Germany Pushes Through to Semis

Is it Germany's year? It must seem so after yesterday's grueling classic. It was the first game in which the Germans looked rattled. The Argentine team speed gave them fits. Klose's not-so-close marking gave Argentina a well-deserved lead. At that point, I confess, I thought it was over.

And it may have been had Coach Jose Pekerman not remove Juan Riquelme from the field in the 71st minute. Without their field general, Argentina was a different team and it was only a matter of time before the Germans scored. (Pekerman did the right thing by resigning after the game. He may also want to consider the Witness Protection Program. He will not be popular in Argentina). Also in that vein, how do you leave Lionel Messi on the bench in this game? Those two decisions are about as incompetent as you'll witness at this level.

Many commentators have said this was an ugly match, but I thought it was wonderful. Sure, the level of soccer was not at the level these two teams can perform at, but soccer is sometimes like that. When the stakes are this high, the nerves get frayed, the players play more physically and the match is more like a prizefight than a dance. But what can you criticize about 120 minutes of dramatic football with two deserving teams having their fate reduced to a shootout? No, this was a great match that kept me on the edge of my seat for 2 hours. Unfortunately for the stadium announcer, he let his emotions get to him.

It was great to see Gunner keeper Jens Lehman perform heroically in the PK shootout. He looked like he had Argentina's number. The man is a scientist of the goal. Even Robo-Kahn congratulated him after the match (or maybe he punched him. I don't know. The cameras pulled away quickly, perhaps fearing more violence).

Germany-Italy is going to be a great match-up as well. I give the Germans the edge, but Italy matches up well with the Germans in size and team play. It will be a defensive match for certain.

On the other hand, Der Spiegel is getting offensive prior to the match. Call them what you want, but in my informal survey of female football fans, the Italians are the best-looking team left standing. Questions about the looks of the English, German and French teams elicited groans of disgust. Nonetheless, I retain my pick of Germany to win the match.

Quarterfinals Begin Today

It's been difficult to post this week. I'm trying to catch up on all the backlogged World Cup games I have. Finally dispensed with France-Togo last night. While not exactly a great match, it did reveal a French side starting to find an attacking personality and presaged the victory against Spain.

Speaking of said match, France-Spain was one of the highlights of this cup, so far. A great match that was close until the last 5 minutes and featured two teams pressing for goals. I am impressed with the French side, which I had previously criticized (rightly so) for its lack of purpose and attack. Frank Ribery in the midfield is a dynamo. He attacks with great pace and puts huge pressure on defenses. Patrick Vieira...wow, it's great to see Patrick Vieira playing like Patrick Vieira again. This is the player that dominated the center of the field in the EPL for so many years. Yes, Patrick, going to Juventus was a huge mistake, but now you remember how to play. And Willie Sagnol in the back is a revelation. First time I've seen this Bayern Munich player. He's not much of a physical specimen, but he gets in the way of any attack and just disrupts it. He reads the ball exceptionally and is one of those players who just seems to know a little bit more about the game than his opponent. And, of course, Thierry Henry. He's started to come out of his WC scoring drought and I expect to see more from the Best Player in the World. Oh, and Zidane looks like a crazed man on a mission. Suddenly, Les Bleus look special again.

For France-Brazil, I'm going to make a stupid prediction. France wins this one. I think France is peaking, while Brazil still struggle. How do you get outplayed by Ghana and still win 3-0? Brazil will probably win (because they're Brazil) and make me look like an ass, but I like the way France is playing and I'm going to go with them for now. Ronaldo is scoring goals again, though he is still fat.

...if France loses, it will be Fabien Barthez's fault.

OK. But for today's games...I'm picking Germany over Argentina. Earlier I had it reversed, but Germany is ascendant. They are playing great, attacking soccer and just look very confident and composed up and down the pitch. This should be one of the great matches this tournament and could go either way. Both teams are very strong, and playing excellent football.

England-Portugal. I haven't picked England for anything yet, so I will pick them to win. I think the players not on the field will be the difference. Not anything that England does. Rooney will score a goal and that will be the difference. England will lose in the Semis, however.

