CLARENCE SEEDORF HAS THE BEST VERDICT ON THE WORLD CUP BALL

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Match Preview: Spain versus Portugal

 VERSUS

Match Preview: SPAIN versus PORTUGAL

Stage: 1/16th Final

Winner Plays Versus: Paraguay or Japan

Time: 2030h GMT +1

Venue:   Green Point Stadium – Cape Town - a beautiful venue on the very Southern tip of the African continent meters from the cold foreboding waters of the Southern Cape and within view of the mountain ranges above Cape Town. The atmosphere here has been perhaps the best, as Cape Town is a real footballing capital.

Referee:  Hector Baldassi (Argentina) one of the best referees South America has produced, he is very suited for this game as he does not tolerate divers, is very good at not getting conned and keeps a good match flow. He is a candidate to referee the final... but this match will be a classic and memorable one as well.

Date of Birth: 05.01.1966 Rio Ceballos a wonderful little town in the mountains outside of Cordoba province in central Argentina.

Height: 179 cm
Occupation: Businessman
Mother tongue: Spanish
Other languages: English
International since: 2000
First international: Venezuela-Chile (25.07.2000)
Hobbies: Golf

Fondest memory: Uruguay-Brazil 2005, Brazil-Uruguay 2008

Overview: Although England and Germany got more attention, this is set to be a real World Cup classic, with two superb generations of neighbouring Iberian countries seeking to eliminated each other while at a high point in their footballing histories.

Install seat belts on your couch, and turn off all other media, this will be a thrill ride.

Suggested Menu With Your Game:

A true feast to go with a classic footballing encounter and to make sure both sets of Iberian fans can continue eating and drinking late into the night after the game ends...

Appetizer: A true Valencian seafood platter to unify the Iberians. This tantalizing grilling of fresh fish, squeakingly delicious octopus, succulent squid, and thrilling shellfish could well be the secret of David Villa’s goalscoring success.

Main Course:   Portuguese people can hardly imagine a meal without bacalhau or codfish although the are more ways to cook it than days in the year. I therefore suggest a recipe which I love for Bacalhau com Molho de Camarão Picante ... cod in spicy shrimp sauce... cod for the staple Portuguese food, and shrimp to satisfy the picky overpaid and overrated Cristiano Ronaldo and his luxury diet over the past couple of years at Manchester United and Real Madrid.

The large presence of Real and Atletico Madrid players on the pitch (Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi Alonso, Torres, Simao, Tiago maybe I am forgetting someone) will likely have forgotten the Spanish Capital’s Callos a la Madrileña , or tripe stew which has been long enjoyed by Madrid’s working class and will symbolize the stress and excitement level of this intestine-rattling match-up today!

Desert: Mató de Pedralbes amost like Crema Catalana... (or Creme Brulee) a Catalan flambé cream to symbolize the last word that Barcelona players David Villa, Puyol, Xavi, Pique and Iniesta could well have in this classic encounter.

Wine: Catalunya proposes you the respectable Abadal vineyards, which produce white and reads to accompany this surf and turf adventure, and their deep Merlot flavours should go well with the technical flair and theatrics that this game could offer.

Squad Analysis:

SPAIN:

Unofficial Theme Song to Accompany Style of Play :

The phrase “the time is now” will resound in the heads of the Spanish team who know that their country’s chance to win a World Cup is now... so the Barcelona band Jarabe de Palo’s mix of mellow and rhythmic vibes “Tiempo” (here) or Time is highly appropriate to get the Spanish team going.



Tactics: Spain has developed the tactics that won them the European Championship two years ago, and basically present an ameliorated flowing, attractive, attacking 4-4-2 diamond of Barcelona. This is a complex 4-4-2 with players shouldering multiple offensive and defensive responsibilities, and many attacks down the centre and wings. The formation can shift to a 4-5-1 to enhance possession and defence with a forward going off for central or defensive midfielder.

Spain has an excellent bench, with every player associated with a well practiced tactical option. Although it didn’t look like much, Spain’s defeat of strong Chile should send a clear warning to Portugal.

Strengths: Spain is attracting many neutral fans with their clean, effective, thrilling brand of attacking football. Their speed and tempo has been too much for most opponents with Spain having only temporary interruption to three long running unbeaten records.

Weakness:   The pressure of being favourites combined with fatigue from intense club seasons could show as it did in the game against Switzerland... but the need to win could cover these weaknesses up.

Tactically Spain can be a little undefensive, and this can leave them sometimes exposed.

Key to beating Portugal: Hit fast. Hit hard don’t stop. Let Cristiano Ronaldo get the ball often just like the Ivory Coast, and just like the Ivory Coast don’t let him get to full speed with it, he is useless when forced to slow down... watch out for Simao, who is a more important player for Portugal, and don’t get drawn into cards by Pepe, and Ricardo Carvalho and their theatrical antics.

