We often over-react to an England defeat and we often try to find someone or something to blame. The difference this time however, is that there was no penalty shoot out. The team was emphatically beaten and alarmingly outplayed.
The Frank Lampard ‘phantom goal’ can be discussed until we are blue in the face, but as Steven Gerrard said after the heavy defeat to Germany yesterday, England conceded four goals. In truth, it could have been six or seven.
Firstly, questions must be asked about the organisation of the team. Why was the defence so exposed on the third German goal and why were so many men thrown forward at that point? There was still over a quarter of the game remaining. Most of these players are experienced, seasoned internationals, which made it all the more baffling.
‘Baffling’ is certainly the appropriate adjective to sum up England’s disastrous tournament, and I’m sure all the reasons, or indeed excuses, will come out somewhere down the line in someone’s autobiography.
In my view, the problems all come down to the relationship between the FA and the Premier League. Countries such as Brazil and Germany place their national team at the forefront of importance. But in England domestic football takes precedence due to the greedy, fat cats at the Premier League. We need to implement some stricter laws if we don’t want to have to experience this inevitable disappointment every four years.
It is not the coaching that is the problem. Grass root levels produce some excellent talent – as illustrated by the recent European Under 17s Championship win. The Under 21 side progressed to the final of the equivalent competition at their age level last summer, and were only beaten, in the end, by a special German team, including several players who played yesterday.
The overwhelming issue is that the players are not given the chances at the top clubs. Managers such as Arsene Wenger and previously, Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho, appear to trust foreign talent more. Therefore these young English players don’t gain the valuable experience they need and subsequently drop down the leagues or even out of the game completely.
For the national team to improve, I would suggest there needs to be a rule that a squad should include at least six or seven English players every week. That is a squad of 18, not 25.
EU laws relating to freedom of employment make this idea difficult to implement, but for once I actually agree with Sepp Blatter who wants to force teams to play with at least five players born in the same country as the league they are competing in. It is certainly something that should help England.
So what was the issue in South Africa this time around? In Germany four years ago it was the WAG’s. Was it ‘Terry gate’ in 2010? England have certainly not played well since the Wayne Bridge incident occurred back in February, while before that they appeared to be united as illustrated in a blistering qualifying campaign. Did those events really damage team spirit so severely?
Or is it that these ‘spoilt’ players cannot stay away from home for so long? None of the players live abroad or play abroad, so maybe they are too pampered and can’t deal with being homesick. However, they are not the only team facing this experience, so if that was the case, maybe other players should have been selected.
Was it the altitude? If it was, this is no excuse, as every country has to deal with this problem. It is interesting however, how the South Americans appear to be coping better with this issue. But on the other hand, the Netherlands are still in the tournament, so need I say more?
Wayne Rooney’s performances were bizarre and can't be ignored. He’s a wonderful player and to say he was being affected by nerves is ludicrous. He was either injured, exhausted or suffering from severe altitude sickness. We all know Wayne Rooney has supreme ball control, but that was severely lacking in South Africa, during every game. His performances are just impossible to explain. The only other thing I can imagine is that he has been affected by his impending multi million pound court case. If that’s the case, there surely should have been more psychological help at hand.
The Manchester United star wasn’t the only player who appeared sluggish over the last fortnight. Glen Johnson is usually a free flowing, blisteringly quick and very skilful full back who runs at and attacks the opposition with verve and purpose. Both yesterday and in the previous matches, he appeared like he was treading water. Bizarre again!
The excuses about the Premiership having too many games and the argument that there should be a winter break do not hold any weight I’m afraid. Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Dirk Kuyt all look fine to me. And point me to any players who run around more than them during the season?
Capello’s excuses relating to that appear to be weak, but maybe it was was another loss of translation. Maybe he was, in fact, referring to fitness and not tiredness. Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney and Glen Johnson all had quite long lay offs during the season, But I think it’s just another façade of trying to paper over the cracks of his failure to do the job he is paid six million pounds a year to do. Yes, six million a year for that…
Yesterday’s main problem was the defence, something which appeared to be one obvious strong area earlier in the tournament. Matthew Upson could obviously not handle the big occasion, but John Terry also needs to be held accountable. He is vastly experienced, but the first goal was ‘schoolboy’ defending and he should have known better. The two played together regularly in qualifying so why was the positioning so poor? Once again it’s just bizarre to the point of sheer disbelief.
I don’t adhere to the belief that foreign players make English players look good for their club sides and that we rate our players too highly. Having a foreign player alongside him doesn’t make Wayne Rooney control the ball better. Having Claude Makelele or Michael Ballack alongside him doesn’t make Frank Lampard strike the ball better. These are still technically gifted players whose technique seemed to suddenly desert them when they pulled on the Three Lions shirt.
Although it’s easy to use hindsight now, I have to say I did question Fabio Capello’s appointment when it was made in January 2008. The Italian coach has got an excellent record at club level, but only with Latin teams. The pinnacle of his managerial career was with the great AC Milan team of the mid nineties, but that is a long time ago now.
Since those heady days, Capello's teams have had a very poor record in knockout compeitions and especially the Champions League, where his teams have frequently lost (three times to Liverpool incidentally) in the early knockout stages or even the group stages. This has happened again with England and is not really that surprising.
But collective responsibility should be taken and despite the manager’s floors, I was certainly optimistic after such a wonderful qualifying campaign.
But what now and most importantly, who now?
I think it’s pretty clear that the Italian will leave, but who will the FA – in their amateur and infinite wisdom – appoint this time? It has to be one of three candidates – Harry Redknapp, Roy Hodgson or Sam Alladyce.
Harry Redknapp should be the clear favourite. He clearly brings the best out of his players, but would the FA appoint him? There is no doubt he carries some baggage.
Roy Hodgson would be my choice. He is popular with his players and crucially, has international experience and knows the world game inside out. I think he deserves the job, but will he go to Liverpool? Is he a big enough name for the elitist FA?
Sam Alladyce is probably a less popular choice, and his style of football may be an issue for some. But frankly who cares? England fans want to win don’t they?
Alladyce has again proved to be an excellent manager with Blackburn Rovers and can clearly deal with big names. Nicolas Anelka, Youri Djorkaeff and Jay Jay Okacha all thrived under ‘Big Sam’ and revived their flagging careers. This is certainly what we need in the England national team at this point.
This time though, it has to be an English manager, but a more experienced one that either Glen Hoddle or Steve McClaren were is required. It has been been proved over the last decade that a foreign manager does not win you a World Cup, and the facts demonstrate that as well. It has never happened.
Players such as Frank Lampard may well have played their last major tournament. The media invented ‘golden generation’ were not even a bronze generation. In fact they were not even highly commended.
But I do believe, despite the hype, that things need to be put in perspective. England have never reached the final of a major tournament outside their own country. Maybe it’s time to accept that they are a second, even third rate football nation at this point. And anyway, once the league season begins again, we will probably all forget this disappointment. After all, we have the ‘most exciting and best league in the world’ remember?
This is all very well, but it doesn’t make those fans coming back from South Africa feel any better. They have been let down horribly by this team, and someone somewhere needs to be held accountable.
We've been here before haven't we...?
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
JOHN TERRY - A JUSTIFIED OUTBURST OR ALTERNATIVE AGENDA?
John Terry is a passionate player. Nobody in their right mind can suggest that he doesn’t give one hundred per cent every time he steps on to the field of play. But was his outburst in front of the press on Sunday pre-mediated or was it just a badly advised moment of madness?
Is the Chelsea captain still annoyed about being stripped of the captaincy back in February? And can much of the a problems in the squad be partially put down to that espisode concerning Wayne Bridge?
It is rumoured that Bridge was a popular member of the England squad and that Terry's actions have actually caused a split in the camp and been the catalyst for the apparent lack of cohesive team spirit.
Some of the points Terry made on Sunday were probably things that every fan and most journalists agreed with. But to actually question the manager publically, was in all honesty, a complete lack of respect.
This is not Avram Grant Mr Terry! Fabio Capello has won nine league titles, been in three Champions League finals, played in World Cup’s for Italy and managed some of the biggest stars in football. If it wasn’t for the lack of centre backs, Terry may well be on the plane home right now. He is a lucky boy.
