Thanks
Thursday, 15 July 2010
So that's it, World Cup 2010 is over. Hope you've enjoyed Kwaitoball. Come join us at twofootedtackle.com
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TFT World Cup Podcast No.8
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
The World Cup is over, and to help us wrap up the tournament in our final World Cup podcast Chris Nee and Gary Andrews are joined in the studio by pod veterans Jonathan Fadugba of Just Football and Sam Coare.
We discuss the final, which saw Spain defeat the Netherlands 1-0 after extra time amid controversy about referee Howard Webb and the cynical gameplan of the Dutch, who seemingly settled on the idea of booting the Spanish up in the air and hoping to nick a goal on the break. For their part, Spain weren't exactly angelic and put in some pretty reckless challenges themselves. For me, Howard Webb never quite had it all under control.
There's a brief look back on the third place playoff and Germany's win over Uruguay which helped Thomas Mueller to pick up the Golden Shoe. One of his opponents on Saturday, Diego Forlan, deservedly takes home the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.
In part two, the four of us nominate our favourite matches, moments, players and goals of the competition. At length. Enjoy.
Please leave your comments below, follow us on Twitter, be our fan on Facebook and send your questions and comments to twofootedtackle[at]googlemail[dot]com - we also want audio contributions to the show, so feel free to get in touch about that.
You can listen to the latest episode below:
Download link (mp3, 40mb, 58 mins)
Top 10: World Cup 2010 players
Kevin-Prince Boateng, Ghana
It may come as a surprise but I agree with Gary's opinion that Kevin-Prince Boateng was a shining star in South Africa. Highly regarded in Germany, Boateng's career faltered at the Tottenham Hotspur Graveyard for Footballers before a prominent role in Portsmouth's FA Cup run last season showed us all what he can do. He got even better in the World Cup, scoring for Ghana against the United States and generally looking lively and incredibly capable. There could yet be big things to come for the Portsmouth man.
Keisuke Honda, Japan
CSKA Moscow's Keisuke Honda is a player I'd only seen in flashes before this World Cup but I'm now a definite admirer of the Japanese playmaker. A solid World Cup overall was punctuated with a magical performance against Denmark in which Honda ran the show and provided two moments of genuine quality. The first was a stunning long-distance free kick that confused and ultimately beat goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. The second, which was even better, was a confident and dazzling dribble that resulted in a simple tap-in for Shinji Okazaki.
Mesut Özil, Germany
21-year-old Mesut Özil took the competition by storm for Germany. The Gelsenkirchen-born midfielder pulled the strings early on in the competition with a couple of inspired performances against Australia and Ghana, the latter won by a brilliantly taken goal from the Werder Bremen star. Özil's confidence and sheer technical quality impressed many in South Africa and was just one of several Germans to light up the competition with their fast-paced, vibrant football. He notched a couple of assists to boot.
Thomas Müller, Germany
Thomas Müller is an intelligent young forward who plays for Bayern Munich, and World Cup 2010 will be remembered as his break-out tournament. Seemingly the focal point of Germany's brand of expansive counter-attacking football, Müller's technical ability and aggressive desire to get forward at speed were two of Germany's biggest assets. His passing was excellent and, of course, he took home the Golden Shoe after netting five goals and creating three for his team-mates. It was a truly inspiring performance from a young man who didn't make his international debut until earlier this year.
Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany
If Özil was Germany's dynamo in the group stage, then Bastian Schweinsteiger dominated the knockout rounds. The Bayern midfielder has found a real groove in his position as a deep(ish) creative presence and is now fulfilling his potential to be one of the very best. His passing in South Africa was remarkable, and although the statistics record his accuracy as lower than a certain Spanish perfectionist, we should remember Schweinsteiger played a pivotal role in some of Germany's quickest, most incisive attacks in this World Cup. I know which player I'd rather watch, and he's not the one with a winner's medal.
Wesley Sneijder, Netherlands
I originally had Robinho in this spot, because he was a joy to watch at times. But that would've meant omitting Wesley Sneijder, the Inter Milan star who played a huge part in the Netherlands' success in the World Cup. He had a knack of popping up in the right place at the right time as well as playing near his best, and was the difference when Holland knocked out Brazil. After a treble with Inter, a World Cup win would likely have put Sneijder in with a decent chance of individual world honours despite the brilliant season had by Leo Messi. Sadly for Sneijder, he will undoubtedly now miss out by a distance. And rightly so, to be fair.
Diego Forlan, Uruguay
Diego Forlan was nailed on for this list after bagging the Golden Ball for the World Cup's best player, as shortlisted by the FIFA Technical Committee and voted for by journalists. I couldn't agree more with their selection and Forlan would have been my choice as well. His showing in 2010 was vintage World Cup stuff: an under-appreciated player took a small but prestigious country all the way to the semi-finals. He didn't do it single-handedly, but you can be sure Uruguay wouldn't have gone so far without him. He looked quick and sharp, he scored plenty of goals, he passed impeccably and he linked up well both with the midfield and in partnership with Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. Simply brilliant.
Fabio Coentrao, Portugal
Perhaps the biggest surprise package of World Cup 2010, Benfica's Fabio Coentrao wowed observers with a fine display of attacking full back play. As a player who loves to get forward, Coentrao is the ideal choice at left back for a team that aims to attack in numbers and showed almost nothing in the way of defensive deficiency at the other end. Having made his international debut as a 21-year-old in November, Coentrao made a real name for himself this summer and those of us who don't watch domestic Portuguese football have been left in no doubt as to his quality.
