Player of the Tournament
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)
Bastian was pretty much the best central midfielder on show here, and would have improved almost any side at the tournament. Even against Spain, where he was outmatched by Xavi, Xabi and Iniesta, he still raged brilliantly against the dying of the light, getting stuck in and almost waging a one man war at times. His performances against Australia, England and Argentina were superb, especially the latter. A great tournament for a young man who initially promised sporadically as a winger, and now seems completely at home in central midfield.
The runners up were Iniesta, who got better as the tournament went on and deserved to score the winner in the final, and obviously Forlan, who was immense for Uruguay.
Young player of the tournament
Thomas Mueller (Germany)
Could have been either Meuller or Oezil here, Mueller just gets the nod. He looked fairly average to me in the Champions League, but here was exceptional attacking from the right. Decent technique, direct, a good finisher, a good worker and great off the ball movement made Mueller a key part of the German counter-attacking machine.
Runners-up: Oezil, who should have a great future; De Wiel, who I though defended pretty well, and did a decent job on Iniesta 'til he started coming inside a bit more.
Game of the Tournament
England vs Germany
Whilst not in any sense enjoyable at the time, aside from a certain masochistic amusement when the fourth goal went in, this game was by far the best in the tournament: calamitous defending, controversial decisions, great goals, and it should finally send the message to English fans that we are second tier. Perhaps the only disappointment about the game is that Lampard's goal wasn't allowed to stand: a 6-2 defeat might have been even more extraordinary.
Runners up: there aren't many to choose from, really. Urugay vs Ghana was fairly epic, Argentina vs Germany was like England vs Germany without the emotional attachment or drama, Uruguay vs Holland was dramatic but fairly low quality ... the last twenty minutes of Slovakia vs Italy were great.
Goal of the tournament
Fuck it, due to the BBC's bizarre omission of it from their goal of the tournament, it was Bendtner vs Cameroon: a precise howitzer pass from Kjaer, perfect first touch from Rommedahl, a brilliant low cross, finish by the underrated Bendtner (I know he usually looks shit, but the lad's shaping up to be a genuine clutch player at times).
Runners-up: Luis Fabiano vs Chile, where a lovely Kaka pass sent him through, Tevez vs Mexico, a bomb of a shot.
Biggest Disappointment
I don't think Italy or France's campaigns were that unexpected, frankly; so the biggest disappointment must be the form of Wayne Rooney. I have harboured the belief that Rooney's injury at the end of March and too-soon return to action majorly affected his form and led to his terrible performances, but I think some analysis of his ability to cope with the pressure of being England's key man is too much for him is probably necessary; he seemed to shrink under the pressure of hype that he would be capable of leading England to the final or somewhere near. I find the gripes that Rooney should have been played in a lone centre forward role to get the best out of him hilarious at this point: Rooney's touch and feel for the ball and his fitness level were highly questionable, and would probably have been exposed even more as a lone centre forward. Frankly, he was poor, and whilst I'm sure a few good games for United will have the media raving again, I don't know that I will forget this in a hurry.
Team of the Tournament
Obviously this isn't going to be a team with the eleven best players of this tournament in, I'm far too biased against Spain for that ...
Casillas (Spain); Lahm (Germany), Puyol (Spain), Lucio (Brazil). Coentrao (Portugal); Annan (Ghana), Schweinsteiger (Germany); Mueller (Germany), Iniesta (Spain), Villa (Spain); Forlan (Uruguay)
Subs: Eduardo (Portugal), Ramos (Spain), Friedrich (Germany), Van Bronckhorst (Holland), Xavi (Spain), Boateng (Ghana), Ozil (Germany), Sneijder (Holland), Robben (Holland), Suarez (Uruguay), Honda (Japan)
Casillas was wonderful in the knockout stages, Lahm just creeps ahead of Ramos, Lucio survives despite Brazil's capitulation to Holland, Coentrao looks one to watch, I loved Annan and Schweinsteiger, and kept banging on about them. Mueller and Forlan are obvious picks who need no explaining. Villa looked an absolute star playing from the left, and to be honest, Spain should have kept him there throughout the latter stages, and might not have needed extra time in the final.
Showing posts with label Jogo Bonito. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jogo Bonito. Show all posts
Monday, 12 July 2010
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Holland vs Brazil
1) What a strange match. Brazil were mostly untroubled by the Dutch in the first half, before seeming to capitulate in the face of very little. Holland looked far better at keeping the ball and countering once Brazil were down to ten men.
2) The main Dutch weapon in this match seemed to be Robben's ability to elicit free kicks and irritate opponents via cheating. He seemed to enrage Bastos into giving a stream of free kicks away, which led to the first goal, and then drew Melo into a stamp which pretty much guaranteed Holland the win. Melo's complete lack of composure after scoring the own goal was absurd, and earns a bat-shit crazy bastard.