Concerning tonight’s clash. There are two important points I'd like to make.
Firstly, shouldn't Peter Crouch be playing up front? He has a terrific goal-scoring record at international level and is England’s version of Miroslav Klose. Although he is not so effective at club level, just like the Germany forward, he seems to thrive on the pressure of playing for his country where the teams are not so familiar to his presence. I think tonight would be a perfect platform for the Tottenham forward, but it appears Capello will play his club-mate, Jermaine Defoe alongside Wayne Rooney.
Secondly, not a lot of fuss has been made about the referee selected by Fifa, but I am a little concerned by their decision. It has created a grey area, which could probably be avoided.
Wolfgang Stark of Germany has previously officiatied three England matches of which England has won all three. However, during the World Cup there are not supposed to be any 'conflicts of interest' concerning the officials. The fact that either England, Slovenia or any of the teams in Group C could possibly face Germany in the next stage surely constitutes a conflict of interest. Isn't Steven Gerrard on a yellow card?
Whoever the referee is during the clash with Slovenia, England do not need to play well. They just need to win. It may sound simple, but performances are not what are important in the World Cup qualifying groups. There are endless examples of teams playing fantastically in the group stages and then subsequently falling short in the knockout stages, and vice versa.
Four years ago, Spain and Argentina were the eye-catching teams in qualifying, but both crashed by the last eight.
On the opposite side of the argument, France and Italy were the two finalists in Germany, but both – especially the French – were very patchy in the group stages.
In 1998 meanwhile, Argentina (again) were superb in the group stages, as were Nigeria, but again both teams failed to progress beyond the quarter finals. Take note Argentina: This is a bad habit you have developed down the years.
Speaking of the French team, what a farce their World Cup campaign has been. They may as well have let Ireland take their place in South Africa and a lot of aggro concerning that notorious 'handball' could have been avoided.
Whatever the players think of Raymond Domenech, they should still respect their fans enough to give their all. Four years ago there were apparently also issues with Domenech's methods, but the team took the opposite route and pulled together. However, they have no talisman in Zidane this time, who has publically and rightly condemned the squad.
Last night, only Hugo Lloris –the French goalkeeper - showed any sort of fighting spirit. A better side than South Africa would have won 6-0.
In the next couple of days, England, Germany and Italy could all, quite easily, be eliminated. If England’s draw with Algeria was perceived to be terrible result against a team ranked 22 places below them, New Zealand are ranked 78 - a massive 73 places below the current world champions.
We’ve been here before with Italy though, and Marcello Lippi is such a shrewd coach. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them still in the tournament come the quarter finals. But a second round blockbuster clash with the Netherlands awaits the Azzuri, and that's a mouth-watering prospect.
It is now, in my opinion, where the World Cup really starts and it should be a roller-coaster next three days. As the (quite disappointing in my view) group stages come to an end, hopefully the quality of matches will begin to improve and the games on the pitch will begin to match up to the atmosphere in the crowd, which has been magnificant (from the armchair anyway)
On a final note, the manager, the press and the fans have talked endlessly about how much pressure the England players are under. But lets put this in perspective and I’m not jesting here. Imagine the pressure on the North Korean players (The DPRK) after their 7-0 defeat to Portugal on Monday night. Remember it was, for once, screened live on terrestrial television, but imagine the reaction back home? They were probably terrified of the prospect of playing live in front their dictator. Now that’s pressure ladies and gentlemen....
Is the Chelsea captain still annoyed about being stripped of the captaincy back in February? And can much of the a problems in the squad be partially put down to that espisode concerning Wayne Bridge?
It is rumoured that Bridge was a popular member of the England squad and that Terry's actions have actually caused a split in the camp and been the catalyst for the apparent lack of cohesive team spirit.
Some of the points Terry made on Sunday were probably things that every fan and most journalists agreed with. But to actually question the manager publically, was in all honesty, a complete lack of respect.
This is not Avram Grant Mr Terry! Fabio Capello has won nine league titles, been in three Champions League finals, played in World Cup’s for Italy and managed some of the biggest stars in football. If it wasn’t for the lack of centre backs, Terry may well be on the plane home right now. He is a lucky boy.
Concerning tonight’s clash. There are two important points I'd like to make.
Firstly, shouldn't Peter Crouch be playing up front? He has a terrific goal-scoring record at international level and is England’s version of Miroslav Klose. Although he is not so effective at club level, just like the Germany forward, he seems to thrive on the pressure of playing for his country where the teams are not so familiar to his presence. I think tonight would be a perfect platform for the Tottenham forward, but it appears Capello will play his club-mate, Jermaine Defoe alongside Wayne Rooney.
Secondly, not a lot of fuss has been made about the referee selected by Fifa, but I am a little concerned by their decision. It has created a grey area, which could probably be avoided.
Wolfgang Stark of Germany has previously officiatied three England matches of which England has won all three. However, during the World Cup there are not supposed to be any 'conflicts of interest' concerning the officials. The fact that either England, Slovenia or any of the teams in Group C could possibly face Germany in the next stage surely constitutes a conflict of interest. Isn't Steven Gerrard on a yellow card?
Whoever the referee is during the clash with Slovenia, England do not need to play well. They just need to win. It may sound simple, but performances are not what are important in the World Cup qualifying groups. There are endless examples of teams playing fantastically in the group stages and then subsequently falling short in the knockout stages, and vice versa.
Four years ago, Spain and Argentina were the eye-catching teams in qualifying, but both crashed by the last eight.
On the opposite side of the argument, France and Italy were the two finalists in Germany, but both – especially the French – were very patchy in the group stages.
In 1998 meanwhile, Argentina (again) were superb in the group stages, as were Nigeria, but again both teams failed to progress beyond the quarter finals. Take note Argentina: This is a bad habit you have developed down the years.
Speaking of the French team, what a farce their World Cup campaign has been. They may as well have let Ireland take their place in South Africa and a lot of aggro concerning that notorious 'handball' could have been avoided.
Whatever the players think of Raymond Domenech, they should still respect their fans enough to give their all. Four years ago there were apparently also issues with Domenech's methods, but the team took the opposite route and pulled together. However, they have no talisman in Zidane this time, who has publically and rightly condemned the squad.
Last night, only Hugo Lloris –the French goalkeeper - showed any sort of fighting spirit. A better side than South Africa would have won 6-0.
In the next couple of days, England, Germany and Italy could all, quite easily, be eliminated. If England’s draw with Algeria was perceived to be terrible result against a team ranked 22 places below them, New Zealand are ranked 78 - a massive 73 places below the current world champions.
We’ve been here before with Italy though, and Marcello Lippi is such a shrewd coach. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them still in the tournament come the quarter finals. But a second round blockbuster clash with the Netherlands awaits the Azzuri, and that's a mouth-watering prospect.
It is now, in my opinion, where the World Cup really starts and it should be a roller-coaster next three days. As the (quite disappointing in my view) group stages come to an end, hopefully the quality of matches will begin to improve and the games on the pitch will begin to match up to the atmosphere in the crowd, which has been magnificant (from the armchair anyway)
On a final note, the manager, the press and the fans have talked endlessly about how much pressure the England players are under. But lets put this in perspective and I’m not jesting here. Imagine the pressure on the North Korean players (The DPRK) after their 7-0 defeat to Portugal on Monday night. Remember it was, for once, screened live on terrestrial television, but imagine the reaction back home? They were probably terrified of the prospect of playing live in front their dictator. Now that’s pressure ladies and gentlemen....
Saturday, June 19, 2010
IS IT THE PLAYERS OR IS IT CAPELLO?
England’s performance against Algeria last night was so poor that it was actually boardering on the bizarre.
How can players who play at the highest level of world football so regularly, season after season, be so inept when they play together.
England’s players are certainly not over-rated, because as I said, they are consistently performing well on the biggest stages. Over-rated players are players who fail to perform on the big occasion when more is expected of them. Although that may have appeared to be case last night, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Jamie Carrager and Wayne Rooney have played in 22 Champions League semi final's between them and performed well.