As for the other quarter, if Italy loses to Ukraine, they should retire from international competition.

Some football fans would say that nothing rivals the thrill of football. Researchers agree. Speaking of footballs fans, the ladies have discovered that footballers are handsome lads and are watching in record numbers.

More on Refs and how much they suck this year. And the Bruce Arena Goodwill Tour rolls on. How low would you go to score World Cup tickets? How about impersonating a disabled person?

Just when you think the refereeing couldn't get any worse, along comes the Russian. I haven't seen a game get out of hand this badly before. Well, at least this World Cup is setting records.

New Scientist has assembled a list of soccer-related science papers. Some very interesting information and suppositions here. And for a suite of videos of Ronaldinho bending the laws of physics check out youtube.

Incredible Match Today

A classic game was played in Germany today between Argentina and Mexico. 120 minutes of football, punch and counterpunch back and forth on the field. Mexico, which to date, had disappointed in its group stage games, played like their capable of doing, pushing the attack and playing physical defense. The Tricolores scored in the 6th minute on a set piece header from Rafael Marquez. Argentina came back 3 minutes later with a Mexico own goal off a corner kick that was caused by pressure from Hernan Crespo. At that point, Argentina looked like they were going to take command of the game and put a few more on the board, but Mexico refused and the two teams settled in for 80 more regular time minues and 30 overtime minutes of slug it out soccer.

The difference was Argentina's ability to replace its front line in the late stages with young guns Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi. They kept Mexico's defense spread out, allowing Maxi Rodriquez the split second it took to launch perhaps the greatest strike of this World Cup. After that, their pressure kept Mexico worried enough about the attack that reduced their options for the quick counterattack. It was a great game and hats off to the Mexican team for a great performance.

I haven't watched the entire Germany-Sweden game yet. I only saw the first 15 minutes, but that's where all the scoring was with the German soccer machine running at peak, ruthless efficiency. I'll have to see if they played as well through the rest of the game, but the first 15 minutes had me re-thinking my prediction that Argentina would down them in the quarterfinals. Argentina's defense had difficulty all game long with Jared Borghetti. If they think he's tough, wait until they see Klose and Podolski and Co.

Football players and plans always complain about the refs. There's a saying that there are two kinds of referees. Bad referees. And worse referees. Anyone who disputes that would have a hard time making their case after this World Cup. I have yet to see a game in which the referees didn't make at least one egregious call. The offsides call on Argentina's goal at the end of regulation was a blown call, and should've ended the game there. But usually it's been more than just one bad call (and offsides is a massively tricky and close call to make). Graham Poll had a nightmare game with the Croats and Australians, even citing one player with 3 yellow cards before deciding to issue the red. The confused fellow in charge of the US-Italy game had a horrid night. And all in all, this Cup's crop of refs are issuing cards as if they're in for bonuses. The downside is its marring what is otherwise an exhilarating tournament. Let's hope that the further rounds see refereeing equal to the level of the football.

And one music related item:

I just heard a new version of Gang of Four's I Love a Man in a Uniform from the Return the Gift album. This version rocks, with hard-edged guitar and none of the girl back-up singers from the original version. Great song. I'm going to have to pick up this album

Calls Build: US Coach Out

Following up my last post about coaching vacancies, US coach Bruce Arena was a quick target for critics, following the Americans' crash-out of the group stage yesterday. I have to agree with the calls for fresh blood at top. Arena was clearly out of ideas for this cup. Four shots on goal in three games and only 1 goal (of our own)?! Disastrous.

Further, Arena is a prickly and arrogant personality. Not exactly the type of person to build support for the US team. Following the 2 losses, all Arena could is blame his players (yea, sure they were at fault, but a coach accepts the responsibility for his team) and the refs.

