner of those conceded goals. Two were from the penalty spot - one for handball in the wall from a Cameroon free kick; the other an injury time consolation for Slovakia in the round of 16 - and another, late against Uruguay came after the game was effectively over. That might indicate lapses in concentration, but, save for a torrid 1st half against Brazil Holland's backline has hardly been troubled. Johnny Heitinga and Joris Mathijsen have looked competent enough in central defence, especially with van Bommel and the tigrish Nigel de Jong patrolling in front of them. Oddly, their biggest defensive tool may well be flankman Dirk Kuyt, whose tireless efforts down the left wing stifled the overlapping tendencies of Brazil's Maicon. Expect him to play in like mode against Spain's Sergio Ramos.
On the attacking end, much will depend on how much of the ball Wesley Sneijder sees, and if Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie get in the game. And the Dutch bench looks good too, with the likes of Ibrahim Affelay and the tricky Eljero Elia offering alternatives to the tried and tested. (By the way, if Holland really mean all the pre-match talk about attacking Spain, they have got to find a way to play Elia - he's skilful and quick). The Dutch will look to keep the ball and build patiently, as they have done to great effect on their run to the final, and again look to Sneijder to make things happen.
For all the positives though, Holland enter this final as clear underdogs. What else is there to say about European champions, Spain? High quality in every position and unbelievable team cohesion; team depth to die for - Fabregas, Torres, David Silva on the bench - and that mental steel that enables great teams to eke out results even on a bad day.
Spain for me, arrived South Africa as favourites so it's perhaps not surprising that they've made it this far. No one doubted they had the skill, but they've displayed immense character to overcome the extra pressure that early defeat to Switzerland must have imposed - practically forcing them into the knockout phase right from their second game. It's hard to bet against a team that has Xavi and Iniesta carving openings for David Villa - especially if they are on their game and bad luck doesn't have it in for them. But la Roja isn't just about offence; Pique and Puyol are as good as any defensive pairing anywhere; Busquets is underrated but very effective and Xabi Alonso never stops running.
I think this game will be decided in two areas: For Holland, van Bommel, de Jong and Sneijder will have to close the spaces in midfield, and Robben will need to do a lot of tracking back on the right wing if they are to keep Spain at bay. Spain must watch for the quick long diagonal pass, especially from Sneijder to Robben - but of course they prefer to defend by keeping the ball.
It should be great game to watch - if you love watching passes like I do - and after the last three rounds the smart money must be on another 1-0 win for Spain. I wouldn't wager money on the scores, but I think it's Spain's time to shine.
Oh, and as for my side of the divide; a big part of me will always support the Dutch but for this one, I think I'll be rooting for Spain. We'll see........
Ever since Mario Kempes scored twice to condemn the Dutch to a 2nd consecutive World Cup final defeat in Beunos Aires all those years ago, I have been a staunch Dutch sympathiser, living through the Euro glory days of Rijkaard, Gullit and van Basten; and plumbing the depths of despair brought on by penalty shoot out woes at Euro 92, Euro 96, France 98 and Euro 2000. Of course, the one thing that's been missing in all those years is another trip to the championship game at the World Cup final and an opportunity to ease the pain of 1974 and 1978. Until now.
You'll probably understand my angst then, that now that the world cup is finally within reach, the one team that stands in the way of Dutch glory is the very same one that has, over the last three years , stolen my heart with its very special brand of the beautiful game - Spain.
So, can this latest incarnation of the Oranje succeed where their illustrious forebears faltered and trounce the best team on the planet to make history? And on which side of this divide will I now sit?
I'll tell you this much; the first question is easier answered. As world cup runs go, Holland have been pretty solid at this tourney having won all six of their games so far. They've scored 12 goals and let in 5 - but that number doesn't do their defensive record justice when you consider the manner of those conceded goals. Two were from the penalty spot - one for handball in the wall from a Cameroon free kick; the other an injury time consolation for Slovakia in the round of 16 - and another, late against Uruguay came after the game was effectively over. That might indicate lapses in concentration, but, save for a torrid 1st half against Brazil Holland's backline has hardly been troubled. Johnny Heitinga and Joris Mathijsen have looked competent enough in central defence, especially with van Bommel and the tigrish Nigel de Jong patrolling in front of them. Oddly, their biggest defensive tool may well be flankman Dirk Kuyt, whose tireless efforts down the left wing stifled the overlapping tendencies of Brazil's Maicon. Expect him to play in like mode against Spain's Sergio Ramos.
On the attacking end, much will depend on how much of the ball Wesley Sneijder sees, and if Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie get in the game. And the Dutch bench looks good too, with the likes of Ibrahim Affelay and the tricky Eljero Elia offering alternatives to the tried and tested. (By the way, if Holland really mean all the pre-match talk about attacking Spain, they have got to find a way to play Elia - he's skilful and quick). The Dutch will look to keep the ball and build patiently, as they have done to great effect on their run to the final, and again look to Sneijder to make things happen.
For all the positives though, Holland enter this final as clear underdogs. What else is there to say about European champions, Spain? High quality in every position and unbelievable team cohesion; team depth to die for - Fabregas, Torres, David Silva on the bench - and that mental steel that enables great teams to eke out results even on a bad day.
Spain for me, arrived South Africa as favourites so it's perhaps not surprising that they've made it this far. No one doubted they had the skill, but they've displayed immense character to overcome the extra pressure that early defeat to Switzerland must have imposed - practically forcing them into the knockout phase right from their second game. It's hard to bet against a team that has Xavi and Iniesta carving openings for David Villa - especially if they are on their game and bad luck doesn't have it in for them. But la Roja isn't just about offence; Pique and Puyol are as good as any defensive pairing anywhere; Busquets is underrated but very effective and Xabi Alonso never stops running.
I think this game will be decided in two areas: For Holland, van Bommel, de Jong and Sneijder will have to close the spaces in midfield, and Robben will need to do a lot of tracking back on the right wing if they are to keep Spain at bay. Spain must watch for the quick long diagonal pass, especially from Sneijder to Robben - but of course they prefer to defend by keeping the ball.
It should be great game to watch - if you love watching passes like I do - and after the last three rounds the smart money must be on another 1-0 win for Spain. I wouldn't wager money on the scores, but I think it's Spain's time to shine.
Oh, and as for my side of the divide; a big part of me will always support the Dutch but for this one, I think I'll be rooting for Spain. We'll see........
Monday, July 5, 2010
Fortune Smiles
It’s a well-worn sporting cliché: you don’t win anything without some luck. Last weekend’s quarter final clashes sure underlined that point. No, I am not referring to Germany’s 4-0 annihilation of erstwhile favourites Argentina – no luck there, just a well planned and executed dismantling of Diego Maradona’s best laid plans.
For the other three ties though, fortune certainly smiled broadly on the victors. Okay, I will not argue that Holland was anything less than deserving of the win that knocked Brazil (another erstwhile favourite) out of the finals, but the tide only turned in their favour after goalkeeper Julio Cesar – with a lot of help from Felipe Melo – made a mess of what should have been a routine catch from Wesley Sneijder’s hopeful cross. There wasn’t even a single Dutch player anywhere near the ball! That the Brazilians then allowed Sneijder, the smallest man on the field, to head home from a corner kick wasn’t down to luck though – just poor defending.
That, of course, was nothing compared to the dramatic scenes that would herald Ghana’s exit at the hands of Uruguay in Friday’s late game. In the end, the Black Stars’ inability to stick the ball in the net - from open play over 120 minutes, and from the spot thereafter – proved their undoing. Asamoah Gyan’s unfortunate miss in the last minute of extra time broke hearts all over Africa and proved the slice of luck that Uruguay needed to sail through to the last four.
Much as since been made of the desperate handball offence that denied Dominic Adiyiah a winning goal and gifted Ghana the penalty from which Gyan missed. There have been suggestions that Luis Suarez - who got a red card and a one game suspension for his trouble – hasn’t been adequately punished for his unsportsmanlike action. I am not one of those calling for more sanctions though, and I am quite glad that Fifa has refused the urge to yield to such an emotional reaction to Ghana’s sad exit. Sure, Suarez’s action was deplorable, but what player wouldn’t have done exactly the same thing? Besides, aren’t a red card and a penalty sufficient punishment? That’s all you’d get for tripping up a player clean through on goal, and I don’t see how this is any different. The main issue really is that Gyan missed; had he scored we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.
But I digress; Spain certainly took their time seeing off the challenge of plucky Paraguay on Sunday, David Villa’s goal finally arriving 7 minutes from time, but despite dominating possession as usual they could have easily been two down by then. First, Nelson Valdez had a goal wrongly ruled out, ostensibly for offside, and then Iker Casillas guessed right to stop Cardozo’s penalty right on the hour to keep Spain in the game. Of course, two minutes after that, Xabi Alonso also had his twice taken penalty stopped to cap what must be the most exciting three minute spell of this World Cup. What I don’t get though, is how Alonso’s first successful effort could have been stricken off for encroachment, while Cardozo didn’t get a do-over even though there were just as many players in the box when his penalty was stopped at the other end.