David Villa, Spain
David Villa, strangely, was relied upon particularly heavily for goals by his team. Fortunately for them he had a storming tournament, seeing them through a number of difficult matches after defeat to Switzerland and influencing almost everything good that Spain did all month. He played well both down the middle and from the left flank and combined efficient finishing with the occasionally spectacular, as evidenced by his dribble and falling finish against Honduras. And, of course, he top-scored for the winners and you can't say fairer than that.
Xavi, Spain
Finally, I've chosen to end the list with Spain's wonderful midfielder Xavi. The Barcelona man once again posted mind-bending statistics for passing accuracy and provided the rhythm in his team's patient, possession-based game in South Africa. Aside from that, there's not much more to say. He was Xavi, and he was the heart of the team that took the trophy home. Nuff said.
(Pic via quangtruong.net) Read more...
Graham Poll on World Cup refereeing
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
English referee Howard Webb was much-hyped in South Africa this summer, and was rightly awarded the final at Soccer City. On Sunday, his performance in the match between Spain and the Netherlands came under a lot of criticism. Both sides are unhappy, and while I'd suggest both could have made Webb's task easier I think there were significant errors made on the night.
Fortunately, the chaps at Coral Dugout have been running a load of Q&A activity with Graham Poll and very kindly offered me the chance to ask him a question of my own. In the video above, Poll explains the pressures and complications involved in refereeing at a World Cup, pressures and complications he has experience of himself, of course.
A great big "cheers" to the guys at Coral for hooking this up for me, and a quick pointer towards their Facebook page and Twitter account for some worthwhile football chat. Obviously the World Cup is done, but I'm sure there's more to come. Read more...
The team of the World Cup: Gary's version
Monday, 12 July 2010
And then there's the players. And for no other reason than lots of other places will be doing one of these, here's my entirely subjective and probably very ill-informed Team of the World Cup. Feel free to disagree. I'm sure Chris will. And no, I've no idea what formation I'd play these guys in.
Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)
The World Cup has hardly been a vintage tournament for goalkeepers, many of whom will be remembered for blunders rather than stunning performances. Enyeama was one of those who also blundered, against Greece, but given the Hapoel Tel-Aviv shot stopper's performance overall, it was a rare slip. Often exposed by a ponderous and ill-disciplined defence, Enyeama performed heroics in all three games. That Nigeria were even in with a chance of making the round of 16 is largely down to their goalkeeper. In all honesty, this should probably go to Iker Casillas, but I'm a bit bored of filling this team with Spanish players.
Full-back: Philipp Lahm (Germany)
At just 26 Lahm is one of the veterans of a young German team and his leadership shone through as his side reached the semi-finals. Part of a back-line widely assumed to be too slow, Lahm's pace and anticipation meant the Bayern full-back was often the man standing between the attacker and a goal. The German side was perfectly set up to exploit his attacking instincts as well and he could often be found bombing sixty yards down the touchline to receive the ball.
Centre-back: Arne Friedrich (Germany)
Wind back to a few weeks before the World Cup and few would have tipped Friedrich to start in South Africa, let alone being one of Die Mannschaft's most consistent performers. After enduring a torrid season of relegation at Hertha Berlin, the defender wasn't even first choice until Heiko Westermann broke his foot on the eve of the tournament. But far from being Germany's weak link as many predicted, Friedrich has been outstanding at the heart of defence. Next season he could well form one of the defensive pairings of the Bundesliga after moving to join Denmark's Simon Kjaer at Wolfsburg.
Centre-back: Paulo Da Silva (Paraguay)
Yes, Paraguay may have been one of the more defensively minded negative teams that earned the ire of some football fans but you don't grind out your way to the quarter-finals, conceding only one goal along the way, without having a strong defence, and Da Silva was at the heart of this. Sunderland fans might have been surprised at his solidity but Da Silva was a key man for shutting down opponents without picking up a card. There's a reason why this defender has played more minutes of this Paraguayan campaign - both qualifying and the tournament - than any of his team mates.
Full-back: Joan Capdevila (Spain)
A rare beast, being a Spain regular who didn't play for Real Madrid or Barcelona, but Capdevila was easily the most consistent of the World Champions' back four throughout the tournament. The Villarreal man was a calm presence who supported the attack well yet always seemed to be in the right at the right time at the back. Others will get the plaudits but Capdevila was one of the unsung heroes of the Spanish team.
Midfield: Kevin-Prince Boateng (Ghana)
If World Cups were run on sheer never-say-die attitude alone then Kevin-Prince Boateng would be lifting the trophy. With Michael Essien injured, the Portsmouth man became the driving hub of all that was good about Ghana's tournament. Showing the same determination that drove Pompey to an FA Cup Final, Boateng was simply immense, linking defence to attack and covering every single blade of grass for his team. Immense.
Midfield: Xavi (Spain)
A tough choice between the metronomic Spaniard and Bastian Schweinsteiger but Xavi wins out by virtue of the fact he controlled the midfield during the German game, as he did with so many others. A master of the simple pass who very rarely gives the ball away, there's a grace and elegance about the Barcelona player's ability to find space and the perfect pass 99 times out of 100. Often his pass rate eclipsed that of the opposition. If Spain are the best team in the world, then there's a good argument for claiming Xavi as the best player in the world.
