World Cup Round of 16 and we are off.....

Well Brazil squeaked through like most predicted and Columbia sailed past the toothless Uruguay.  Great games to watch, it seems as though the smaller South American nations have more passion than any other team.  Both Uruguay and Chile played like it was a fight to the death.  I kind of like to see that from some of the English lads from time to time.  I guess if you are making 100,000 pounds a week it will soften the blow of any loss.

A few things did pop to mind while watching yesterday's games.

• Why did Alexis Sanchez keep tucking his shorts into his underwear.  With miracle fibre wicking and cooling properties built in to each Puma shirt, you think they could have made a pair that Alexis would have felt comfortable in. 

That can't be the look he was hoping for.

• David Luiz, what can you say about the big fella?  A surging run forward one minute and then the spaced out look of a man who can't find his puppy the next.

• It was kind of nice to see the Brazilians have a good goal disallowed.  Big Phil was not happy, but I didn't see him complaining when they got a penalty that they should not have had against Croatia.
• I don't know if it's the pressure of playing at home, but Brazil really play the victim card to its full extent.  Every time they lose possession, it had to be a foul and of course, the cards should some out.
• James Rodriguez, what can you say.  Goal of the World Cup for sure and he now has 5 in 4 games.  Can he take Columbia past Brazil.
• All credit to the small, bald Uruguayan defensive midfielder.  If I was a club manager, I would buy Egidio Arévalo and build a team around him.
• 

Today's 1pm match-up promises to be a great game.  The canny overachieving Mexicans backed by 50,000 Sombreros taking on the confident, fancied Dutch.  I'll give the edge to the Dutch as they have Robben and Van Persie.  A sneaky 1-0 perhaps.

In the second game, I'm going to take the Greeks on penalties or a slim 1-0.   It's a clash of styles.  Neither team can sit back and play out their normal game plan.  There could be 1000 unopposed passes in this game, or they could surprise us with some attacking intent.

oh oh, Sepp's not going to be happy....

After a sizzling start to the WC, a few things have gone pear shaped during the final round, let's start with the obvious.

Luis Suarez biting Chiellini isn't exactly a great advertisement for the great game.  Who, other than Suarez, does that?  I don't get it.  Anyone who has played competitive soccer has thought to themselves at some point "that bastard, I'll have him".  Some lash out with a hand or foot, but the smarter players take a number.

(Balotelli take note)
One of the great things about footy is that when you make a good tackle, you are allowed to some extent to follow through on an opponent who has stuck a toe in.  That was always my first hope, that I could nail him in a fair tackle.  It didn't always work out that way and on one occasion I had to wait two weeks to exact a measure of revenge (made it all the sweeter... a clumsy challenge on the half way line "sorry ref").

Suarez will surely be out for the remainder of the tournament and it will be no Suarez - no progress for the Uruguayan squad.

More dodgy refereeing.  There used to be some simple rules when calling penalties, they weren't in the rules, but they made sense. 

1. If a player had lost control of the ball and was then tripped - no penalty
2. If a player was heading away from goal and was tripped - no penalty
3. You basically had to be taking away a goal scoring chance.
4. It had to be a clear penalty and there had to be clear intent.
5. If any challenge was scything or violent, disregard 1-3, it's a penalty

Let's look at some recent calls:

• Costa Rica - Italy.  Tico player beats defender in box and gets cleaned out by the last defender who falls theatrically like he didn't see him coming.  No penalty.  Surest penalty since Suarez hand balled it off the line in 2010.
• England - Costa Rica.  Sturridge about to shoot from the 6 yard line, and Tico defender takes his leg out.  No call???  Sure penalty.  Obvious.  Who dives when hey are shooting from the 6 (ok maybe Ronaldo).
• Greece v Cote d'Ivoire.  If I kick the back of the leg of an opposing defender and fall to the ground, it's not a penalty.  Poor poor decision that made the difference between which team took an early flight home.

Also, how was that a straight red card in the Italy - Uruguay game?

Some of the top teams just aren't performing.

Leaving aside the already departed of Spain, Italy and England,  Brazil are struggling.  Thank goodness for Neymar.  Argentina are struggling.  Thank goodness for Messi.  Portugal are struggling.

