World Cup 2010

[Slick Mongoose]

Warm up games starting this week. England vs Mexico tonight.

It'll be an amusing footnote to the Triesman debacle if one of England's best players miss the world cup due to the terrible state of our flagship pitch.

[Padraig]

Since there was some discussion in the last thread.

Spain's squad:

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Manuel 'Pepe' Reina (Liverpool), Victor Valdes (Barcelona).

Defenders: Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).

Midfielders: Xabier Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Javier Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), David Silva (Valencia), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona).

Forwards: Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Juan Manuel Mata (Valencia), Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Valencia).

[Renasko]

I'll be interested to see who lines up in the backline. I would not select Puyol, but I am not expecting Del Bosque to agree with me.

I'd go with: Ramos, Albiol, Pique, Arbeloa.

[Slick Mongoose]

I think that Spain side can be beaten in much the same way as Barcelona were. Absorb the presure and hit them on the counter.

Brazil are probably the side to do it.

[Black Wizard]

I don't forsee Portugal winning the World Cup after tonight's performance. :lol: :lol:

[Slick Mongoose]

I don't forsee Portugal winning the World Cup after tonight's performance. :lol: :lol:

Or Capa Verde are better than we ever imagined.... :P

[Padraig]

Portugal 0-0 Cape Verde Islands

Ouch. Portugal have been struggling for a while though.

I think that Spain side can be beaten in much the same way as Barcelona were. Absorb the presure and hit them on the counter.

Brazil are probably the side to do it.

The one advantage that Spain have over Barcelona is that they probably have better out and out strikers. Or had anyhow, given Villa's move. The midfield being injury free would be a massive help also.

Although yes, at the same time, Brazil do seem to be designed to defeat Spain.

[Fireball07]

Listening to Portuguese people, I'm not too surprised. They've been moaning about Queiroz for months.

[polishgenius]

It's amazing that someone who's so good an assistant is so woefully inadequate as a manager.

[polishgenius]

Japan's coach tried to resign last night after losing 2-0 to South Korea... having already submitted his 23-man squad and all that. Of course the Japanese FA told him to suck it up and see this mess through to the end, but what a tart.

[Lord O' Bones]

Japanese leader of men asked his lord if he could commit figurative suicide after a failure. Sounds pretty normal to me.

[Renasko]

I was surprised to read today that Scott McDonald has not been included in the Australia squad. The coach explained they only play with one striker, Kennedy (ala Mark Viduka) and with two wingers, so there was no place for him. I'd fear for Australia's chances if they find themselves faced with needing to score a goal or two and having little forward options to bulk things up. Or even worse, if Josh Kennedy were to pick up an injury.

[Hereward]

Australia have a futebol team? The World Cup is really going downhill, it's hardly worth winning anymore. Why can they not stick to baseball and that funny game where they wear vests and hug each other very tightly?

[Alcibiades]

Ha, that's funny about the Japan coach.

I'm going to the USMNT game today vs. the Czech Republic. I'm really hoping we look organized at the back. Looking forward to seeing how well Onyewu has recovered. I also hear Beasley has looked good in camp, so maybe he can impress.

It'll be nice if we can get a small bit of payback against the Czechs, for that defeat they served us in 2006.

[Iskaral Pust]

A pity I missed the discussion on Argentina. My brother and I spent 30+ minutes on the telephone at the weekend discussing their chances. His betting strategy is $20 each on Holland and Argentina at 10-1 and $10 on Spain at 4-1 to recover his stakes on the other two. So he'll break even if Spain win, and make a lot if Holland or Argentina win.. I like the Dutch a lot, but I think I would like longer odds on Argentina to compensate for a cuckoo manager, no discernible width in the strongest players and the absence of Cambiasso.

What's the situation with sport betting in the US? Is on-line gambling illegal now? Would I have to fly to Las Vegas to place some bets on the WC? I don't think I've ever placed a bet on anything since I moved here, but it would be a fun way to focus the thinking in the next week or two.

[Renasko]

The biggest advantage the Dutch have going into this, as I see it, is the current form of Sneijder and Robben. They're hitting their best form and both played their respective teams into the Champions League final. If they can continue this (depends on Bert van Marwijk's ability) consistency into the World Cup finals, surely the Dutch should be at least looking at a last 8 finish. More likely the semi finals.

[Padraig]

The biggest advantage the Dutch have going into this, as I see it, is the current form of Sneijder and Robben.

Fair point. I'd like to see the Dutch do well but I keep been told their defence is poor.

[Horza]

I was surprised to read today that Scott McDonald has not been included in the Australia squad. The coach explained they only play with one striker, Kennedy (ala Mark Viduka) and with two wingers, so there was no place for him. I'd fear for Australia's chances if they find themselves faced with needing to score a goal or two and having little forward options to bulk things up. Or even worse, if Josh Kennedy were to pick up an injury.

McDonald just can't score for the Roos, even when we play to a system that supports him. For that reason as much as the tactical one he is not on the plane.

[Paxter]

McDonald just can't score for the Roos, even when we play to a system that supports him. For that reason as much as the tactical one he is not on the plane.

:agree:

But I also agree with Ren's general point that Verbeek's tactical inflexibility is a major weakness.

[Horza]

I'm not sure it's a weakness when the alternatives are Carle and McDonald. They're both good players but I think people have been talking them up because Pim doesn't rate them. When we had Viduka and Aloisi it was a different story, this time around we have very few proven international strikers so it makes sense that we're largely built around one. Tactically we've got a plan A (Aerial assault with Kennedy up front and Cahill shadow) and a plan B (on deck, Kewell upfront with Rukavytsya, Holman running on), they're not genius but I don't see what else we should be doing with the players available.