Key Squad Members:

Iker Casillas was a legend at 23, is still a legend at 29, and his unusually average start to this tournament should stop tonight. People ask if he is really that good... yes he is. Hi reflexes are superhuman, and despite being a bit short he rarely gets scored on by less than perfect shots on goal. The problem at Madrid is he gets a lot of shots on goal, and lets in very little. The solution: Put Barcelona’s defence of Pique and Puyol in front of him

Pique, Puyol and Sergio Ramos. The Barcelona men offer an extremely fast, extremely technically skilled very modern defence. During their European Championship run coach Arragones had Sergio Ramos and Puyol switch positions for crosses and short passes depending on the defensive situation in an innovative, highly complex and highly successful setup. Pique has a rare ability to go forward and score, as does Sergio Ramos down the right, although he seems tired and less than inspired so far in this tournament. He has to find his form today.

Xavi is the best defensive midfielder in the world... I have no doubt. Although others get the credit, his lack of form or absences deprive spain of the creativity and command that the little Barcelona midfield general brings. He has been struggling with injury though, and is not in top fitness so far this tournament.

Iniesta is also vital for Spain and also struggling with injury. The Portuguese will attempt to massage his ankles and weaken his form with dirty tackling.  On a good day he flows between the wings, the center of midfield and the penalty box freely servicing superb passes to his teammates and scoring goals like the great placed-shot against Chile.

David Villa off course. Never mind Fernando Torres who seems out of form this tournament, and who’s main contribution has been to open up pace for Villa, who started off in mediocre fashion against Switzerland perhaps because of the pressure, and now has already managed 3 goals in 3 games for Spain. His shot againt Chile shows his ability to score from anywhere. Torres on the other hand must improve his finishing, and his lack of concentration and self-confidence after a mediocre injury-prone season with Liverpool could hurt Spain in the tournament’s long run.

Finally if these players fail Spain has an excellent bench and a coach who knows how to use it. The bench includes the mercurial free-scoring Navas of Sevilla, the net finding prodigy Pedro of Barcelona, the talented Juan Mata of Valencia, the powerfully shooting Javi Martinez of Bilbao, the famous non-starter Fabregas for Spain (who could start instead of Xani Alonso), the tall and powerful striker Fernando Llorente, and the talented scoring playmaker and European Champion David Silva – although currently suffering mediocre form.

PORTUGAL

Unofficial theme song to accompany style of play:

The choice is clear!! Cristiano Ronaldo singing “Amor Mio”  (here) my love as if he was imitating dying sheep.... If this song managed to get a record contract, then maybe finally he can fulfil his immense potential for Portugal and give the Portuguese public a true reward for waiting for him to do something extraordinary against someone else besides Kazakhstan.





If not he can always try and go back to his traditional diving and bag a couple of unfair penalties.

Tactics: A solid defence is the platform on which a technically skilled and tactically improving Portuguese side relies, Carlos Queiroz has been overrated as a manager, failing to make a very integrated or effective team... until this tournament in which Portugal appear to finally be a real threat.

Portugal play a flowing 4-5-1 with good wingers and overlapping wingbacks with Cristiano Ronaldo as creative playmaker allowed to waste at least half of their best opportunities. This was really effective against North Korea, but has yet to prove effective against a major opponent.. not that it won’t.

Strengths: Unpredictability... everyone knows that Portugal has bags of ability but they don’t always choose to use it.

Their big strength in recent years has been the dark side of the force, namely turning to dirty fouls, dives, attempting to con the referee and force cards on their opponent. This has often worked, but there is hope in Hector Baldassi seeing through these antics which could well reappear if things don’t go Portugal’s way.

A player with Cristiano Ronaldo’s talent is a strength... and a weakness. On a good day, but not often for Portugal he manages to unsettle even the best of defences with his powerful runs and dangerous shots.

The best aspect of Portugal has been an excellent defence so far in this tournament.

Weaknesses:   Cristiano Ronaldo’s selfishness and ball-monopoly can be a weakness as he manages to consume a lot of the creative energy of Portugal sometimes with drawing too much attention to himself, and wasting too many opportunities.

Otherwise, player for player, Portugal don’t have Spain’s quality despite some other talents present in the squad.

Their dirty style of play can cause card trouble, and ultimately result in reds reducing their vulnerable formation.

Key to beating Spain: Hit Spain hard with using opportunities, prevent them from having clear opportunities on goal just like the Swiss, and Cristiano Ronaldo finally playing at the top of his game with Liedson and Simao Sabrosa playing more silent but more important roles. Nothing less will win it for Portugal.

If all else fails, tough tackling and causing physical pain to the less aggressive Spanish could be a major asset the Portuguese team are famous for occasionally deploying.

Key Squad Members:

In Braga’s Edurardo Portugal seem to finally have a consistently good keeper, and together with Uruguay’s Fernando Muslera he is the only player with three clean sheets in this tournament. His saves against Brazil showed that he can play successfully against the top teams.

