So as of right now, the Spanish part of Johannesberg is in raptures as is Spain and most Spanish fans have tears in their eyes. After years of underachievement, La Furia Roja have the mythical double, the European and World Championship simultaneously. All credit must go to a wonderful Spain team coached by a the truly talented Vincente Del Bosque. How must the owners of Real Madrid feel, as they dumped Del Bosque after winning everything you could win at club level.
However, spare a thought for the talented losers, the Dutch, who proved that they could combine steel with talent and have it equal success. There were many questions about this Dutch team from the goalkeeper to the front, but led by the marvellous Wesley Sneijder (another Real cast off) they fought Spain tooth and nail for 116 minutes only to lose to a wonder goal by Andres Inestia.
As wonderful as the world cup was, it will be forever marred by the frankly appalling officiating, encapsulated in the finals by the truly befuddling Howard Webb. It seems as if his appointment was solely to appease English anger at what happened in the Germany game. While he is a good official, he managed to sum up all the problems of the officiating at the world cup in one game. Spain while a wonderful team, emphasized any and all contact the Dutch engaged in, quite often falling at the merest "contact" at all, and shockingly were allowed to take liberties that were not afforded to the Dutch. Yes Van Bommel and De Jong could both have walked by half time, but Puyol should have walked for his foul on Robben at the 60th minute. Quite frankly, the antics of some of the Spanish players were bordering on the revolting and Sergio Busquets needs to decide if he wants to officiate or play the game.
The world cup is a memory now, and one that will live on forever for some and won't be able to be forgotten soon enough for others. For me, the shameful officiating is going to be the major thing I remember, and that is a shame, because I would rather remember the outstanding play of Sneijder, Villa, Mueller and Forlan to name a few, than remember the bungling of Larrionda, Webb, and Rosetti et all.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
The rebuilding of the Three Lions
First of all, for the purposes of full disclosure, I am a rabid England fan, always have been and always will be. Unfortunately, cheering for England, is like cheering for the Maple Leafs (which I never will do), fans live in hope rather than expectation.
It frankly is embarassing that teams like Spain, Germany, Holland, Brazil and Argentina, to name a few can put together teams that are competitve at the world level and England cannot. You have players who regularly compete at the top levels for their clubs but cannot do it in an England shirt. This is not a problem strictly related to England but is disgraceful none the less.
Now onto the rebuilding process. Fabio Capello's neck is on the line here, and I'm going to give Don Fabio a little help. First of all, pick based on form not on names. The big names haven't done it, get rid of them and pick 11 players who would die for the shirt, and believe me they are there. I would rather see a less talented England team that has pride then what passed for a team in South Africa.
Second, pick players who value the ball. What do 3 of the final four in the World Cup have in common? They will pass you off the park if given the chance. They have realized that without the ball, you can't do anything, so they value the ball. Possession is 9/10 of the law Fabio! Third and here's the key pick players in familiar positions. Does Holland tell RVP to play attacking midfielder? Does Spain tell Xabi Alonso to play as a striker? Does Germany tell Phillip Lahm to play as a right winger? Nope, no and no. Why is it only for England that players play in positions they either can't, don't want to or never have? That recipe is doomed to fail! With that said, here is my England starting eleven moving forward in a 4-3-2-1 formation.
GK-Joe Hart
LB-A Cole
CB-Michael Dawson
CB-Rio Ferdinand (if fit) if not Ryan Shawcross/Gary Cahill
RB-G Johnson
CM-Michael Carrick
CM-Owen Hargreaves
CM-Frank Lampard/Steven Gerrard (for now)
LM-Adam Johnson
RM-James Milner
S-Wayne Rooney
Bench-Ben Foster-will get regular work at Birmingham, Agbonlahor, Bent, Ashley Young, Shawcross/Cahill, Lampard/Gerrard
Any thoughts?
It frankly is embarassing that teams like Spain, Germany, Holland, Brazil and Argentina, to name a few can put together teams that are competitve at the world level and England cannot. You have players who regularly compete at the top levels for their clubs but cannot do it in an England shirt. This is not a problem strictly related to England but is disgraceful none the less.
Now onto the rebuilding process. Fabio Capello's neck is on the line here, and I'm going to give Don Fabio a little help. First of all, pick based on form not on names. The big names haven't done it, get rid of them and pick 11 players who would die for the shirt, and believe me they are there. I would rather see a less talented England team that has pride then what passed for a team in South Africa.
Second, pick players who value the ball. What do 3 of the final four in the World Cup have in common? They will pass you off the park if given the chance. They have realized that without the ball, you can't do anything, so they value the ball. Possession is 9/10 of the law Fabio! Third and here's the key pick players in familiar positions. Does Holland tell RVP to play attacking midfielder? Does Spain tell Xabi Alonso to play as a striker? Does Germany tell Phillip Lahm to play as a right winger? Nope, no and no. Why is it only for England that players play in positions they either can't, don't want to or never have? That recipe is doomed to fail! With that said, here is my England starting eleven moving forward in a 4-3-2-1 formation.
GK-Joe Hart
LB-A Cole
CB-Michael Dawson
CB-Rio Ferdinand (if fit) if not Ryan Shawcross/Gary Cahill
RB-G Johnson
CM-Michael Carrick
CM-Owen Hargreaves
CM-Frank Lampard/Steven Gerrard (for now)
LM-Adam Johnson
RM-James Milner
S-Wayne Rooney
Bench-Ben Foster-will get regular work at Birmingham, Agbonlahor, Bent, Ashley Young, Shawcross/Cahill, Lampard/Gerrard
Any thoughts?
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