Octopower!

Paul has predicted all the results of the German matches correctly. The Germans have beaten Uruguay 2:3 and despite the dead rubber nature of the match we saw a game for which most of our fellow contestants would have sold their grandmothers. I will not name any teams in particular but you know who I mean.

At the beginning one could have thought that Germany were just pissed off, disappointed and angry, but the further the game progressed, the more they opened up and started to play their usual, positive attacking style. Uruguay tried to display their chocolate side as well, in particular Diego Forlán fought like a lion. Kicking the penalty shot, the last ball played at this match and a potential equaliser, at the bar probably left him heartbroken.

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Müller added another goal to his large maiden World Cup collection, Jansen made one and Khedira knighted himself as well. Klose was probably biting himself in the butt for not being able to play, but Müller sure felt the same when he wasn’t allowed to participate in the semi final match against Spain, where, as many people think, he could have changed the result of the match. Anyway, that’s it, Germany are third for the fourth time in the history of the World Cup, the mood is peaceful but of course the disappointment is going to last for a fair while. The Euro 2010 needs to be prepared and I am 100% sure that Germany will leave a footmark there.

Tomorrow the Dutchies will take on the Spanish, and if you can believe the infallible octopus oracle the favourites Spain will carry the cup home. My best wishes are with the Dutch, may Frau Antje bestow cheese and tulips upon the nations of this world and make us happy with her pretty smile. But Germany is saying good bye to South Africa now. I hope the world has noticed the fiery, enthusiastic and passionate spirit of the German football team in the year 2010.

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Cheers,
Wes

¡Mierda!

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What lessons do we take from here:

• Octopus is always right (can’t wait to hear what he predicts for the final)
• Though shalt not mock the octopus
• Listen to the octopus
• Octopus should for fred’s sake NOT get consulted before the Ashes.

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I reckon Müller died a thousand deaths, and everybody knew beforehand how much we would miss him.  Can’t put the blame on anyone, the boys are young and will take a lot of experience from the matches they have played in this tournament, a mature and strong side will return in four years and make another attempt to claim the cup. We played the beautiful football no one else was able to show, and we kicked Argentina out by four goals.

Spain were simply a level too high for us, maybe next time. One match left to watch of this amazingly ungripping World Cup (at least I myself didn’t feel half as much enthusiasm as four years ago, when my favourite teams chased me to hell and back a million times).

I will be pressing my thumbs and big toes for our funny neighbours, attack of the mierenneuker it shall be!

Cheers,
Wes

¡Buen viaje, Argentina!

Gute Reise and bye-bye!

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Deutschland ist im Halbfinale!

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Farewell, my bearded friend!

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Manuel Neuer, the current Gilchrist of German football!

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Now we are probably gonna face the Spanish. They will most likely kick us out but both of the hyped sides from South America have been sent home by underestimated central European teams. Well done, boys!

Cheers,

Wes

Ouch! Sneijpered!

India got raped by the Zims!!!! Pardon, I mean, the Netherlands kicked Brazil out of the World Cup. I can hardly contain my pee. This is so awesome I have no words. The chicken pile defeats the ensemble of dancers with a nifty trick: they turned them into a chicken pile! In the end it’s an easy equation: 11 chickens beat 10 chickens. Now the pressure is on Germany to achieve the same, otherwise the Dutch will flame us for at least 300 years. Argh who cares. The Bras are out!! Kaaskunst prevails!

HUP, HOLLAND, HUP!

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Happy,
Wes

A Message To The English:

The war is over.

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Peace, Love, Pancakes

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Oh yes, and… Germany won it, quite beautifully

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….although I guess a certain Italian will have to take the blame now. Some things never change.
Well, there’s no need to lie to ourselves, we have to consider that had the blind mole not been one it could as well be us swinging from the tree here. But England’s attack was even crappier than our defence and they couldn’t conclude enough of their numerous chances. I think if we go against Argentina with the same holey wall we will be sent packing within 10 minutes. Klose cleanbowled the English keeper in the first over, Poldi the spray can took the second scalp with a beautiful inswinging yorker and Müller grabbed a well-deserved two-fer to leave England reeling on 4:1 with only 20 overs to go.

Well well. The cricket is distracting me heaps, so that’s it for now,

Auf Wiedersehen, bis zum nächsten Mal!

