Welcome to the "Frog," my little piece of cyberspace to talk about my passion - le foot (or soccer for my North American friends) especially anything around French football. Of course I will have some guest contributors that might want to discuss other aspects of footy!
I support Les Bleus, Arsenal and PSG but really just love watching, analyzing and following the beautiful game.
"You have to trust your teammates, always. If not we are lost."
Congratulations...grudgingly....to RFA for winning the 2014 World Cup. Once the game went into extra time it was clear that the Germans were the only team that would win the match. Argentina looked totally cooked, and Messi was a complete shell of himself.
The Good:
For a 1-0 extra time game it was fairly entertaining, both sides had some legitimate chances in regulation. Oh yeah Palacio had a clear 1v1 in extra time but since he is of very little technical ability he made a mockery of the shot. In regulation, especially in the first half, it was clear that the organization and structure of Germany was controlling the possession, but Argentina's pace was creating some serious problems for German's back line. Neither team was just sitting back, both were playing to their style and strengths.
Gotze's goal was very good. A great foray down the right side by Schurrle, the Argentine defense chased, two players, the Chelsea player down the wing, allowing space to be created behind them. Demichelis was caught in no mans land and allowed Gotze to get behind him. Great control and finish. A deserved goal for the 1-0.
Mascherano and Schweinsteiger were both huge for their respective sides. Both midfielders' work rates were superb and deserve a large amount of credit for keeping their sides in the match. Shows you why a team needs a strong defensive midfielder, and no Michael Bradley doesn't count.
The Bad:
Higuain's finishing or lack there of. Okay he did put one in the goal...but was offsides. And that off sides was unnecessary. As a world class striker he should know how to make that run, it wasn't that complicated. That could have changed the game...yes stating the obvious. But his other clear chance was absolutely butchered. On a terrible back pass from Kroos, Higuain found himself 1v1 with Neuer...and shot the ball a good 10 feet wide. Awful. All he needed to take a simple touch and he had numerous options versus the keeper. Bad. Just bad.
I have to question Sabella's substitutions. Much like 8 years ago in the 1/4 finals of the same match up when Argentina left a young Messi on the bench all game rather than bringing him on in a tied game. This time around I question taking off Lavezzi at the half for Aguero. Why? First Germany had already used a substitution so keep yours in the pocket and really force Germany on the back foot tactically. Second, Lavezzi was creating all kinds of problems for Germany. The Germans had no solutions for his pace. Why not allow the PSG winger to get another 15 to 20 minutes, let him go all out running at the German left? In addition you bring on Aguero who was coming off injury, not sure he was able to run for 45+ minutes. Finally, with Aguero - Higuain - Messi on the pitch, you had three players who refused to run back...this
Sigh...lost opportunity
substitution was poorly timed and advised.
The Ugly:
Paging Messi, paging Mr Lionel Messi .... Yes Messi had a good start of the tournament, but was it a bit of fools gold? He was absolutely invisible in this game. He made a few runs, but clearly was not mentally nor physically in the game. At times he looked like he was just going for a walk, no urgency, no apparent desire...was the moment too big for him? Any comparisons to Maradona are a tad foolish now. He did not take over either the tournament and especially not this last game.
A decent ending to a great tournament. Germany, I will grudgingly admit, was the deserved winner from the start of this tournament.
Later today Germany will face Argentina in a World Cup final rubber match. Argentina won the first match in 1986, 3-2, the World Cup that was defined by the evil genius that was Maradona. The two sides met again 4 years later in Rome, for the worst finals ever seen at a World Cup. That version was won by the Germans 1-0. That game was marred by ugly football, Argentina getting 2 red cards, Klinsmann at his flopping
best and a terrible penalty granted by an official that seemed overwhelmed by the situation. Let us hope that this round resembles more the 1986 version than the 1990 version.
After the 7-1 destruction of the hosts it would appear that this is Germany's final to lose. Or is it? Every since Low put out a line up with Lahm back at right fullback and playing two holding players - Khedira and Schweinsteiger - and even inserting a natural striker Klose, the side has been clicking on all cylinders. And any mistakes get cleaned up by Neuer in the goal. The Mannschaft were the second favorites behind Brazil, and we all saw what the second favorite thought of the favorites a few days ago.
Ended up a good day for Argentina
On the other side we have a team that seems to be an enigma wrapped in a riddle. A team that many, myself included, thought they would make this tournament theirs. On their home continent, on the ground of their fiercest rivals and playing with the best player on the planet. Instead the side has failed to flatter. They have been efficient - giving up 3 goals all tournament, but they have only scored 8 goals. Germany almost scored that many in the semi finals! Messi has shown flashes of his brilliance - saving Argentina from embarrassment against Iran. But he has not been consistent. Practically walking through the game against Holland. There are reports that he has "heavy legs" after a long season with Barcelona. I have even heard a rumor that he is saving himself for this game. Regardless he is now at a World Cup final. A game that will go a long way to define his legacy in global football and more importantly in his nation. It is well documented his living in the shadow of Maradona in his nation of Argentina. This will only grow more intense if he does not show up for this game.
So who will prevail in the match between the German machine v the Argentine legacy? Germany has shown some ruthless efficiency - they already faced a team defined by a world class player, Portugal, and handled them with ruthlessness. They dispatched the upstart French with the bare minimum. And cleaned house against the hosts in the semi finals. Germany have the right formation and the players hitting their stride at the right moment. With Klose up front, Low allows Muller to slot to his preferred left side and Ozil on the right. Khedira and Schweiny play the perfect holding roles and Kroos is quietly becoming a world class set piece player.
Argentina are missing their second most important offensive players - Di Maria. The midfield
No joy at the Maracana?
will fall even more on the shoulders of Mascherano. The other Barcelona player on the roster is a beast in the midfield, but he will have to deal with threats coming from multiple angles. Up front, Higuain has to step up his game which he seems to have been on the path of doing so, but he must bring his A game if Argentina hope to prevail. Of course there is Messi. The one weakness that Germany has shown is the ability to handle pace through the middle, something Messi could bring...if he stops walking around the pitch. Germany suffered when they faced Ghana and Algeria, two very quick teams up top. If Messi can get some space and time to run at the German defense they might have something. Especially if Germany continue to play a high defensive line, that might open them up for someone like Messi or Higuain or Aguero to make runs behind the defense.