Attacking midfield: Wesley Sneijder (The Netherlands)
The Dutch deserved to be in the final, but much of their run came down to the Inter Milan playmaker being in the right place at the right time. As the saying goes, you make your own luck and Sneijder's movement, positional sense and sheer inspirational value to the team went a long way to taking The Netherlands within touching distance of the final prize. His value to the team cannot be measured.
Attacking midfield / forward: Thomas Muller (Germany)
For a player who started the season in Bayern Munich's reserves and didn't win his first full international cap until March, Muller has been nothing short of sensational, and it was a sign of how influential he'd become that much of the pre-match talk of the semi-final focused on what a loss the 20-year-old would be to an already youthful German side. Fearless in attack, his pace and movement left defenders trailing and with five goals and three assists he deservedly took home the Golden Boot. If he continues the develop at this rate he has the potential to become one of the greatest players of the current era.
Attacking midfield / forward: Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Perhaps finally people in England can now talk about Diego Forlan without prefacing him name with the words "Manchester United flop". The Uruguayan has been outstanding at Atletico Madrid this season and simply carried on his domestic form. Whether it was producing one of the performances of the tournament against South Africa or lashing home fantastic goals against Germany and Holland, Forlan was quite simply fantastic. Although the whole Uruguayan team were impressive, Forlan was their heartbeat and deservedly won the Golden Ball. It's just a shame it's taken this long for fans outside of Spain and his native country to wake up to the idea he's a world class player.
Striker: David Villa (Spain)
Spain took a while to get going and one of the reasons they're now celebrating ultimate victory is the form of David Villa early in the the tournament. His slalom through the Honduran defence was a thing of beauty, as was his cool forty-yard goal against Chile. Probably the best striker in the world at the moment and although he didn't score in the last two rounds, he led the line perfectly. While the rest of Spain floated like a butterfly, Villa stung like a bee.
Substitutes: Iker Casillas, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, Diego Lugano, Maicon, John Mensah, Robinho
(Pic via sportabg.com) Read more...
Top 10: World Cup 2010 moments
Tshabalala opens the scoring
A full month ago and then some, Siphiwe Tshabalala got the World Cup off to a great start at Soccer City. South Africa had to settle for a draw against Mexico, but they claimed the first goal of the tournament as Tshabalala raced clear and hit a thunderbolt into the top corner to get me out of my seat and send South Africa wild in celebration. It's a moment that will live on in Tshabalala's memory and in South African sporting history. On the afternoon of 11th June, it was perfection. A great goal at a great point in the match and the competition.
San Martin gets the job done
Argentine striker Martin Palermo found himself back in the national team at the age of 36 during Argentina's qualification in CONMEBOL after a decade-long absence. The Boca Juniors legend was selected by Diego Maradona to join the squad in South Africa and countless Boca supporters and Palermo worshippers got their wish when he made his way onto the pitch in a relatively safe match against Greece in the final group game. I was outright praying for him to get on the scoresheet and when the ball rebounded to him late on there was only one outcome. Martin Palermo scored a goal at World Cup 2010 and he deserved it fully.
Eboue eavesdrops
Emmanuel Eboue always has the potential to be a figure of fun and the Arsenal man didn't disappoint in South Africa. During the final group game in Group G, the Ivory Coast star stood alongside North Korea boss Kim Jong-Hun as he relayed his instructions to a player on the touchline. Nodding approvingly, Eboue headed away from the scene pretending he'd understood every word. Who doesn't love completely unnecessary moments of comic genius?
Honda steals the show
Japan's Keisuke Honda impressed throughout his country's progress in South Africa, and it won't have been a surprise to anyone who's seen him in action during his stay in Europe and more recently in Russia (is that really in Europe these days? - I've no ruddy idea). The highlight of his competition came in Japan's win over Denmark, where Honda's versatile brilliance saw him thump an unorthodox free kick past Thomas Sorensen - making a mockery of the dreaded Jabulani - and a cunning, natural dribble to set up Shinji Okazaki for one of the most under-rated goals of the competition.
Lampard's goal not spotted
When England came up against Germany in the second round it was surrounded by the inevitable hat tips to history and no small amount of jingoistic nonsense. In truth, the difference in quality between the two sides was clear but there was a moment during the game - which turned into a 4-1 hiding - when England drew level. After Matthew Upson had got them back into the game, Frank Lampard hit a half-volley from twenty-some yards which beat Manuel Neuer comfortably before hitting the crossbar and bouncing a good yard behind the line. It was clear to everyone watching on television without a replay, but the goal was not given by the Uruguayan officials. Cue technology "debate".
Suarez and Gyan create night of high drama
Although Ghana's quarter-final with Uruguay won't go down as a classic match overall, the end of extra time was as mind-bending a finale as I've ever seen in a football match. With extra time coming to a close, Ghana had one more throw of the dice which resulted in an almighty goalmouth scramble. Uruguay striker Luis Suarez twice cleared the ball off the goal line, once brilliantly and once blatantly with his hands. The justified penalty and red card were awarded, but a shamed Suarez changed his mood in a flash when Asamoah Gyan's penalty thumped off the crossbar. It was the last kick off the game and led to a penalty shoot-out...