Cheers,
Wes

Soccerblues and Germanthroughs

The Socceroos have certainly been among the best teams of the group, I couldn’t watch their shootout against Serbia but was permanently and emotionally kept up to date and received very positive reporting. Cahill and Holman scored against the Serbs, who only managed one goal. Aggressive positive football bestowed a win upon Oz and had they managed to get that one goal against Ghana in, who knows. Pim Verbeek was seen punching the air and dancing, but it was his fault that Oz sucked so badly against Germany. Now they have to go home on goal difference and it really hurts me in the heart.

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In the next Cup, for which they will hopefully qualify, we will see a heaps different line-up I guess, and Oz will have to start from anew. Nevertheless it is good to know that they are still the good old fighting Aussies, if you let them they will prove it. Well done, they leave the tournament with raised head (and I am quietly sneefing and wiping a tear).

And last but not least a million thanks for keeping the Serbs out of the contention and avenging us in style! Well done mates! *blows a kiss across several continents*

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With a dramatic and fantastic last minute goal the USA finished top of their group, I think nobody would have expected that, what a team of fighters, congratulations to the US boys, that’s a very admirable achievement. Veteran Landon Donovan took his mates through to the next round.

Germany bit, punched and clawed themselves to a 1:0 success over Ghana with a dream goal by Özil and a very fine performance by keeper Manuel Neuer, and finished on top of their group… hence they will meet England in the next match, who equally finished their last match 1:0. Football Ashes!!! And I’m already having outbreaks of cold sweat like before the final exams. Holy father.

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I think the teams will attempt to slaughter each other. Of course our English friends are trying to keep the ball low and claim not have a chance but anyone remember the World T20? It was me who ruled England out of winning the cup, rating them high but not expecting them to win. England found a lot more coherence in their last match and might keep tightening the screws further. It could have been the moment in which their spell was broken.

Anyway what a dramatic day of football, and it will only have been the first one in a long row of thrilling duels.

*catches breath*
Cheers,
Wes

Soccerdrews

So this is the third post in a row about a match in which a red card marked the turning point. Two out of these three posts deal with the Socceroos. Happy figuring everybody.

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I didn’t quite see all of today’s game but obviously Pim Verbeek reads my blog, the Aussies did what they do best and ran towards the enemy’s goal from the very first minute. It is amazing how this sudden strategic change turned Oz into a different team. The old Socceroos magic was back and it could have been a feast for all Oz supporters had not an Italian -think what thou wilt- swung the whistle and sent key striker Kewell off in an what must have looked like an extension of the Italian piss-off-ery of the last World Cup.

The match started fabulously, with Holman putting one in right in the 11th minute. My Oz connection reported mad screaming and jumping through the lounge room. This emotional state should last until the end of the match, but for changing reasons. Kewell’s red card in the 25th minute yielded a penalty kick, which was tidily sunk into the Australian goal by Gyan. It’s ironic that had Kewell not blocked  the ball with his hand the Socceroos would have caught that Ghana goal as well, but without the loss of their forward.

From this moment on Oz had to try and force a victory with just 10 men on the field. Ghana kept pressing and reportedly committed some really ugly tackles but the umpire was obviously well informed about the after-effects of the Sulieman Benn v Chris Broad incident and let them run. Nevertheless Australia defended the draw well and their fans should be a lot happier about their performance.

The big question mark floats above the third and last match they have to play against Serbia. Only a victory can take  them into the next round, but they will be without Kewell, even though Cahill returns into the line-up. My thumbs and big toes are entirely pressed for an Australian triumph, go ‘roos!!!

Cheers,
Wes

Aaarrrggghhh!!!

This is bloody awful. We stormed off well, wonderful attacking play, it all looked like a fest for football fans, and then the overeager umpire started to take the fun out of the game by handing out 4 yellows within a few minutes, and the fifth crack of the whip was lethal, Klose the casualty. Losing our most experienced striker was a blow of epic proportions. Serbia immediately leapt into the gap and Jovanovich, yellow himself, banged one in. We were trailing by one goal and one man down from this point on, but stormed on like at full strength, fantastic effort by the boys, been ages since I have seen them play so aggressively, but Podolski missed a few razor-sharp chances incl. a penalty kick.