England have at least half a dozen players who started the game last night capable of competing with anyone in the world. So why were they so lack-luster and, most importantly, where was the urgency?
One player, who has also featured in four Champions League semi finals himself, did not figure at all last night. One has to wonder exactly what Joe Cole has done to upset Mr Capello. England were crying out for his creativity and un-predictablity last night. His lack of playing time is puzzling, even if it is only as a substitute.
There were a few positives. After Robert Green’s unfortunate, traumatic week, David James looked composed and an imposing figure. Jamie Carrager looked solid at the back, although his yellow card rules him out of the last group game, while Gareth Barry played the full 90 minutes. Now I'm really clutching at straws aren't I?
Apart from that, England looked worringly void of ideas. Glen Johnson was poor in possession, which is usually his strong point. Steven Gerrard looked jaded, while I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wayne Rooney play so badly for club or country. He looked like the whole world was on his shoulders. Either that or the Manchester United star was drunk.
The players often look afraid to express themselves. Is it the Robert Green effect of being afraid to make a mistake. On one occassion Steven Gerrard cut in from the right in a perfect opportunity to unleash a shot with his fantastic right boot. At Liverpool he would have shot, no question, but instead he tried to square it across the penalty box to no one in particular.
Is it the manager who is the problem? Is he too aloof and not close enough to his players? Or are the players just not capable of dealing with the huge expectation? Is the language barrier causing problems within the camp?
Being an expat abroad I know how difficult it is to learn a language. But, if I was earning six million pounds a year, I think my English would be a hell of a lot better than Capello’s after two and a half years in the job. He is 64 years old, but surely instant communication is vital in a tournament such as this. If you remember back to January 1998 when he took the job, he said he would be fluent in a month.
It is all very well that the media is questioning why the Italian naming the team two hours before the game, but this wasn’t an issue in the qualifiers. Then, the players really did appear play for him, but now we are all asking the same old questions. The honeymoon period is well and truly over.
The only possible reason (tough in cheek, I hope) I can give for England ‘s woeful performance was that they are trying to come second in the group because Germany will probably not win their group, and they could face them in the last sixteen. But should they really fear the Germans? They are even missing penalties these days.
Slovenia is a tough match, but England simply ‘have to’ perform. I still think they will get through, but I cannot say that with a lot of confidence.
But the Three Lions are not the only team who are struggling. There are many other teams who, comically, would love to be in England’s position. Remember everything is still in England’s hands, and their fiercest rivals - the Germans - have, in the space of two days, gone from being everyone’s most impressive team to being in a fight to actually remain in the tournament.
The Germans are in the strange position of knowing that six points may still not be enough to qualify, while they are without their talisman Miroslav Klose for their final Group D showdown with Ghana. His red card was ridiculous and both yellow cards were probably not actually yellow card offences.
The referee from Spain was poor, but Germany had their chances even with ten men, and I would have put my house (if I had one) on Lukas Podolski burying that penalty. It was very un-German like.
A victory for Ghana over Australia today would leave the three times winners in big trouble and on the verge of possible elimination What an amazing turnaround. Will Franz Beckenbauer be feeling a little nervous at this moment? I suggest yes.
England are bad, but at least they are not France. The neighbours from across the channel are packed with terrific individuals from Patrice Evra to Florent Malouda to Franck Ribery but do not seem to want to play for the shirt. You can argue to the hilt that Raymond Domenech is the problem, but surely the players still need to try their hardest for their country. They appear to just be going through the motions. It will take a miracle for Les Bleus' to qualify now, and quite honestly they may not even beat the hosts – South Africa – anyway, on Tuesday.
Credit must go to the Mexicans though, who played some terrific and incisive counter attacking football. And the new Manchester United signing - Javier Hernandez - looks like a very talented player.
Argentina are the form team of the tournament so far, and Maradona’s antics aside have been entertaining on the field too. Lionel Messi, unlike Wayne Rooney, looks full of confidence and was fantastic against South Korea.
But the Argentina defence is still a cause for concern for them and that may hamper them later in the tournament. Four years ago, remember, they were also fantastic in the group stages and flattered to deceive in the knockout rounds. It will be interesting to see how they fare then, but if teams continue to let Messi roam around the pitch and run at them , they are asking for trouble. Why is nobody man-marking the little Barcelona forward? Surely it’s not rocket science. Bring back Martin Keown I say….
And then there is Spain. They didn’t play badly, but they must be panicking. Switzerland need to take four points off Honduras and Chile to finish first in the group and have a canny old fox in Otmar Hitzfeld at the helm. The result shocked me, but the match, in some ways, was a metaphor for this World Cup so far. It’s been interesting, without really excelling yet. The matches have been tense, but many have lacked flair and defences have regularly been on top.
After the Swiss scored, Spain never really looked like scoring. The Spanish need Fernando Torres back fit and firing, but that will take time and thhey don’t have time. A probable second round clash with Brazil awaits.
The fact that, bar, Argentina, nobody is dominating their group actually makes for a thrilling competition. The football may not be up to much, but the last round of group matches will be compelling viewing in terms of tension.
Will Germany and England both crash out? Will France pull off the great escape? Will Group B contain the first ever team to make it through to the knockout stages with two defeats? And will Slovenia – the smallest nation in the tournament knock out the biggest nation – the USA?
Picking a winner of the World Cup at this stage is nye on impossible. And what more can you ask for?
PS. Match of the tournament so far: Slovenia v USA followed by Greece v Nigeria. Terrific end to end stuff!
How can players who play at the highest level of world football so regularly, season after season, be so inept when they play together.
England’s players are certainly not over-rated, because as I said, they are consistently performing well on the biggest stages. Over-rated players are players who fail to perform on the big occasion when more is expected of them. Although that may have appeared to be case last night, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Jamie Carrager and Wayne Rooney have played in 22 Champions League semi final's between them and performed well.
England have at least half a dozen players who started the game last night capable of competing with anyone in the world. So why were they so lack-luster and, most importantly, where was the urgency?
One player, who has also featured in four Champions League semi finals himself, did not figure at all last night. One has to wonder exactly what Joe Cole has done to upset Mr Capello. England were crying out for his creativity and un-predictablity last night. His lack of playing time is puzzling, even if it is only as a substitute.
There were a few positives. After Robert Green’s unfortunate, traumatic week, David James looked composed and an imposing figure. Jamie Carrager looked solid at the back, although his yellow card rules him out of the last group game, while Gareth Barry played the full 90 minutes. Now I'm really clutching at straws aren't I?
Apart from that, England looked worringly void of ideas. Glen Johnson was poor in possession, which is usually his strong point. Steven Gerrard looked jaded, while I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wayne Rooney play so badly for club or country. He looked like the whole world was on his shoulders. Either that or the Manchester United star was drunk.
The players often look afraid to express themselves. Is it the Robert Green effect of being afraid to make a mistake. On one occassion Steven Gerrard cut in from the right in a perfect opportunity to unleash a shot with his fantastic right boot. At Liverpool he would have shot, no question, but instead he tried to square it across the penalty box to no one in particular.
Is it the manager who is the problem? Is he too aloof and not close enough to his players? Or are the players just not capable of dealing with the huge expectation? Is the language barrier causing problems within the camp?
Being an expat abroad I know how difficult it is to learn a language. But, if I was earning six million pounds a year, I think my English would be a hell of a lot better than Capello’s after two and a half years in the job. He is 64 years old, but surely instant communication is vital in a tournament such as this. If you remember back to January 1998 when he took the job, he said he would be fluent in a month.
It is all very well that the media is questioning why the Italian naming the team two hours before the game, but this wasn’t an issue in the qualifiers. Then, the players really did appear play for him, but now we are all asking the same old questions. The honeymoon period is well and truly over.
The only possible reason (tough in cheek, I hope) I can give for England ‘s woeful performance was that they are trying to come second in the group because Germany will probably not win their group, and they could face them in the last sixteen. But should they really fear the Germans? They are even missing penalties these days.
Slovenia is a tough match, but England simply ‘have to’ perform. I still think they will get through, but I cannot say that with a lot of confidence.