But at the end of the day, I think a well run German team will prevail against the Argentina superstar. Messi does look tired and at half speed. Messi at his best could give this side some real problems, but not at this stage. Argentina will defend much better than the Brazilians did, how could you be any worse. They will also be motivated to try and win the title on Brazilian soil as well Messi having a chance to get out of Maradona's shadows. Alas, Die Mannschaft will win in a very methodical and very German way.
So the dust will eventually settle....wait what? What was that? Oh Germany scored again. Ah poor Brazil, the coronation that was suppose to be. Just imagine how depressed the nation will be if Argentina wins the whole thing! Talk about insult to injury. But of course Argentina will have to get through Oranje first.
This will be even more difficult without Di Maria. What I am about to say might be seen as
Linking player
blasphemy, but Di Maria is only slightly less important to Argentina as is Messi. Everyone knows the talents of Messi, and therefore pay him special attention. This opens up spaces for a player such as Di Maria who has evolved from being solely a wide player to a player that slots deeper and is more of a traditional #10 playmaker. His ability to play this role and do so with aplomb is vital for Argentina. Argentina needs this linkage to feed the likes of Aguero and Higauin, and allow Messi to get some room to roam. Without Di Maria I am not sure where Argentina will find someone to fill that role. Maybe Maxi Rodriguez, but that will be a huge drop off. That will allow even more "attention" to be paid to Messi. Argentina has been much more solid on defense, especially compared to 4 years ago. But I am still not convinced that their keeper - Romero - is good enough for this level.
In front of Argentina is an old foe. Argentina and Holland played a famous final in 1978 and faced off again in a great quarter final match in Marseilles in 1998. Holland is also the one nation in the final 4 that has never won the trophy but they have reached 3 finals. What
Boom
struck me watching them play Costa Rica, especially during the penalty kicks, was the offensive talent that is available for Oranje - Sneijder, Kuyt, RVP, Robben, Huntellaar etc. Also, the last few games it appears that Sneijder is starting to really assume the role of a #10 - maybe it is maturity from 4 years ago where he was portrayed as a petulant brat in the Dutch camp. Robben seems to be a man possessed. Yes he has been flip flopping left and right, but his pace and dribbling has been almost impossible to contain. I am not sure Argentina will be able to solve this enigma. The real question is whether or not RVP wakes up and does more than wear the captain's arm band.
Without Di Maria I fear that Argentina will be without their metronome, the player that provides the link in the midfield. This might force Messi to drop deeper to pick up the ball, which will expose him to more defensive attention. I also do not think the Argentines will be able to stop the Oranje attack. I know that Holland did not score against Costa Rica, and struggled to get on the score sheet against Mexico until late in the game. But they are the second highest scoring team in the World Cup, that counts for something.
Oranje 1 - Albiceleste 0
This result would set up a mouth watering West Germany v Holland final. I am sure that the Oranje would want to reverse the outcome of the 1974 finals! It would also set up a Brazil v Argentina 3rd place game...talk about a match up that would actually make the 3rd place game "must watch."
Phew, 48 hours without any World Cup football..how are we expected to survive this? It has actually been a good respite considering how tense some of the knock out games were. Starting tomorrow we are back in for 4 very different and fascinating matches. Since the Frog was 7-1 in the picks for the last round, we are feeling pretty confident in our prognostications! The one missed pick...The Frog had the US beating Belgium 2-1. Right score line...wrong teams. So here we go:
France v West Germany: I have been surprisingly calm about this match, maybe it is the heat that has descended on the New England area that is warping my mind. I will most likely have a dedicated post to this match but here is my snap shot. France and Germany have a long story of match ups - 1986, 1982, 1940, 1914, 1870...1806 okay okay I completely digress from the football field. When it comes to their national football teams, France has always been in the shadow of Germany. Les Bleus have always seemed to be the little brother to Die Mannschaft. France and Germany have not met on the footy field at a major tournament since 1986. But those match ups - 1982 and 1986 - carry a lot of weight on this rivalry. More on 1982 in another post. But we are now in 2014, most players on both sides were not born in 1986! So what to
We meet again!
make of this match up? Both sides struggled in their knock out openers. France did not look good against Nigeria until the last 15 minutes while Germany, at times, looked old and slow versus the Algerians. But this is Germany, this is the World Cup - they know how to win when they have to. It might not be pretty, and often it is not, but they do what it takes. While Les Bleus, for all the good will they are starting to harvest, is still an experienced side when it comes to these types of games. For this reason I have a hard time to pick against the RFA. Here is why - Muller is not going to miss sitters like he did against Algeria, Ozil and Gotze are going to cause some real issues for Evra and Debuchy. The midfielders will cancel each other out. Muller is more clinical than the French options up front. I have to make this pick with head...not my heart. West Germany 2 - France 0
Brazil v Colombia -Has there been a player with more hype than James Rodriguez? He deserves much of the praise, having scored in each of his nation's games at the World Cup, including a master stroke of a volley against Uruguay. Brazil also did not look very convincing against Chile. The Brazilians have the goal frame to thank for their victory. If I see Cesar weeping openly again, I might throw something at my television screen and vomit...so Brazil played terribly and still made it to the 1/4 finals. They are still the home side if anyone forgot. They are facing another South American side who they are very accustomed to playing in Brazil. Colombia has never reached this stage, even the sides with Valderrama and Asprilla. Colombia have been clicking since the group stages, where they have scored 11 goals and only giving up 2 goals since this World Cup has started. Strong numbers to say the least. But they are now facing off against Brazil. I think this game will be closer than the home fans will want to see, but at the end I cannot see Brazil falling to their neighbors from the north. Brazil 2 - Colombia 1
Argentina v Belgium - France and West Germany are not the only nations that have footballing history from 1982 and 1986. Belgium defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 1982 group stage opener, at Camp Nou. The two sides met again 4 years later this time in the 1/2 finals where Maradona scored a brace to send Scifo and Pfaff to the third place match (where they lost 4-2 to France).So these two nations face off again on the world's biggest footballing stage. Argentina struggled against the Swiss last round.
Messi to expect the same treatment?
