From Now On It's Serious
The phoney war is over, lose the next match and its Gute Nacht Stuttgart or wherever you happen to be playing. Sixteen teams gone, of which only three were seeds which isn't bad (Czech Republic, Serbia & Montenegro and Poland) and I don't think the competition is any weaker for them not being around.
Argentina have been the most impressive, any team that can alternate Saviola and Crespo for Tevez and Messi has something good going for them. England have been good and bad, sometimes in the same match and sometimes in the same half and this idea that they can turn it on when it comes to the knockout stages remains to be seen.
Best Players so far: Riquelme and Essien
Biggest Let-Down: David Beckham (again) - he is not a captain and watching him get annoyed with Edman (the Swedish defender who used to play for Spuds) was pathetic - when the going gets tough captains don't jump out of tackles or attempt half nelsons on the opposition.
Best Bit Of Skill: Patrick Vieira's nod down for Thierry Henry's goal - not the most spectacular but he ran thirty five yards to be the only supporting player
Best Fans: South Korea - the noise they made in the second half against France was unbelievable, volume turned up to eleven.
How I see the round of 16:
Saturday, 24 June
Argentina v Mexico - Argentina will prove too strong from Mexico and I expect them to win by two or three goals.
Germany v Sweden - Michael Ballack will be the key to this one, Sweden can trouble the static German defence with their movement and I wouldn't be surprised if this one goes to Extra Time before Germany book their place in the Berlin quarter-final against Argentina.
Sunday, 25 June
England v Ecuador - It's going to be 95 degrees in old money in Stuttgart so prepare for the 'it was too hot' excuses if we lose, which we won't.
Portugal v Holland - the tie of the round two sides who play one way. For a lot of the players this will be their final major competition: Ricardo, Carvallho, Ferrera, Figo, Pauleta, Nuno Gomez, Van De Sar, Cocu, Van Bommel, Van Nistelrooy and I expect ninety minutes of all out attacking with Portugal winning through to meet England in Gelsenkirchen.
Incidentally there's a question doing the rounds that if 'Big Phil' Scolari beats Sven for the third competition running (2002 WC and Euro 2004) does he get to keep him?
Monday, 26 June
Italy v Australia - I can't see anything but a footballing lesson being handed out in Kaisersalutern, if Italy turn up in the right frame of mind then they will win by three or more goals to set-up a quarter final with Ukraine who will beat Switzerland in Cologne.
Tuesday, 27 June 2006
Brazil v Ghana - the thing that has emerged from this World Cup is that African nations still haven't discovered a forward who can score goals. Michael Essien has been outstanding so far but I think Ghana will be going home as Brazil set up a quarter final in Frankfurt with Spain who will be too good for France.
Argentina have been the most impressive, any team that can alternate Saviola and Crespo for Tevez and Messi has something good going for them. England have been good and bad, sometimes in the same match and sometimes in the same half and this idea that they can turn it on when it comes to the knockout stages remains to be seen.
Best Players so far: Riquelme and Essien
Biggest Let-Down: David Beckham (again) - he is not a captain and watching him get annoyed with Edman (the Swedish defender who used to play for Spuds) was pathetic - when the going gets tough captains don't jump out of tackles or attempt half nelsons on the opposition.
Best Bit Of Skill: Patrick Vieira's nod down for Thierry Henry's goal - not the most spectacular but he ran thirty five yards to be the only supporting player
Best Fans: South Korea - the noise they made in the second half against France was unbelievable, volume turned up to eleven.
How I see the round of 16:
Saturday, 24 June
Argentina v Mexico - Argentina will prove too strong from Mexico and I expect them to win by two or three goals.
Germany v Sweden - Michael Ballack will be the key to this one, Sweden can trouble the static German defence with their movement and I wouldn't be surprised if this one goes to Extra Time before Germany book their place in the Berlin quarter-final against Argentina.
Sunday, 25 June
England v Ecuador - It's going to be 95 degrees in old money in Stuttgart so prepare for the 'it was too hot' excuses if we lose, which we won't.
Portugal v Holland - the tie of the round two sides who play one way. For a lot of the players this will be their final major competition: Ricardo, Carvallho, Ferrera, Figo, Pauleta, Nuno Gomez, Van De Sar, Cocu, Van Bommel, Van Nistelrooy and I expect ninety minutes of all out attacking with Portugal winning through to meet England in Gelsenkirchen.
Incidentally there's a question doing the rounds that if 'Big Phil' Scolari beats Sven for the third competition running (2002 WC and Euro 2004) does he get to keep him?
Monday, 26 June
Italy v Australia - I can't see anything but a footballing lesson being handed out in Kaisersalutern, if Italy turn up in the right frame of mind then they will win by three or more goals to set-up a quarter final with Ukraine who will beat Switzerland in Cologne.
Tuesday, 27 June 2006
Brazil v Ghana - the thing that has emerged from this World Cup is that African nations still haven't discovered a forward who can score goals. Michael Essien has been outstanding so far but I think Ghana will be going home as Brazil set up a quarter final in Frankfurt with Spain who will be too good for France.
posted by Paul at
9:41 am
1 Comments:
why didn't Heinze get red? I am stupefied...was it Argentina must go through at all costs...I half suspected it was as teh ref was very cagey about giving them cards. Also, a bit later on witha clear Mexican chance the forward was kung-fu kicked (far worse than Crespo when the goal was awarded...jeez...and they gave him the goal when he didn't touch the ball...I'm feeling Beckham was VERY hard done by when a wisp of one hiar of the Paraguyan defender made it an own goal!...anyway, back to the kung-fu, no penalty, no booking...NO REPLAY (!!!???) it was in the 6 yard box and every other incident got quintruple replays...so...I deduce bad-news management, i.e. it was probably Heinze again and with a nice German sounding name they didn't want the ref to get in more trouble.
By
Span Ows, at 11:49 pm
Post a Comment
<< Home