Abreu's penalty
...which was won, in some style, by Sebastian Abreu. The Botafogo forward looked like the coolest man on the planet as he swaggered from the halfway line with not a nerve on show, somehow avoiding the tension of the moment which I was feeling just watching events unfold in London. He took his time placing the ball, stepped back confidently and then delivered a deft, cheeky chip past Richard Kingson and into the net. The calmness of mind to do that in a penalty shoot-out in a dramatic World Cup quarter-final is absolutely mind-boggling. Wonderful stuff.
Germany destroy Argentina
A quarter-final between two of the competition's most aggressive, expansive sides was a mouthwatering prospect, and Argentina v Germany didn't disappoint. However, the final outcome was far more emphatic than I'd imagined (and in favour of the other team, but what do I know?). Germany took an early lead and withstood a period of pressure from the Albicelestes before opening up and tearing Maradona's charges apart with some of the best counter-attacking football on display all summer. Miroslav Klose scored to cap a fantastic break and a very impressive 4-0 victory.
Van Bronckhorst's long-distance swansong
There were some great goals in the competition - Fabio Quagliarella's against Slovakia and Okazaki's against Denmark to name but a couple - but I'd venture to say none were better than 35-year-old Giovanni van Bronckhorst's long-distance piledriver in the Netherlands' semi-final win against Uruguay. It probably stood alone as World Cup 2010's best goal in any case, but was made all the more satisfying by the sense of occasion and the fact that van Bronckhorst had announced that he would retire at the end of the tournament and it set him on the way to a World Cup final swansong.
Iniesta's Jarque tribute
The final may have been a poor advert for football, but its finale in extra time was a moving one. Andres Iniesta celebrated his well-taken winner by removing his shirt and revealing a tribute to Dani Jarque, the 26-year-old Espanyol captain who died of a heart attack in Florence last August. Iniesta's vest apparently read "Dani Jarque, always with us", a fitting and emotional moment to mark Spain's rise to the summit of world football and a poignant way to end the competition. Read more...
Your new world champions: Spain
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Tonight's final against the Netherlands was certainly not a classic. The Dutch had their gameplan, a rudimentary reducing strategy that belied the quality of their better players. Spain did what Spain have done throughout the last month, namely play patiently in the knowledge that their moment would come.
Between them, referee Howard Webb had quite a poor game. I don't think he was quite worth the booing he got when he went to collect his medal, and it was certainly a difficult game to keep tabs on, but for me he made some crucial and worrying errors. The idea that he was trying to keep 22 players on the field is a noble one, but when faced with Nigel de Jong's assault on Xabi Alonso I would argue that a red card was a must.
Webb just never seemed quite in control of the match and when 14 bookings are necessary the referee simply has to be called into question. Yes, it was a difficult game thanks to some cynical and occasionally brutal Dutch tactics. But Webb failed to keep a lid on it.
Spain had the most chances in a goalless and rather limp 90 minutes, but the chance of the game fell to Arjen Robben. Racing clear on goal after springing the Spanish offside trap, the Bayern Munich man just held back his shot a little too long and allowed Iker Casillas the opportunity to save, which he did superbly to crown a very good performance.
Extra time continued in much the same vein, with the inevitable red card happening upon Johnny Heitinga who grabbed at Andres Iniesta who was probably preparing to shoot and picked up his second booking.
With four minutes to go, Iniesta found himself in an even better position and with no such spoiler. A fine finish, a moving celebratory tribute to Dani Jarque and a comfortable finale later and Spain were World Cup winners for the first time.
Congratulations to Vicente del Bosque, captain Casillas and the Spanish squad, who add the top prize in football to their 2008 European Championships victory.
In other news, Germany beat Uruguay 3-2 last night to clinch third place, and Thomas Mueller's five goals and three assists snared him the Golden Shoe. Uruguay's Diego Forlan won the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament and it's tough to make a case for many ahead of him. Well done. Read more...
Puyol powers Spain into the final
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
The quieter of the two semi-finals saw Spain patiently picking away at Germany until the breakthrough finally came just as a sense of frustration began to creep in. For their part, Germany didn't quite open up their possession-hogging opponents. Spain's ability to keep the ball and knack of finding a goal from somewhere, anywhere, is a scary thought for opposing sides.
For once that goal came direct from a set piece than from the in-form David Villa, and it took Spain straight from their first ever successful quarter-final into Sunday's World Cup final at Soccer City.
There, they'll face a Netherlands team looking to make its own history. In 2010, we will have new world champions. Roll on Sunday. Read more...
Netherlands head for the final
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
The first half was absorbing but arguably lacking in outright excitement, but the teams went in at half time level at 1-1 thanks to a stunning long range strike from Giovanni van Bronckhorst - a real contender for goal of the competition - and a spinning shot from Maarten Stekelenburg should have been able to palm over the crossbar.
From the kick off in the second period it was a gripping 45 minutes. The game was won with around 20 minutes to go. Wesley Sneijder's low shot snuck in off the post after a series of lucky deflections, including a possible touch from Robin van Persie. There's an argument that the Arsenal striker was offside, but for me it was so close to call that criticism either way would be unfair.
Three minutes later, Arjen Robben rose in the area to thump in a wonderful header to make it 3-1 and send the Dutch to the final against Spain or Germany. Maximiliano Pereira's lovely finish from a short free kick in the 92nd minute made for a spectacular climax as Uruguay desperately pushed for an equaliser and the clock ticked on and on. Sadly for them, it wasn't to be.
After the match, all the talk was about the Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel. Even in a very physical and quite spiky match, that rotten little scrote managed to stand out. How he didn't pick up a yellow card until the 94th minute is beyond me. He should've been dismissed far earlier.