Once again it needed a run by Messi to get through on a 1-0 score line. Argentina's offense was better than it had been - especially Di Maria who seemed to step up his game. Becoming more active in carrying the game for the Argentines. The one troubling area, continues to be their back line. This is something of a concern for Les Albicelestes. Belgium showed against the United States that they have some lethal attacking options - Hazard, De Bruyen, Lukaku, Origi and even fullbacks like Vertonghen. Can the Argentine defense hold up against these attacking options? Or will Belgium be more cautious facing Messi and co as opposed to when they faced the powerful midfield of Bradley and Zusi...Argentina, similar to Brazil, have won unconvincing, even ugly. I think this continues, but it will be close. Argentina 1 - Belgium 1, Argentina wins 5-4 on kicks.
Holland v Costa Rica - Of all the CONCACAF teams, who would have wagered it would be the Ticos that got to the 1/4 finals? Oranje could be considered fortunate having beaten another CONCACAF side - Mexico. But this is a new day. I cannot see how Costa Rica can continue their magical run. They also had to play an extra 30 minutes and a man down. That is a lot of extra wear on those players' legs. I also do not think that Costa Rica has handled a player like Robben nor Van Persie in the past. Look for Robben to carve up the Ticos with either his pace or his diving. Either way he is world class. Look for Los Ticos' run to end. Holland 2 - Costa Rica 0
Some exciting 1/4 finals game coming up. I think we are still on course for a Brazil v Argentina finals...wow. And Holland v Germany 3rd place game which might be one of the better 3rd place games ever!
First of all, a happy New Year to all. Maybe 2014 bring you much joy and happiness.
Here are some bold predictions for the coming year from the Frog:
Bayern Munich will repeat as Champions League winners. The Bavarian steam roller is looking as solid as it did last season when it won the treble. Not only has this side remained fairly intact from last campaign but it has added Guardiola as well at Gotze - fresh thinking in the management chair and one of the best German players on the pitch. Granted they need to have Robben back at full strength and ensure they do not suffer any injuries, but that can be said for all the other clubs. But in the end I think we will see our first repeat Champions League winners since Milan did it in 1990 powered by their Dutch trio of Rijkaard, Van Basten and Gullit.
Treble repeat?
PSG will repeat in Ligue 1 and make a deep run in the Champions League. The fat coffers of PSG make them hard to compete with in Ligue 1, and with this buying power I think that the Parisians will make some bold purchases this transfer window to ensure they stay atop Ligue 1 and gear up for a run in the CL. Even if they let go of the likes of Menez, Verratti and Pastore. I could envisage a run at Mata from Chelsea since the Special One does not seem to want to use him or targeting Cabaye at Newcastle (I know Arsenal might go back there, but will Pardew look to stick it to Wenger and ship the midfielder back to France?). Pogba is also in the target but not sure the Old Lady will let go so easily of their young midfielder. That might be a move in the cards for the summer transfer window. PSG have enough depth to hold off the likes of Lille, Monaco and OM for the Ligue 1 title. They also have the talent to make a push in the Champions League...and also a very motivated Zlatan who will want to show the world what they are going to be missing at the World Cup.
Arsenal will finally win some silverware...and make a big splash this January. The Gunners will win the EPL...if they make that big transfer splash. If Arsenal do not add to this roster they will fade away in the EPL. The fact they drew Bayern is a blessing since it should be a quick ending for their European title hopes. Maybe Wenger should just look at those matches as he would a Carling Cup game and blood some of his youth. Hahaaa. I do think that Wenger will have enough if he adds some muscle this transfer window. Another striker, regardless of what Giroud says, must be
Red Devil coming to the Emirates?
added. Benteke has been rumored and would be a great fit, Costa is also rumored but I don't see that move happening. A midfielder - Cabaye? Wenger has said he is no longer interested but we shall see. An interesting name that has emerged is Le Petit Velo - Valbuena from OM. He could be a very interesting fit, being able to play in the middle of the park or out on the flanks. There is also the possibility of Wenger adding to his stable of German players and signing Daxler, that would be a real game changer of a move. Of course there is also the possibility of Vermaelen leaving, but could Wenger should have cover with Flamini being able to slot back in an emergency. Bottom line - Wenger makes some of these moves and Arsenal win the EPL. He doesn't and the Gunners fall back into the pack - not enough depth to sustain the run they are on.
Only one European nation will get to the World Cup semifinals. And it will not be Spain. The semi finals will pit Brazil vs Germany and Argentina vs Uruguay, a real Copa Sud America feel. South Korea will surprise some by getting of the group stages ahead of Algeria and Russia. Spain will fall in the 1/4 finals to Cavani and Suarez of Uruguay. Brazil will have to face a very difficult gauntlet of European power houses in Holland, Italy and Germany before getting to the finals. The US will surprise many by finishing second in the Group of Death but will crash out in the knock out round against Les Diables Rouge of Belgium...which also means Portugal will fail to impress and actually lose their game to the US and finish third in the group of death. Argentina will have an easier go at it facing the Swiss in the group of 16, then Belgium in the 1/4 finals then having to beat Uruguay and finally setting up an epic Brazil v Argentina World Cup final....where Messi, Higuain, Aguero, Di Maria, et al will win a third World Cup for La Albiceleste. Just think...Brazil v Argentina in a World Cup final...in Rio. Wow.
France will not entirely embarrass themselves at the World Cup. Les Bleus will win their group and beat Nigeria to get to the 1/4 finals...where they will get trounced by De Nationalmannschaft in the 1/4 finals. However Paul Pogba will emerge as one of the world's best midfield talents as well as the engine that will run the French midfield and team
Surprise inclusion for DD as cover for Ribery on the left?
for years to come. Deschamps will also lean heavily on the 4-3-3 and maximize the talents of his midfield depth in the likes of Pogba, Cabaye, Matuidi, Sissoko, Mavuba et al. He will also make a surprise inclusion in the national side - Schneiderlan, Niang, Griezmann or Zouma are all candidates for that surprise trip to Brazil. It will be interesting to see who Deschamps looks to bring to Brazil with him, with many of the U21 players that had been suspended by the FFF are now eligible to come back to international duty - that also includes M'Vila. Will DD hold their little visit to a night club against them, or have they paid for their errors? I am sure that DD will also have an eye turned to the upcoming European Championship which will be held in France. Something to keep an eye on.