Ricardo Carvalho and Bruno Alves seemed to have matured into one of the best Portuguese defensive pairing since the days of the brutal tacklers Fernando Couto and Jorge Costa. They have a tendency for very strong, sometimes brutal tackles on key opposition players without getting carded or caught.

Pepe is something of a footballing criminal, with an impressive portfolio of red cards for his 27 years, and an even more impressive portfolio of unpunished fouls in key situations. The Real Madrid defender is likely to feature as a defensive midfielder against Spain, and his studs are likely to quickly find their way into Xavi and Iniesta’s legs.

Tiago has regained his absent form in Atletico Madrid on loan from Juventus (where he had once locked the chairman in a toilet to repay his non-starting). He has been very effective as a central midfielder for Portugal contributing significantly in defence and offense. His passing and long shots are a real threat for pain.

Cristiano Ronaldo offers nothing for me to tell you the tv commercials don’t show. The fact is he has often played very poorly for Portugal which have with him present been losing points left and right to less-glamorous teams like Poland, Estonia, Denmark and Albania to name a few. On a good day he is one of the best, but those good days come more often for club than country... and he has flopped in big game like this one before.

The unsung hero of the Portugal team is certainly the unusually fair-playing and often game winning Simao of Atletico Madrid. His freekicks, crosses and corners are excellent. Despite his 84 caps and 24 goals for Portugal he is often benched by Carlos Queiroz for unexplainable reasons, as it was him and Liedson that were largely responsible for Portugal qualifying in the playoff against Bosnia despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s non-performances.

Liedson is the player drafted into the Portugal team late in the last campaign and largely makes up for the absence of a truly skilled attacker for Portugal with his technical ability, speed and natural goal scoring talents. Everyone but coach Carlos Queiroz seems to see that the Brazillian born Liedson who has scored 163 goals in the Portuguese league of which he was twice top scorer is an essential finisher that the west-iberian team has lacked for years. His technique and nose for goal are the reason that Portugal managed to eliminate an impressive Bosnia from the World Cup, and he should find his way back to the starting lineup in favour of the lumbering Hugo Almeida... but with Queiroz one never knows.

Expected Result: Spain oust Portugal in a thrilling 4-2 classic.

A Slight Surprise: Spain choke and only manage a narrowly fought win of 2-1 or so.

A Real Shocker: Portugal ousts the European champions

Obi Wan Asterix Says: This will be one of the most extraordinary games of football in history… I am not missing a millisecond of it and I expect, hope Spain to edge Portugal 4-3 in a classic game with the lead changing numerous times.

Match Preview: Brazil v Chile

 VERSUS

Match Preview: BRAZIL versus CHILE

Stage: 1/16th Final

Winner Plays Versus: Holland

Time: 2030h GMT +1

Venue: Elis Park Stadium in Johannesburg – A classic, old fashioned English-style box stadium with good camera angles. Some of the shots have been too long-range though with insufficient close-ups.

Referee: Howard Webb – for all the referee whining we have seen from the English over the past days, their referee is the most controversial of them all. With a love for giving late unfounded penalties, and flapping yellow at mosquito bites... FIFA like him because he is an imposing presence that keeps control of the big matches. Unfortunately for Chile, he likes to play favourites with the big teams, so if Brazil ask for freekicks they should get them easily.

Date of Birth: 14.07.1971 in Rotherham, Yorkshire.

Height: 188 cm

Place of residence: London and Rotherham.

Occupation: Professional Referee

Mother tongue: English

International since: 2005

First international: Northern Ireland-Portugal (15.11.2005)

Hobbies: Family

Fondest memory: UEFA Euro Austria-Switzerland 2008 Final

Overview: Brazil have been one of the best teams in the tournament so far, with attacking Brazilian flair accompanied by a solid, team defence. They let a draw slip to Portugal and could underestimate the Chilean who they beat twice in qualifications. Those two defeats were rare for the attacking Chileans, and this very talented team has been among the most entertaining so far, if they can recover from their narrow defeat to Spain and find their top form for this game, don’t be surprised if a shock occurs.

Suggested Menu With Your Game:

Appetizer: Caldillo de congrio al vino... a fantastic eel stew made with wine that the legendary poet Pablo Neruda even wrote about to inspire Chile to finally beat Brazil in a major tournament.

Main Course:  Coração de frango, or Brazilian grilled chicken hearts to taunt the determination of other big teams thus far, accompanying a complete Brazilian 11 cut churasco (to symbolize 11 Brazillian players) which is a meat orgy with a wide variety of the best meat in the world.... Brazil always gets the main course.

Desert drink: Pisco sour.... the Chilean national alcohol to represent the souring of the Brazilian team which the Chileans will try and cause.