Still, congratulations to Holland. You want Germany to get through tomorrow now, don't you? Admit it. Read more...
TFT World Cup Podcast No.7
With four games to go, World Cup 2010 continues to thrill, entertain and surprise. Far from the criticism that seems to be directed at this year's tournament, I think this has been a competition for the hardcore football supporters rather than the more casual fans. FIFA won't be pleased with that, but it has been fantastic to watch as a result.
In the penultimate World Cup show, Chris Nee and Gary Andrews are joined in the studio by one-time podcast host Theo Delaney and regular guest Terry Duffelen to pick over four dramatic quarter finals.
We examine the Netherlands victory over a Brazil side which seemed to lose its customary discipline as soon as the tide began to turn against them, and Germany's emphatic thumping of Argentina. We discuss penalties with reference to Paraguay v Spain and, of course, the infamous Luis Suarez handball in Uruguay's win over Ghana.
On top of all that, we make some blind predictions ahead of the semi-finals, which see Uruguay take on the Netherlands and Germany try to upset Spain.
Enjoy the show.
Please leave your comments below, follow us on Twitter, be our fan on Facebook and send your questions and comments to twofootedtackle[at]googlemail[dot]com - we also want audio contributions to the show, so feel free to get in touch about that.
You can listen to the latest episode below:
Download link (mp3, 44mb, 64 mins)
TFT Podcast Ep 58 preview
Monday, 5 July 2010
We're all set for an action-packed podcast thanks to a few days of cracking World Cup action. We might even struggle to fit it all in when we hit Studio 31 to record the show this evening!
Looking back over the quarter-finals, there's plenty to cover. On Friday, Brazil looked unstoppable even in the first half against the Netherlands but collapsed to a 2-1 defeat thanks to what will now go down as a brace from Wesley Sneijder. We also lost the most successful African side with Ghana losing out on penalties to Uruguay after a few minutes of tournament-defining drama.
On Saturday, Germany laid down a real marker with a very impressive 4-0 demolition of Argentina. In the last four they'll face Spain, who emerged unscathed with a 1-0 victory from a bizarre game against Paraguay. We'll be looking ahead to that semi-final and Uruguay's test against the Netherlands in the penultimate World Cup show.
Joining Chris Nee and Gary Andrews in the studio to do so tonight will be one-time TFT Podcast presenter Theo Delaney and pod regular Terry Duffelen, co-founder of Socrates and one-third of the brains behind the Football Fairground.
Keep your eyes peeled around 9.30am on Tuesday for the show's release.
Arne Friedrich travels from Hertha Hades to World Cup Wonderland in a year
This is a guest post from podcast regular and one-third of the brains behind Football Fairground, Terry Duffelen.
"The home side took an early lead through club captain Arne Friedrich. He waved away the congratulations of his team mates to run up the other end of the pitch and celebrate with the fans. His fist held aloft in triumph, no doubt Friedrich was making a statement, drawing a line if you will. The rot stops here guys and the only way is up. Half an hour later they were 3-1 down..."Those words were written in post from last season's Bundesbag which pretty much exemplified the German defender and his club Hertha Berlin's campaign: Defeat, humiliation and relegation. After a wretched Bundesliga season, the Hertha captain would have looked forward to the World Cup with blessed relief.
Of course, but for the injury to Heiko Westermann, it is possible that Friedrich would have spent most of the World Cup on the bench. The Schalke player had played alongside Per Mertesacker through the latter period of the qualifying campaign and was expected to be first choice for the Finals But with him out of the picture, he was slotted into a German back four that was (or wasn't) expected, not only to block out the Sun for some of the World's best players but do so without a defensive midfield to support them.
The results have been spectacular. Thus far Germany have conceded only two goals and have demonstrated the kind of defensive discipline associated with the great teams of old while their youthful attack orientated midfield continues to challenge the stereotypes of German football.
As a centre half and club captain, Friedrich might would have been forgiven for believing that his career was in danger of entering the doldrums. However, a magnificent run in the World Cup and a move to Steve McClaren's Wolfsburg has turned things around. To cap things off, he found himself on the end of a magnificent run from Bastian Schweinsteiger to score Germany's third goal in their 4-0 demolition of Argentina, his first for Die Mannschaft in 77 games.
At thirty one, the centre back is entering the peak of his powers and should Germany overcome Spain to make it to the World Cup Final it will cap off a season of contrasting emotions. Last August, most Hertha fans would have been looking ahead to another exciting season after having challenged for the Bundesliga title in 2008/09. In fact the complete opposite happened and Hertha endured a dismal campaign in which the club only won five games and spent almost the entire season at the bottom of the league.
Friedrich, who had spent most of his career in the capital was facing the possibility of Second Division football and occupying a peripheral role in the World Cup. How quickly things have changed. A World Cup semi-finalist who has already had a street named after him, well sort of.
However, with each passing game the challenge becomes more intense. Spain's attacking triumvirate of David Villa, Andres Iniesta and the albeit misfiring, Fernando Torres are, on their day, capable of making even the most well drilled defenders look like they're playing with four pints of heavy from the Lamb & Flag in their bellies.
And if Germany can see their way passed the European Champions there is the strong likelihood of a World Cup Final against their fierce rivals the Dutch. There couldn't be a more satisfying way for Friedrich to lay the ghosts of Hertha for good.
(Pic via soomaalidamaanta.com) Read more...