It’s another of those infuriating refereeing inconsistencies that have plagued football for years. The one that really gets my goat came in the Argentina v Germany game and could ultimately hurt the Germans in their semi final clash against Spain. In the 5th minute, after Germany broke up an Argentina attack, winger Angel di Maria clearly stretched out his left hand, like a goalkeeper, to knock down Phillip Lahm’s attempted pass. Referee Ravshan Irmatov gave the foul but only verbally warned di Maria for what was clearly a bookable offence. Yet, midway through the second half, Thomas Muller attempted to chest a ball just on the edge of the German area, only for Jabulani to bounce up against his left arm – which was normally positioned in line with his torso. Irmatov again gave the foul, only this time he flashed a yellow card Muller’s way, ensuring the young star – scorer of four goals in these finals – will miss Tuesday’s semi final.
Speaking of that semi final clash, a rematch of the Euro 2008 final won by Spain, it’s another that would fit snugly under the too-close-to-call column. The Spaniards came into the World Cup as one of the firm favourites, but it’s the Germans that have been the more convincing side over the past three weeks and – even without Muller – appear to have the edge over a Spanish team that has only seldom played as well as we know they can. It should make for a nice contrast in styles – Spain’s patient, sometimes over-ponderous approach, to Germany’s rapid-fire, all-out attacking style. The German attack will come up against a sterner defence than they faced in the last two rounds, and midfield schemers Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil will have to be at their best to dominate Spain in the engine room. Top scorer David Villa will again be Spain’s key man upfront, having scored 5 of their six goals here. But Germany will know better than to just focus on him; the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso can do damage from midfield and this might just be the occasion for Fernando Torres to finally live up to his huge reputation. I think Spain will dominate possession again, without creating a ton of chances, and this game could well be decided by how well they keep the ball and deny Germany those quick counter attacks. We could be in for a long night.
Holland will be expected to see off Uruguay, but I doubt anyone will be writing off a team that boasts the shooting skills of Diego Forlan. The Atletico striker has three goals to his name so far, including two of the better goals seen at this World Cup, and there’ll be a lot riding on his abilities, especially with the aforementioned Suarez missing. The rage in the Dutch squad is all about Arjen Robben, yet it’s the diminutive Sneijder (4 goals) that has proved the team’s talisman. Mark van Bommel as also been solid in defensive midfield, but Uruguay has his match in the tireless Diego Perez and they also proved they have the depth to persevere in defence after losing both first choice centre backs against Ghana. This will probably be a closer game than most people expect, but if the Dutch can shake off the pressures that come with being favourites they have enough guile to book a place in the final.
I should probably stay away from predictions this time – too hard to factor for luck - but I do expect Holland to scale through. As for the other one; my heart says Spain, my head Germany.
For my sanity and well being, I’ll just try and keep the peace.
Enjoy.
For the other three ties though, fortune certainly smiled broadly on the victors. Okay, I will not argue that Holland was anything less than deserving of the win that knocked Brazil (another erstwhile favourite) out of the finals, but the tide only turned in their favour after goalkeeper Julio Cesar – with a lot of help from Felipe Melo – made a mess of what should have been a routine catch from Wesley Sneijder’s hopeful cross. There wasn’t even a single Dutch player anywhere near the ball! That the Brazilians then allowed Sneijder, the smallest man on the field, to head home from a corner kick wasn’t down to luck though – just poor defending.
That, of course, was nothing compared to the dramatic scenes that would herald Ghana’s exit at the hands of Uruguay in Friday’s late game. In the end, the Black Stars’ inability to stick the ball in the net - from open play over 120 minutes, and from the spot thereafter – proved their undoing. Asamoah Gyan’s unfortunate miss in the last minute of extra time broke hearts all over Africa and proved the slice of luck that Uruguay needed to sail through to the last four.
Much as since been made of the desperate handball offence that denied Dominic Adiyiah a winning goal and gifted Ghana the penalty from which Gyan missed. There have been suggestions that Luis Suarez - who got a red card and a one game suspension for his trouble – hasn’t been adequately punished for his unsportsmanlike action. I am not one of those calling for more sanctions though, and I am quite glad that Fifa has refused the urge to yield to such an emotional reaction to Ghana’s sad exit. Sure, Suarez’s action was deplorable, but what player wouldn’t have done exactly the same thing? Besides, aren’t a red card and a penalty sufficient punishment? That’s all you’d get for tripping up a player clean through on goal, and I don’t see how this is any different. The main issue really is that Gyan missed; had he scored we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.
But I digress; Spain certainly took their time seeing off the challenge of plucky Paraguay on Sunday, David Villa’s goal finally arriving 7 minutes from time, but despite dominating possession as usual they could have easily been two down by then. First, Nelson Valdez had a goal wrongly ruled out, ostensibly for offside, and then Iker Casillas guessed right to stop Cardozo’s penalty right on the hour to keep Spain in the game. Of course, two minutes after that, Xabi Alonso also had his twice taken penalty stopped to cap what must be the most exciting three minute spell of this World Cup. What I don’t get though, is how Alonso’s first successful effort could have been stricken off for encroachment, while Cardozo didn’t get a do-over even though there were just as many players in the box when his penalty was stopped at the other end.
It’s another of those infuriating refereeing inconsistencies that have plagued football for years. The one that really gets my goat came in the Argentina v Germany game and could ultimately hurt the Germans in their semi final clash against Spain. In the 5th minute, after Germany broke up an Argentina attack, winger Angel di Maria clearly stretched out his left hand, like a goalkeeper, to knock down Phillip Lahm’s attempted pass. Referee Ravshan Irmatov gave the foul but only verbally warned di Maria for what was clearly a bookable offence. Yet, midway through the second half, Thomas Muller attempted to chest a ball just on the edge of the German area, only for Jabulani to bounce up against his left arm – which was normally positioned in line with his torso. Irmatov again gave the foul, only this time he flashed a yellow card Muller’s way, ensuring the young star – scorer of four goals in these finals – will miss Tuesday’s semi final.
Speaking of that semi final clash, a rematch of the Euro 2008 final won by Spain, it’s another that would fit snugly under the too-close-to-call column. The Spaniards came into the World Cup as one of the firm favourites, but it’s the Germans that have been the more convincing side over the past three weeks and – even without Muller – appear to have the edge over a Spanish team that has only seldom played as well as we know they can. It should make for a nice contrast in styles – Spain’s patient, sometimes over-ponderous approach, to Germany’s rapid-fire, all-out attacking style. The German attack will come up against a sterner defence than they faced in the last two rounds, and midfield schemers Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil will have to be at their best to dominate Spain in the engine room. Top scorer David Villa will again be Spain’s key man upfront, having scored 5 of their six goals here. But Germany will know better than to just focus on him; the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso can do damage from midfield and this might just be the occasion for Fernando Torres to finally live up to his huge reputation. I think Spain will dominate possession again, without creating a ton of chances, and this game could well be decided by how well they keep the ball and deny Germany those quick counter attacks. We could be in for a long night.
Holland will be expected to see off Uruguay, but I doubt anyone will be writing off a team that boasts the shooting skills of Diego Forlan. The Atletico striker has three goals to his name so far, including two of the better goals seen at this World Cup, and there’ll be a lot riding on his abilities, especially with the aforementioned Suarez missing. The rage in the Dutch squad is all about Arjen Robben, yet it’s the diminutive Sneijder (4 goals) that has proved the team’s talisman. Mark van Bommel as also been solid in defensive midfield, but Uruguay has his match in the tireless Diego Perez and they also proved they have the depth to persevere in defence after losing both first choice centre backs against Ghana. This will probably be a closer game than most people expect, but if the Dutch can shake off the pressures that come with being favourites they have enough guile to book a place in the final.
I should probably stay away from predictions this time – too hard to factor for luck - but I do expect Holland to scale through. As for the other one; my heart says Spain, my head Germany.
For my sanity and well being, I’ll just try and keep the peace.
Enjoy.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
World Cup Quarter Finals: History Beckons
With eight teams left at South Africa 2010, I guess it’s fair to say that the men have been clearly separated from the boys. That countries like Ghana, Uruguay and Paraguay have come this far, while their more storied counterparts – France, England and Italy – are already on their summer holidays is proof positive that the beautiful game is no respecter of reputations. Needless to say, the big guns left in the running – Germany, Argentina, Spain, Holland and Brazil – will do well to heed that point when the quarter finals kick off today.