2014, being a World Cup year, will surely be a great one for footy. What we have to hope for is not big name player get injured prior to the World Cup and they are not all too exhausted from an over flowing domestic season to not give us a great tournament in Brazil. It will be great to see the World Cup head back to South America for the first time since Argentina hosted the event in 1978 and that it has not been back in Brazil since 1950!
No this is not a post about the Woman's World Cup finals, and yes that was a shocker. The US National team can only look at that result as a failure. They were the #1 team in the world. Had a 1 goal lead twice. Gave up said leads late in regulation and then in extra time. The first time on a terrible defensive mistake, you NEVER try to "clear" a ball in your team's penalty box when you down on a knee, facing your goal and then square the ball to the middle...the second Japanese goal was a well taken corner kick, tough to blame the US for that one. Um and missing your first 3 PKs? Unacceptable at this level. Okay that is it for my Woman's World Cup rant, not on to my real topic: Copa America.
What is wrong with this picture:
Uruguay v Peru
Venezuela v Paraguay
I hope things are better in 2014
These are the semi final pairings for this year's Copa America. Where are Argentina and Brazil??? Both South American power houses lost to Uruguay and Paraguay respectively, and both on PKs to boot. I was not able to see the Brazil v Paraguay match, but from what I could tell it was all about Brazil inability to finish their chances. I was able to see some of Brazil earlier in the tournament and what struck me was the apparent lack of a "boss" a player of the stature of Pele, Socrates, Zico, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Romario, Ronaldino or even Dunga to name few. Players that clearly took control when the team needed that kick in the pants, either through emotional leadership or by taking over a game physically. I could not help but think that player could have been Kaka, who instead was playing a meaningless match for Real Madrid against LA Galaxy. Bazil's World Cup is not far away, and there does not seem to be a player on the Copa America roster that can step up and take those reigns. Ganso was seen as the next great playmaker for Brazil, and he very well could be down the road. But can he live up to that pressure by the next world cup? What about Neymar? The next scoring wonder kid looked great at times, but not sure he will put his stamp on the Brazilian side as did the likes of Ronaldo or Romario. These players have bags of talent and potential, but also expectations, sometimes these do not meet in a happy place! Makes me wonder how a player such as Kaka could have helped this squad. Kaka was once that player, the next great one. While he has not played, recently, at the lofty levels expected of him, he remains one of the world's best. He is a veteran of big club European football and could have been the guiding force for this Brazilian side. Alas that was not to be. Brazil will always have raw talent, but do they have the generation of players that can take them to a title when they play at home in 2014? Maybe not.
What about Argentina? Much like Brazil in 2014, they were hosting a big international tournament on their turf. Add to this the pressure of a soccer powerhouse that has not won silverware since 1993, an eternity! They were playing at home and had the world's best player - Messi - as well as an embarrassing pool of talent - Tevez, Aguero, Higuian, Zanetti, Mascherano etc. Granted, next to drawing Brazil, pairing up against Uruguay at this stage was tough draw, least we forget Uruguay was the highest finisher at the World Cup. Now Argentina also ran into Muslera who made some ridiculous saves to keep Uruguay in the game, most noticeably his double save on a Tevez deflection, of a free kick where somehow the keeper kicked out the deflection and then had the reaction to make himself "big" on the Higuain follow up...
Save of the game no doubt! He made another fantastic reflect save on another Higuian shot when the Real Madrid man took a silky pass from Messi, controlled, turned and rifled a shot that called for a fantastic reflect save from the Uruguayan keeper. But the keeper notwithstanding, Argentina spent most of the game with a man advantage (after a silly second yellow by Perez) and had chances. They had a goal disallowed (so did Uruguay) granted, but Messi - Aguero - Di Maria - Higuain seemed out of sorts, they were able to put pressure on the Uruguayan defense but were not able to be clinical in front of goal. Argentina were even getting good width at times from their fullbacks - mainly because with Zanetti and Zabaleta they had NATURAL wide fullbacks, Hey Diego were you paying attention? Uruguay seemed to look to foul high up the pitch, slow down any breaks and if that did not work would just slide deep to protect their 18 yard box - always shadowing Messi. Argentina seemed frustrated by this, noticeable when the likes of Higuain dropped way back to get the ball. Add to this the unexplainable fouling by Milito, that lead to a host of Uruguay free kicks - the only time Uruguay looked very dangerous of scoring. In the end, the game went to penalty kicks, and in that lottery the Albicelestes lost.
And to think...could have played for Spain
Another tournament lost for Argentina. Another tournament where players such as Messi, Tevez, Mascherano et al did not live up to their expectations. After what happened in South Africa, Argentina is clearly a team in turmoil. They have the talent, almost a ridiculous level of talent, but they still seem to be struggling with formations and how to use Messi in particular. Could it be that the pressure of Barcelona is too much to over come? Everyone expects Messi to be able to replicate his play at the club level with Argentina...unfortunately there is no Xavi or Iniesta wearing the blue and white stripe kit. Then again Barcelona might be challenged to produce the other offensive options Argentina currently have. Argentina must decide how to best leverage Messi within THEIR system, not try to replicate the Barcelona system. Maybe Messi should be allowed to play wide with Di Maria on the other wing, potentially a 4-2-1-3? Three high offensive players, slot Higuain or Aguero in the middle of the top of the formation, question is who slots behind them as the true #10? Lean on Mascherano and Gago to hold. With real full backs, you can leverage their runs to support the high wingers...of course that would mean putting players such as Tevez on the bench, but at the international level that is the name of the game! Maybe the Barcelona expectations are too heavy a curse for Messi...
Both Argentina and Brazil have some retooling to do, at least Argentina have qualifiers to ensure they get a run of serious games to work out their kinks. Brazil will have a host of friendlies, not sure that will allow a true test. Should be interesting 2 years for these South American powers.
No surprise but Diego Maradona was shown the exit by the Argentine FA. Really not too shocking after the much fancied Argentine team was given a correction by Germany, the second world cup in a row that the La Albiceleste were shown the door by the 3 time World Champion from Europe.