Penalty goals: a load of rubbish
Sunday, 4 July 2010
To further stoke my ire, it has been said to me by people who know nothing about football, who only care about football for one month in every four years. I don't mind millions of casual fans jumping on the bandwagon for the World Cup because that's part of its charm and helps to make it into a unifying, exciting experience. But their opinions on the game and its Laws don't mean a damned thing to me. Talk of "other sports" doing something better - "they do it in rugby and it works fine" - means in my opinion that the person uttering it does not understand the basic culture of universality and superiority in football.
Football might not be 'different' to or above other sports, but its belief that it is, that it is somehow special, is part of what attracts me to the game. So when some fairweather fan starts sharing his opinion about football because he's watched a couple of World Cup games and listened to the television pundits talking nonsense about something he doesn't understand, he'd better be prepared for an angry retort.
However, I have been taken aback at the number of genuine football people who've come up with this particular suggestion and because I respect and value what they have to say, I think it deserves more thought than "shut up you idiot" which is what the fly-by-nighters have been getting from me this weekend. I'm talking, of course, about the penalty goal, the idea that the punishment for handball on the line should be a red card and an automatic goal.
In my view, there is absolutely no justification for such a rule change. Calls for it to come into play have been made by lots of people for whom I have no time, and a few for whom I have all the time in the world. Let's be clear about why people think this rule change is necessary. Most people were behind Ghana on Friday night and the way in which they were knocked out was especially difficult to take. On top of that, it took place so dramatically and so late in the day that a lot of emotion has been involved in the reaction. It's likely some of the response comes down to Suarez having spent much of the competition trying to con referees, a trait that usually engenders a fair amount of distaste.
Nobody called for Harry Kewell to have his ban extended for the same offence (also against Ghana, of course) or for a goal to be automatically awarded, so are we now talking about adapting the rules to circumstances and the strength of public opinion? Are we going to change the rules for extra time, or for the last five minutes, or for bigger games? I'm sorry, but that's b*llocks. The rules are the rules and they should be constant from park football to the World Cup final, from the first minute until the last.
It's very important not to overlook the importance of the goal line in football. I don't care about penalty tries, penalty corners or any of the decisions that can be awarded in other sports. For me, no goal should ever be awarded unless the goal crosses the line. It really is as simple as that. In the case of Ghana on Friday, it is very unfortunate that Suarez chose to bat the ball off the line with his hands, but at no point did the ball cross the line. No goal was scored, and that must remain true regardless of the injustice involved.
What we must remember in all this is that the circumstances of this particular incident were so specific as to make any calls for change nothing more than knee-jerk. The last African team in the 2010 World Cup would, were it not for a pair of Uruguayan hands, would have been the first to ever reach a World Cup semi-final. What's beautiful about football is that the rule for that set of circumstances is the same there as it is at the most badly attended non-league match. Ghana were unfortunate in its timing, but ordinarily a red card and a penalty would be enough to both deter and punish.
No alternative would be necessary or effective, or suit the culture of football. Read more...
Bob Bradley: an outsider's perspective
Asamoah Gyan's goal in extra time marked the end of the USA's World Cup 2010 campaign and it wasn't long before the debate began about the future of the coach. The 52-year-old New Jerseyite took charge of the national team in 2006 after its disappointing performance in Germany that summer. He'd been the under-23s coach after spells in Major League Soccer with Chicago, New York and Chivas USA, but many were surprised when he was given the head coach role with departed Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann being lined up for the job.
Four years later, US Soccer seems to be facing the same choice once more. The calls for Bradley to be sacked are mounting, although they are far from unanimous. Klinsmann has again been putting forward his views on American football and appears to be the favourite to take the job should Bradley be removed or choose to remove himself.
Criticisms of Bradley over the last few years have been many and various. The team's tactical style under him has been distinctly un-American. It carries no brashness, operating instead on the understanding that the side might not have eleven world class individuals, but it would be solid, fast and have the quality to punish most teams in international football should a mistake be made. Bradley has, at different points, placed too much or not enough emphasis on the clubs his players were employed by rather than whether they were actually playing. He is occasionally denigrated for lacking charisma.
As a keen US football observer looking in on the US national team from the outside, I take the minority view: Bradley should stay.
Over the last four years, American football has grown up significantly. Domestically, MLS has expanded into new and established markets to grow into a 16-team league with more to come in 2011 and 2012. During that time, the league has produced a number of players who represent the country at international level and they've been managed well. The growth of MLS - whether it becomes a top league in its own right or a breeding ground for foreign leagues - means that the national team manager will need to know the league. Bradley does, and for me he is yet to fail.
He is capable of reacting to the events of a game like few other coaches are. The introduction of Benny Feilhaber against Ghana completely changed the complexion of the match. Against England and Slovenia, the USA went behind (a justifiable concern in itself) but came back to get a result. When the team desperately needed a goal in the dying moments against Algeria, Landon Donovan popped up to provide it. All in all, the 2010 campaign should be seen not necessarily as a success, but as progress.
So too should Bradley's four years so far as a whole. The USA qualified for South Africa at the top of the hexagonal table and with room to spare, despite one or two significant blips - but that's the nature of qualifying. In World Cup 2010, despite the significant adversity posed by Charlie Davies' injuries, the late recovery of Oguchi Onyewu and early goals conceded in two of their three matches, the USA's progress to the second round never looked in doubt. As we've seen since, Ghana are nobody's fools, and the Americans forced them into extra time largely because of substitutions made by Bradley early enough to have the desired effect.