Holland and Brazil kick things off in Port Elizabeth and it will be a pity to see one of them depart at this stage. Both remain unbeaten after four matches and are both quite capable of playing patient, possession football. Brazil proved they could step it up a notch against Chile in the last round, scoring in typical fashion from a set-piece and two quick-fire counter-attacks, and the Dutch will have to watch out for Robinho, Kaka and Luis Fabiano – at least one of them has been involved in some way in 6 of the 8 goals Brazil have scored so far in South Africa. Holland will be able to call on the dangerous Arjen Robben once again, and the Dutch will make a game of it if Bert Van Marwijk dares to call on the impressive Eljero Elia. Defences could well make the difference in this tie, and despite the best efforts of Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel in front of Holland’s back four, it’s hard to bet against Lucio and co. I think Brazil will take a close game 2-0 or 2-1.
Two of the finals’ surprise performers clash in Friday’s other game in Johannesburg’s impressive Soccercity. Ghana v Uruguay on paper may not get the juices running but this could well be the most exciting of the last 8 ties, with the Black Stars trying to become the first African team to reach the last four, and Uruguay, winners in 1930 and 1950, looking to relive their illustrious past and reach the semis for the first time in 40 years.
History beckons, and two evenly matched sides could serve up a delight in the calabash. Uruguay have been one of the more positive sides at the finals, playing Diego Forlan behind Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani upfront, and they also have real steel down the spine of their side, with Diego Perez in midfield shielding a back four led by the hard-as-nails captain Diego Lugano. Ghana will again look to prove that a good team should surpass the sum of its individual parts, especially with the skilful Andre Ayew missing through suspension. The Ghanaians play a very organised formation that makes them tough to score against, and their neat passing game ensures they can keep possession for long periods and create openings at the other end. Their one failing has been an astonishing profligacy in front of goal – even if lone striker Asamoah Gyan has three goals (2 penalties) to his name. If they can remedy that, the Black Stars should be making African history come Friday night. I’ll stick my neck out there and pick Ghana to win 1-0.
Saturday’s first game, featuring Argentina and Germany in Cape Town, should be a delight to watch and will be much tougher to call. Both teams have been consistently impressive and have played arguably the best football seen at these finals so far. Germany’s young team are clearly primed to attack, with Bastien Schweinsteiger impressively dictating the pace and the young Mesut Ozil building a reputation as one of the best creative midfielders in the game. Argentina, of course, already boast the cream of the crop in Leo Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain and have plenty in reserve to trouble a young German backline. Not many would be betting against an Argentina win in this game, yet I think it would be a real close affair and I have my concerns about the Argentine defence and their ability to cope with the pacy young Germans. Four years ago, this tie went to a penalty shoot out won by the Germans. We may well need that again this time, and this is one of those games that could truly go either way. But if I have to pick a winner, I’ll be backing the Germans to shade this one again.
Spain will definitely be expected to take their place in the last four after their clash with Paraguay at Ellis Park on Saturday evening. I have long admired their excellent ball passing and teamwork and after watching them dismantle a decent Portugal side on Tuesday it’s no surprise I am backing them to win this one. If Xavi and Iniesta play as they can, and David Villa remains as clinical as ever – or if Torres finally recovers some sharpness – Paraguay will have little chance of upsetting the European champions. Then again, this is football and the Swiss did beat Spain in the first round just 3 weeks ago. Besides, Paraguay boast some exciting attacking talent too, in Nelson Valdez, Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios and Oscar Cardozo. If one of those can grab a goal – or if they can nick one from a set piece – they’ll be counting on ‘keeper Justo Villar to keep La Roja out. I don’t think so though. I’m going for a 2-0 Spain win.
If I’m right, it’ll be Brazil v Ghana and Spain v Germany in the semis. And if I’m wrong….well, then I’m wrong. It’s football.
Enjoy.
Holland and Brazil kick things off in Port Elizabeth and it will be a pity to see one of them depart at this stage. Both remain unbeaten after four matches and are both quite capable of playing patient, possession football. Brazil proved they could step it up a notch against Chile in the last round, scoring in typical fashion from a set-piece and two quick-fire counter-attacks, and the Dutch will have to watch out for Robinho, Kaka and Luis Fabiano – at least one of them has been involved in some way in 6 of the 8 goals Brazil have scored so far in South Africa. Holland will be able to call on the dangerous Arjen Robben once again, and the Dutch will make a game of it if Bert Van Marwijk dares to call on the impressive Eljero Elia. Defences could well make the difference in this tie, and despite the best efforts of Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel in front of Holland’s back four, it’s hard to bet against Lucio and co. I think Brazil will take a close game 2-0 or 2-1.
Two of the finals’ surprise performers clash in Friday’s other game in Johannesburg’s impressive Soccercity. Ghana v Uruguay on paper may not get the juices running but this could well be the most exciting of the last 8 ties, with the Black Stars trying to become the first African team to reach the last four, and Uruguay, winners in 1930 and 1950, looking to relive their illustrious past and reach the semis for the first time in 40 years.
History beckons, and two evenly matched sides could serve up a delight in the calabash. Uruguay have been one of the more positive sides at the finals, playing Diego Forlan behind Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani upfront, and they also have real steel down the spine of their side, with Diego Perez in midfield shielding a back four led by the hard-as-nails captain Diego Lugano. Ghana will again look to prove that a good team should surpass the sum of its individual parts, especially with the skilful Andre Ayew missing through suspension. The Ghanaians play a very organised formation that makes them tough to score against, and their neat passing game ensures they can keep possession for long periods and create openings at the other end. Their one failing has been an astonishing profligacy in front of goal – even if lone striker Asamoah Gyan has three goals (2 penalties) to his name. If they can remedy that, the Black Stars should be making African history come Friday night. I’ll stick my neck out there and pick Ghana to win 1-0.
Saturday’s first game, featuring Argentina and Germany in Cape Town, should be a delight to watch and will be much tougher to call. Both teams have been consistently impressive and have played arguably the best football seen at these finals so far. Germany’s young team are clearly primed to attack, with Bastien Schweinsteiger impressively dictating the pace and the young Mesut Ozil building a reputation as one of the best creative midfielders in the game. Argentina, of course, already boast the cream of the crop in Leo Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain and have plenty in reserve to trouble a young German backline. Not many would be betting against an Argentina win in this game, yet I think it would be a real close affair and I have my concerns about the Argentine defence and their ability to cope with the pacy young Germans. Four years ago, this tie went to a penalty shoot out won by the Germans. We may well need that again this time, and this is one of those games that could truly go either way. But if I have to pick a winner, I’ll be backing the Germans to shade this one again.
Spain will definitely be expected to take their place in the last four after their clash with Paraguay at Ellis Park on Saturday evening. I have long admired their excellent ball passing and teamwork and after watching them dismantle a decent Portugal side on Tuesday it’s no surprise I am backing them to win this one. If Xavi and Iniesta play as they can, and David Villa remains as clinical as ever – or if Torres finally recovers some sharpness – Paraguay will have little chance of upsetting the European champions. Then again, this is football and the Swiss did beat Spain in the first round just 3 weeks ago. Besides, Paraguay boast some exciting attacking talent too, in Nelson Valdez, Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios and Oscar Cardozo. If one of those can grab a goal – or if they can nick one from a set piece – they’ll be counting on ‘keeper Justo Villar to keep La Roja out. I don’t think so though. I’m going for a 2-0 Spain win.
If I’m right, it’ll be Brazil v Ghana and Spain v Germany in the semis. And if I’m wrong….well, then I’m wrong. It’s football.
Enjoy.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
World Cup Early Thoughts - June 18, 2010
This post should have appeared here over a week ago, after the first two rounds of group matches. Technical problems made this impossible but I've decided to post it anyway.
As I sit through what is looking likely to end up a surprise draw between Algeria and England, I can’t help but think that perhaps focus on organisation and teamwork may have just narrowed the gap between smaller nations and the more established ones in world football. After watching one week of football at the World Cup here in South Africa, it’s definitely a feeling that’s growing stronger and stronger. Without even dwelling on the real upsets – Switzerland over Spain comes to mind – of the 21 games played so far, only three can be considered a real trouncing (Germany 4 Australia 0; Argentina 4 South Korea 1; Uruguay 3 South Africa 0). Of the rest, there have been six draws and only two of the wins have had a two-goal margin. Of course, some of that is down to early tournament caution, or in the case of Nigeria excellent goalkeeping, and things should open up as the first round progresses. But I certainly think that results like South Africa 1 Mexico 1, Ivory Coast 0 Portugal 0 and Serbia 0 Ghana 1 are proof positive that this is going to be close run thing, and most of the groups won’t be settled till the very last round of matches.
Tactically speaking, its clear that the 4-2-3-1 has fully taken the football world hostage now, with several of the teams on show here opting for the two holding midfielders and one striker that seems to suggest – and indeed many have concluded to mean – a negative mindset. Yet, as I have tried to argue in the past, this system need not be a defensive or cautious one. How it works out ultimately depends on the philosophy of the coach, the quality of players available and their ability to execute the game plan.
