World Cup 2010

[abigsmurf]

There are a LOT of Aussies in the crowd, you can actually hear them over the vuvazelas.

Wouldn't surprise me if they've filtered or re-positioned the microphones a bit. The crowd's a lot more audible today and yesterday.

Think the game's pretty much over, unless Australia get a goal back before half time (think it's more likely Germany will make it 3)

[Number45]

But the score was 1-1, take out the howler and keep everything else the same and it was 1-0.

Take out the howler and EVERYTHING after that point is different. That's what I'm saying.

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

ZOMG!!!

A game which is actually quite entertaining. Are the Aussies really that bad or should the rest of the teams be genuinely worried about the Germans?

[Flabio]

Australia seem to have picked a side to hold for a 0-0 draw, and it's badly backfired. It's fair tactic, damage limitation against the Germans then win the other two games. But you need to be able to defend like Italy for that to work. So now they have to go for it.

I mean, they don't even have a recognised forward on the park at the moment.

Ozil looks tidy for the Germans, apart from that yellow for diving.

[MisterBubbles]

What ive been most disappointed with in the World Cup so far is the cameraman and camera-work , its been pretty poor, theres been no long shots of eye candy at all or even crazy dressed up fans, get the ladies in lens guys, your predecessor of past World Cup's will be turning in their graves.
p.s the germans look rather slick, watch out england and the like.

[Flabio]

It is *winter* down there right now, it's below 10 degrees most evenings and lower still at altitude, so don't go expecting bikini's from the Brazillian fans tomorrow.

[prinnysquad]

Much better football! And ... goals!!!!

[saturn-gamer]

As expected.

Klose, Podolski both had a horrible season... but put on the German jersey and they are on fire.

As far as the Germans go, I rated them as semi-finalists. A Spain or Brazil will likely defeat them, but most of the other teams won't.

[fallenangle]

ZOMG!!!

A game which is actually quite entertaining. Are the Aussies really that bad or should the rest of the teams be genuinely worried about the Germans?

They/we should be worried. I think their zonal defending could be a weakness but in attack, even accepting the Aussies' failings, they look horribly, ominously effective.

I think some here may well get their wish for more than two goals in a game unless in the second half the Germans revert to type and show how shutting up shop should be done.

[Flabio]

My pre-tournament predictions had England crashing into the Germans and losing in the last 16. Yet to see anything to convince me that's wrong (although I do have Serbia against the USA in round two, and thats totally up in the air after seeing Ghana today)

[davesol]

Rooney just doesn't seem to have the self-discipline to play as part of a strike partnership. He goes off and does his own thing all the time. I think he believes he's giving his partner the space they need to play their own game like he does. That is the complete opposite of how it should work.

You have to play close to your partner and if you want a good example of how it should be done just look at how the England goal was worked using Gerrard and Heskey, playing off one another. Heskey was doing his bit, winning and holding the ball, usually with his back to goal throughout the game but neither Rooney, Gerrard or Lampard seemed willing or capable of making use of this again.

Add Heskey's predictable misses when given solo oportunities and you have to conclude that he really should not have been in the starting line up. That's not hate it is simply hard nosed logic.

Peter Crouch can do exactly the same job and he brings an unparalleled scoring record plus his height benefits into the equation. He should have been the first team choice, particularly if they're going to play 442. If Rooney still fails to learn the advantages of playing off a partner like PC bring on that single minded goal poacher Defoe instead of PC. But please - no more Heskey except in extremis.

Lennon just wasn't getting enough ball to make any judgement on him.one way or the other. The hate for SWP I can understand, sometimes it's like watching a wasp banging its head against a window seeing him run into trouble and losing the ball again and again. It is as if he thinks that if he does the same thing enough times eventually it'll work. Not enough variation, sloppy passng and a lack of confidence in front of goal too.

However when he has the beating of a defender he can be superb to watch but for me he is sub bench material, Milner too on yesterday's evidence.

Hard I know but IMHO Green shouldn't be played again except in an emergency either. Stuff the excuses and the comfort blanket given to him by his admirally loyal team mates. It is just this sort of softness that'll cost us dear. I just hope the manager has the guts to sack him.

He made an unforced error which cost England 2 points. If James is fit he should start for the Algeria game, if not give Hart a chance . He's not just there to make up the numbers so he has the right to to be chosen.

Sorry to rant but I didn't get much sleep last night due to neighbours partying into the earlier hours. Had too much time to think about the game so I just had to get it off my chest.

Agree with pretty much all of this. the problem with playing heskey is no matter how good his hold up play is (and it was pretty good yesterday) the other teams defence can focus all their attention on rooney cos they know we only have 1 goal threat up front. playing defoe or crouch would give us two players up front who can score and make the defence spread their attention between both of them which would give rooney a bit more space. he had to drop so deep because of this yesterday to get the ball that there were several occasions where we had the ball wide and there was nobody in the box.

Felt a bit sorry for SWP having to play on the left wing but both he and lennon needed to be a bit more agressive i thought and try to take people on more.

here's my lineup against algeria (what i'd like, not what i think will happen )

James
Johnson, Terry, Dawson, A.Cole
Lennon, Gerrard, Barry, J.Cole
Crouch, Rooney

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

Klose, Podolski both had a horrible season... but put on the German jersey and they are on fire.

6 league goals between them is shocking, but they're proven world class players. Klose especially. You don't score 10 goals in two world cups by being a poor player. It's just that German mentality. You can slate them as much as you like, but you know when the big tournaments arrive, they'll step up their game and typically prove everyone wrong.

Don't know much about their keeper though, is he any good? He's not their first choice is he? Ever since I can remember, they've had decent stoppers. Illgner, Kahn, Lehmann......

[Flabio]

He was third choice after qualifying, but the first choice committed suicide and the second choice is injured.

[teenagewasteland]

So the team which have used the world cup ball as their league football since December produce the best first half of the tournament. Coincidence?

[dataDave]

Peter Crouch needs to down some protein shakes and hit the weights. He's horrible.