I'd like to the US team get serious and go after a major coach with top-flight experience. Klinsman's probably a long-shot but the fact he lives in America is enticing. Zico or Guus Hiddink would be great choices, as well. Each has done well with their current teams. I especially like the attacking style Hiddink has brought to the Socceroos. Or we could look at someone like Martin O'Neill, a great manager at Celtic, who is looking to get back in the game. Assuming he would move to America, he'd bring a great talent for picking talent and arranging a strong side. Plus, we love Irish accents and O'Neill would no doubt do a great job selling the game here.

Today's Action

Great game today from Ivory Coast, who finally got their game on track. They were shaky in defense at first and went down 2-0 before climbing back in style. Two of the goals came from PKs, but their offense was attacking and energetic. Too bad, they'll have to wait until 2010 for another crack.

Argentina and Netherlands promised to be a corker, but the two titans of Group of Death I were disappointingly incomplete in a nil-nil draw. Both sides left several key players (who had fell victim to the contagious yellow card flu spreading like wildfire in Germany) off the pitch, which reduced the effectiveness of each team. Argentina, to my eyes, looked the better side, but like Netherlands couldn't seem to figure out the last 10% of the attack. Despite many chances to score, both teams failed to find the back of the net.

Portugal looked very good in defeating Mexico, a team that I thought would surprise, but has instead disappointed during this tournament.

Quick Hook
Talk about a tough business. The whistle ending the match had barely stopped reverberating and Iran had already fired its football association president, with the coaches and star Daei sure to follow. Serbia's coach has quit (quite obviously before he was fired, or worse). Togo's coach has already quit, and come back...during the Cup.

One coach who has got to be on his way out is France's Domenech. Is there a better team with worse results? How can a team studded with stars, including one of the world's great strikers Thierry Henry, score so few goals? The French remind me of the English team. They would be better with a real coach.

What is that they say about football coaches? They usually go the same way they came, fired with enthusiasm.

I'm sure we're set to see several more coaches get quick axings as the group play completes.

Oh, Faux Pas! Apparently, a Ghanaian player pulled the wrong flag out of his shorts in the game with Saudia Arabia. This crap all got started with Terrell Owens in the NFL and has spread bird-flu-like across the globe and across sports. I say give players a red card if they pull a prop to celebrate a goal.

A Dreary England Gets Drearier

I watched the England-Sweden game tonight and have to say that my limited confidence in England has become even more limited. Lampard looks lost without his Chelsea crew around him. Joe Cole is dangerous, but Beckham on the other side is a dud. Can the guy mark at all. That 1st Sweden goal (a beautiful combo play, nonetheless) was on Beckham's shoulder. He wasn't in 5 yards of Allbeck. For the Swede, it was like training.

Oh, and the idea of Beckham as captain is a joke. This guy's got all the leadership ability of a boy scout. Look at the lack of aggressiveness of the 3 Lions toward the end of the game. Someone slap Paul Robinson upside the head for me, will you. First team goalkeepers at the World Cup have to come out on those bouncing balls in the six. The first goal was Beck's fault. The 2nd was Robinson's (although 2 other defenders were ball watching in the box, too).

Robinson's rightly worried about set piece defense. Whether he knows what to do about it, is another question.

Tough, tough break for Michael Owen. What's he played, about 5 games in 2006? The way that knee buckled it looks like it'll be 2007 before he returns to the pitch. Let's see add Wayne Rooney, subtract Michael Owen. You're ahead, but just. And I don't believe in Peter Crouch as an International level quality striker. He does OK in the EPL but has not impressed me during the WC. This team flames out in the 2nd round. I see Ecuador beating them (yes, despite the pasting they got from Germany, a team that looks to be peaking in a ferocious way).

So, 36 games in, I've re-organized my predictions. Here they are: In the quarters, Argentina scrapes by Germany (I could go either way in this match), Italy beats Ukraine, Netherland beats down upstart Ecuador, and the shocker, Spain pastes Brazil 4-2. In the semis, Argentina outslugs Italy in a physical, defensive battle and Spain beats Netherlands. I'm going with Spain over Argentina (Hey, with the UEFA Cup and Champions Cup, it's Spain's year) in the final, but I may change my mind on this as we get closer. Both sides are high quality.