Germany’s impressive start to the tournament probably best illustrates the point. In their opening match against Australia, they set up with two deep lying midfielders in Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira, but theirs is clearly an attacking mindset, with the impressive Mesut Ozil threading passes through to the quick pair of widemen, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller, as well as striker Milo Klose, and the whole team pretty much looking to get forward at every turn. Spain, the pre-tournament favourites, didn’t get off to such a great start, but they also set up in like fashion – Xabi Alonso and Busquets sitting deep, and David Villa alone upfront – but you can hardly call their approach cautious. Nevertheless, it was quite refreshing to see Uruguay shake off their defensive reputation by lining up Diego Forlan behind two strikers – Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani – to great effect in their 3-0 thumping of hosts South Africa.
It’s much too early to reach conclusions as to the likely destination of the cup as things tend to change drastically in world cup finals. Germany made the early impression with that 4-0 spanking of Australia, but they’ve been pegged back by the narrow loss to Serbia and will now need a result against Ghana on Wednesday night to make progress sure. Jogi Low’s team play with pace, purpose and real attacking intent but the Serbs have proved that they are in what I consider the most competitive of the groups. I am not one of those who consider Serbia’s win an upset though. The Serbs are a very good team comprising some of Europe’s best players and despite losing to Ghana they might yet make it to the next round.
Argentina have also looked strong without really breaking sweat and have all but tied up a second round place after beating both Nigeria and South Korea. With the players at Diego Maradona’s disposal they’ll prove a hard nut for any team here and are probably the early favourites as we stand, although I do think their defence can be breached by teams better than they’ve faced so far.
Brazil will also be considered one of the real contenders here, but they still have some convincing to do, having labored hard to get past a well organised North Korea side. Then again, Dunga’s team are probably never going to win the style plaudits –they are more about efficiency these days. That honour seems to sit well with Spain though, and they were a joy to watch even as they lost that first game to Switzerland. They’ll have to return to winning ways against Honduras on Monday though; else they’ll be facing a first round elimination that would prove the biggest shock of the finals.
England too hang on a thread, needing to beat Slovenia on Wednesday after struggling to two unconvincing draws against USA and Algeria, but they at least still have their destiny in their hands. Not so France, who have been quite disjointed in their two games so far and are yet to score. They will need to beat the hosts and then pray for a high margin win in the Mexico-Uruguay match if they are not repeat their 2002 feat and crash out early.
As for Nigeria, they’ve played like a team that just got introduced to its coach and his tactics only a few weeks ago. Oh, wait a minute…they did only just meet their coach a few weeks ago. But that’s a different story altogether, and I will get into it a little later. Suffice to say; they might yet get to the last 16 if they can beat South Korea on Tuesday and Argentina do the business – as expected – against Greece. That would at least give us long suffering fans something to smile about – especially if you are making the long trek to Durban like yours truly – but, even if by some stroke of fortune that happens, I doubt this team will be leaving any lasting impressions on this finals – except, of course, the outstanding goalkeeping of Vincent Enyeama.
I’ll be back.
As I sit through what is looking likely to end up a surprise draw between Algeria and England, I can’t help but think that perhaps focus on organisation and teamwork may have just narrowed the gap between smaller nations and the more established ones in world football. After watching one week of football at the World Cup here in South Africa, it’s definitely a feeling that’s growing stronger and stronger. Without even dwelling on the real upsets – Switzerland over Spain comes to mind – of the 21 games played so far, only three can be considered a real trouncing (Germany 4 Australia 0; Argentina 4 South Korea 1; Uruguay 3 South Africa 0). Of the rest, there have been six draws and only two of the wins have had a two-goal margin. Of course, some of that is down to early tournament caution, or in the case of Nigeria excellent goalkeeping, and things should open up as the first round progresses. But I certainly think that results like South Africa 1 Mexico 1, Ivory Coast 0 Portugal 0 and Serbia 0 Ghana 1 are proof positive that this is going to be close run thing, and most of the groups won’t be settled till the very last round of matches.
Tactically speaking, its clear that the 4-2-3-1 has fully taken the football world hostage now, with several of the teams on show here opting for the two holding midfielders and one striker that seems to suggest – and indeed many have concluded to mean – a negative mindset. Yet, as I have tried to argue in the past, this system need not be a defensive or cautious one. How it works out ultimately depends on the philosophy of the coach, the quality of players available and their ability to execute the game plan.
Germany’s impressive start to the tournament probably best illustrates the point. In their opening match against Australia, they set up with two deep lying midfielders in Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira, but theirs is clearly an attacking mindset, with the impressive Mesut Ozil threading passes through to the quick pair of widemen, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller, as well as striker Milo Klose, and the whole team pretty much looking to get forward at every turn. Spain, the pre-tournament favourites, didn’t get off to such a great start, but they also set up in like fashion – Xabi Alonso and Busquets sitting deep, and David Villa alone upfront – but you can hardly call their approach cautious. Nevertheless, it was quite refreshing to see Uruguay shake off their defensive reputation by lining up Diego Forlan behind two strikers – Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani – to great effect in their 3-0 thumping of hosts South Africa.
It’s much too early to reach conclusions as to the likely destination of the cup as things tend to change drastically in world cup finals. Germany made the early impression with that 4-0 spanking of Australia, but they’ve been pegged back by the narrow loss to Serbia and will now need a result against Ghana on Wednesday night to make progress sure. Jogi Low’s team play with pace, purpose and real attacking intent but the Serbs have proved that they are in what I consider the most competitive of the groups. I am not one of those who consider Serbia’s win an upset though. The Serbs are a very good team comprising some of Europe’s best players and despite losing to Ghana they might yet make it to the next round.
Argentina have also looked strong without really breaking sweat and have all but tied up a second round place after beating both Nigeria and South Korea. With the players at Diego Maradona’s disposal they’ll prove a hard nut for any team here and are probably the early favourites as we stand, although I do think their defence can be breached by teams better than they’ve faced so far.
Brazil will also be considered one of the real contenders here, but they still have some convincing to do, having labored hard to get past a well organised North Korea side. Then again, Dunga’s team are probably never going to win the style plaudits –they are more about efficiency these days. That honour seems to sit well with Spain though, and they were a joy to watch even as they lost that first game to Switzerland. They’ll have to return to winning ways against Honduras on Monday though; else they’ll be facing a first round elimination that would prove the biggest shock of the finals.
England too hang on a thread, needing to beat Slovenia on Wednesday after struggling to two unconvincing draws against USA and Algeria, but they at least still have their destiny in their hands. Not so France, who have been quite disjointed in their two games so far and are yet to score. They will need to beat the hosts and then pray for a high margin win in the Mexico-Uruguay match if they are not repeat their 2002 feat and crash out early.
As for Nigeria, they’ve played like a team that just got introduced to its coach and his tactics only a few weeks ago. Oh, wait a minute…they did only just meet their coach a few weeks ago. But that’s a different story altogether, and I will get into it a little later. Suffice to say; they might yet get to the last 16 if they can beat South Korea on Tuesday and Argentina do the business – as expected – against Greece. That would at least give us long suffering fans something to smile about – especially if you are making the long trek to Durban like yours truly – but, even if by some stroke of fortune that happens, I doubt this team will be leaving any lasting impressions on this finals – except, of course, the outstanding goalkeeping of Vincent Enyeama.
I’ll be back.
Friday, June 18, 2010
SA 2010: Yellow Fever!
It’s kind of ironic that the first thing you get asked to show on arrival at Johannesburg’s Oliver Tambo International Airport – if you are arriving from any of a number of tropical countres, that is – is your Yellow Fever vaccination card. For once you have walked past immigration and baggage claim, and out of the airport it quickly hits you that South Africa is very much in the throes of a raging “yellow fever” outbreak of sorts.
Thankfully, it’s not the viral sort, but everywhere you look on the streets – and offices and stores – of this beautiful, football crazy country, you can see the unmistakable yellow and green kit of the national team, Bafana Bafana, proudly adorned by the excited, overjoyed and enthusiastic throngs that have embraced kick off to Africa’s first World Cup finals.
This may be the rainbow nation, but yellow will certainly remain its color of choice for the course of this month-long mundial. Then again, in the light of South Africa’s 3-0 debacle against Uruguay on Wednesday night, some would argue that all that enthusiasm could well vanish in a cloud of disappointment as early as next Monday when Bafana Bafana wraps up its Group A schedule against France. Of course, if the home team bows out there’s bound to be a level of disinterest in any finals, but what I have seen of South Africa 2010 so far suggests that might not be as significant as one would expect.