But the Three Lions are not the only team who are struggling. There are many other teams who, comically, would love to be in England’s position. Remember everything is still in England’s hands, and their fiercest rivals - the Germans - have, in the space of two days, gone from being everyone’s most impressive team to being in a fight to actually remain in the tournament.
The Germans are in the strange position of knowing that six points may still not be enough to qualify, while they are without their talisman Miroslav Klose for their final Group D showdown with Ghana. His red card was ridiculous and both yellow cards were probably not actually yellow card offences.
The referee from Spain was poor, but Germany had their chances even with ten men, and I would have put my house (if I had one) on Lukas Podolski burying that penalty. It was very un-German like.
A victory for Ghana over Australia today would leave the three times winners in big trouble and on the verge of possible elimination What an amazing turnaround. Will Franz Beckenbauer be feeling a little nervous at this moment? I suggest yes.
England are bad, but at least they are not France. The neighbours from across the channel are packed with terrific individuals from Patrice Evra to Florent Malouda to Franck Ribery but do not seem to want to play for the shirt. You can argue to the hilt that Raymond Domenech is the problem, but surely the players still need to try their hardest for their country. They appear to just be going through the motions. It will take a miracle for Les Bleus' to qualify now, and quite honestly they may not even beat the hosts – South Africa – anyway, on Tuesday.
Credit must go to the Mexicans though, who played some terrific and incisive counter attacking football. And the new Manchester United signing - Javier Hernandez - looks like a very talented player.
Argentina are the form team of the tournament so far, and Maradona’s antics aside have been entertaining on the field too. Lionel Messi, unlike Wayne Rooney, looks full of confidence and was fantastic against South Korea.
But the Argentina defence is still a cause for concern for them and that may hamper them later in the tournament. Four years ago, remember, they were also fantastic in the group stages and flattered to deceive in the knockout rounds. It will be interesting to see how they fare then, but if teams continue to let Messi roam around the pitch and run at them , they are asking for trouble. Why is nobody man-marking the little Barcelona forward? Surely it’s not rocket science. Bring back Martin Keown I say….
And then there is Spain. They didn’t play badly, but they must be panicking. Switzerland need to take four points off Honduras and Chile to finish first in the group and have a canny old fox in Otmar Hitzfeld at the helm. The result shocked me, but the match, in some ways, was a metaphor for this World Cup so far. It’s been interesting, without really excelling yet. The matches have been tense, but many have lacked flair and defences have regularly been on top.
After the Swiss scored, Spain never really looked like scoring. The Spanish need Fernando Torres back fit and firing, but that will take time and thhey don’t have time. A probable second round clash with Brazil awaits.
The fact that, bar, Argentina, nobody is dominating their group actually makes for a thrilling competition. The football may not be up to much, but the last round of group matches will be compelling viewing in terms of tension.
Will Germany and England both crash out? Will France pull off the great escape? Will Group B contain the first ever team to make it through to the knockout stages with two defeats? And will Slovenia – the smallest nation in the tournament knock out the biggest nation – the USA?
Picking a winner of the World Cup at this stage is nye on impossible. And what more can you ask for?
PS. Match of the tournament so far: Slovenia v USA followed by Greece v Nigeria. Terrific end to end stuff!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
IT IS THE "DPRK" NOT NORTH KOREA. WE ALL NEED TO KNOW..
More of that later…
We are four days into the 2010 World Cup, and most of the talk has been about vuvuzelas, not football. Luckily, the noisy, but appropriately cheerful instruments have helped disguise the fact that the football has, on the whole, been pretty drab.
Of all the games so far, only the opening game and the Germany game have provided anything approaching scintillating viewing. But as England fans will need to tell themselves, it is still 'very early days’.
Today could prove to be the most intriguing yet. New Zealand are an unknown quantity who beat non other than New Caledonian, Fiji and Bahrain to get to this World Cup. They take on a Slovakia team competing in their first ever finals as a single nation, so at least there is a novelty element we don’t get so often in today's media dominated World Cup tournaments.
Brazil versus the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea should also be a fascinating clash. The Guardian reports that the DPRK will have no fans at all in Johannesburg. However, the Chinese have sent along around 100 pseudo supporters. It’s a shame, because the quiet hand clapping of the mass, cheerless North Koreans all dressed in red would have been another alternative feature of this already unique World Cup.
The DPRK football team themselves are ultra defensive. And this has been further demonstrated by the fact that they are still trying to implement their goalkeeper, Kim Myong-won, as a striker, or is the other way round? Brazil should win comfortably, but I don’t think it will be by the large margin that everyone might expect.
Today’s action also includes what could be the match of the tournament so far. Sven Goran Eriksson’s Ivory Coast take on Nani-less Portugal, with Didier Drogba hoping that FIFA will accept his request to play in a cast. The Chelsea striker broke his arm only eleven days ago, but is apparently desperate to play in what will probably be his last World Cup finals.
But the often brutal Portuguese are bound to target him and it could be a painful 90 minutes for the African player of the year. We may even bring ourselves to feel sorry for the big striker, as for once, he won’t actually be faking his apparent discomfort. However I do feel a sense of karma about the whole situation or am I just being nasty? Good luck to you Didier, and 'our Sven'.
So what do we make of the tournament so far?
I felt the opening game lived up to the hype and South Africa were outstanding. They played well above their capabilities and it just goes to show how much home support in the World Cup really can lift a side. The hosts now have a decent chance to qualify out of a group which is of little quality and already appears to be the hardest of the eight groups to call.
France against Uruguay barely deserves a mention, apart from the amusing irony of watching Thierry Henry appeal for a soft penalty in the last minute. He believed there was a handball you know? But as the former Arsenal striker should know, you need to handball it twice to get the decision. He even had the audacity to look outraged.
As for Saturday’s action – Greece were under-whelming, just as I predicted, and are possibly the poorest team in the World Cup. Although I must stress I will reserve judgment until New Zealand play. How the Greeks got past Ukraine in the play offs I really don’t know and their football team perfectly mirrors their economy at this moment in time. Adject!
Credit to the South Koreans though, who play so well as a unit. They are certainly a threat in Group B.
And what did we make of Argentina? Well Messi was fantastic and appears to be unaffected by his long season at Barcelona., But the little Argentine was - as he probably always be - upstaged by his coach.
Maradona was as exhilarating on the touchline as he was as a player on the pitch, and nobody can pretend they didn't enjoy his antics, surely... But will it become annoying later on in the competition?
In that Group B clash with Argentina, the Nigerian keeper - Vincent Enyeama - in my opinion produced the display of the tournament so far. He made three of four World Class saves and Nigeria were right in that match until the end. Does Argentina’s apparent endless supply of world class striker actually create a paradoxical problem for Maradona? Can Juan Veron last the tournament and can a team with a Newcastle midfielder at right back win the World Cup? We shall see, but they should at least qualify with ease.
The England scenario was as expected in my view. Many people including myself, predicted a draw, but certainly not the manner of it.
Fabio Capello has a big decision to make on Robert Green, who appears to be a very nice guy. Although that has nothing to do with the bigger picture, if it had happened to John Terry for example (perhaps a defensive howler), maybe there would be less sympathy directed towards the Chelsea skipper. Actually I thought the West Ham stopper handled the media scrutiny extremely well. But at this level, should an international keeper be making such an error? This is an especially potent question when the player represents a nation in the upper tier of the world game. The Italian manager could have a sleepless next three days.
Saying that, I still believe England will qualify comfortably in first place. The Algeria versus Slovenia game was a very poor game played out by two un-inspiring teams. England’s chances were also enhanced because Ghezzal -the Algerian star striker - has ruled himself out of the England match after receiving his marching orders for two yellow cards. The second of which must nail him the award for ‘idiot of the World Cup so far’.
Serbia were very disappointing on Sunday and surprisingly lacked cutting edge. The penalty against them was unlucky, but foolish and was certainly the correct decision. The referees have actually been very good so far, and have probably better than the players on the whole.
Ghana surprised me with their display, which was full of energy and verve. They should now qualify and I feel they will definetly give the Germans a run for their money next week in a clash which may well decide which teams plays England.