It is not exaggerated to say that our performance was admirable and we created chances en masse, but the bloody round thing just wouldn’t go in. I am usually bored to death by our performance but this match was, despite the defeat, really great to look at. But of course it doesn’t suffice to prevent further goals, we needed to make some as well and it just wasn’t supposed to be. Now we need a sounding victory over Ghana, because as it looks now those four goals against Oz could really make the difference at the end. I am disappointed we lost but somehow also the spirits are good simply because if you watched the game, too, you will know what I mean. Go Germanoos!!

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Now the US boys could need a victory and of course the English gloaters deserve another butt kick. Won’t happen but one may dream

Can’t think straight now, vuvuzela terror outside makes thinking completely impossible, sorry for the load of bullcrap.

Cheers,
Wes

Shockeroos

Germany beat Australia with lately rather rarely seen positive, attacking, energetic and happy football and I’m still trying to comprehend  its sudden occurrence. Especially two of those who sparkled today, namely Klose and Podolski, had been little problem bears in the recent Bundesliga season, hence my concerns in the previous post. But obviously as soon as the tournament’s opening ceremony closes the guys magically switch their usual World Cup form on and go rampant.

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Podolski shocked Oz right at the start and havoc broke loose outside my window. Prinz Poldi, so unlucky at home, yet a cult hero ritualisticly worshipped especially by the German bogan population, scoring the first goal of the German World Cup campaign caused an eruption of mindless yelling and hornblowing, and when Miro contributed a klassik Klose you could hear fireworks going off, no lie. Cherry on top of the cream: Müller’s maiden international goal,  and Cacau’s 60-second-blitz.

It is fantastic to see everybody clicking on command, Özil rules anyway and occupied his spot in the hearts of the German fans long ago. It was a delight to see them doing so well despite skipper Ballack’s absence; his hastily crowned successor “der Philipp” Lahm lead them from the front and the new, Ballack-free formation worked well.

But we also have to admit that Australia didn’t offer a lot of resistance.  Let’s start with the shocker:

Cahill’s red card was a real downer. I wanted to jump in the umpire’s face with feet first. Now I feel terribly sorry for Cahill and deeply regret having considered taking him off the Timmy list. But let’s be honest, that was just the final nail in Australia’s coffin.

As said before, Australia’s defensive approach doesn’t work, it is against their instincts. You cannot play defensively with an Australian side, it’s like trying to get forward on the motorway with the handbrake pulled.  The guy who decided to pick Verbeek as a coach should get locked in an elevator with a joyful Shane Watson goddarnit. It is just not working. The moments in which Oz looked good in the game against the US had been those when they were battling at the front, Oz style. This is the football we have been looking forward to, the attitude that impressed us so much four years ago and had carried Oz to the semis.

The team is now in complete strategic disarray and with Cahill out they can as well go home unless a miracle happens. Verbeek needs to get fired for a more suitable guy and the newer players must get sent through the bone mill. Oz needs a coach whose vision builds on Australia’s natural forward movement; this is also the Oz trademark that impresses the enemy most.

The final problem I would like to address is the keeper. You wouldn’t guess that Schwarzer is a born German. But it’s not his fault that he doesn’t belong to the world’s best. Football ranges in Australia after Aussie Rules, Rugby, games we have never heard of over here, and of course the best sport in the world, Cricket. Can’t blame him for that.

Well… mixed feelings all the way.

Cheers,
Wes

Socceroos and Germanoos

[Here's] a German article about the Socceroos and what style of play we can expect from them.

Don’t wanna repeat what I said in the previous post but Verbeek has obviously not been the most popular figure in the Bundesliga circus, from what the text suggests I would say he shares his un-Amsterdamish approach with Rehakles; no experiments, but discipline and a big fat wall.

Well, we have seen in the match against the US that you can make the Socceroos play forward, our boys need to tickle their attacking instincts and we will get to see a good fast game with a lot of Aussie attitude, I’m convinced it is possible. Although, after witnessing England’s first-ball wicket against the US last night they will probably have dug an additional moat around their castle.

My concern is rather the German playing style, our attack has suffered heavy losses and/or is not in their prime, yet Löw sticks with the players he “trusts” instead of taking the top goalgetters of the recent Bundesliga season to South Africa. This plan sparked heated discussions over here and found its harsh critics as well as defenders and the opening match against a defensively playing team will be the first big test for our boys.

Nevertheless. It’s a must-watch event and I am already getting twitchy. Middlesex v Essex shall quickly but passionately get wolfed down as a starter!

Cheers,
Wes