Maradona led a love - hate relationship with the Argentina FA, the fans and players. Argentina struggled to qualify seeing Maradona call up 57,480 players, rumor is he called Mario Kempes to see if he was available. Couple this with his inexplicably not wanting to call up Higuain for the longest time, only to have the Real Madrid striker feature during the World Cup. He had a rift with Riquelme, making the play maker unavailable for selection. The smooth Boca #10...the current one, not the one that played there in the early 1980s...might have been useful in South Africa. I could have seen him slotting nicely next to Mascherano giving true creativity to the midfield, feeding the strikers - Messi, Tevez and Higuain. Maradona struggled to find a way to unleash the full potential of his protege - Lionel Messi (zero goals in the World Cup). There were also tactical questions - Maradona had 4 center backs starting on his back 4, no real full backs. Add to this Maradona's stubbornness when it came to dealing with the press as well as allowing the Argentine FA to have him take on a more technical assistant coach and you were destined for a bad ending.
Maradona's great strength was his ability to get his players to respect and want to play for him and the blue and white shirt. More than you can say for the likes of Domenech! However his juvenile tactical knowledge inhibited he and Argentina from going further at the World Cup. His enormous ego and talent did not allow himself to accept the assistance the Argetina FA was attempting to have him accept when he took the reigns. Maradona needed a stabilizing and tactically sound lieutenant. Unfortunately the greatest player ever to wear the blue and white strip was too proud to seek help on the touch line. For that he got to a 1/4 final, when he could have fancied his side to get to the finals and maybe win it.
It will be interesting to see what he does next. Could he pop up at Napoli to manage the club he brought so much success to? Possible. It was an interesting run Diego, it could have been extended had you allowed the proper managers to assist you.
A great weekend of football - good goals, heartbreaking games and controversy - what else would one want? So we are set for the first half of the 1/4 finals
Uruguay v Ghana
Argentina v Germany
How did these teams get there:
Uruguay: In the first game of the round of 16, the South Americans played the surprise Asian side South Korea. What was one of the least hyped game turned out to be a good match between two well disciplined and well organized sides. The combo between Suarez and Forlan looks like it is starting to click, which is dangerous for the other nations. Both sides had chances, an early South Korean free kick, from Chu Young Park, smashed into the post having successfully found its way around the wall. But poor defense and inexplicable goalkeeping from South Korea allowed a cross from Forlan bypass at least 3 defenders and the keeper (who mush have thought the ball was destined to go wide) only to see Suarez come in and smash home the shot.
The South Koreans fought back to level but were done in by a wonder strike from Suarez. The Uruguay defense (only 1 goal conceded all tournament) and combination of Suarez - Forlan - Cavani is proving lethal.
Ghana: For the second time in 4 years the Black Stars knock out the Stars and Stripes...yes I stole that from some TV talking head. After the World Cup is over and when the US players get a chance to reflect I think they will rue this missed opportunity. While I think the talk of a semi final run were a but premature, there is no doubt that the way the opponents were being set up, there was a legitimate chance for the Americans. Let us face it, had they finished second in the group does anyone really believe they could have taken out the German team we saw today? Or an Argentina team in the 1/4 finals? However Ghana took their chances and deserve to go through. The first 20 -30 minutes it appeared that Ghana could score another goal or 2 after opening up the score through Boateng after a terrible turn over in the midfield by Clark. However at the half the US brought in Feilhaber and changed the complexion of the match. The US controlled the midfield and put some real pressure on the Ghana back 4 earning a deserved PK that Landycakes banked in.
But the problem that haunted the United States bit again in extra time when a harmless and blind clearance from their own half feel to Gyan who cut between Demerit and Bocanegra and lashed on to a pile driver of a left foot sending Ghana to a 2-1 victory. This encapsulated the problems with the United States team - shoddy central defense. Demerit, Onyewu and Bocanegra all struggled at different stages of this World Cup, the wide players did not cover themselves in glory either. This lack of strong defending forced the United States to chase 3 out 4 games this World Cup, not a formula for success. A second big issue were the strikers. Altidore's touch let him down all tournament. He had some good situations when he was holding up the ball or knocking it on as he did on the second goal against Slovenia. However he had a chance in the second half against Ghana but his heavy touch allowed the keeper to cut him down. He did almost score a spectacular goal with 10 minutes to go, but too often lost possession trying to do his best Messi impersonation. Add to this Findley's first half attempt from 18 yards out when he could have taken another touch or tried to dribble the keeper - not a shot an international level striker needs to settle on. If the US had a striker like Gyan they might still be playing...
Germany: In a much anticipated match up against hated rival England the game turned into a rout exposing England for what it has become - old, slow and without creativity. Of course we had another controversial refereeing decision when a Lampard shot clearly rebounded behind the goal line, at the time it would have made the game 2-2. Instead the Germans headed into the half time with a 2-1 lead. As England pushed in the second half to equalize they were badly caught out gifting Mueller a brace. In the end the better team did win, Germany demonstrated as usual, a great organization and discipline. With World Cup veterans like Klose, Podolozki and Schweinsteiger supported by the youth of Ozil and Mueller it became academic after Germany maintained their 2-1 lead to start the second half.
What was disappointing were the Three Lions. Entering the competition, as it happens every World Cup, the calls for winning the ultimate crown for the first time since 1966 was thought withing reach. With an "EASY" group, many in the notoriously overzealous British press had the English making a serious run, granted I think Sports Illustrated had the English in a semi final as well. Even thought the English had a very positive qualifying campaign and apparently the right man in Capello, they never convinced during their 4 games. They clearly had problems in central defense - Terry looked like a beaten man and they could never figure out who to replace Ferdinand. The Klose goal resembled the Gyan goal a big boot down the park, striker splits the central defenders and slots home... Rooney was completely lost. Even the French scored more goals than Rooney - 1 vs 0! Not sure if the Manchester United striker was still battling the effects of his ankle injury, but he clearly had a tournament to forget. Of course the necessity to have Lampard and Gerrard on the pitch together still does not work...sad part is the world has known this for years yet manager after manager feels the need to shoe horn both into the starting XI. It seems that this side could have used a Theo Walcott at some point during their 4 games. Otherwise there was no apparent width or pace, Joe Cole having been used sparingly...Finally still not sure how a football nation such as England cannot develop any quality holding midfielders. It is shocking. Germany had their way through the midfield, no on wearing a red shirt could even feign being able to check the German attack. England will have to rebuild, the nice thing for the Three Lions is this should mark the end of Terry, Lampard and Gerrard as internationals. All strong players individually, but especially in the case of the two midfielders - cannot coexist on the same pitch.