Many analysts are raving about the Germans, and much of their performance may be down to the fact that most of the team have been using the much publicised World Cup ball in the Bundesliga this season. However, the Australians were unforgivably poor and as I predicted (blowing my own trumpet once again) they appear to be the whipping boys in the group.
I prefer to judge Germany after three matches, not one. But the Aussies, now without Tim Cahill - who picked up a deserved red card – may as well book their flights home right now.
In Group E, the Netherlands looked efficient, if not spectacular, but they have Arjen Robben set to return, which should enhance their chances. However, Robin Van Persie looked particularly off the pace and that is worrying for the Dutch.
The Danes were very disappointing, as were Cameroon, who were surprisingly beaten by the Japanese. That clash was a dreadful game and the Danes will take heart that they still have to play both these teams. Incidentally, Honda drove in Japan’s solitary winning goal. Get it??
So four days in, and very little to write home about. Italy, looked like, well… Italy last night, but apart from that I see no clear patterns emerging. Perhaps after Brazil and Spain complete their opening matches in the next couple of days we may have a clearer picture of the early contenders.
However, as I suggested before, I do believe every team deserves to play at least two games before they can be judged effectively. But of course the big question on everyone's lips is will England even have any central defenders left after these two games?
One thing we must all remember though is that it is called the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” and not North Korea, The DPRK coach says so. He - that is Kim Jong-Hun - informed the world’s media of this in yesterday’s press conference in South Africa, fervently objecting to his team being called North Korea.
The fact that that is probably the best moment of the World Cup so far suggests we haven’t really got going yet. But as the great D:Ream once said … "Things can only get better". Let's hope so!
PS. Please keep reading my World Cup blogs. They will be posted every four days throughout the tournament.
Sources/References used:
Guardian podcast - guardian.co.uk
Talksport.net
We are four days into the 2010 World Cup, and most of the talk has been about vuvuzelas, not football. Luckily, the noisy, but appropriately cheerful instruments have helped disguise the fact that the football has, on the whole, been pretty drab.
Of all the games so far, only the opening game and the Germany game have provided anything approaching scintillating viewing. But as England fans will need to tell themselves, it is still 'very early days’.
Today could prove to be the most intriguing yet. New Zealand are an unknown quantity who beat non other than New Caledonian, Fiji and Bahrain to get to this World Cup. They take on a Slovakia team competing in their first ever finals as a single nation, so at least there is a novelty element we don’t get so often in today's media dominated World Cup tournaments.
Brazil versus the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea should also be a fascinating clash. The Guardian reports that the DPRK will have no fans at all in Johannesburg. However, the Chinese have sent along around 100 pseudo supporters. It’s a shame, because the quiet hand clapping of the mass, cheerless North Koreans all dressed in red would have been another alternative feature of this already unique World Cup.
The DPRK football team themselves are ultra defensive. And this has been further demonstrated by the fact that they are still trying to implement their goalkeeper, Kim Myong-won, as a striker, or is the other way round? Brazil should win comfortably, but I don’t think it will be by the large margin that everyone might expect.
Today’s action also includes what could be the match of the tournament so far. Sven Goran Eriksson’s Ivory Coast take on Nani-less Portugal, with Didier Drogba hoping that FIFA will accept his request to play in a cast. The Chelsea striker broke his arm only eleven days ago, but is apparently desperate to play in what will probably be his last World Cup finals.
But the often brutal Portuguese are bound to target him and it could be a painful 90 minutes for the African player of the year. We may even bring ourselves to feel sorry for the big striker, as for once, he won’t actually be faking his apparent discomfort. However I do feel a sense of karma about the whole situation or am I just being nasty? Good luck to you Didier, and 'our Sven'.
So what do we make of the tournament so far?
I felt the opening game lived up to the hype and South Africa were outstanding. They played well above their capabilities and it just goes to show how much home support in the World Cup really can lift a side. The hosts now have a decent chance to qualify out of a group which is of little quality and already appears to be the hardest of the eight groups to call.
France against Uruguay barely deserves a mention, apart from the amusing irony of watching Thierry Henry appeal for a soft penalty in the last minute. He believed there was a handball you know? But as the former Arsenal striker should know, you need to handball it twice to get the decision. He even had the audacity to look outraged.
As for Saturday’s action – Greece were under-whelming, just as I predicted, and are possibly the poorest team in the World Cup. Although I must stress I will reserve judgment until New Zealand play. How the Greeks got past Ukraine in the play offs I really don’t know and their football team perfectly mirrors their economy at this moment in time. Adject!
Credit to the South Koreans though, who play so well as a unit. They are certainly a threat in Group B.
And what did we make of Argentina? Well Messi was fantastic and appears to be unaffected by his long season at Barcelona., But the little Argentine was - as he probably always be - upstaged by his coach.
Maradona was as exhilarating on the touchline as he was as a player on the pitch, and nobody can pretend they didn't enjoy his antics, surely... But will it become annoying later on in the competition?
In that Group B clash with Argentina, the Nigerian keeper - Vincent Enyeama - in my opinion produced the display of the tournament so far. He made three of four World Class saves and Nigeria were right in that match until the end. Does Argentina’s apparent endless supply of world class striker actually create a paradoxical problem for Maradona? Can Juan Veron last the tournament and can a team with a Newcastle midfielder at right back win the World Cup? We shall see, but they should at least qualify with ease.
The England scenario was as expected in my view. Many people including myself, predicted a draw, but certainly not the manner of it.
Fabio Capello has a big decision to make on Robert Green, who appears to be a very nice guy. Although that has nothing to do with the bigger picture, if it had happened to John Terry for example (perhaps a defensive howler), maybe there would be less sympathy directed towards the Chelsea skipper. Actually I thought the West Ham stopper handled the media scrutiny extremely well. But at this level, should an international keeper be making such an error? This is an especially potent question when the player represents a nation in the upper tier of the world game. The Italian manager could have a sleepless next three days.
Saying that, I still believe England will qualify comfortably in first place. The Algeria versus Slovenia game was a very poor game played out by two un-inspiring teams. England’s chances were also enhanced because Ghezzal -the Algerian star striker - has ruled himself out of the England match after receiving his marching orders for two yellow cards. The second of which must nail him the award for ‘idiot of the World Cup so far’.
Serbia were very disappointing on Sunday and surprisingly lacked cutting edge. The penalty against them was unlucky, but foolish and was certainly the correct decision. The referees have actually been very good so far, and have probably better than the players on the whole.
Ghana surprised me with their display, which was full of energy and verve. They should now qualify and I feel they will definetly give the Germans a run for their money next week in a clash which may well decide which teams plays England.
Many analysts are raving about the Germans, and much of their performance may be down to the fact that most of the team have been using the much publicised World Cup ball in the Bundesliga this season. However, the Australians were unforgivably poor and as I predicted (blowing my own trumpet once again) they appear to be the whipping boys in the group.
I prefer to judge Germany after three matches, not one. But the Aussies, now without Tim Cahill - who picked up a deserved red card – may as well book their flights home right now.
In Group E, the Netherlands looked efficient, if not spectacular, but they have Arjen Robben set to return, which should enhance their chances. However, Robin Van Persie looked particularly off the pace and that is worrying for the Dutch.
The Danes were very disappointing, as were Cameroon, who were surprisingly beaten by the Japanese. That clash was a dreadful game and the Danes will take heart that they still have to play both these teams. Incidentally, Honda drove in Japan’s solitary winning goal. Get it??
So four days in, and very little to write home about. Italy, looked like, well… Italy last night, but apart from that I see no clear patterns emerging. Perhaps after Brazil and Spain complete their opening matches in the next couple of days we may have a clearer picture of the early contenders.
However, as I suggested before, I do believe every team deserves to play at least two games before they can be judged effectively. But of course the big question on everyone's lips is will England even have any central defenders left after these two games?
One thing we must all remember though is that it is called the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” and not North Korea, The DPRK coach says so. He - that is Kim Jong-Hun - informed the world’s media of this in yesterday’s press conference in South Africa, fervently objecting to his team being called North Korea.
The fact that that is probably the best moment of the World Cup so far suggests we haven’t really got going yet. But as the great D:Ream once said … "Things can only get better". Let's hope so!