Wine: Chilean off course! A fine Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the sunny valley below the majestic peak of Aconcagua is enough to inspire an upset, or console a defeat.

Squad Analysis:

BRAZIL:

Unofficial Theme Song to Accompany Style of Play:

A clear choice... the absent Ronaldinho Gaucho playing the drums in a Paris night club to help his friend keep their samba rhythm going through this tournament...

Tactics: The Brazilian team has always been known for attacking... but with the arrival of legendary defensive midfielder Dunga as coach began a quiet revolution of improving Brazilian defending and discipline. The current team is exhibiting a little less attacking quality than the classic Brazil, but much better defending, and look a certain favourite for the finals far.

The Brazilian tactical line up has best been described as 4-2-2-2 classically...  And it involves 4 at the back, with very offensive wingbacks always being a tantalizing feature, two ball winning defensive midfielders, two free roaming attacking midfielders who also act as wingers, and two forwards with a dedicated striker and a wide or playmaking forward to accompany him.  The tempo changing is key, and keeping possession before exploding with pace and power is very important for Brazil... and the team failed, or didn’t want to do that against Portugal for the later part of the game.

Strengths: Individual ability everyone knows... but some of Brazil’s most capable players have been left out of this disciplined squad that looks perfect in both attack and defence.

Weakness:  Very few, except overpaid ego’s which can be upset if things don’t go their way. Luis Fabiano is a diver and a relatively unsportsmanlike player, as are some other members of the team... Robinho can be a bit of a diver, Lucio can be brutal as a tackler, and Felipe Melo can be overly aggressive and this can lead to occasional card trouble from a non-Brazil-worshiping referee. However, this Brazil team is considerably cleaner from recent generations.

Key to beating Chile: Play like Brazil did in the first two games... attack and dampen the opponents attempts, not getting distracted or trying to play the referee.

Key Squad Members:

European Champion Julio Cesar might just be Brazil’s best keeper ever... he lacks nothing even though he was never considered a major talent until claiming the Inter Milan gloves without contest.

In Maicon Brazil has a physically overpowering wingback that is currently on top of the world in his position. His goal against North Korea is already a thing of legend... as are numerous other goals of his when he goes forward, like the goal against Juventus in the Serie A this season. Ohh and he defends perfectly as well.

Lucio the Brazil captain led the Inter defence to the European triple crown this season, and is very much on top of his game... although opponents have gotten past him in this tournament.

Elano the right sided attacking midfielder is in better form than his more famous more commercial counterpart Kaka and has been perfect for Brazil thus far. The reddish-haired midfielder scored a brace of great goals, made some fantastic passes (although complete only a little over 60% of them) and has looked very motivated. Its lucky that Ivory Coast’s Eboue managed not to break his leg as the tournament would miss a major player.... the injury leaves a probability that he will still be on the sidelines today. UPDATE: He is not in the starting line up.

Gilberto Silva’s sale of him to Panathinaikos was one of the great mistakes that Arsenal made. The defensive midfielder is the massive iron gate to the Brazillian defence, and not much gets past his tackling. The silent job he does on the field is as vital as coach Dunga’s for the 1994 team.

CHILE

Unnoficial theme songs to accompany style of play:

Chilean rock band La Ley went far with their ballad “El Duelo” with the words “Sin dolor no te haces feliz” ... basically “no pain no gain” unpoetically simplified, which is that the Chileans have to hurt here if they are to achieve anything.  Maybe Alexis Sanchez can reach the high notes of Mexican singer Ely Guerra’s astral vocals?

The tempo pick up near the end could be a usefull tactic to imitate for the Chileans so that they can end on a climax! 

Tactics: Chile have a superbly talented generation and the 4-5-1 they deploy has been very effective in finding the back of opponents’ nets. No player in attack sticks to a set formula, instead their movements vary tremendously meaning many surprises to their opponents attack... the wingers Matias Fernandez and Alexis Sanchez are highly skilled and full of surprise... but Matias has yet to show it in South Africa while Alexis is something of a rising star this tournament.

Strengths: Decent in defence, decent in the middle if those two elements work Chile creates many attacking opportunities, but finishing is only there when Humberto Suazo plays and he has been recovering from injury.

Weaknesses: Injuries and suspensions. Three key players are out after a tough group battle... Gary Medel and Waldo Ponce are key to the Chilean defensive formation and Marco Estrada’s red against Spain was an additional loss to the midfield stability. Without these players Chile’s defence might or might not be able to deal with Brazil, whereas normally this team is capable of playing against the best. The Chilean subs are not bad players, just less experienced.

Key to beating Brazil: Finishing... Chile will produce some opportunities and entertain, but they have to start capitalizing on the creativity in front... then anything can happen.