Argentina: The Albiceleste looked very strong once again. Granted the first goal should have been ruled off side, but it was not...however the Tevez - Messi - Higuain front line is deadly. The fact that Di Maria has not really done much and Messi has not scored a goal should give Germany and any other team that might face Argentina food for thought. Mexico fought hard all match but were over-matched.The goal from Hernandez was a piece of beauty...what I thought was comic was the comment on ABC from John Harkes who criticized Romero, the Argentine keeper, for not "protecting his near post." Um hey John, the shot from Hernandez was unstoppable, even had the keeper anticipated that spot he could never have reached it....just because you could not hit that shot in your best days, give the striker credit for a fantastic first touch and finish. Speaking of goals, the 3rd Argentine goal was also a thing of beauty an absolute pile driver from distance.
The one area of concern for Argentina is the back 4...Maradona keeps playing central defenders as all back 4. And the goalkeeping is very wobbly right now. The key for Argentina moving forward will be how Mascherano holds up the defensive responsibilities in the midfield. However their is no doubting the offensive fire power and creative flair from this team, do not forget that Aguero and Milito are available off the bench. Frightening. Finally, it is clear this team wants to play for the sky blue and white kit as well as for their manager (unlike Les Bleus). This is a very good combination heading into the 1/4 finals.
Finally this weekend was also mired by some terrible refereeing decisions or lack thereof. The least egregious was the Tevez non offside call on the first goal. However the one that will really created debate for years...at least until FIFA wakes up and does something to improve officiating.
I am sure Blatter is breathing somewhat after Germany won 4-1...but had the goal be allowed, which it should have, it could have and most likely would have changed the game. Why? Not sure England is pushing up the pitch so get the equalizer.They probably do not get caught on a break if the game is 2-2. Of course FIFA released some nonsensical statement about video not being usable to determine goals because it would open up the call to use video for other aspects of the game and that there would need to be training for how to use video which is really complicated and television is still to new....blah blah blah. Here is an idea Sepp, you ignorant moron, you already have all the referees wired with headsets. The 4th official is already sitting by a monitor - how else did the Zizou head butt get caught! For plays dealing with a goal, allow the 4th official to give the referee on the field a hand. In this situation it would have taken all of 3 seconds for the 4th official to get on his little telemarketer headset and say "ball crossed line, goal." But instead we have the bureaucratic, useless, profiteer, Sepp Blatter, making some idiotic statement about technology and the beauty if human error and why "technology" cannot be used to call goal or no goal. Grow a brain Sepp wake up to the 21st century!
Of course Sepp has a Twitter account...so I would encourage EVERYONE to tweet @SeppBlatter for as long as it takes to get him to wake up to this need.
Anyways, 4 more games to come. Brazil v Chile will be very interesting, I think Chile can give the Samba Boyz a scare and of course we have the Iberian derby - Portugal v Spain. Hopefully we do not also have more refereeing issues.
So I have given my thoughts on Group A...obviously that is where France finds themselves. But there are 7 other groups!!! Okay Okay, here are my thoughts and predictions for the rest of the groups.
I have already discussed Group A in a prior post. So let us look at the other groups. We will tackle Group B & C in this post:
Group B - Clearly the favorites are Argentina to emerge from this group. Even with the Ablicelestes struggling to qualify out of South America they have too much talent, depth and Messi not to get out of the groups. Maradona has 6 months to figure out how he wants to approach the tournament, while he is under tremendous pressure from his home nation, much like Domenech, unlike his French counterpart I think he has the support of his players. He is also stubborn like Domenech in who he calls up...Higuain? Zanetti? If Maradona finds his senses I think he will look to put Heinze and Zanetti as his defensive cornerstones in the back with Gago and Mascherano as the midfield holders and figure out how to get the most out of Messi, maybe go with a three pronged attack of Messi, Aguero and Higuain. That would be frightening. Again too much raw talent and depth for this squad not get through.
The battle will be for second place in the group. Greece had to play the Ukraine to get through. They will once again look to their manager "King Otto" to manage this club through to the knock out stages. While they are still seen as a strong defensive side, well organized and also boring...they did have the top scorer in the European qualifiers - Theofanis Gekas - with 10 goals to his count. They will be pushed by Nigeria who is getting the least amount of press of the African nations in the tournament. The Super Eagles are usually the team seen as Africa's best chance to see a team reach the semi finals or further, this title has passed to the likes of Ivory Coast and Ghana...but no one should overlook this talented side. With the likes of Martins and Mikel they have some talented players that grace the pitches in Europe on weekends. While many would argue they have underachieved during qualifiers, I would see them as a sleeper in this tournament. Finally South Korea finds themselves in this challenging group. Not playing the Cup on home soil has brought this nation back to where they belong, a nice team that has some good players but 3rd tier power at best. Without the genius of Hiddink, which coupled with home cooking carried the South Korean's to an improbable 4 place in the 2002 World Cup, I am not sure that they have enough to cause too many problems to the other 3 nations in this group. Park Ji-Sung will be asked to shoulder the load, unfortunately he does not have the Rooneys, Giggs, Vidics, Van de Saars he can rely on with his club! Prediction - Argentina, Nigeria, Greece, South Korea finish Player to watch - Higuain the Argentine striker is overshadowed by Messi, but the Real Madrid man scores goals and I think he will demonstrate this goal scoring in South Africa.