Another thing we can do without is boring final round robin games.  Case in point England v Costa Rica.  England started all the spares which meant they were very disjointed as they hadn't played together as a team and Costa Rica, needing only a tie had their keeper wasting time with 43 minutes left!  Also, they never had fewer than 6 defenders in their half and relied on kick and chase for offence.  Costa Rica vs. Greece in the round of 16 could be a real doozy.

Some more good games to come today....

World Cup - More great games and a few duds.

Well, England are out and that's a shame, but at least either Suarez or Balotelli will join them on the early flight home.  Also, the Gods willing, the strutting mantis will have his fate sealed in about 2 hours from now.  I don't normally cheer for the USA, they have more than enough boosters of their own, but if it means sayonara for pretty boy and his Portuguese team mates I'm prepared to make an exception.

I've been very disappointed in the quality of the commentary on tv and in the Globe and Mail.  You'd think we could find some people who actually know what is going on.  On commentator kept blabbering on about the value of goal difference, when it meant nothing in the next round since Croatia has 3 points and Mexico has 4 and they play each other to see who places second (assuming Brazil beats Cameroon).

That said, it's the sensationalists that bother me the most.  2 minutes of possession and a team is bossing the game.  Going a goal up with 5 minutes to go and surely it's all over.  Lose and the team was a shambles, win and the team is almighty.  Case in point when people jumped on the Pirlo and Italy bandwagon after they beat England.  how did it go against Costa Rica lads?  You should never rely on the Italians for a favour.

What of Costa Rica, are they really any good?  Well, they are well organized and have a good game plan, but I think they were underestimated by both Uruguay and Italy.  That's not going to happen in the round of 16.  It's a great country to visit, amazing wildlife, plentyful cheap fruit, beaches and bad roads.  Will they make it to the last 8 - not a chance, unless they draw Algeria.

Ghana, the Black Stars, let's hope they advance.  The game of the tournament so far was the 2-2 tie with Germany.  Such a brave positive team with great kit to boot.

Belgium vs. Russia.  Snorefest.  Russia are awful, can't pass, can't shoot.  Belgium are through to the last 16, but will need a favourable draw to advance any further.

Argentina.  Not impressive, but Lionel Messi, what can you say.  Here's a real superstar who just goes about his business.

South Korea.  Only one guy on the team can head, and he's a 6' 5" sub.  Don't ever start a fight with Algeria, they'll toss you around like a tennis ball if today's men vs. boys game is any example. 

4 minute to game time.

World Cup - A great first week...

Well it's been a great first week of footy in Brazil.  Who predicted that Spain would be out after 2 games?  It's hard to really explain what happened, except sometimes that's just the way it goes.  Watching the Spain - Chile game yesterday, Spain had several relatively easy chances but just couldn't stick the ball in the net.  An inch here and there and maybe they are still in with a shout.  That said, it certainly was not the dominant Spain we are used to seeing.  The style has changed and their mojo has gone.

Let's talk about the serious business of today - England vs. Uruguay the loser goes home.  Luis Suarez says he's fit to play and he knows the weaknesses in the England team and will help his team mates exploit them.  Well Louis, you better put in for a transfer because you will not be welcome back in England!

Let's hope it's a good clean game with England scoring early and often.  Worst case scenario, Uruguay score first and cheat their way to victory (it's happened before) with theatrical rolls, time wasting, dives etc. 

Hopefully, Suarez won't bite anybody.  He was pretty good last season, hardly took a card and didn't chew on anybody, at least not on the field, what he does in his own time is his own business.

With the lack of pace of the Uruguayan central defence, I suspect that they will sit very deep with their 3 central midfielders just in front for protection.  England will have to be clever, it could be Llalana time.

A win today and another against the Ticos and it will be onwards and upwards for the 3 Lions.  A loss, and well for the first time since 1966 we will have met expectations.

World Cup Days 3 and 4.... Fess-up!

Well what a great weekend of football.  Lucky it was raining most of Saturday so no way I could work on any outdoor projects.  A perfect excuse to watch 4 games on Saturday and 3 yesterday.

The relatively high scoring continues as teams seem prepared to attack, referees give penalties and defenders kick the ball into their own net.

England lost, but actually showed that they can play.  It seems most of the English would rather see that than parking the bus in front of the net and escaping with a 0-0.  Hopefully, this more positive style will bear fruit against Uruguay and Costa Rica.