And let's not forget last summer, which saw the USA faced with two competitions in quick succession which were superbly managed by Bradley and his staff despite an inauspicious start. In the Confederations Cup, the USA scraped through their group but went on to become the first team to defeat Spain in a long while and then forced Brazil to reach their limits in order to beat them in the final. In the CONCACAF Gold Cup, a third-string squad went all the way to the final where it was comfortably defeated by Mexico but put in a good showing overall.
For me, the status quo in American football - particularly at international level - is good and improving. So why change? Having a coach who reads the game like Bradley and knows how to affect it from the dugout is something other teams can only dream of. He may not be perfect, but the longer he's kept on, the better he'll become. The grass, as they say, isn't always greener. Perhaps the US football community should remember that Klinsmann's performance with Germany four years ago might have been a fluke. Bradley's last four years almost certainly were not.
(Pic via This Is London) Read more...
Spain dodge penalty madness to edge out Paraguay
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Paraguay were awarded a penalty just before the hour mark, but Oscar Cardozo's spot kick was saved by Iker Casillas. Something to remember given the events of the following few minutes: several Spain players had encroached into the penalty area as Cardozo struck his shot.
A matter of seconds after Cardozo's miss, Spain had a penalty of their own. Xabi Alonso stepped up and coolly found the net, only for a retake to be demanded on the basis that encroachment by a Spanish player had taken place. When Alonso's retake was saved, referee Carlos Batres failed to see a blatant foul by the goalkeeper on Cesc Fabregas as he prepared to shoot during the ensuing melee.
With less than ten minutes to go, Spain got their winner. Iniesta pressed towards goal before knocking a clever pass out to Pedro, whose shot hit the upright and bounced out in the direction of David Villa. The new Barcelona signing composed himself and bent in a shot that eventually found the net after striking both posts.
Spain will play Germany in a mouth-watering semi-final. Read more...
Stunning Germany thump Argentina
It's not so promising for them now. Brazil took out Chile and then got knocked out by a European side, the Netherlands, who are beginning to look a real threat. And although Uruguay scraped through in dramatic circumstances last night, we now know that 2010 will not go down in history as a South American World Cup.
This afternoon, Argentina's entertaining run came to an end in emphatic fashion, the Albicelestes finding themselves on the end of a 4-0 hiding from a simply brilliant Germany side.
It took less than three minutes for Thomas Mueller, who put in a breathtaking performance along with Bastian Schweinsteiger, to head Joachim Low's team into the lead. Germany had the best of the rest of the first half and deservedly led at the break.
For a period in the second half Argentina looked dangerous and certain to equalise, but that spell ended when Miroslav Klose tapped in the second in the 67th minute. Less than ten later, it was three. Schweinsteiger's powerful, skillful run took him to the line and he cut back for Arne Friedrich to make the game safe.
To add insult to injury, the Germans added a fourth goal in the dying moments. A perfectly weighted cross from Mesut Ozil found Klose in space behind the back marker and he hit a lovely finish into the bottom corner.
The downside for Low is that Mueller will miss out on the semi-final against Spain or Paraguay after picking up a yellow card.
Farewell, El Diego... Read more...
Suarez handball helps Uruguay into semis
Friday, 2 July 2010
After a decent first half, Sulley Muntari was given far too much space 35 yards from goal and found a low drive into the bottom corner to give Ghana the lead against Uruguay in time added on. It completely wrong-footed the goalkeeper and sparked celebrations for the majority of the 84,000 people inside Soccer City.
Diego Forlan's brilliant free kick in the second half took the game into extra time and the end of the 30 minutes was as dramatic a passage of football as I've ever seen.
Ghana were incorrectly awarded a free kick, and it led to an almighty goalmouth scramble in which two Ghanaian players should have been called offside. Luis Suarez blocked on shot brilliantly on the line and then batted a second away with his hands. He was rightly sent off, and Asamoah Gyan was tasked with putting Ghana in the semi-final with the final kick of the game. He missed, and Suarez celebrated like a maniac in the mouth of the tunnel after keeping his team in the World Cup.
As I'd suggested to those around me, Gyan stepped up for Ghana's first penalty and leveled the shoot-out at 1-1 with a confident, powerful kick. John Mensah's pathetic penalty was saved by Fernando Muslera, before Maxi Pereira skied his kick to give the Black Stars a chance. Unfortunately for them, Muslera was equal to Dominic Adiyiah's low penalty and left Uruguay needing just one more goal to go through.
What happened next defies belief. Sebastian Abreu strolled up to the penalty area looking completely unmoved by the occasion. He took his time placing the ball, with no nerves showing whatsoever. I was already amazed by his confidence before he took his shot, a deft, cheeky chip down the middle and into the net. Unbelievable stuff.
I have my views on the Suarez handball, which may be retrospectively punished even though it was punished on the spot - I'll be blogging those at some point, but not now. Gyan looked absolutely heartbroken after the shoot-out and will do well to bounce back.
(Pic via Bleacher Report) Read more...
Sneijder header sends Brazil crashing out
The Netherlands drew level when a routine set piece resulted in Wesley Sneijder's cross finding its way into the net past a stranded Julio Cesar via Melo's head. 15 minutes later, a corner was flicked on and Sneijder got himself on the scoresheet to put Holland in front.