All the games have been pretty well attended so far, and not just the ones involving the home side, which have been absolutely packed, or the ones involving the big countries. It’s perhaps understandable that Spain would draw 62,000 for Wednesday’s clash against Switzerland, but considering that Honduras v Chile drew 32,000; Slovenia v Algeria 30,000; and even New Zealand v Slovakia 24,000, it’s clear the turnout has been pretty decent.
I have attended three games myself: the Argentina-Nigeria clash at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park where 43,000 odd fans showed up to see Gabriel Heinze’s header earn the Albiceleste the points; two days later, on a Monday afternoon no less, 85,000 of us showed up at the impressive Soccercity “calabash” to see Holland put two goals past Denmark; and then, I made the long trek to Bloemfoentein on Thursday to join 30,000 fans watch Nigeria lose again.
The atmosphere at the games has been truly incredible, with opposing fans enjoying the occasion together in a great spirit of fun and camaraderie. Of course, the most iconic symbol of South Africa 2010 has been the vuvuzela and the never ending, highly irritating constant drone it produces at every game. I know on the TV it sounds like a pack of bees on the hunt – or the sound of a bunch of houseflies busily attacking a half-eaten over-ripe mango – yet in the stadium itself it’s a little different. Kind of like a thousand cars honking persistently, with no rhyme or reason, sometimes high pitched at other times just loud. Attempting to decipher the method to this madness is totally futile too; sometimes it’s loud when there’s a goal chance, at other times it’s when the fans are bored. Considering that it often starts well before the game even kicks off – and continues well after the game, on your way home – it’s probably safe to conclude that the game itself as nothing to do with this. Perhaps it’s just some sort of human craving to be heard – or just another symptom of “yellow fever”.
Thankfully, it’s not the viral sort, but everywhere you look on the streets – and offices and stores – of this beautiful, football crazy country, you can see the unmistakable yellow and green kit of the national team, Bafana Bafana, proudly adorned by the excited, overjoyed and enthusiastic throngs that have embraced kick off to Africa’s first World Cup finals.
This may be the rainbow nation, but yellow will certainly remain its color of choice for the course of this month-long mundial. Then again, in the light of South Africa’s 3-0 debacle against Uruguay on Wednesday night, some would argue that all that enthusiasm could well vanish in a cloud of disappointment as early as next Monday when Bafana Bafana wraps up its Group A schedule against France. Of course, if the home team bows out there’s bound to be a level of disinterest in any finals, but what I have seen of South Africa 2010 so far suggests that might not be as significant as one would expect.
All the games have been pretty well attended so far, and not just the ones involving the home side, which have been absolutely packed, or the ones involving the big countries. It’s perhaps understandable that Spain would draw 62,000 for Wednesday’s clash against Switzerland, but considering that Honduras v Chile drew 32,000; Slovenia v Algeria 30,000; and even New Zealand v Slovakia 24,000, it’s clear the turnout has been pretty decent.
I have attended three games myself: the Argentina-Nigeria clash at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park where 43,000 odd fans showed up to see Gabriel Heinze’s header earn the Albiceleste the points; two days later, on a Monday afternoon no less, 85,000 of us showed up at the impressive Soccercity “calabash” to see Holland put two goals past Denmark; and then, I made the long trek to Bloemfoentein on Thursday to join 30,000 fans watch Nigeria lose again.
The atmosphere at the games has been truly incredible, with opposing fans enjoying the occasion together in a great spirit of fun and camaraderie. Of course, the most iconic symbol of South Africa 2010 has been the vuvuzela and the never ending, highly irritating constant drone it produces at every game. I know on the TV it sounds like a pack of bees on the hunt – or the sound of a bunch of houseflies busily attacking a half-eaten over-ripe mango – yet in the stadium itself it’s a little different. Kind of like a thousand cars honking persistently, with no rhyme or reason, sometimes high pitched at other times just loud. Attempting to decipher the method to this madness is totally futile too; sometimes it’s loud when there’s a goal chance, at other times it’s when the fans are bored. Considering that it often starts well before the game even kicks off – and continues well after the game, on your way home – it’s probably safe to conclude that the game itself as nothing to do with this. Perhaps it’s just some sort of human craving to be heard – or just another symptom of “yellow fever”.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Champions League Final Preview: Redemption Time
It doesn’t get any more traditional than Bayern Munich v Internazionale as far as the European Cup goes. With no less than six titles between them, these two giants of the European game should serve up a true clash of the titans when the Champions League Final kicks off in Madrid on Saturday night.
Yet, rather than consolidation, it will be redemption that will be on the mind of these two clubs as they battle for football’s biggest prize. It’s been nine long years since Bayern were crowned champions of Europe, beating Valencia on penalties to win its 4th title, yet that’s nothing in comparison to Inter’s 45-year wait. The Milan club haven’t tasted success in this competition since winning back-to-back titles under the legendary Helenio Herrera in 1964 and 1965.
But - for all that pedigree’s worth - that’s all history now, and Saturday’s game would very much be about the here and now.
All the talk has so far revolved around Inter and their celebrity coach, the “Special One”, Jose Mourinho, and that’s not without good reason too. Having seen off both Chelsea and defending champions Barcelona, Inter have more than earned their favourite status for this final. But their credentials reach far beyond those impressive results. While the whole football world has been preoccupied with Real Madrid’s so-called “Galacticos”, Mourinho as quietly put together a squad capable of going toe-to-toe with any in Europe.
Inter’s back five include three players (Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio) that will start for World Cup favourites Brazil in South Africa in June, one hard-as nails Argentina starter (Walter Samuel) and a vastly experienced full back in captain Javier Zanetti.
In midfield, another experienced Argentine (Esteban Cambiasso) offers defensive security and neat distribution, while a brilliant Dutch schemer (Wesley Sneidjer) serves up the creation and invention for the strikers to polish off.
And they are no lightweights upfront too: Samuel Eto’o is a two-time Champions League winner – scoring in both finals – and Diego Milito, another World Cup-bound Argentine, finished the Serie A season with 22 goals.
Then there’s the depth that the likes of Marco Materrazzi, Christian Chivu, Dejan Stankovic, Goran Pandev, Sulley Muntari and Mario Balotelli provide.
Inter play decent, effective football, but aesthetics won’t be Mourinho’s primary goal, and as his team as showed time and again, work ethic is their watchword and they can defend with the very best of them. Watching Eto’o harry and chase Barcelona in wide areas at the Camp Nou, it was clear to see why Mourinho had gladly swapped Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the Cameroonian last summer. Can you even imagine the big Swede taking to defensive duties in such fashion? Not likely.
In contrast, German champions Bayern will look to play the patient passing game that is the hallmark of Louis Van Gaal’s favoured 4-4-2, and that proved so effective against Man Utd in the quarter finals. Of course, while Van Gaal may not currently enjoy the celebrity status of his counterpart, he is no flash in the pan either, having produced that amazing Ajax team that reached two Champions League finals in the mid-90s, before winning two league titles in Spain with Barcelona.
Bayern don’t quite boast the marquee names that make Inter such a formidable side – their success has more to do with teamwork – and Franck Ribery’s suspension leaves them without one of their biggest stars. But Bayern are no pushovers either.
Right back Phillip Lahm is one the best defenders in the world; Argentine Martin Demichelis forms an impressive, if inconsistent, partnership with Daniel van Buyten in central defence; and captain Mark van Bommel – a winner with Barcelona in 2006 – brings neat passing, industry and direction to a midfield that also includes German star Bastien Schweinsteiger.
Dutch winger Arjen Robben as already played a huge part in getting Bayern to the final -scoring crucial spectacular goals against Juventus, Fiorentina, Man U and Lyon – and they might well need something special from him again.
Upfront, newcomer Thomas Muller is likely to start, alongside the prolific Croatian Ivica Olic – although van Gaal may well plump for the power of Mario Gomez or the experience of Miro Klose.
These finals seldom see both sides at their best and it’s hard to imagine this one being the spectacle we all hope for. Two well organized sides, coached by two perfectionists with a keen eye for detail, would point to a close, cagy affair.
Bayern look the more likely to blink – van Buyten and Demichelis may just find Eto’o and Milito to hot to handle. Yet, if they keep the game close and Robben finds another magical moment, they might just sneak it.
It’s hard to bet against Mourinho though, so I’ll stick my neck out and pick Inter to end their 45 year drought and make it European Cup No.3.
And it’s about time too.
Yet, rather than consolidation, it will be redemption that will be on the mind of these two clubs as they battle for football’s biggest prize. It’s been nine long years since Bayern were crowned champions of Europe, beating Valencia on penalties to win its 4th title, yet that’s nothing in comparison to Inter’s 45-year wait. The Milan club haven’t tasted success in this competition since winning back-to-back titles under the legendary Helenio Herrera in 1964 and 1965.
But - for all that pedigree’s worth - that’s all history now, and Saturday’s game would very much be about the here and now.