The one team that has no business being in this World Cup is Honduras.  They are a violent, ill disciplined team who's hope is for a 0-0.  Glad to see them lose, even if it was to France.

The one thing that players should realize, they must know, is that every move they make is tracked by a multitude of cameras.  Thus:

• When you scythe somebody down around the thighs, don't point innocently at the ball.
• When you body check a player into the next century, don't drop to the ground and start rolling around feigning injury hoping the ref will forget that you just nailed someone.
• When a foul is called for something minor in the middle of the field, don't look incredulous at the referee and start waving your finger at him.

Just fess up and walk away!

Could you imagine if we all did that at work? 

"Did you write this report Harris"
"Yes I did"
"Then you made all these errors"
Pfftt, rolls eyes, waves finger, points at memory stick...
"strike one"


Can Ronaldo live up to his billing today?  I sure hope not.  I hope he's an absolute flop, kind of like Messi was for the first 60 minutes before he scored the game winner.

World Cup Day #2 - Great Excitement.....

Well, no complaints about day 2 of the WC.  Let's forget about the Mexico - Cameroun game as nobody watched it anyway.  The other two games were crackers.

Spain vs. Netherlands started according to plan, although with Spain looking less convincing than in the pas.  I actually witnessed Iniesta turn the ball over twice in the first half alone!  Nevertheless, when Diego Costa fell over and was awarded the second dodgy penalty of the tournament it seemed like a familiar tale would be told.  One moment of finishing magic from Van Persie just before half-time, however, and it was game on.

What happened in the second half will be analyzed to death on the sunny side of Europe, but here's the short version.  The Netherlands capitalized on one of their two great assets, the balded Ardjen Robben.  He makes it 2-1 with some sublime movement and skill.  The Spain coach takes off the only real defensively minded midfielder he has - Alonso - and replaces him with a more attacking option.  Spain's shape is irreparably damaged and the Dutch make them pay badly. It really could have been 6 or 7 by the end.

Millions of fans and players around the world were loving watching Spain desperately trying to regain possession from the Dutch.  We all knew that they really weren't all that good.  Holland, on the other hand, with a lot of relatively unknown players from the Dutch league, look pretty handy.  My pool is in tatters.

Chile - Australia.  It sure looked like the Chilean team would put a good roasting on the Socceroos, but the game turned after Cahill, known for his airial ability, rose above the towering 5' 7" frame of Gary Medel to head one home.  After that, the Aussies can consider themselves a bit unfortunate not to have got a point out of this one. 

You have to love the Chile team though.  They seem very small, but they work their socks off and pressure all over the field.  And, their fans are second to none for passion.  I watched Chile play in Pretoria at the last world cup and their fans were few, but very noisy even an hour before kick-off.

So, should we count Spain out?  Probably not.  I think they will win their two remaining games and go through with Holland.  I hope for Chile though.

The time for fun is over, England - Italy tonight.

FIFA World Cup #3 - Atheists and Singles where are you?

Back in the day when a player scored a goal he'd give it the old fist pump and maybe get a slap on the back from a few team mates and then it would be over.  In today's game, it's quite different.

After a ridiculously overdone celebration by Neymar after he equalized against Croatia in today's first round match he did two things:

1. Made the sign of a heart with his hands.  I think this is mandatory now for anyone in a relationship.  I can just see players on the flight home thinking to themselves, oh my word, did I do the heart thing after I scored that goal.  Oh she's going to be livid if she was watching and I forgot.  did I do it, I hope I did it......
2. Pointed up at a couple of clouds.  Some players like to do this after something goes well for them, but they never do it when they miss a sitter or score and own goal or get sent off.

I understand that Pletikosa, the Croatian keeper spends a couple of months each year in a monastery, but I didn't see him pointing at birds in the sky after any of the 3 saveable shots whizzed past him into the net.  Then again, everything happens for a reason... such as, instead of spending your summers humming and making trappist beers you should have been working on your shot stopping.

My real question is, what does a single fella do when he scores?  Should he put his hand to his brow and survey the crowd in an "I'm still looking for Mr or Mrs Right" kind of an action, or maybe some kind of "I'll open up my heart gesture".  Just running back to centre and looking chuffed isn't going to cut it in today's game.