Group C - This group will get a lot of hype between now and the tournament...especially due to the first match between the US and England. The book makers have already placed England as the second favorite behind Spain...wow...talk about irrational exuberance! Speaking of England they should go through to the knock out stage. However I think the hype that will surround the Three Lions will grow exponetially before the tournament...yet I am not sure that they have solved the problems that plagued them in the last World Cup - a shaky defense. Do you really have faith in Calamity James in goal? Cashley Cole is a good left back, but not as good as he is hyped up to be. Terry and Ferdinand, a strong pairing but have been injury prone as of late. The real issue - who is the holding midfielder? Barry? Gerrard? We all know Lampard will not track back unless it is to celebrate his own goal. Much will be expected of Rooney, especially considering how he exited the last tournament...
and what about the wingers? Will Walcott be healthy? Will the "greatest footballer ever" Beckham showcase on the wing? I think this team remains too similar to the one that failed to get to the Euros, while the presence of Capello is encouraging, the weight of irrational expectations will be too much for the 3 Lions, they will go far but not far enough. Much the same will saddle their former colony, The United States. I am already seeing the press and the statements of an easy draw and "we are through to the next round." When the talking heads like Alexi Lalas start saying this is an easy group and the US will go through, you need to take a step back and take a deep breath. I think the US will go as far as Altidore can shoulder offensively and without Charlie Davies this will become more difficult the young American striker. Much will also be asked of Deuce - Clint Dempsey. I think his time spent at Fulham has helped him grow as a player and leader. And of course we have Landycakes, the question will be - will he finally show up in a major tournament? Or will he revert back to Landycakes and disappear. What the US do have is a strong and experienced keeper in Howard and have some confidence from the last Confederation Cup, but that tournament is very different from the World Cup! I think the neither nation should overlook Slovenia. They came out of a tough group with Slovakia, Czech Rep and Poland - then they had to defeat the Russians to get through. Least we forget this team from a land of 2million residences is not afraid to punch well above its weight class. Surprising many at the Euro 2000 and qualifying for 2 World Cups. They play a counterattacking style which may frustrate the favorites in the group. Finally everyone is writing off the Algerians something I am not sure is wise. The North Africans are making only their third appearance in the biggest sporting event on the planet, they did more than hold their own the first time! With players such as Ziani and having gone through a difficult qualifying campaign Les Fennecs will be looking to play spoiler in this group. I do not think they have enough to go through, but cannot nor should not be overlooked. Prediction: England, USA, Slovenia, Algeria Player to Watch: Rooney will have a lot of expectations on his shoulders, he will need to have his goal scoring boots on and he must keep his cool on the global stage. The other player to watch is Altidore for the US, he too will be expected to be the offensive threat for the US.
Anyone notice that Argentina lost today to Paraguay. Wow. Paraguay are now thru with Brazil to South Africa. However Argentina have much work to do. I felt that the Albiceleste are now in real trouble...not how I felt this past weekend. I did not see 2 losses in a row for Messi, Tevez, Heinze, et al. They now face the last two fixtures which become must wins if they do not want to have to count on other nations for their ticket to South Africa. The latest standings:
What should be very interesting is that teams involved in the last 2 spots are facing one another:
Argentina faces Peru and Uruguay
Uruguay faces Ecuador and Argentina
Venezuela faces Paraguay and Brazil
Ecuador faces Uruguay and Chile
Chile, Brazil and Uruguay are heading to South Africa (ok Chile could still be outdistanced, but they should be fine). Argentina should beat last place Peru and will head into the last game, at Uruguay at 25 points. Regardless of how Ecuador vs Uruguay ends, Argentina would need the full 3 points to get through. Uruguay would also be battling for a spot in the World Cup, so no quarter will be given. What if Venezuela snuck in? There are too many situations to figure out, needless to say the last two days will prove very interesting in South America qualifications.
Another interesting result from the weekends' WC qualifiers is the fact that Argentina lost 3-1 to hated rivals Brazil...in Argentina non the less, the first time Argentina have lost a WC qualifier in close to 2 decades. Does this put the South American giants in danger of missing the WC? I think not, they remain 2 points clear of the next two teams seeking the last automatic spot and I cannot see them dropping to 6th, so out of the 5th place play in position.
Much like Domenech, Maradona is under tremendous pressure from the press and the fans to demonstrate a grasp of the national team and how to get it not only to South Africa, but to challenge for a 3rd star on the kit. Both managers have shown a similar lack of creativity, and a difficulty to get their players to carry their club success to the national team. Take for example, Messi who is such a difference maker with Barca, yet appears invisible with Argentina. Similar to players such as Benzema, Anelka, Mexes to name a few for Les Bleus. Similar to Domench, the Argentina manager does not seem to know what system to utilise, what striker to have up front, how to best leverage Messi and Tevez.....etc. Finally, similar to the Domenech lead France, neither side appear able to defend set pieces. Just watch the highlights below from the Brazil match.
The difference for Maradona, with the talent at his disposal, he is practically guaranteed a spot in South America. His side will face Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru, the last two chasing for the 4th and 5th spots. If the Albicelestes can take 7 points from the last 3 matches they should be clear to head to South Africa. Domench on the other hand is ready to walk the plank.
So the drama goes on, with Argentina heading into a huge show down with arch rival Brazil, and once again it appears that the Real Madrid striker, who tallied 22 goals last season, is not needed by Maradona, although they had a nice little "get together." Not really sure why Maradona does not see value in the player, he can obviously score goals, can play as the second striker or wide on the right. Of course Argentina does have a some solid offensive options - Messi, Tevez, Aguero, to name a few. Just not sure how you can leave a player who led Real Madrid in scoring and can give you some options offensively at home.
Hmmmm play on the right wing...he would look nice as the right winger in France's 4-2-3-1 formation....just a thought.
Hmmmm very interesting little note about Real Madrid's Higuain. The Real man who tallied 22 goals for Real last year seems to be absent from all of Maradona's plans for Argentina. Maybe that is because the young Franco-Argentine used to play for River Plate and not Boca...France and Higuain have been down this road before, Domench calling him up for a match against Greece where Higuain turned down Les Bleus saying he did not feel French (the land of his birth but where he did not even spend an entire year!) and that he always wanted to play for his father's native land. Cannot really fault him for that....however now that he is not getting called to the senior Argentine squad he is stating he might switch to France. While I would love to have the option to select him, and with the World Cup around the corner I am sure he wants to ensure he will be in South Africa (then again neither France nor Argentina are guaranteed to qualify!) as a player.
However, I think that this is a smoke screen, that Gonzalo is just trying to stir Maradona to select him and tie him to Argentina. If I were Domenech I would find a way to speak to the Madrid player, see how serious he is, and if he appears sincere....call him up and get him on the pitch for the Faroe Island game!! Lock him down with Les Bleus!!!!