All the talk has so far revolved around Inter and their celebrity coach, the “Special One”, Jose Mourinho, and that’s not without good reason too. Having seen off both Chelsea and defending champions Barcelona, Inter have more than earned their favourite status for this final. But their credentials reach far beyond those impressive results. While the whole football world has been preoccupied with Real Madrid’s so-called “Galacticos”, Mourinho as quietly put together a squad capable of going toe-to-toe with any in Europe.
Inter’s back five include three players (Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio) that will start for World Cup favourites Brazil in South Africa in June, one hard-as nails Argentina starter (Walter Samuel) and a vastly experienced full back in captain Javier Zanetti.
In midfield, another experienced Argentine (Esteban Cambiasso) offers defensive security and neat distribution, while a brilliant Dutch schemer (Wesley Sneidjer) serves up the creation and invention for the strikers to polish off.
And they are no lightweights upfront too: Samuel Eto’o is a two-time Champions League winner – scoring in both finals – and Diego Milito, another World Cup-bound Argentine, finished the Serie A season with 22 goals.
Then there’s the depth that the likes of Marco Materrazzi, Christian Chivu, Dejan Stankovic, Goran Pandev, Sulley Muntari and Mario Balotelli provide.
Inter play decent, effective football, but aesthetics won’t be Mourinho’s primary goal, and as his team as showed time and again, work ethic is their watchword and they can defend with the very best of them. Watching Eto’o harry and chase Barcelona in wide areas at the Camp Nou, it was clear to see why Mourinho had gladly swapped Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the Cameroonian last summer. Can you even imagine the big Swede taking to defensive duties in such fashion? Not likely.
In contrast, German champions Bayern will look to play the patient passing game that is the hallmark of Louis Van Gaal’s favoured 4-4-2, and that proved so effective against Man Utd in the quarter finals. Of course, while Van Gaal may not currently enjoy the celebrity status of his counterpart, he is no flash in the pan either, having produced that amazing Ajax team that reached two Champions League finals in the mid-90s, before winning two league titles in Spain with Barcelona.
Bayern don’t quite boast the marquee names that make Inter such a formidable side – their success has more to do with teamwork – and Franck Ribery’s suspension leaves them without one of their biggest stars. But Bayern are no pushovers either.
Right back Phillip Lahm is one the best defenders in the world; Argentine Martin Demichelis forms an impressive, if inconsistent, partnership with Daniel van Buyten in central defence; and captain Mark van Bommel – a winner with Barcelona in 2006 – brings neat passing, industry and direction to a midfield that also includes German star Bastien Schweinsteiger.
Dutch winger Arjen Robben as already played a huge part in getting Bayern to the final -scoring crucial spectacular goals against Juventus, Fiorentina, Man U and Lyon – and they might well need something special from him again.
Upfront, newcomer Thomas Muller is likely to start, alongside the prolific Croatian Ivica Olic – although van Gaal may well plump for the power of Mario Gomez or the experience of Miro Klose.
These finals seldom see both sides at their best and it’s hard to imagine this one being the spectacle we all hope for. Two well organized sides, coached by two perfectionists with a keen eye for detail, would point to a close, cagy affair.
Bayern look the more likely to blink – van Buyten and Demichelis may just find Eto’o and Milito to hot to handle. Yet, if they keep the game close and Robben finds another magical moment, they might just sneak it.
It’s hard to bet against Mourinho though, so I’ll stick my neck out and pick Inter to end their 45 year drought and make it European Cup No.3.
And it’s about time too.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hot Hotspurs!
Well, if this wasn’t the most exciting end to a Premiership season in a long time, I am hard pressed to recall one. Not only did the title race drag on till the very last game – with Chelsea making sure with that eight-goal drubbing of Wigan at the Bridge – the race for fourth place, the last of the Champions League places, proved an even more intriguing contest with no less than four clubs still in the hunt with a handful of rounds to go.
In the end, London club Tottenham Hotspurs took the spoils after seeing off nouveau riche Man City in a winner-takes-all face-off at the City of Manchester Stadium in the penultimate round.
Of course, that win only capped what has been a truly remarkable season for Harry Redknapp’s side, and when you consider that they finished the season with perhaps the toughest schedule of the club’s chasing fourth-place, there can be no denying that they richly deserve their place amongst Europe’s elite next season.
I will confess that I was one of those who doubted ‘Spurs ability to survive a one week spell that would see them face Arsenal, Chelsea and Man U in consecutive matches. After all, this was the very kind of test upon which Spurs’ previous attempts to breach the top four had foundered miserably in seasons past. Yet, despite losing the last of those matches at Old Trafford, impressive wins in the first two firmly established Spurs top four creds and helped build an ultimately unbeatable lead.
Redknapp will take most of the credit for Spurs achievement, especially considering that the club was floundering in the relegation zone when he arrived at White Hart Lane in October 2008. There’s no question he has put his mark on a Spurs side that seemed to have lost its motivation after beating Chelsea to win the 2008 Carling Cup. Although he inherited a decent enough squad, Redknapp, as is his wont, has bought often – and wisely - since arriving, bringing in Sebastian Bassong and Younes Kaboul to strengthen an injury-prone backline; Wilson Palacios to add bite to midfield, and England forwards Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe.
More significantly, Redknapp imbued his team with a confident, attacking mindset, especially in the run-in, when they were well rewarded with those big name scalps. The Man City win was especially telling of the new Spurs. Despite the high-stakes and the fact that a draw would have still left them ahead of City with one game to play, Redknapp started with his most attacking line-up, leaving out the defensive Palacios for Huddlestone, starting fast wingers Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale, and Defoe and Crouch upfront.
And so on to the Champions League next season and Redknapp will be hoping his teams fortunes do not mirror that of Everton – the last team outside the so-called “Big Four” to reach the big stage. They didn’t make it past the qualifying round.
In the end, London club Tottenham Hotspurs took the spoils after seeing off nouveau riche Man City in a winner-takes-all face-off at the City of Manchester Stadium in the penultimate round.
Of course, that win only capped what has been a truly remarkable season for Harry Redknapp’s side, and when you consider that they finished the season with perhaps the toughest schedule of the club’s chasing fourth-place, there can be no denying that they richly deserve their place amongst Europe’s elite next season.
I will confess that I was one of those who doubted ‘Spurs ability to survive a one week spell that would see them face Arsenal, Chelsea and Man U in consecutive matches. After all, this was the very kind of test upon which Spurs’ previous attempts to breach the top four had foundered miserably in seasons past. Yet, despite losing the last of those matches at Old Trafford, impressive wins in the first two firmly established Spurs top four creds and helped build an ultimately unbeatable lead.
Redknapp will take most of the credit for Spurs achievement, especially considering that the club was floundering in the relegation zone when he arrived at White Hart Lane in October 2008. There’s no question he has put his mark on a Spurs side that seemed to have lost its motivation after beating Chelsea to win the 2008 Carling Cup. Although he inherited a decent enough squad, Redknapp, as is his wont, has bought often – and wisely - since arriving, bringing in Sebastian Bassong and Younes Kaboul to strengthen an injury-prone backline; Wilson Palacios to add bite to midfield, and England forwards Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe.
More significantly, Redknapp imbued his team with a confident, attacking mindset, especially in the run-in, when they were well rewarded with those big name scalps. The Man City win was especially telling of the new Spurs. Despite the high-stakes and the fact that a draw would have still left them ahead of City with one game to play, Redknapp started with his most attacking line-up, leaving out the defensive Palacios for Huddlestone, starting fast wingers Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale, and Defoe and Crouch upfront.
And so on to the Champions League next season and Redknapp will be hoping his teams fortunes do not mirror that of Everton – the last team outside the so-called “Big Four” to reach the big stage. They didn’t make it past the qualifying round.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Angola 2010: Drama Is Here!
Well, Angola 2010 certainly came to life in the quarter final round. Exciting games, spectacular goals, upsets, controversy and the added drama of extra time and a penalty shoot out – and to cap it all off, it left us with semi final pairings featuring two of the most contentious and hard-fought rivalries in African soccer.
Ghana got things started with the first upset on Sunday, beating hosts Angola in front of a disappointed crowd in Luanda, but it was Algeria’s elimination of favourites Ivory Coast that really caught the eye. After losing 3-0 to Malawi in their first game, there were those who had questioned the Algerians World Cup credentials. They certainly addressed those questions with a superb performance well worthy of the win, despite going behind S as early as the 4th minute. Indeed, that the game only finished 3-2 is down to some shockingly profligate finishing on the part of the Algeria strikers, especially in extra time.
The Ivoriens will feel hard done by, especially after Kader Keita’s spectacular 25 yard scorcher, the best goal seen at these finals so far, seemed to have won them the game in the last minute of regulation. And then there’s Kolo Toure’s “goal”, right at the end of extra time, which should surely have stood – he wasn’t even close to offside. Yet they have to ask serious questions of their defending, particularly Boubacar Barry’s reluctance to come out for crosses.