Key Squad Members:

Ismael Fuentes usually partners Waldo Ponce at club level with Universidad Catolica and the latter will be replaced today, but his is a resilient and tough central defender that can play against the best forwards Brazil can throw at him. Pablo Contreras of PAOK Thessaloniki is not a bad replacement and is certain to make an appearance today... if he and Fuentes can gel they will make a tough final line for the Brazilians to breach

.

Arturo Vidal of Bayer Leverkusen has been a key player with his club good season, and his completeness as a defensive midfielder has been key to Chile’s incredible tempo and ability to retain possession.

Jorge Valdivia now is a star of the Emirati league, but his playmaking with Palmeiras in Brazil was extraordinary, and he is a clever and creative player who knows how to breach Brazilian defences.

Mark “speedy” Gonzalez, formerly of Liverpool and now Keisuke Honda’s colleague at CSKA Moscow is a fast and dangerous wingerhe is likely to make an appearance tonight stretch the Brazilians when their wingbacks go forward.

Alexis Sanchez might be small, but this fast and technically brilliant winger has been making waves in Italy with youth incubating Udinese, and has already an impressive set of footballing achievements for being only 21. Can he capitalize his great play with a goal or two against Brazil? This is certainly the biggest game of his career so far...

Expected Result: Brazil take advantage of absent Chile players and hammer the Red-and-Blues 3-0.

A Slight Surprise: Chile manages to give Brazil hell but loses 2-1.

A real shocker: Chile is fully capable of beating Brazil on a good day as much as anyone… they can win 3-2 or so if they are efficient in front of goal.

Obi Wan Asterix Says: Its hard to judge with the suspensions, but I will go out on a limb for fun, and because Chile has been fantastic in my eyes over the past two months. 3-2 to Chile….. I have to be as daring as they need to be in my prediction! 

The Shamefull English Press

England did not lose because they were cheated by an Uruguayan referee... England lost because they were a quarter of the team that Germany is... a lot of stars failing to work together....

Congratulations Germany! I admire the curent German team because they are a departure from all past teams that were defensive and uninspiring... this young Germany is brilliant... more explanation to come.

Match Preview: GERMANY versus ENGLAND

 VERSUS

Stage: 1/16th Final

Winner Plays Versus: Argentina or Mexico

Time: 1600h GMT +1

Venue: Free State Stadium – Bloemfontein – The site of France’s exit to South Africa and one of the better stadiums for camera work so far.

Referee: Roberto Rosetti.(Italy) – a very very strict referee known for not putting up with showboating superstars. This could really be a disadvantage for the English players who are used to a rougher version of football in the Premiership, with referees that don’t card as often. Date of Birth: 18.09.1967 in the province of Piedmont, Italy. Height: 190 cm Occupation: Hospital manager Mother tongue: Italian Other languages: English, French International since: 2002 First international: Tunisia-Cameroon (11.01.2002) Hobbies: Tennis, movies, books Fondest memory: UEFA European U-16 Championship 2000/01; FIFA World Youth Championship UAE 2003; FIFA Confederations Cup Germany 2005; FIFA World Cup Germany 2006; UEFA Euro Austria-Switzerland 2008

Overview: “Expect nothing and everything,” the old cliché has never rang truer. One of the greatest rivalries in the game, dormant in recent years, is about to be revived, as either 12 cylinder Germany or lawnmower England must go home this find afternoon... and anything could happen.

Suggested Menu With Your Game:

Appetizer:  Young Asparagus in Cream Sauce to recognize the input of the Beyern Munich, Schalke, Bremen, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Dortmund youth program into this German team.

Main Course:  Fish and Chips over-drowned in vinegar to salute the way the English team performed

Drink: German Beer because the chances that the English will be enjoying theirs after this are smaller

Desert: Black pudding – as a meaty tribute to the beefy Wayne Rooney... especially since its not a desert and he hasn’t been much of superstar.

Squad Analysis:

GERMANY:
Unofficial Theme Song to Accompany Style of Play:

No choice here there is a real must!

Do listen to it here on youtube!

Germany Death Techo band Rammstein singing VIVA KOLONIA a tribute to Podolski’s team 1.FC.Köln to inspire him and the German team to some hard bass sounds against the back of the English net.

Tactics: Coach Joachim Löw has had an incredibly progressive, one could say revolutionary cadency in charge of the German national team since he took over from Kilnsman in 2006. He has, with his highly capable coaching staff transformed the German national team from its traditional defensive, oppressive style of football into a composed, dangerous attacking team. Deploying an offensive 4-2-3-1 in previous games, but has considerable injury worries for this one with irreplaceable Baastian Schweinsteiger, and Jerome Boateng fighting off injury, and one of the players of the tournament so far Mesut Özil having suffered the loss of his grandmother on Saturday.

If all is according to plan, Podolski on the left and Mueller play as very offensive wingers, Özil plays behind attacker Klose and they are backed up by two central midfielders Khedira and Schweinsteiger or Kroos.