From there, Brazil imploded. Melo fouled Arjen Robben and then clearly stamped on the stricken winger, earning himself a deserved and stupid red card from referee Yuichi Nishimura and leaving his team on its way out of the competition.
It was an irresistible second half from the Dutch side and one has to admire their performance because it was simply superb. They will face the winner of tonight's match between Uruguay and Ghana in the semi final. Read more...
FA confirms Capello's job is safe
"We are all still extremely disappointed at our performance in South Africa, and we believed it was important that we took some time to reflect on everything in a calm and considered manner back in England. After fully discussing our performance we remain convinced that Fabio is the best man for the job. He went into the World Cup with a reputation as one of World football’s finest managers and we are confident Fabio will benefit from his first international tournament experience and this will undoubtedly make us all stronger for the Euro 2012 campaign."The team's performance in South Africa was nothing short of disgraceful and, in my view at least, indicated very serious problems with English football culturally, stylistically and morally. I stand by every word of my post-mortem post, drafted on the evening after England's defeat to Germany, including my concerns about Capello.
Those concerns probably require some clarification. If - and it's a big if - Capello is willing and able to adapt his squad selection, team choice and tactical system to better suit international tournament football, I'd love nothing more than for him to continue as England boss and oversee what I hope will be significant structural and developmental change. Capello is a managerial icon in European football and it still amazes me that he coaches our national team. However, I worry that he doesn't have the flexibility or modern insight that I believe, post-Bloemfontein, is required to succeed in the World Cup.
That being said, I see no reason to trust him with the short-term future of the England team and I think his involvement would benefit deeper change if indeed the wider problems are ever addressed.
All in all, I think this is a prudent move by the FA and one which indicates that they are not, probably wisely, going to make a rash decision based on one tournament. Is this cause to hope that the governing body is beginning to think beyond the team's immediate prospects, or is it simply a call made on a financial basis? It's certainly cheaper for England to keep Capello than it would be to sack and then replace him.
Either way, one has to wonder what on earth Richards was playing at when he supposedly told Capello that a decision would be made in two weeks. It sounds very much as if the decision taken by the board was not a difficult or time-consuming one, and as such surely a swift and emphatic dismissal of any speculation would have been more appropriate. Earlier this week, there seemed to be a feeling emanating from the FA that it should observe a period of solemn introspection as per public demand - just ask Ashley Cole and Ledley King, ludicrously forbidden amusement by our idiotic tabloid press. Regardless, the two-week red herring could and should have been avoided.
Of course, it's entirely possible that Richards simply failed to persuade Capello to resign.
The bigger issues remain, but despite my instinct that Capello's flaws slightly outweigh his excellence for this particular job I would argue stability at the top isn't a bad thing. Now, about those chairman and chief executive shaped holes...
(Pic via calciobook.it) Read more...
TFT World Cup Podcast No.6
Suddenly, there are just eight World Cup matches left in South Africa. It's just whizzed by, hasn't it?
The quarter finals begin today and there are some very exciting games in prospect. This afternoon Brazil take on the Netherlands in what could bring out the most defensive or the most adventurous in both sides. Dunga and Bert van Marwijk both understand the value of defensive robustness but the footballing romantics among us can rest easy this morning in the knowledge that the likes of Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Robinho and Luis Fabiano could make this one a real thriller.
Tonight, it's Uruguay's turn to fly the collective South American flag. Previous podcast guest Tim Morgan said on his most recent appearance that Uruguay have a useful blend of talent. Their defence (as a team) has become the stuff of World Cup 2010 folklore, and is matched at the other end of the field by the in-form split strikers, Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan. Their challenge, though, is a difficult one. Ghana played their second round game against the USA with a definite swagger after just two goals in their group.
Tomorrow, the most anticipated quarter final sees 2006 rivals Argentina and Germany meet once again, and both will now have a whiff of the trophy in their nostrils. Germany's youthful verve and enthusiasm is supported by significant talent, but may well have met its match in the Albicelestes. Diego Maradona's team has some wily old characters and the attacking brilliance to put Germany under real pressure for the first time in the competition. But don't you fancy Miroslav Klose, Thomas Mueller, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Ozil against Argentina's back line? I know I do.
The last of the quarters should be the most routine, but it might not be emphatic. Spain should beat Paraguay but will have to step up their game to make it a comfortable evening for Vicente del Bosque.
Chris Nee and Gary Andrews are joined in the studio to preview all these games and make outrageous predictions by returning guest Tom Phillips and first-timer Chris Applegate. Tune in to see how wrong we all are, and enjoy the weekend. We'll be back on Tuesday morning.
Please leave your comments below, follow us on Twitter, be our fan on Facebook and send your questions and comments to twofootedtackle[at]googlemail[dot]com - we also want audio contributions to the show, so feel free to get in touch about that.
You can listen to the latest episode below:
Download link (mp3, 35mb, 50 mins)
Aguirre quits Mexico post
Thursday, 1 July 2010
An emotional Javier Aguirre has resigned from his position as Mexico coach following El Tri's World Cup exit, ending a 15-month tenure that began when Sven-Goran Eriksson was ushered gleefully out of CONCACAF.
Aguirre pointed out at his final press conference that the future of Mexico lies with the younger players and in that sense there is promise for a better future for the side. At times, Mexico have looked excellent in South Africa. For a period against South Africa and in the matches against France and Argentina, the team showed a lot of positive signs.
(Pic via esmas.com) Read more...
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