The other two games finished as expected with Egypt and Nigeria reaching the last four – but the matches hardly went to script. Cameroon dominated for long periods against the defending champions – who didn’t have a corner kick until extra time – even if both sides had chances to win it. In the end, all four goals came down to errors. Ahmed Hassan headed into his own net for Cameroon’s goal, and Geremi’s short back pass gifted Mohammed Gedo Egypt’s second goal early in extra time. Before that, Cameroon ‘keeper Idris Kameni was at fault for Hassan’s 35 yard equalizer, and the Espanyol keeper should have done better on Hassan’s free-kick that led to the third goal as well. Of course, the real villain for that disgraceful third goal decision has to be referee Jerome Damon, who hardly hesitated before declaring a goal after the ball struck the cross bar and bounced clear.
Of course, this should once again highlight the clear need for some manner of video assistance on these kinds of decisions, yet it’s been 10 years since a similar decision helped Cameroon (well, well…) win the 2000 Nations Cup in Lagos and nothing’s happened in all that time. I’m not holding my breath but what I don’t understand is: how can the ref give a decision like that if he didn’t see it? Really, it would be one thing if the ball had crossed the line and the ref failed to give a goal because he couldn’t see it. For me, that’s understandable – even if it is the wrong decision. But to give a decision you didn’t see? I just don’t get that.
Nigeria had to go through the lottery of penalty kicks to get past a spirited and ultimately unlucky Zambia, who certainly had enough chances to beat their more illustrious counterparts. Needless to say, the manner of the win heaped even more pressure on the embattled Shaibu Amodu and the Eagles will definitely have to play better if they are to get the better of the young Black Stars in today’s semi final.
That will be the first of two games charged with history, tradition and keen rivalry. The Ghanaians have sent a young squad here, which takes a little something away from the occasion, and – on paper, at least – makes them the underdogs this time. Yet, this is still Nigeria v Ghana and you can bet it will be a fiercely fought game. The Super Eagles have only shown glimpses of quality here and will need to be sharper to get past a well-organised and resilient Ghana team. It will be interesting to see if Amodu finally dispenses with the ineffective Aiyegbeni Yakubu and finds room for the pacy Obafemi Martins and Obinna Nsofor in the Eagles attack. The Black Stars don’t score a lot of goals so I don’t expect a high scoring game. It might be another ugly game, but I think the Super Eagles will just about edge this one – no bias!
As for the other game, well, in case anyone had forgotten about the Algeria-Egypt rivalry, last November’s World Cup playoff in Libya should have refreshed memories. This one will not be any less bitterly fought, especially with the Algerians re-discovering their confidence with that defeat of Ivory Coast. Derby games are seldom just about form though, and Egypt will be itching to put one over the team that denied them a World Cup place. It should be a good game to watch and may well go into extra time, but I think Egypt will get their revenge.
There you go. What’s your take?
Ghana got things started with the first upset on Sunday, beating hosts Angola in front of a disappointed crowd in Luanda, but it was Algeria’s elimination of favourites Ivory Coast that really caught the eye. After losing 3-0 to Malawi in their first game, there were those who had questioned the Algerians World Cup credentials. They certainly addressed those questions with a superb performance well worthy of the win, despite going behind S as early as the 4th minute. Indeed, that the game only finished 3-2 is down to some shockingly profligate finishing on the part of the Algeria strikers, especially in extra time.
The Ivoriens will feel hard done by, especially after Kader Keita’s spectacular 25 yard scorcher, the best goal seen at these finals so far, seemed to have won them the game in the last minute of regulation. And then there’s Kolo Toure’s “goal”, right at the end of extra time, which should surely have stood – he wasn’t even close to offside. Yet they have to ask serious questions of their defending, particularly Boubacar Barry’s reluctance to come out for crosses.
The other two games finished as expected with Egypt and Nigeria reaching the last four – but the matches hardly went to script. Cameroon dominated for long periods against the defending champions – who didn’t have a corner kick until extra time – even if both sides had chances to win it. In the end, all four goals came down to errors. Ahmed Hassan headed into his own net for Cameroon’s goal, and Geremi’s short back pass gifted Mohammed Gedo Egypt’s second goal early in extra time. Before that, Cameroon ‘keeper Idris Kameni was at fault for Hassan’s 35 yard equalizer, and the Espanyol keeper should have done better on Hassan’s free-kick that led to the third goal as well. Of course, the real villain for that disgraceful third goal decision has to be referee Jerome Damon, who hardly hesitated before declaring a goal after the ball struck the cross bar and bounced clear.
Of course, this should once again highlight the clear need for some manner of video assistance on these kinds of decisions, yet it’s been 10 years since a similar decision helped Cameroon (well, well…) win the 2000 Nations Cup in Lagos and nothing’s happened in all that time. I’m not holding my breath but what I don’t understand is: how can the ref give a decision like that if he didn’t see it? Really, it would be one thing if the ball had crossed the line and the ref failed to give a goal because he couldn’t see it. For me, that’s understandable – even if it is the wrong decision. But to give a decision you didn’t see? I just don’t get that.
Nigeria had to go through the lottery of penalty kicks to get past a spirited and ultimately unlucky Zambia, who certainly had enough chances to beat their more illustrious counterparts. Needless to say, the manner of the win heaped even more pressure on the embattled Shaibu Amodu and the Eagles will definitely have to play better if they are to get the better of the young Black Stars in today’s semi final.
That will be the first of two games charged with history, tradition and keen rivalry. The Ghanaians have sent a young squad here, which takes a little something away from the occasion, and – on paper, at least – makes them the underdogs this time. Yet, this is still Nigeria v Ghana and you can bet it will be a fiercely fought game. The Super Eagles have only shown glimpses of quality here and will need to be sharper to get past a well-organised and resilient Ghana team. It will be interesting to see if Amodu finally dispenses with the ineffective Aiyegbeni Yakubu and finds room for the pacy Obafemi Martins and Obinna Nsofor in the Eagles attack. The Black Stars don’t score a lot of goals so I don’t expect a high scoring game. It might be another ugly game, but I think the Super Eagles will just about edge this one – no bias!
As for the other game, well, in case anyone had forgotten about the Algeria-Egypt rivalry, last November’s World Cup playoff in Libya should have refreshed memories. This one will not be any less bitterly fought, especially with the Algerians re-discovering their confidence with that defeat of Ivory Coast. Derby games are seldom just about form though, and Egypt will be itching to put one over the team that denied them a World Cup place. It should be a good game to watch and may well go into extra time, but I think Egypt will get their revenge.
There you go. What’s your take?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Angola 2010: Race For Last Four
It’s quarter final time at the Nations Cup – win or go home. Who’s got what it takes to make it to the last four? Here’s my take.
Hosts Angola open the round with an intriguing clash in Luanda against a Ghana team that will give them their best chance of reaching the semi finals for the first time. With all their big names missing, the young Black Stars were well beaten by Ivory Coast in the group stage and Angolas Palancas Negras will be favourites in front of a partisan crowd. Flavio and Manucho have combined for 5 goals so far and with Gilberto and the returning Dede prompting from midfield they’ll have their chances against a far-from-solid Black Stars defence. Ghana are without their powerful midfield trio of Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah and Sully Muntari, and have lacked both power and invention. They will be counting on the industry of Dede Ayew, experienced striker Asamoah Gyan, and winger Haminu Draman, in the hope of pulling an unlikely upset.
It would be the biggest shock of the finals if Ivory Coast fail to overcome Algeria in Sunday’s other match up in Cabinda. Everyone knows about the Elephants’ big name players – Drogba, the Toures et al. – and despite their opening goalless draw against Burkina Faso they remain favourites to win the competition, and in midfield ace Gervinho they boast one of the stars of the finals so far. Algeria have hardly impressed, losing 3-0 to Malawi and scoring just once in three games. Yet, if the Desert Warriors – who also boast the likes of Karim Ziani and Mourad Meghni - show the kind of commitment that put them into the World Cup finals ahead of Egypt, they might yet make a game of it. But it’s hard to see them getting past the skilful, determined Ivoriens.
The match of the quarter finals must be the clash between defending champions Egypt and Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in Benguela on Monday. Egypt have the only 100% record of the first round and with the brilliant Ahmed Hassan still going strong in midfield, this settled, experienced side will be favourites to reach the last four. Yet, Cameroon – led by the prolific Samuel Eto’o - cannot be under-rated, even if they did struggle to get out Group D. Coach Paul Le Guen rang the changes after the narrow 3-2 win over Zambia, finally dispensing with veterans Rigobert Song and Geremi Njitap, and the new faces rose to the occasion in a bruising 2-2 draw with Tunisia last Thursday, and will fancy their chances of ending Egypt’s four-year stranglehold on the Cup. It’s a must-see match that could go either way, but I think Egypt’s superior team ethic will trump the Lions physicality and work-rate.