3) Who the fuck did Van Bommel sleep with to avoid a yellow card here?
4) Wesley Sneijder is having a curious tournament: his performance level is not consistently high, in that you don't watch him run the games, but he is delivering key moments and deciding matches. Similar to the Dutch overall, I suppose.
5) The only explanation I can come up with regarding Brazil is that they conceeded the first goal too early. The plan was clearly to sit back and wait for the Dutch to become desperate, and then hit on the counter. Holland started the second half with a bit more snap, but still did not commit too many men forward, meaning Brazil still sat back also. Had Melo not ignored Cesar's call/Cesar had called properly, or whatever happened, Brazil would probably have finished the game off on the counter. Such is life. The way that Brazil fell apart after conceeding though (failing to track Kuyt for the second, Melo's stamp) was absurd for a team that seemed so full of characters. Simply put: I, and others, had predicted Brazil as winners based on the fact that their defence seemed resolute and to be improving through the tournament, and that this impregnability fused with quicksilver attacks would mean that at 1-0 late in the game, they would almost always hold firm, and probably add to their lead. Basically, they were not as impregnable as it seemed.
6) Not a great game then, but a momentous and dramatic one, and that was enough on an afternoon off work.
2) The main Dutch weapon in this match seemed to be Robben's ability to elicit free kicks and irritate opponents via cheating. He seemed to enrage Bastos into giving a stream of free kicks away, which led to the first goal, and then drew Melo into a stamp which pretty much guaranteed Holland the win. Melo's complete lack of composure after scoring the own goal was absurd, and earns a bat-shit crazy bastard.
3) Who the fuck did Van Bommel sleep with to avoid a yellow card here?
4) Wesley Sneijder is having a curious tournament: his performance level is not consistently high, in that you don't watch him run the games, but he is delivering key moments and deciding matches. Similar to the Dutch overall, I suppose.
5) The only explanation I can come up with regarding Brazil is that they conceeded the first goal too early. The plan was clearly to sit back and wait for the Dutch to become desperate, and then hit on the counter. Holland started the second half with a bit more snap, but still did not commit too many men forward, meaning Brazil still sat back also. Had Melo not ignored Cesar's call/Cesar had called properly, or whatever happened, Brazil would probably have finished the game off on the counter. Such is life. The way that Brazil fell apart after conceeding though (failing to track Kuyt for the second, Melo's stamp) was absurd for a team that seemed so full of characters. Simply put: I, and others, had predicted Brazil as winners based on the fact that their defence seemed resolute and to be improving through the tournament, and that this impregnability fused with quicksilver attacks would mean that at 1-0 late in the game, they would almost always hold firm, and probably add to their lead. Basically, they were not as impregnable as it seemed.
6) Not a great game then, but a momentous and dramatic one, and that was enough on an afternoon off work.
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Brazil vs Chile
1) I'm a bit perverse for a football fan; I can't stand all that jogo bloody bonito, samba soccer Brazil love bullshit. I became immensely sick of the love-in towards a barely functional, Hollywood Brazil team four years ago, and was absolutely delighted at their defeat to France. So normally I don't want Brazil to win anything, in case the sickening fawning of pundits makes me stick a kitchen knife into my head.
This Brazil team is quite different though; a rock solid defence comprising of probably the best keeper, right back and centre half in the world, with two hard-working defensive midfielders, and then three quicksilver attackers on the counter. They are going to be incredibly difficult to beat, and would be deserving World Champions.
2) This match basically summed up that Brazil perfectly: they took the lead through a functional set-piece goal, then countered beautifully as Robinho and Kaka set up Luis Fabiano, before they soaked up Chile's attacks and launched another attack, Robinho sumptuously stroking Ramires pass (at first glance, I thought Ramires had actually miscontrolled the ball; it was actually a lovely cute pass. Kudos to Ramires for not shooting from that position as well).
3) Chile were game, and kept attacking; Brazil seem to have learned from their earlier games, where they, having taken a two or three goal lead, they allowed their opponents to come back into the game. Here, they were absolutely intent on not conceeding. Chile's real chance of progression in this World Cup was in scoring enough goals to beat Switzerland or Honduras heavily, or in drawing with Spain. They paid for profligacy in the first games, and for crazy goalkeeping in the latter (I watched half an hour vs Spain, and Chile were by far the better side until their keeper decided to come forty yards out of his goal and not put the ball out of play).