Ok so I finally was able to watch the France - Argentina match on my DVR. I had to watch, not that I wanted to knowing Les Bleus lost 2-0, but based on some of the comments I was reading I had to see with my own eyes what happened. First of all, let us be clear, Les Bleus did not lose to some run of the mill chump team, we are talking about Argentina. Twice World Cup champ, defending Olympic soccer champ, with players such as Messi, Gago, Mascherano. I know they are ranked 6th in the FIFA rankings (which are a joke) but I believe they are one of the top 2 teams in the world currently with Spain. With that in mind here are some thoughts -
The Good:
Mexes and Gallas looked solid even though they lost. Both central defenders appeared to find their role during the match. Gallas was the calm presence in the back while Mexes dominated in the air and was aggressive and attacked the play higher up the pitch. The only minor mistake was early on the match when he allowed Messi to turn to the center of the 18 yard box and needed Gallas to block the young Argentina's shot that seemed destined for the right side of the goal. Otherwise both central defenders looked much more confident in this match than in previous. Something to build upon moving forward, and finally we might see the end of Boumsong in the middle of the French defense!
The center of the Argentine midfield - Gago and Mascherano - were formidable. As I had stated in prior blog entries, I was convinced that which ever midfield controlled the middle of the park would have the advantage in the match. The two Argentine holding midfielders were huge during the game. The completely shut down Gourcuff and were tireless in their work rate. They constantly attacked the French midfielders and strikers when they had the ball in the middle of the park. This duo allows Argentina to do so many things offensively, freeing up the likes of Aguero, Messi, Rodriguez and Gutierrez to be completely offensively minded.
Messi, what do you expect from one of the world's best players? I find it somewhat humorous reading some commentary that the second goal was Diarra's fault, or Mandanda should have done better, or 4 French defenders had the chance to shut Messi down...um folks we are talking about one the world's best players (#1 or #2 depending on how you rank him with Ronaldo). Has anyone watched him for Barca or in prior Argentina games? He has done this to other defenses and will do it for many years to come.
Maybe we just need to applaud and realize there is no shame in giving up a goal to Messi.
The Bad:
I do not want to completely throw Mandanda under the bus but you could make the argument that his poor angle work on the first goal changed the entire game. Granted, speaking as a keeper, the shot was much trickier than it appears. A low, rebounding shot to the near post, you are usually playing for a hard shot rather than one that takes a soft skidding bounce. But again, as an international keeper you should be expected to do better. The OM keeper did show himself more aggressive and in control of his 18 yard box when it came to crosses and high balls into his area. In prior France games he tended to be too hesitant too passive, this time he attacked the ball and took advantage of his physical presence. However overall he did not do enough to secure the undisputed #1 spot in the keeper pecking order. I still think that France's number 1 resides in Florence. Too bad Domenech has rubbed Frey the wrong way...what a surprise that is!
Gourcuff had probably his worst game in his short career with Les Bleus. He was completely shut down by the Argentine midfield. Every time he had a little bit of space to work with, he was quickly shut down by the defense. He did have one moment of brilliance, dissecting the Argentine defense with a diagonal ball springing Anelka 1 on 1 with Carrizo, otherwise he was well bottled up. It was clear that Maradona had targeted him as the primary Frenchman to contain, and it worked to perfection. Gourcuff will have to learn that as his role becomes more prominent for Les Bleus that he will start getting this style of treatment and attention, it is up to him to take his game to the next level. I believe he can and will. This was a sobering reminder that being dubbed the next Zizou is a heavy burden.
Anelka and Benzema, neither appeared too dangerous. The Argentine back 4 did a very good job shutting down Anelka and later Benzema. But neither man appeared motivated to really work hard against the defense. One two occasions I watched as crosses came in to Anelka where he barely worked to get free, allowing Demichelis to easily sit in the striker's back pocket. One the picture perfect pass from Gourcuff I felt Anelka should have taken another touch, tried to go around Carrizo rather than try to one time chip the keeper. Benzema did not really have enough time to do much, but never appeared into the game either.
The Ugly:
As good as Gago and Mascherano were, Toulalan and Diarra were not. The French holding midfield were the opposite of their Argentine counterparts. They committed an outrageous amount of fouls (I believe over 20 between the two of them), they were late on many tackles and just did not provide the proper platform for counter attacks. Toulalan was more of the culprit than his Real Madrid partner. But both men had ugly games that they need to put behind them.
And of course the biggest culprit...Domenech. Once again I seriously question the manager and his ability to motivate his team, to adapt a game plan, and as the ESPN commentator said "have a plan B." I really do not understand how you cannot look to do things differently, down by a goal in the second half. Maybe take off one of your holding midfielders who was not having a good game and insert another creative midfielder, say Nasri, to put more pressure on Gago and Mascherano, giving Gourcuff more space as well. Maybe you allow Henry to slide higher up the pitch shoulder Benzema. Maybe you take off the other holding midfielder and insert ADiarra who will give you more height allowing you to attack the Argentines through the air...just a thought Raymond. For me, a good international manager needs to have 3 attributes - 1) ability to select the right mix of players, no brainer. For a nation like France you have no shortage of talent, but getting the right mix is important and having the right players on the bench to change a game is what allows for success 2)understand the right system of play but have a Plan B, do you play a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, do you have the right player to control your midfield? attack on the flanks? attack with long crosses? 3) motivate your team, you are managing a national team, the cream of the crop. But you need to ensure the team understands that they are playing for the nation they represent and a manager needs to instill that national pride and motivation, this usually entails strong interpersonal skills. Unfortunately I am not sure Domenech possesses any of the above. I question some of his selections - Boumsong? I think he has some clue about what system, but has no ability to change if and when that system stalls. Yes he took France to the WC finals, but I attribute that to Vieira's will and Zidane's immense talents, not Domenech. Motivation...um Domenech might be the worst when it comes to interpersonal skills. Look at how he handled the Coupet v Barthez question during the World Cup, he has alienated players like Trezeguet and Frey, he has completely shut out players like Landreau for no apparent reason. I really fear that Les Bleus will waste a crop of talented footballers because the FFF insists on keeping Domenech as the national team manager.
Overall, I do not think that Les Bleus were dominated by Argentina. There were some rays of hope - Mexes and Gallas - the primary one for me. However the real issue remains the man in the funny glasses. As long as Domenech is making the managerial decisions I think France will be hamstrung. He does not seem to have any creativity when it comes to selecting, managing or motivating the team. Watching Argentina, it was clear that they were unified that they were playing for Maradona, and that he had their trust. If Les Bleus do not want to waste the talents of Gourcuff, Ribery, Mexes et al it is time to find a different manager.