Zambia did well to finish top of Group D, ahead of Cameroon and Tunisia, and they’ll fancy their chances against the enigmatic Super Eagles in Monday’s second game in Lubango. Yet, it’s the Nigerians who will start as favourites, both on the basis of reputation and personnel. Shaibu Amodu’s team has been heavily criticised after an opening loss to Egypt and an unconvincing win against Benin, but they showed glimpses of improvement in despatching Mozambique 3-0 on Wednesday. With the emergence of Sani Kaita as midfield anchor and Osaze Odemwingie and Chinedu Obasi running the flanks, Nigeria should prove too strong for a Zambia side for whom Jacob Mulenga and Chris Katongo have been influential, but who will be without suspended midfielder Rainford Kalaba and centre-back Kampanba Chintu. French coach Herve Renaud insists the pressure will be on Nigeria, but that’s always the case for the Eagles, and I think they will continue to improve and book a place in the last four.
So my last four pick is: Egypt v Ivory Coast, Angola v Nigeria.
Let’s see yours.
Hosts Angola open the round with an intriguing clash in Luanda against a Ghana team that will give them their best chance of reaching the semi finals for the first time. With all their big names missing, the young Black Stars were well beaten by Ivory Coast in the group stage and Angolas Palancas Negras will be favourites in front of a partisan crowd. Flavio and Manucho have combined for 5 goals so far and with Gilberto and the returning Dede prompting from midfield they’ll have their chances against a far-from-solid Black Stars defence. Ghana are without their powerful midfield trio of Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah and Sully Muntari, and have lacked both power and invention. They will be counting on the industry of Dede Ayew, experienced striker Asamoah Gyan, and winger Haminu Draman, in the hope of pulling an unlikely upset.
It would be the biggest shock of the finals if Ivory Coast fail to overcome Algeria in Sunday’s other match up in Cabinda. Everyone knows about the Elephants’ big name players – Drogba, the Toures et al. – and despite their opening goalless draw against Burkina Faso they remain favourites to win the competition, and in midfield ace Gervinho they boast one of the stars of the finals so far. Algeria have hardly impressed, losing 3-0 to Malawi and scoring just once in three games. Yet, if the Desert Warriors – who also boast the likes of Karim Ziani and Mourad Meghni - show the kind of commitment that put them into the World Cup finals ahead of Egypt, they might yet make a game of it. But it’s hard to see them getting past the skilful, determined Ivoriens.
The match of the quarter finals must be the clash between defending champions Egypt and Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in Benguela on Monday. Egypt have the only 100% record of the first round and with the brilliant Ahmed Hassan still going strong in midfield, this settled, experienced side will be favourites to reach the last four. Yet, Cameroon – led by the prolific Samuel Eto’o - cannot be under-rated, even if they did struggle to get out Group D. Coach Paul Le Guen rang the changes after the narrow 3-2 win over Zambia, finally dispensing with veterans Rigobert Song and Geremi Njitap, and the new faces rose to the occasion in a bruising 2-2 draw with Tunisia last Thursday, and will fancy their chances of ending Egypt’s four-year stranglehold on the Cup. It’s a must-see match that could go either way, but I think Egypt’s superior team ethic will trump the Lions physicality and work-rate.
Zambia did well to finish top of Group D, ahead of Cameroon and Tunisia, and they’ll fancy their chances against the enigmatic Super Eagles in Monday’s second game in Lubango. Yet, it’s the Nigerians who will start as favourites, both on the basis of reputation and personnel. Shaibu Amodu’s team has been heavily criticised after an opening loss to Egypt and an unconvincing win against Benin, but they showed glimpses of improvement in despatching Mozambique 3-0 on Wednesday. With the emergence of Sani Kaita as midfield anchor and Osaze Odemwingie and Chinedu Obasi running the flanks, Nigeria should prove too strong for a Zambia side for whom Jacob Mulenga and Chris Katongo have been influential, but who will be without suspended midfielder Rainford Kalaba and centre-back Kampanba Chintu. French coach Herve Renaud insists the pressure will be on Nigeria, but that’s always the case for the Eagles, and I think they will continue to improve and book a place in the last four.
So my last four pick is: Egypt v Ivory Coast, Angola v Nigeria.
Let’s see yours.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Amodu Must Match Westerhof
I can't say I was surprised about the criticism that has gone the way of Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu since the Nations Cup kicked off in Angola two weeks ago. After all, such is the following and passion that football attracts in these days of universal coverage that every fan fashions himself smarter than the men who have actually made a vocation of what is but a pleasurable distraction for many. Now, some criticism is in order, and there's no denying that the Super Eagles have been far from the finished article we'd all love to see. But it must gall the coach no end to have every little decision he makes questioned. Why was Mikel substituted? Why is Yakubu starting? Why is Yusuf playing instead of Odiah? Why are we playing three defensive midfielders? Why doesn't the coach stand and yell instructions for 90 minutes? (By the way, the most active coach I ever saw was Camacho of Spain at France 98, waving frantically for 90 minutes like a "yellow fever" traffic warden, armpits soaked through with sweat. His team crashed out in the 1st round !)
We are all experts now, even though we haven't seen one Eagles training session, or ever attempted to coach even at the most basic level of the game. It sure looks easy on paper from the comfort of our couches.
Of course, none of these is new, and Amodu can take some comfort in that. Even in 1994, when Clemens Westerhof was leading our best ever team to Nations Cup glory in Tunisia, the Dutchman had his detractors and had to face similar questions. Why is Amuneke not starting? Why is Okocha being substituted? Why take off a striker for a midfielder?
Indeed there are those who still blame Westerhof for our 2nd round exit at the World Cup that year.
Makes one wonder: If the succesful Westerhof couldn't please this lot, what chance the very unpopular Amodu?
For that there can only be one answer: Amodu and his team must emulate Westerhof to win over a nation of doubters. If not by matching the class of 94's triumphant campaign, then at the very least by matching the bouncebackability that took the 1990 set all the way to the final after a wretched 5-1 loss to Algeria in their opening match.
That quest continues in Lubango tommorow when the Eagles take on Zambia in a quarter final match they'll be expected to win. As often happens in championships, Amodu seems to have stumbled open his best line up, especially with the vastly under-rated Sani Kaita taking a major role in midfield ahead of bigger names like Ayila and Olofinjana. When you consider that, in addition to Amodu's preference of Echiejile over Taiwo, and of Yusuf over Odiah, it's hard to believe that this team is picked on anything but merit - as defined by the coaching crew, who certainly know more about the current form, fitness, attitude and capabilities of players they see in training everyday than any of us. Like many, I would like to see more of Nsofor and Martins - their 10 minute cameo against Mozambique certainly promised plenty - and I would love to see the team attack with a bit more urgency, especially on transitions (like they did to great effect for the second goal against Mozambique). If the Eagles play like I know they are capable of - and I know many don't share my belief in this lot - we should be previewing our semi final opponents come Monday night.
We are all experts now, even though we haven't seen one Eagles training session, or ever attempted to coach even at the most basic level of the game. It sure looks easy on paper from the comfort of our couches.
Of course, none of these is new, and Amodu can take some comfort in that. Even in 1994, when Clemens Westerhof was leading our best ever team to Nations Cup glory in Tunisia, the Dutchman had his detractors and had to face similar questions. Why is Amuneke not starting? Why is Okocha being substituted? Why take off a striker for a midfielder?
Indeed there are those who still blame Westerhof for our 2nd round exit at the World Cup that year.
Makes one wonder: If the succesful Westerhof couldn't please this lot, what chance the very unpopular Amodu?
For that there can only be one answer: Amodu and his team must emulate Westerhof to win over a nation of doubters. If not by matching the class of 94's triumphant campaign, then at the very least by matching the bouncebackability that took the 1990 set all the way to the final after a wretched 5-1 loss to Algeria in their opening match.
That quest continues in Lubango tommorow when the Eagles take on Zambia in a quarter final match they'll be expected to win. As often happens in championships, Amodu seems to have stumbled open his best line up, especially with the vastly under-rated Sani Kaita taking a major role in midfield ahead of bigger names like Ayila and Olofinjana. When you consider that, in addition to Amodu's preference of Echiejile over Taiwo, and of Yusuf over Odiah, it's hard to believe that this team is picked on anything but merit - as defined by the coaching crew, who certainly know more about the current form, fitness, attitude and capabilities of players they see in training everyday than any of us. Like many, I would like to see more of Nsofor and Martins - their 10 minute cameo against Mozambique certainly promised plenty - and I would love to see the team attack with a bit more urgency, especially on transitions (like they did to great effect for the second goal against Mozambique). If the Eagles play like I know they are capable of - and I know many don't share my belief in this lot - we should be previewing our semi final opponents come Monday night.
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