Strengths: Technique, fitness, energy and striking power.. the German team has an efficient attacking machine that has struggled the last two games after a 4-0 hammering of Australia in the debut game.

Weakness:  Psychology, the young German team has obvious lack of consistency which could be in part due to lack of experience. The formations are not weak in any way, but the absence of Schweinsteiger could really hurt heir ability to interrupt English attacks.

Key to beating England: Since not so many WWII veterans will be reading this I can say submarine style will work best... hit hard and hit fast to demoralize a shaky English squad morale before they can find their strength in this match. The destructive game can be very efficient against a so far uncreative English team, and should be emphasized as well.

Key Squad Members:

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been one of the best in this tournament, even though last December he was still Germany’s number 3. Following the retirement of the emblematic Oliver Khan, a whole horde of talented goalkeepers has worn the German gloves, but after the tragic suicide of Robert Enke, the injury to Rene Adler its now 24 years young Manuel Neuer that is showing off his considerable talent.

Per Metersacker and Arne Friedrich form one of the best defensive axes in the World Cup, and they combine well on the ground and in there only conceding one goal so far. Even when Germany has been in trouble the last two games, this final line has not faltered with Neuer behind them.

Philipp Lahm is the captain, the motor, and the colonel on the pitch, marshalling the tempo and posture of the young German team while covering both defence and offense with rare class as he does for Bayern Munich.

Thomas Mueller has been one of the revelations of the tournament, exploding onto the scene 12 months ago at Bayern Munich, forcing the sale of Luca Toni, the benching of Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose and Ivica Olic, and has now been a surprise inclusion in the German team, a surprise starter, surprise goalscorer, and now could make a suprise appearance in the team of the tournament. His wing play is scintillating.

Mesut Özil see Thomas Mueller..... expect that he plays for Werder Bremen, has been staring for two seasons and is a central attacking midfielder like Germany have not had since the fantastic Thomas Haessler. See his superb goal agains Ghana here. 

At 25 Lukas Podolski is one of the old boys in the team. Now converted to a left winger, where he plays better than as a dedicated attacker, Podolski is a fantastic goal getter and don’t be surprised if he adds another couple to his 37 goals for Germany. He has been on poor form, moving back to modest but well-loved club FC Koln from Bayern Munich and struggling to find his club form, but playing very well for the national team.

ENGLAND

Unnoficial theme songs to accompany style of play: Weee shallll nevvvveeer giiiive uuupppp weeee shall neeeeveeer giiivveee innnnn a cheesy motivational song can be played first as its all the English team deserves so far 

But that wouldn’t work for many so English Superstar band Coldplay with their song Viva La Vida can hopefully get through and  inspire some of that long absent latino flair in the sleepy, boring English team  – Especially since it starts off with “I uuuuseed to ruuuulllle thhheee world”

Tactics: Too many its seems, from Italian manager Fabio Capello, who has been forcing his players into unnatural positions and forgotten the basics of a good atmosphere and motivation. England play a very strange 4-4-2 that seems to stifle creativity and quickness, the second of which especially the English team could excel at. Heskey and Rooney have formed a very failed partnership and hopefully Jermaine Defoe can replace Heskey after scoring the winning goal against Slovenia.

The biggest failure of Capello in the English media’s eyes has been the failure to use creative midfielder Joe Cole, who has been one of the best playing England players in recent years.

Strengths: A good degree of physical ability, quality and talent. No, the English team are not overrated... individually... they just haven’t come together in a good way, and the old football saying “the team makes the individual” is very true here.

England has one of the best defences in the world, even with the absence of Rio Ferdinand. English defenders are simply a class above most of the competition, except maybe German.

Weaknesses: As above... lack of gel. Even Stevie Gerrard can be weak in the England setup as his cooperation with Frank Lampard has been very mediocre.

Although English goalkeepers have been considered a traditional weakness, David James is really very underrated, even if he is no Manuel Neuer.

Key to beating US: Find the form that has mysteriously gone missing. England had brilliant moments in qualification, and excellent goal scoring form. Subbing Wayne Rooney early if he doesn’t deliver might be an option, he seems to consume England’s energy. Ohh, and win possession in midfield, and prevent Germany from scoring early... lot’s to do really.

Ohhh, and since they have learned that in major competitions, never confront Germany on penalties! England has lost twice.

Key Squad Members:

David James  is key wether anyone likes it or not. Yes he used to make horrible mistakes in the past, but now he IS England’s best goalkeeper, and he is really not that bad! Never forgiven for a shaky youth, the 39 year old is far from that, and is in for the game of his life tonight... he will be up for it, will the rest of the England team?

John Terry.... so far his contributions have been attempting a mutiny against Fabio Capello. Losing his captaincy for sleeping with a teammates Fiancee and making a vital tackle against Slovenia which could have knocked England out. The emblematic Chelsea man has it all to prove again.... and the ability is there without a doubt.