And, what about the atheists, what's their brand?  Maybe a punch to one's own chest in a sort of "I did that" gesture or some circular arm movements representing nature and science.  Mind you, I'd want to see it when something goes awry as well.

Or, preferably, we could leave all the symbolism out of the game altogether and go back to the good old fist pump and slap on the back.

FIFA World Cup #2 - It all went according to script...

Was there ever any doubt?  In Croatia, a plucky opponent with just enough well known players to be considered a threat, but without ever really having a chance to win.  Heck, they even had the temerity to get the first goal, albeit an own goal, but did anyone really think that they would hold onto it?  Resolute, is not a word I would use to describe their defending, especially in the midfield.

That said, when it did seem that they may steal a point, in steps Japan's Yuichi Nishimura to save the day with a penalty decision which could be described as very poor, but I'll leave it to the Croats to provide their own adjectives.  And then at the other end, he calls for the foul on Cesar when a no call would have been equally just.  Oscar scores with a toe poke to make the ref call seem irrelevant, but let's face it, the penalty was the turning point and Nishimura ensures himself of another plum assignment.  I am sure the FIFA referees are all patting themselves on the back for a job well done.  Sepp is a happy man tonight.

Game Notes

• There were a few theatrical falls, but all in all not too bad.
• Fun to see Big Phil getting so agitated on the sidelines about throw-in calls going the wrong way.
• If I have a defender such as Danni Alves whose attitude towards a winger crossing the ball into my box is at best, indifferent, I have a problem.
• When Brazil's best defender is David Luiz, I think I may have erred in my WC pool.  I can't see Brazil going all the way on this performance (unless Nishimura gets to do all their games).
• Any time a bunch of players surround the referee he should immediately get the yellow card out and start taking names.
• Cesar looked like he was trying to impress at a try-out - making the easy save look spectacular.

World Cup Brazil - the good, the bad and the ugly...

Well the day has finally arrived and for a whole month it is unlikely that will have nothing to watch on tv.  Bring it on!

It's time for tv and print journalists to stop talking about subways, security and which teams have been spotted on the beach and time to put the product on the pitch.

I caught a little bit of the Federation's Cup held in Brazil last summer and the atmosphere was crazy when Brazil were playing and the Selacao rose to the occasion playing expansive positive football.  Let's hope it is infectious and in this world cup we are not faced with teams lining up in two rows of 5 as soon as possession is lost.

Let's get back to playing soccer the way it was meant to be played, by men (or women) who like to compete.  Folks who like to get stuck in a tackle, force a turnover, burst forward into space, take players on, etc. etc.  Let's get rid of zonal defending where the most important part is timing your run away from the player you are marking while thrusting your arm in the air and waving it about like a samba dancer.  The off-side trap is for people who do not have the confidence to defend one on one.

Let's get away from the art of conning a referee.  If someone gives a little tug on your shirt, fight through it!  Isn't that why you spend those hours in the gym?  Don't flop on the ground and roll over.

If you get a little kick or a knock, shake it off and keep going.  Imagine you  are back at school with no ref and you pulled the stunt that Dzecko pulled for Man City v Everton.  Face down in the grass for 4 minutes because his team was winning, there were only a few minutes remaining and he tweaked his shoulder. Try that on the playground and by the time you get up you'd be alone and recess would be over.  There should be a rule that if you go down and require the game to be stopped more than once, you are out.  This would also get rid of that nasty tendency to kick the ball out of play every time one of these fakers get's an apparent injury.

Ronaldo.  Don't get me started. It's a team game pal, not just another opportunity for you to build your brand.  Keep your shirt on, please.

Who will be the most cynical team at the world cup?  My bet is Honduras if their 'friendly' against England is anything to go by.  Numerous 2 footed tackles, 4-5 yellows , a red and one sub every 3 minutes for the last 20 minutes of the game to try and hold on to a 0-0.  Yes it will be fun to watch Honduras.

Dark horse of the tournament:  Chile.  I fancy them to oust Holland, who frankly, if they are relying on Wesley Schneider to carry them forward have sadly lost the plot. For Holland, they must rely on the flopper Arjen Robben and the finisher Robin Van Persie.

Brazil v Croatia.  A bit tighter than one would expect, but ultimately a Brazil win 2-1 or 2-0 with Neymar and Fred getting the goals.

Bring it on!