4) It's going to take a good fucking team to beat Brazil to the title; I doubt that the Netherlands are the one. The thing that has been so interesting about the World Cup is that most of its best sides (Brazil, Holland and Germany) have all played their best football on the counter; when these teams begin to meet each other in the latter stages, it will be interesting to see the approach. Neither Brazil nor Holland will be uncomfortable with the ball for long periods, but neither will want to commit too many players forward to play into the other's strengths. It could make for a strange game. Spain of course are the exception to the counter attacking theory, although they are also proficient at breaking; their game with Portugal today is another high profile knock-out clash that should be interesting. My personal prediction (which will doubtless be wrong) is that Portugal will win 2-1, in what I guess will be a shock if you have never watched Spain play in a World Cup before (they lack what Tim Flowers has in spades).
This Brazil team is quite different though; a rock solid defence comprising of probably the best keeper, right back and centre half in the world, with two hard-working defensive midfielders, and then three quicksilver attackers on the counter. They are going to be incredibly difficult to beat, and would be deserving World Champions.
2) This match basically summed up that Brazil perfectly: they took the lead through a functional set-piece goal, then countered beautifully as Robinho and Kaka set up Luis Fabiano, before they soaked up Chile's attacks and launched another attack, Robinho sumptuously stroking Ramires pass (at first glance, I thought Ramires had actually miscontrolled the ball; it was actually a lovely cute pass. Kudos to Ramires for not shooting from that position as well).
3) Chile were game, and kept attacking; Brazil seem to have learned from their earlier games, where they, having taken a two or three goal lead, they allowed their opponents to come back into the game. Here, they were absolutely intent on not conceeding. Chile's real chance of progression in this World Cup was in scoring enough goals to beat Switzerland or Honduras heavily, or in drawing with Spain. They paid for profligacy in the first games, and for crazy goalkeeping in the latter (I watched half an hour vs Spain, and Chile were by far the better side until their keeper decided to come forty yards out of his goal and not put the ball out of play).
4) It's going to take a good fucking team to beat Brazil to the title; I doubt that the Netherlands are the one. The thing that has been so interesting about the World Cup is that most of its best sides (Brazil, Holland and Germany) have all played their best football on the counter; when these teams begin to meet each other in the latter stages, it will be interesting to see the approach. Neither Brazil nor Holland will be uncomfortable with the ball for long periods, but neither will want to commit too many players forward to play into the other's strengths. It could make for a strange game. Spain of course are the exception to the counter attacking theory, although they are also proficient at breaking; their game with Portugal today is another high profile knock-out clash that should be interesting. My personal prediction (which will doubtless be wrong) is that Portugal will win 2-1, in what I guess will be a shock if you have never watched Spain play in a World Cup before (they lack what Tim Flowers has in spades).
Thursday, 17 June 2010
Brazil vs Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (is that the official title?)
A superb match.
The Chollima (or Chols, as I like to call them) of North Korea defended superbly for 54 minutes, with Brazil unable to penetrate their eight man defence. I found myself saying "come on Chols" everytime they completed a pass or tackle. The lad up front ran his arse off and outmuscled Lucio on occasion, something that was beyond Drogba a few months ago.
The best thing about the match was that Korea's late goal means that Dear Leader Kim Jong Il can very easily edit the highlights to make North Korea win! Brilliant.
Considering the predictions, the underdogs did fabulously well.
As for Brazil, they played ok. Luis Fabiano was fairly dodgy though, Kaka was a bit pedestrian, Elano is hardly in the lineage of Gerson, Rivaldo etc., and is Gilberto really the best defensive midfield player Brazil have? The defence looked pretty good apart from conceding the goal, but I have my doubts about their overall quality, frankly.
I enjoyed the game anyway, if just for the fact that North Korea made a far better fist of it then they might have done, and that they managed to reply to the two goals when they were starting to flag a bit. Good work.
It is a bit of an indictment of the quality of the tournament that this gets a Liquid Football tag though.
The Chollima (or Chols, as I like to call them) of North Korea defended superbly for 54 minutes, with Brazil unable to penetrate their eight man defence. I found myself saying "come on Chols" everytime they completed a pass or tackle. The lad up front ran his arse off and outmuscled Lucio on occasion, something that was beyond Drogba a few months ago.
The best thing about the match was that Korea's late goal means that Dear Leader Kim Jong Il can very easily edit the highlights to make North Korea win! Brilliant.
Considering the predictions, the underdogs did fabulously well.
As for Brazil, they played ok. Luis Fabiano was fairly dodgy though, Kaka was a bit pedestrian, Elano is hardly in the lineage of Gerson, Rivaldo etc., and is Gilberto really the best defensive midfield player Brazil have? The defence looked pretty good apart from conceding the goal, but I have my doubts about their overall quality, frankly.
I enjoyed the game anyway, if just for the fact that North Korea made a far better fist of it then they might have done, and that they managed to reply to the two goals when they were starting to flag a bit. Good work.
It is a bit of an indictment of the quality of the tournament that this gets a Liquid Football tag though.
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