Gareth Barry – The Manchester City man has not played to expectations either, and his defensive midfield role will be key if Germany can stop German attacks and hit back. Again, he has the ability, where has it gone?

Jermaine Defoe – Come on Jermaine! Punish Capello for leaving you out....  the attacker has been the best England has to offer over the past two seasons, and scored the vital goal against Slovenia. He has every possibility of saving England from disaster here, he just has to be as good as with Tottenham.

Wayne Rooney – The tempermental, beefy, muscular, explosive Manchester United forward has more often than not delivered the goods for England that he does for money at club level. His form the last three games has been impressive, but nobody imagies subbing him, because only 10 seconds of his top form are enough to win a game. Everyone in the world will be asking themselves if he will flop of fly today.

Expected Result: Germany wins 3-1 looking at form.

A Slight Surprise: A close run game edged by England.

A real shocker: England sweep away Germany and go on to lift the cup… their last three performances suggested nothing of the sort.

Obi Wan Asterix Says: This will be a tense and classic match… 2-1 will be the score for…. Germany. 

GHANA AS GOOD AS CAMEROON!!

Congratulations Ghana! Fantastic performance, two fantastic goals to overcome a half-half penalty decison.

Match Preview: USA versus GHANA

 VERSUS

Stage: 1/16th Final
Winner Plays Versus: Uruguay or South Korea
Time: 2030h GMT +1
Venue: Royal Bakofeng Stadium - Rustenberg
Referee: Victor Kasai (Hungary) – One of the best referees so far, Kasai is sharp on the fouls, alert to the dives and a good communicator of reasonable boundaries for players. The matches have been flowing and entertaining under his guidance.
Date of Birth: 10.09.1975
Height: 189 cm
Occupation: Sales manager
Mother tongue: Hungarian
Other languages: English
International since: 2003
First international: Slovakia-Luxembourg (18.08.2004)
Hobbies: Sports, cinema
Fondest memory: FIFA Olympic Football Tournament, Beijing 2008

Overview: A very tough, open encounter between a resilient US that fights to the last second, and an explosive, highly skilled Ghana with trouble putting the ball in the net and lapses of concentration. Africa’s last hope in Africa’s World Cup is getting the unbridled support of the entire continent, as the Black Stars seek to better Cameroon’s 1990 record of getting to the quarterfinals. The US is hungry to get on the World Football map, and to change the name to soccer once and forever... don’t discount them until the final seconds of the final whistle has blown... Algeria did.

Suggested Menu With Your Game:
Appetizer:  Palm Nut Soup to symbolize the thich broth that the Ghanaians will create to US attacks sluggish.

Main Course:  Appalachian Squirrel needs determination to eat, and determination is exactly what the US needs. It should be accompanied by French Fries drowned in Heinz Ketchup a world renowned brand that US national team is aspiring to be.

Drink: Coca-Cola off course... unless you prefer Pepsi

Beer: Ghanaian Star Beer varies extremely in quality from bottle to bottle... just like the Ghananian team from minute to minute.

Desert: Overly Sweet American Apple Pie... with whipped cream just for Landon Donovan.

Squad Analysis:


USA:
Unofficial Theme Song to Accompany Style of Play: I did it myyyy waayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy by Frank Sinatra as the ambiguity and reference to the final curtain, and that its a song about stubbornness.



Tactics: The US has a 4-4-2 diamond formation, but varies the attack pattern from game to game. The three strongest points are consistent, Tim Howard in goal, Landon Donovan with free roaming playmaking tasks from midfield, and Michael Bradley the coaches’ son organizing the midfield’s rythym. The speed and strength of Jozy Altidore give the US hope.

Strengths: Determination like few other teams. The US team is fit and strong, and can outrun the Ghanaians. Landon Donovan is playing his 126th game for the US and looking for his 45th goal... he is really at the prime of his career having acquired experience for previous quickness. The strength and physique of Jozy Altidore is a big part of the US game plan in the holes he opens up in defences with his power.

Weakness:  Quality is lacking in some parts of the formation, and the US team could be overconfident from finishing top of the group. They also tend to play victim in front of the referee while dishing out heavy fouls themselves too often and this can cost them sometimes. Having one playmaker only can be a weakness if the other team manages to lock him down. The US forward line is overrated, with most goals coming from midfielders Dempsey and Donovan.

Key to beating Ghana: Patience, drive towards the Ghanaian goal, shooting from everywhere and following the rebound up... the US often plays like that and that’s how they can win. Most importantly, the travelling US fans which make up the largest foreign contigent, and resisting the vuvuzela wielding African fans which will all throw their support to Ghana.

Key Squad Members:

Goalkeeper Tim Howard is well known for his tourette syndrome and uncontrollable swearing, but even more for his excellent form for Everton and the US national team this tournament... with the Ghanaians lacking decisiveness in front of goal, his form could prove too much for them.