PS. Please keep reading my World Cup blogs. They will be posted every four days throughout the tournament.
Sources/References used:
Guardian podcast - guardian.co.uk
Talksport.net
Friday, June 11, 2010
BENNY’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW
GROUP A: France, Mexico, Uruguay, South Africa
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: France
Runners Up: South Africa
I have actually had a cheeky bet on France to crash out in the first round. Their form hasn’t been particularly inspiring leading up to the competition and last week’s defeat to China was as bad as it gets. They seem to be lacking in central midfield, and when you consider that in recent World Cups they had midfielders in the class of Viera and Zidane, it just goes to show how much they are lacking in that department.
Much depends on Franck Ribery, and Lassana Diarra is a huge loss. However, in my opinion they do have the best goalkeeper in the world in Hugo Loris, so they will always have a chance. I think the French will qualify, but not convincingly. And a repeat of four years ago is highly unlikely.
South Africa are unbeaten in 12 games leading up to the tournament and have a vastly experienced coach in Carlos Alberto Parreira – a World Cup winning manager.
The Bafana Bafana proved in last year’s Confederations Cup that they are an organised outfit and with the vociferous home support may well just reach the knock-out stages.
Uruguay are always competitive, and in Diego Forlan and Luis Alberto Suarez they have two real match winners. However, they are not the power-house of previous campaigns and I don’t think they will qualify.
Mexico had a torrid early qualification campaign but they just about got to South Africa.
They always play attractive football and have many gifted players. The Mexicans nearly always seem to get out of the group stages, but I think they will fail this time will be going up early for the first time since failing to qualify for Italia 90.
GROUP B: Argentina, Nigeria, Greece, South Korea
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Argentina
Runners Up: Nigeria
Argentina have the best squad at the tournament as far as I am concerned. Their four strikers are un-paralleled, while Angel di Maria is a fantastic young player. But they are a little shaky in defence and Cambiasso is a strange omission in midfield. Will Messi even start? Will he be suffering from burn out?
I think they will get to at least the quarter finals, but will probably play Germany. Whether or not Maradona can tactically outwit the Germans will be fascinating. The South Americans are a difficult team to call, and actually rather like England and Spain, have flopped dramatically in recent tournaments. They are unpredictable, just like their manager, but I think they will have a decent tournament.
Nigeria do not have the household names of the past, but always have talented players and decent strikers. I think they will sneak into second place, although the clash with South Korea will decide their fate. Yakubu is a big player for them, in more ways than one, and hopefully for the Nigerians he has shed some of the weight he gained from his long term injury at Everton.
South Korea are a decent team who can always be competitive and are incredibly fit and athletic. What they lack in skill they more than make up for in endeavor, and I think they will run Nigeria close.
Greece have gone backwards since 2004, and although they still have the same manager I think they will be the whipping boys as they were in Euro 2008.They are an ageing squad who peaked sensationally six years ago, but they will not progress from this group. They actually did well to qualify in the first place.
GROUP C: England, USA, Slovenia, Algeria
PREDICTIONS
Winners: England
Runners Up: USA
England have had several recent poor performances in friendlies, but they still won the games without playing well which is a good sign. But the experience of Ferdinand will be missed despite the poor season he has had.
The two full backs will be crucial to England’s chance and I think they have the best set of full backs at the tournament, often a trait of a World Cup winning team.
So much of course depends on Wayne Rooney, but I think Gareth Barry’s fitness is also crucial as he creates the platform for Gerrard and Lampard to plough forward.England have the best draw of all the leading contenders and I think they will make the semi finals. After that, they may just come up a bit short. I hope I’m wrong though!
The USA are a talented side and possibly the fittest outfit in the competition. They have a terrific goalkeeper and a solid defence and are excellent on the counter attack.
They also demonstrated how dangerous they can be when last summer they should have won the Confederations Cup. I think they will go through as runners up and actually think they will draw with England. The Americans will progress to the knockout stages but no further.
Slovenia defeated Guus Hiddink’s talented Russian side to progress to South Africa and that cannot be underestimated. However, while they are very strong at home, they are not the greatest travellers. They do not have a star with a real spark like they did in 2000 and 2002, when they had the enigmatic but supremely gifted playmaker- Zlatko Zahovic. In those days they were a good side, but his time round, although I anticipate some tight encounters, ultimately, early elimination is likely.
Algeria will be the whipping boys in this group. They have some talented players but are in-disciplined in defence and I think are just happy to be here. Their World Cup final was beating Egypt. I was not impressed with the Algerians in the African Nations Cup and they have not had the best preparation, so expect them to finish bottom of the group.
GROUP D: Germany, Serbia, Ghana, Australia
PREDICTIONS:
Winner: Germany
Runner Up: Serbia
Germany are Germany and will always be a threat. But I don’t believe they are major contenders this time around. They do not have the quality of goalkeeper this time around and Michael Ballack is a big loss, probably more in the dressing room than on the pitch.
Miroslav Klose is the vital statistic though. The goals have dried up for him this season and although a renaissance wouldn’t surprise me, I feel his best days are behind him.
Although many of the squad were part of the Bayern Munich team who made it to the Champions League final, I think they will go out in the quarter finals or possibly the last four, but certainly no further.
Serbia are an excellent outfit and they had a supreme qualifying campaign. They have a terrific defence and an exciting attack in a side that includes multiple Champions League winning players. I am especially exited to see how the new Liverpool signing - Milan Jovanovic performs. I think they will qualify from this group but I believe England will overpower them in the second round, although it may take extra time.
Ghana have lost their best player – Michael Essien and he is a huge loss. With him I would have made them favourites to qualify in second place, but without him, I can’t see them qualifying. However, the ‘Africa’ element may inspire them and prove me wrong.
Australia’s fans bring colour to the tournament, but I can’t see them repeating their performance of four years ago. Their players are four years older, and many of their stars are in the twilight of their careers. I think they will come bottom of the group and fail to achieve their dream of a probable second round clash with their arch sporting rivals – England.
GROUP E: Holland, Cameroon, Denmark, Japan
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Holland
Runners Up: Cameroon
Holland are, as always, full of class players and like Germany, will always be a dangerous proposition. However I don’t see them as potential winners and I predict a quarter final exit to Brazil. They will score plenty of goals and in Schneider, Van Persie, Kuyt and Robben they have an exciting front four with Van Bommel and Van de Vaart behind. However, the defence is low on quality and that will cost them in the later stages. So much depends on Robben’s fitness.
Cameroon are my dark horses for the tournament. They have Samuel Eto, who is the jewel in the crown, and they played quite well in the African Nations Cup. I just think they are better than the other teams in the group and I think playing in Africa may inspire them. I think they are the giants of African football and it’s the perfect stage for them.
Denmark are a functional side, but do not have the quality of years gone by. Nicolas Bedtner is their main striker, and for me, that fully demonstrates their problems.
They have a solid defence and midfield, but I think Cameroon will pip them to the runners up spot as they will score more goals. But the Danes, as we know, are always capable of springing a surprise.
Japan played well in the recent friendly with England, but are generally out of form. They were well beaten by Asian rivals South Korea and the Ivory Coast in recent weeks, while a recent change of coach has not helped continuity. There is no Nakata either, which equals a first round exit for the second successive World Cup finals.
GROUP F: Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia, New Zealand
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Italy
Runners Up: Paraguay
If England and Spain were happy with their groups, Italy must have been ‘over the moon’ with theirs. The defending champions are not in form, but they will cruise through this group. But although the Italians are often written off and then prove every critic wrong, I am pretty sure they won’t regain their title. I think a quarter final exit to Spain is a likely scenario, although a second round match with Cameroon could also be a potential banana skin. This is one World Cup too far for the Italians and although France proved that old squads can get to World Cup finals, Italy have no Zidane and even under the brilliant Marcello Lippi I cannot see them being there in the last week of the tournament.
Paraguay will probably go through as runners up by default. They are a decent side and had an excellent qualifying campaign. But they have lost their star striker Salavador Cabanas, who was tragically shot in Mexico recently. They will score goals, so I think they will scrape into second place.
