goalfood
All Shirts
shop: complete catalogue		 world cup
world cup tees		 peace love football
peace love
football		 slogans and specials
slogan tees
& specials		 teams and players
teams / players		 graphics
graphics		 features
features		 Interviews
interviews		 Blogs
blogs		 Archive
archive

bradley headstone - drawn to any world cup disgrace

Not the worst world cup ever

Posted: July 5th 2010
Click here to feedback

Well, we are now through the Quarter finals and as FIFA have shown surprising common sense in wiping clean the card count maybe it’s time we too showed a bit of common sense and start re-assessing our opinions of his World Cup.

Plenty of bile and indignation has been heaped on the tournament during its early stages, a fair share from this site, I suspect much of it was influenced by England’s dismal performance and once that particular monkey had left our back and phucked off to some Thai island with someone who almost certainly isn’t its wife, we could relax and retire the dark glasses.

The final group games, round of 16 and Quarter finals have produced some splendid moments. Japan’s demolition of Denmark, Italy almost coming back before being slapped down by a damp flag and the tears of Landon Donavon as he consigned England to humiliation against the Germans (though one suspects Ghana may have edged passed us too!).

The knockout rounds always quicken the pace and while Paraguay –Japan won’t be remembered there was much to enjoy in all the others. Ghana simply overpowering the States, the confusion and self loathing of the Dutch as they rather competently, I thought, disposed of another nation, the likes of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay looking ominously comfortable and the sight of Spain passing Portugal to death. Heck, only the most myopic millions could not find something to enjoy in Germany’s enthusiastic destruction of little old England.

The last eight lined up pretty well, only Spain and Paraguay had a lopsided look to it. Brazil, Holland is a classic, oft-repeated, world cup match up. A team who were better than their fans, even their players, were suggesting against a team who were probably getting too much credit despite a hatful of goals and pedigree. After Robinho’s early strike we all expected one way traffic, whatever Mr Bart said at half time ought to be bottled as the Orange army swarmed all over the increasingly frustrated Brazilians. In truth and obviously in hindsight we can point out that there were deficiencies in the Brazil team. Despite having the best two right backs in the world, playing them together didn’t work. Alves spent most of the time staying out of Maicon’s way. A left winger at left back was eventually exposed and while football purists purred at the efficiency of Brazil’s twin central defensive midfield, the moment Brazil were against the ropes and needed to change tack, they imploded.

Ghana and Uruguay probably need a blog to themselves. A gloriously open game full of attacking intent, reckless defending, fragile goalkeeping and all the drama you could wish for. Ghana probably deserved to go through, but Uruguay are worthy semi finalists too. Is there a better player than Diego Forlan at the World Cup? Some are calling for Luis Suarez to be banned for two games following his last minute hand ball which would inadvertently lead to their eventual penalty shoot out joy. This is a little unnecessary, but then so was carrying Suarez on their shoulders as Uruguay celebrated eventual victory.

With Argentina you always wondered if anyone was going to have a real go at what we all think might have been a suspect defence and could this youthful German team keep up the momentum they had achieved? Boy was the answer a big yes! The sound of backtracking across a thousand press computers was palpable as English hacks suddenly found solace in Argentina not even able to manage a solitary goal against the rampant Germans. Our one(two) was suddenly reason for optimism and the Premier League can now puff its chest out and make extravagant claims.

Germany were outstanding, again, Argentina were ordinary and while Demichalis, sporting the World Cup’s worst hair style, and Burdisso scrambled they were undone by two shocking full back performances. Otamendi and Heinze will probably be appearing for a Premier League makeweight very soon.

Playing this way, Germany look unstoppable, but their free flowing, counter attacking intelligence does require a certain amount of complicity from opponents. Argentina chose to ignore German strengths and play their own way, England chose to cobble together eleven players who could just about stand up. Neither strategy worked. I’d like to see if a team could deny Germany the ball, pressure their heartbeat Schweinsteiger and give their fragile centre backs something to think about. Surely Spain are that team?

Well, very nearly not. The final last eight game saw everyone’s new favourites spend 45 minutes playing the ‘English’ way, bugger tiki-taki, let’s just give Paraguay the ball. At their finest Spain are astonishing, perfectly decent players are left in tears and the ball is kept from them and tiny Spaniards dance in their peripheral vision. Last night all they really did is suggest that Germany might be unstoppable.

Spain have problems. They have seven midfielders who all warrant a place, a world superstar who suddenly can’t run, control or shoot and more importantly is keeping a really rather good centre forward on the bench and a defence that is so rarely tested that any incursion into their box induces Terryesque defending. Thank goodness Iker Casillas remains the best goalkeeper in the world. At the age of 28 he has now been between Spain’s sticks for at least twenty years and shows no sign of fading. I suspect he’ll get another chance to prove his worth in the semi finals.

Spain prevailed but left more questions on the pitch. I’ve always enjoyed Del Bosque’s discontented bus driver countenance but he needs to be a coach not a driver for the next few days.

Four fantastic games I thought, three were stuffed with drama, one saw an overstuffed Maradona stuffed and while we’ll miss camera shots of Samba Queens and  singing and dancing African footballers taking to the field, we’ll miss crazy Diego most of all. I expect a compilation DVD of his press conferences to be in a shop near you before the final ends, beats Mick McCarthy any day.
If the semi finals and final can manage some of the elements of the quarters then I think we can safely push the phrase ‘worst tournament ever’ back into its box for at least a couple of years.