Michael Bradley organizes the US midfield, and arrives late in the penalty area to score vital goals. His Bundesliga experience with Borussia Moenchengladbach has taught him to be a consistent, organized player.

The goal poaching of Clint Dempsey, who has the ability to make well masked runs into the opponents area and score is the reason why he was a linesman’s flag from two goals this tournament already... and scores bags of them in the Premiership with Fulham. For all the complaining about the disallowed goals, he is also lucky for not having been sent off at least twice, as he is known for rather brutal fouls from time to time. His position on the field is unusual, and he can play in midfield, as a forward or winger. He is most effective playing further back though.. and having more space to make his attacking runs.

Landon Donovan is a clever, dangerous schemer who scored the last gasp goal against Algeria which allowed US to finnish top of the group. He is the US’s World Class player, one who can make a goal out of nothing, and he is a grenuine threat at any point in the game. When not making dangerous through passes to Altidore, he can dribble and score himself.

Jozy Altidore is highly touted by the US media, but for all his speed, work rate and strength, he often lacks a good touch and some technique, making him easy to neutralize for an experienced defence like Ghana’s... if he succeeds today it will be due bursts of athleticism and a bit of luck.

GHANA
Unnoficial theme song to accompany style of play: With Africa’s hopes pinned on Ghana’s young shoulders its needs to be a real good song, the best song: One Love from Master Bob Marley to inpire them to work together and resist the US onslaught!



Tactics: Ghana have played with two attackers in a classic 4-4-2, with a lot of freedom for their wingers. Nothing should change against the US... although 4-5-1 is an option.

Strengths: Phenomenal talent, this is a really talented young team, where 23 year olds are veterans. Their dribbling, creativity and unpredictability is a real strength. Additionally, the defence starts at the midfield with Annan and includes two excellent central defenders Vorsah and Mensah who dominate the opposition with security and consistency.

Weaknesses: Inconsistency, the trait that has plagued African teams in major competitions since the dawn of football. The youth of this team only makes them more susceptible to lose psychological battles with determined opponents like the US... the support of the public will therefore be key. Sulley Muntari of Inter Milan is the most famous player, but probably the weakest performer for this Ghana team... additionally he blames the coach this is a psychological sore which could undermine team morale.

Key to beating US: Finally finding efficiency in front of goal, playing a notch more consistently than past 3 games, stopping the US attacks just like against Serbia, and letting the fans carry them to winning the psychological battle and ultimately victory for African football.

Key Squad Members:


Richard Kingson’s abilities have always been controversial, he rose to stardom in the Turkish league, but ended up as a substitute at Birmingham and Wigan... he is however a fantastic important game keeper, capable of pulling off great saves for Ghana which he has done in 81 games for his country already. He really organizes the defence and his experience is important in a young Ghana team. If he manages brilliant saves or messy flops expect everything from this enigmatic player.

John Mensah is a steady fixture in the Ghana defence and is known to be one of the best African defenders having starred for Rennes and then moving on to Sunderland. Isaac Vorsah is an outstanding defender from Bundesliga dark horse Hoffenheim, but has due to injury been replaced by 19 year old Jonathan Mensah of modest Spanish team Granada, who is rocketing to stardom. Whatever the lineup, the Ghanaian central defence has performed very very well.

33 Hans Sarpei has had a distinguished career in the German Bundesliga, and is excellent at comptletly stopping opposing wingers from succeeding in their attacks, currently with Bayer Leverkusen, he managed to tame and dominate the excellent Arjen Robben twice last season. He is having a bit of injury trouble though.
23 year old Anthony Annan is a real star in the Norwegian league, and has been very convincgly filling the shoes of Ghana’s absent star Michael Essien in defensive midfield, with boundless energy, sharp passing and fantastic defensive coverage. He is proving one of the revelations of the tournament.

22 year old Udinese Star Kwadwo Asamoah has to learn consistency, but otherwise is missing nothing in terms of power, technique and talent. He is a threat for any opponent as an attacking midfielder but could learn concentration and consistency from Landon Donovan.

23 year old Kevin Prince Boateng adds the necessary muscle to the Ghana midfield, and is an attacking midfielder with a free role who is better at shooting and winning one on one battles for the ball than many of his colleagues. He used to play for the German under 21 team, and his brother Jerome is in the German World Cup side as a right wingback... Kevin’s career is exploding as he was one of the few high points in Portsmouth’s relegation-condemned season, and has been an important player for Ghana in South Africa.
Expected Result: 2-2 and penalties.

A Slight Surprise: Either team wins convincingly in regular time, as this will be a tight battle.
A real shocker: A 0-0 draw would really be an achievement… as both teams play with substantial energy.
Obi Wan Asterix Says: Ghana must, and will win this to advance to the Quarter Finals and tie Africa’s record. 2-1.