Slovakia are an efficient side entering their first World Cup. There are not many household names but an excellent team spirit. They play some decent football, but lack a real genuine star to open up the opposition’s defence. An early plane home awaits I’m afraid, but look out for their young midfielder, Marek Hamsik, who is an excellent prospect.
New Zealand are the poorest team in the tournament in my view. It is a ‘World Cup’ but Bulgaria, Ireland, Sweden, Egypt and Columbia are not in this tournament and the Kiwis are. The fans will enjoy it, but I predict no goals and a minus goal difference, possibly in double figures.
GROUP G: Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast, North Korea
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Brazil
Runners Up: Portugal
Brazil are my tip to win the tournament. They are not an attacking team, full of flair that we would expect and Dunga is a rather dogmatic coach. Kaka is of course, a vital element, and I think after his injury hit season he will be fresh and hungry. I also believe Luis Fabiano will be a star in this competition, while Robinho will show us just what we missed in the Premiership. The former Manchester City star is much more comfortable with his Portuguese speaking team mates and should be fully focused. I firmly believe this methodical, but ‘machine like’ Brazil team will finish as champions.
Portugal have suffered a big blow with the loss of Nani, who has started to illustrate his full potential this season. Ronaldo is not the same animal at international level, and as always the team do not have anything approaching a world class striker. Saying that, they are always capable of an upset, but I don’t think CarlosQuiroz is an effective man manager, despite being an excellent coach. Portugal were lucky to qualify and a narrow second round exit to Spain looms.
Ivory Coast are full of excellent individuals, but a little like England, have never really looked like a winning golden generation. I believe that they should qualify above Portugal, but they won’t. The probable loss of Didier Drogba for the opening games obviously hinders them, but maybe his lack of presence could be a good thing. Maybe other players can express themselves more.
Sven Goran Eriksson is an astute appointment, but I feel he has been left too much to do in a short time. The Portugal game is crucial, but I feel the Elephants will go out early, possibly on goal difference.
I can’t wait to see the North Koreans play. I have watched them play on Chinese television, and they are very well organised and difficult to break down. I don’t think they will concede too many goals, but they won’t score many either. I think they will give a good account of themselves but ultimately finish pointless. Look out for the Japanese born striker Jong Tae-Se. He is an exciting player with excellent technique.
GROUP H : Spain, Switzerland, Chile, Honduras
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Spain
Runners Up: Switzerland
Spain are the favourites for the competition and rightly so. They have been splendid over the last three years. Their midfield is second to none, and the fact that Fabregas may not even start speaks volumes about their strength. I do believe that the fitness of Fernando Torres is key because in my opinion he is more effective in tight games than David Villa. Spain should reach the final, but they do have a potentially tough route to the final and some of their Barcelona stars such as Xavi and Puyol may feel lethargic in the latter stages.
Marcos Senna is a strange omission by Vincente del Bosque and probably means Xavi Alonso will be the main holding midfielder. I think it may be a decision that haunts the Spanish boss and I believe the Spanish will fall just short. But will still have their best ever World Cup campaign.
Switzerland are a solid team with an excellent manager in Ottmar Hitzfeld. The defence is very solid, but Alexander Frei has had some injury problems and he is crucial to the way they play. I think they will come through this group just ahead of Chile, but will come up against a Brazil side who will be too strong.
Chile are a very exciting, attacking team who will score a few goals, but will also concede a few as well. They were impressive in qualifying and have some excellent attacking players, including Humberto Suazo and Matias Hernandez. However, this is a tough group, and although I think they could grab the runners up spot, I slightly favour Switzerland due to their outstanding tactical manager. I could easily be proved wrong though. Tough to call!
Honduras are just happy to be in South Africa. We know Wilson Palacios is an outstanding holding midfielder, but the rest of the team are not quite up to his level. A good experience and some very noisy supporters, but ultimately I fear they will be on the plane come June the 25th.
BENNY’S CRYSTAL BALL OF FINAL OUTCOMES.
Winners: Brazil
Runners up: Spain
England: Semi Finals (not patriotic, I really believe it!)
Surprise package: Cameroon or South Africa
Top scorer: Luis Fabiano (Brazil)
Biggest disappointment; David Villa (Spain) (in the knockout stages anyway)
Player to watch: Angel di Maria (Argentina)
Player of the tournament: Robinho (Brazil)
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: France
Runners Up: South Africa
I have actually had a cheeky bet on France to crash out in the first round. Their form hasn’t been particularly inspiring leading up to the competition and last week’s defeat to China was as bad as it gets. They seem to be lacking in central midfield, and when you consider that in recent World Cups they had midfielders in the class of Viera and Zidane, it just goes to show how much they are lacking in that department.
Much depends on Franck Ribery, and Lassana Diarra is a huge loss. However, in my opinion they do have the best goalkeeper in the world in Hugo Loris, so they will always have a chance. I think the French will qualify, but not convincingly. And a repeat of four years ago is highly unlikely.
South Africa are unbeaten in 12 games leading up to the tournament and have a vastly experienced coach in Carlos Alberto Parreira – a World Cup winning manager.
The Bafana Bafana proved in last year’s Confederations Cup that they are an organised outfit and with the vociferous home support may well just reach the knock-out stages.
Uruguay are always competitive, and in Diego Forlan and Luis Alberto Suarez they have two real match winners. However, they are not the power-house of previous campaigns and I don’t think they will qualify.
Mexico had a torrid early qualification campaign but they just about got to South Africa.
They always play attractive football and have many gifted players. The Mexicans nearly always seem to get out of the group stages, but I think they will fail this time will be going up early for the first time since failing to qualify for Italia 90.
GROUP B: Argentina, Nigeria, Greece, South Korea
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Argentina
Runners Up: Nigeria
Argentina have the best squad at the tournament as far as I am concerned. Their four strikers are un-paralleled, while Angel di Maria is a fantastic young player. But they are a little shaky in defence and Cambiasso is a strange omission in midfield. Will Messi even start? Will he be suffering from burn out?
I think they will get to at least the quarter finals, but will probably play Germany. Whether or not Maradona can tactically outwit the Germans will be fascinating. The South Americans are a difficult team to call, and actually rather like England and Spain, have flopped dramatically in recent tournaments. They are unpredictable, just like their manager, but I think they will have a decent tournament.
Nigeria do not have the household names of the past, but always have talented players and decent strikers. I think they will sneak into second place, although the clash with South Korea will decide their fate. Yakubu is a big player for them, in more ways than one, and hopefully for the Nigerians he has shed some of the weight he gained from his long term injury at Everton.
South Korea are a decent team who can always be competitive and are incredibly fit and athletic. What they lack in skill they more than make up for in endeavor, and I think they will run Nigeria close.
Greece have gone backwards since 2004, and although they still have the same manager I think they will be the whipping boys as they were in Euro 2008.They are an ageing squad who peaked sensationally six years ago, but they will not progress from this group. They actually did well to qualify in the first place.
GROUP C: England, USA, Slovenia, Algeria
PREDICTIONS
Winners: England
Runners Up: USA
England have had several recent poor performances in friendlies, but they still won the games without playing well which is a good sign. But the experience of Ferdinand will be missed despite the poor season he has had.
The two full backs will be crucial to England’s chance and I think they have the best set of full backs at the tournament, often a trait of a World Cup winning team.
So much of course depends on Wayne Rooney, but I think Gareth Barry’s fitness is also crucial as he creates the platform for Gerrard and Lampard to plough forward.England have the best draw of all the leading contenders and I think they will make the semi finals. After that, they may just come up a bit short. I hope I’m wrong though!
The USA are a talented side and possibly the fittest outfit in the competition. They have a terrific goalkeeper and a solid defence and are excellent on the counter attack.
They also demonstrated how dangerous they can be when last summer they should have won the Confederations Cup. I think they will go through as runners up and actually think they will draw with England. The Americans will progress to the knockout stages but no further.
Slovenia defeated Guus Hiddink’s talented Russian side to progress to South Africa and that cannot be underestimated. However, while they are very strong at home, they are not the greatest travellers. They do not have a star with a real spark like they did in 2000 and 2002, when they had the enigmatic but supremely gifted playmaker- Zlatko Zahovic. In those days they were a good side, but his time round, although I anticipate some tight encounters, ultimately, early elimination is likely.
