Lone Justice
As has been the case with this World Cup, a day of mediocre football is followed by matches that prove that it is impossible to be interested in only your club side, matches that make you marvel at the abilities of individuals and team units.
Hot on the heels of the turgid Swedish victory over Paraguay, came Argentina's demolition of Serbia & Montenegro. I doubt that any performance by a team unit will be better during this tournament. The first goal set the bar for teamwork, slick passing finished by Maxi Rodriguez. The fourth by Cambiasso raised it even higher, probably bettering the effort by Fernando Torres earlier in the week. Without doubt, the Argentinean performance was excellent but it is difficult to fathom the depths to which the Serbs had plummeted, they had plenty of possession but never really threatened. Argentina posted a warning to the rest of the competition but the Dutch subsequently showed that they are up to the challenge overcoming a strong Ivory Coast challenge in the second of the matches in the previously called "Group of Death". Robin van Persie followed Freddie and Tomas Rosicky into the scoring books, bagging a corking freekick, before Shergar added a second. van Persie reminded us of his versatility by being provider for the second and clearing a header off of the Dutch line towards the end of the match. The Ivorians will no doubt look back and wish that they had been more adventurous as once they pegged one back, they had the opportunity to grab an equaliser.
If Group C was the "Group of Death", there is no doubt that Group B is the "Group of Dearth". England's Golden Generation played more like the Golden Girls, making hard work of the Trinidadian challenge, lucky to be level at half time following John Terry's goalline clearance, England resorted to the long ball, finally winning with Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrards' late goals. There are two schools of thought about England, (1) the first decent team they meet will tear them apart or (2) who gives a toss how we play let's just win the damn thing. I fall into the latter but would prefer them to play with more "nous". I am more concerned by the lack of form shown by Owen, I wish he would be as well; being happy to sit on the bench is not a public commitment to putting things right on the pitch. However, is the reason that Owen is playing poorly due to the partnership with Crouch and / or the absence of Rooney. If it is the former, the latters return will solve it. If it is the latter then God Help Us All as there is little doubt that an Argentinean, German or Ecuadorian tackle is going to test just how well his foot has healed in either Round 2 or the Quarter Finals.
One thing that is apparent in this tournament is that thus far the smaller teams are not rolling over as they used to in World Cups past. There is unlikely to be a repeat of Hungary's ten goal annihilation of El Salvador in 1982, as I write Angola are making the Mexicans work exceptionally hard to even score. I know that the Mexicans notional placement of fourth best in the World makes a mockery of the FIFA Rankings system and is no doubt indicative of (a) riding of luck and (b) solid defensive tactics but the inability of the top teams to put opponents away is shameful.
Another thing that is apparent about this tournament though. The standard of refereeing is generally poor, no matter which Continent the officials come from. The fluidity of games is frequently ruined by the shrill blast of the Acme Thunderer for seemingly innocuous offences. And no, this is not a diatribe about the Referees coming from Asia or South America, the Italian who refereed the Argentina / Serbia rout was no better.
Little doubt that nerves hits these officials, after all players complain of nerves and the Referees are no different as it is the big stage for them also. But the flourishes with which cards are brandished or whistles blown at times make you wonder if they have lost sight of the fact that they are managers / facilitators not the stars of the show. FIFA edicts do not help but there is a feeling that I cannot shake that physical contact is being eradicated, the slightest shoulder contact is being penalised and I have lost count of the number of seemingly fair sliding tackles that have been punished by a yellow card and freekick. I hope this is not a foretaste of what is to come in the new season as there will be eight a side games in a large number of league matches in the 2006/07 campaign.
Today's Tunes come from Lone Justice, taken from their self titled debut album from about 1985, I think.
Ways To Be Wicked
Pass It On
Hot on the heels of the turgid Swedish victory over Paraguay, came Argentina's demolition of Serbia & Montenegro. I doubt that any performance by a team unit will be better during this tournament. The first goal set the bar for teamwork, slick passing finished by Maxi Rodriguez. The fourth by Cambiasso raised it even higher, probably bettering the effort by Fernando Torres earlier in the week. Without doubt, the Argentinean performance was excellent but it is difficult to fathom the depths to which the Serbs had plummeted, they had plenty of possession but never really threatened. Argentina posted a warning to the rest of the competition but the Dutch subsequently showed that they are up to the challenge overcoming a strong Ivory Coast challenge in the second of the matches in the previously called "Group of Death". Robin van Persie followed Freddie and Tomas Rosicky into the scoring books, bagging a corking freekick, before Shergar added a second. van Persie reminded us of his versatility by being provider for the second and clearing a header off of the Dutch line towards the end of the match. The Ivorians will no doubt look back and wish that they had been more adventurous as once they pegged one back, they had the opportunity to grab an equaliser.
If Group C was the "Group of Death", there is no doubt that Group B is the "Group of Dearth". England's Golden Generation played more like the Golden Girls, making hard work of the Trinidadian challenge, lucky to be level at half time following John Terry's goalline clearance, England resorted to the long ball, finally winning with Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrards' late goals. There are two schools of thought about England, (1) the first decent team they meet will tear them apart or (2) who gives a toss how we play let's just win the damn thing. I fall into the latter but would prefer them to play with more "nous". I am more concerned by the lack of form shown by Owen, I wish he would be as well; being happy to sit on the bench is not a public commitment to putting things right on the pitch. However, is the reason that Owen is playing poorly due to the partnership with Crouch and / or the absence of Rooney. If it is the former, the latters return will solve it. If it is the latter then God Help Us All as there is little doubt that an Argentinean, German or Ecuadorian tackle is going to test just how well his foot has healed in either Round 2 or the Quarter Finals.
One thing that is apparent in this tournament is that thus far the smaller teams are not rolling over as they used to in World Cups past. There is unlikely to be a repeat of Hungary's ten goal annihilation of El Salvador in 1982, as I write Angola are making the Mexicans work exceptionally hard to even score. I know that the Mexicans notional placement of fourth best in the World makes a mockery of the FIFA Rankings system and is no doubt indicative of (a) riding of luck and (b) solid defensive tactics but the inability of the top teams to put opponents away is shameful.
Another thing that is apparent about this tournament though. The standard of refereeing is generally poor, no matter which Continent the officials come from. The fluidity of games is frequently ruined by the shrill blast of the Acme Thunderer for seemingly innocuous offences. And no, this is not a diatribe about the Referees coming from Asia or South America, the Italian who refereed the Argentina / Serbia rout was no better.
Little doubt that nerves hits these officials, after all players complain of nerves and the Referees are no different as it is the big stage for them also. But the flourishes with which cards are brandished or whistles blown at times make you wonder if they have lost sight of the fact that they are managers / facilitators not the stars of the show. FIFA edicts do not help but there is a feeling that I cannot shake that physical contact is being eradicated, the slightest shoulder contact is being penalised and I have lost count of the number of seemingly fair sliding tackles that have been punished by a yellow card and freekick. I hope this is not a foretaste of what is to come in the new season as there will be eight a side games in a large number of league matches in the 2006/07 campaign.
Today's Tunes come from Lone Justice, taken from their self titled debut album from about 1985, I think.
Ways To Be Wicked
Pass It On
posted by Yogi's Warrior at 8:00 pm
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