Algeria will be the whipping boys in this group. They have some talented players but are in-disciplined in defence and I think are just happy to be here. Their World Cup final was beating Egypt. I was not impressed with the Algerians in the African Nations Cup and they have not had the best preparation, so expect them to finish bottom of the group.
GROUP D: Germany, Serbia, Ghana, Australia
PREDICTIONS:
Winner: Germany
Runner Up: Serbia
Germany are Germany and will always be a threat. But I don’t believe they are major contenders this time around. They do not have the quality of goalkeeper this time around and Michael Ballack is a big loss, probably more in the dressing room than on the pitch.
Miroslav Klose is the vital statistic though. The goals have dried up for him this season and although a renaissance wouldn’t surprise me, I feel his best days are behind him.
Although many of the squad were part of the Bayern Munich team who made it to the Champions League final, I think they will go out in the quarter finals or possibly the last four, but certainly no further.
Serbia are an excellent outfit and they had a supreme qualifying campaign. They have a terrific defence and an exciting attack in a side that includes multiple Champions League winning players. I am especially exited to see how the new Liverpool signing - Milan Jovanovic performs. I think they will qualify from this group but I believe England will overpower them in the second round, although it may take extra time.
Ghana have lost their best player – Michael Essien and he is a huge loss. With him I would have made them favourites to qualify in second place, but without him, I can’t see them qualifying. However, the ‘Africa’ element may inspire them and prove me wrong.
Australia’s fans bring colour to the tournament, but I can’t see them repeating their performance of four years ago. Their players are four years older, and many of their stars are in the twilight of their careers. I think they will come bottom of the group and fail to achieve their dream of a probable second round clash with their arch sporting rivals – England.
GROUP E: Holland, Cameroon, Denmark, Japan
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Holland
Runners Up: Cameroon
Holland are, as always, full of class players and like Germany, will always be a dangerous proposition. However I don’t see them as potential winners and I predict a quarter final exit to Brazil. They will score plenty of goals and in Schneider, Van Persie, Kuyt and Robben they have an exciting front four with Van Bommel and Van de Vaart behind. However, the defence is low on quality and that will cost them in the later stages. So much depends on Robben’s fitness.
Cameroon are my dark horses for the tournament. They have Samuel Eto, who is the jewel in the crown, and they played quite well in the African Nations Cup. I just think they are better than the other teams in the group and I think playing in Africa may inspire them. I think they are the giants of African football and it’s the perfect stage for them.
Denmark are a functional side, but do not have the quality of years gone by. Nicolas Bedtner is their main striker, and for me, that fully demonstrates their problems.
They have a solid defence and midfield, but I think Cameroon will pip them to the runners up spot as they will score more goals. But the Danes, as we know, are always capable of springing a surprise.
Japan played well in the recent friendly with England, but are generally out of form. They were well beaten by Asian rivals South Korea and the Ivory Coast in recent weeks, while a recent change of coach has not helped continuity. There is no Nakata either, which equals a first round exit for the second successive World Cup finals.
GROUP F: Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia, New Zealand
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Italy
Runners Up: Paraguay
If England and Spain were happy with their groups, Italy must have been ‘over the moon’ with theirs. The defending champions are not in form, but they will cruise through this group. But although the Italians are often written off and then prove every critic wrong, I am pretty sure they won’t regain their title. I think a quarter final exit to Spain is a likely scenario, although a second round match with Cameroon could also be a potential banana skin. This is one World Cup too far for the Italians and although France proved that old squads can get to World Cup finals, Italy have no Zidane and even under the brilliant Marcello Lippi I cannot see them being there in the last week of the tournament.
Paraguay will probably go through as runners up by default. They are a decent side and had an excellent qualifying campaign. But they have lost their star striker Salavador Cabanas, who was tragically shot in Mexico recently. They will score goals, so I think they will scrape into second place.
Slovakia are an efficient side entering their first World Cup. There are not many household names but an excellent team spirit. They play some decent football, but lack a real genuine star to open up the opposition’s defence. An early plane home awaits I’m afraid, but look out for their young midfielder, Marek Hamsik, who is an excellent prospect.
New Zealand are the poorest team in the tournament in my view. It is a ‘World Cup’ but Bulgaria, Ireland, Sweden, Egypt and Columbia are not in this tournament and the Kiwis are. The fans will enjoy it, but I predict no goals and a minus goal difference, possibly in double figures.
GROUP G: Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast, North Korea
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Brazil
Runners Up: Portugal
Brazil are my tip to win the tournament. They are not an attacking team, full of flair that we would expect and Dunga is a rather dogmatic coach. Kaka is of course, a vital element, and I think after his injury hit season he will be fresh and hungry. I also believe Luis Fabiano will be a star in this competition, while Robinho will show us just what we missed in the Premiership. The former Manchester City star is much more comfortable with his Portuguese speaking team mates and should be fully focused. I firmly believe this methodical, but ‘machine like’ Brazil team will finish as champions.
Portugal have suffered a big blow with the loss of Nani, who has started to illustrate his full potential this season. Ronaldo is not the same animal at international level, and as always the team do not have anything approaching a world class striker. Saying that, they are always capable of an upset, but I don’t think CarlosQuiroz is an effective man manager, despite being an excellent coach. Portugal were lucky to qualify and a narrow second round exit to Spain looms.
Ivory Coast are full of excellent individuals, but a little like England, have never really looked like a winning golden generation. I believe that they should qualify above Portugal, but they won’t. The probable loss of Didier Drogba for the opening games obviously hinders them, but maybe his lack of presence could be a good thing. Maybe other players can express themselves more.
Sven Goran Eriksson is an astute appointment, but I feel he has been left too much to do in a short time. The Portugal game is crucial, but I feel the Elephants will go out early, possibly on goal difference.
I can’t wait to see the North Koreans play. I have watched them play on Chinese television, and they are very well organised and difficult to break down. I don’t think they will concede too many goals, but they won’t score many either. I think they will give a good account of themselves but ultimately finish pointless. Look out for the Japanese born striker Jong Tae-Se. He is an exciting player with excellent technique.
GROUP H : Spain, Switzerland, Chile, Honduras
PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Spain
Runners Up: Switzerland
Spain are the favourites for the competition and rightly so. They have been splendid over the last three years. Their midfield is second to none, and the fact that Fabregas may not even start speaks volumes about their strength. I do believe that the fitness of Fernando Torres is key because in my opinion he is more effective in tight games than David Villa. Spain should reach the final, but they do have a potentially tough route to the final and some of their Barcelona stars such as Xavi and Puyol may feel lethargic in the latter stages.
Marcos Senna is a strange omission by Vincente del Bosque and probably means Xavi Alonso will be the main holding midfielder. I think it may be a decision that haunts the Spanish boss and I believe the Spanish will fall just short. But will still have their best ever World Cup campaign.
Switzerland are a solid team with an excellent manager in Ottmar Hitzfeld. The defence is very solid, but Alexander Frei has had some injury problems and he is crucial to the way they play. I think they will come through this group just ahead of Chile, but will come up against a Brazil side who will be too strong.
Chile are a very exciting, attacking team who will score a few goals, but will also concede a few as well. They were impressive in qualifying and have some excellent attacking players, including Humberto Suazo and Matias Hernandez. However, this is a tough group, and although I think they could grab the runners up spot, I slightly favour Switzerland due to their outstanding tactical manager. I could easily be proved wrong though. Tough to call!
Honduras are just happy to be in South Africa. We know Wilson Palacios is an outstanding holding midfielder, but the rest of the team are not quite up to his level. A good experience and some very noisy supporters, but ultimately I fear they will be on the plane come June the 25th.
BENNY’S CRYSTAL BALL OF FINAL OUTCOMES.
Winners: Brazil
Runners up: Spain
England: Semi Finals (not patriotic, I really believe it!)
Surprise package: Cameroon or South Africa
Top scorer: Luis Fabiano (Brazil)
Biggest disappointment; David Villa (Spain) (in the knockout stages anyway)
Player to watch: Angel di Maria (Argentina)
Player of the tournament: Robinho (Brazil)
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