Who will claim the Iberian Peninsula Championship?
Randinho wrote at Balloon Juice from 2010-16.
"Hi, everyone, my name is Randy Paul. I normally blog at my own blog, Beautiful Horizons. John has graciously accepted my offer to blog about the upcoming soccer World Cup..."
Twitter: @randinho
Japan v Paraguay Open Thread
Can the Blue Samurai keep their amazing run going?
Some Thoughts on Monday’s Games 6-28-10
I think Ruud Gullit is right about the Netherlands defense. They gave Slovakia some good chances in the center of defense. They’re playing with fire if they do that against Brazil,
More subjective officiating: Robin Van Persie’s studs up crunching of Radoslav Zabavnik’s leg in the 55th minute was reminiscent of Ronaldinho’s foul on Danny Mills in the 2002 quarterfinal against England. The referee didn’t even award a foul.
Speaking of Van Persie, he still doesn’t look 100%.
Talk about an ending with a whimper and not a bang: a successful penalty kick and all Robert Vittek has to show for it is a share of the scoring lead – for now.
Incredibly boneheaded play by Jan Mucha on the second goal for the Netherlands, exacerbated by Martin Skrtel being more concerned about an argument that he should have known he would not win.
Just another excellent day at the office for Gilberto Silva. No flash, just consistency.
Robinho’s continuing to develop his role as playmaker – and it’s a pretty good work in progress.
I don’t know why Chile did not bother to have a player against the post on the corner kick in which Juan scored. I always thought that was defense 101. Considering that Chile had a huge height disadvantage, it only made even more sense.
Possession stats were evenly split between Brazil and Chile, but Brazil had twice as many shots on target.
Some impressive stats courtesy of ESPN:
- Brazil is now 53-2-4 at the World Cup when scoring first, 35-0-2 when
leading at halftime and 46-0-0 when taking a two-goal lead. - Since Dunga took over as coach in 2006, Brazil is now 15-0-0 when
Robinho scores and 30-0-4 when Kaká and Robinho play.
Brazil v Chile Open Thread
Can Chile stop Brazil or will the absence of three of Chile’s defenders make them the first South American team to go home?
Netherlands v Slovakia open Thread
Can Slovakia continue the Cinderella story or will it be Dutch treat?
Some Thoughts on Sunday’s Games 6-27-10
About six years ago Mercia and I were at a resort in the Dominican Republic on vacation. One day at lunch, Mercia was wearing a Brazil team jersey. In line next to us was an Englishman with a tee shirt that said “Football: We Invented Yet.” He was eying her shirt so Mercia pointed to the five stars about the Brazilian Football Confederation crest and said “We perfected it.” He nodded grimly.
Two nations with all the burden of tradition in the sport, but one with one major success forty-four years ago and another with five World Cup wins (three since England’s win), eight wins in their continental championship (including four of the last five) and three Confederations Cup wins, including the last two.
I feel for English football fans, I really do. Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski explored the issue well in their book Soccernomics, but it might be a good time to lower one’s expectations.
Yes it was a terrible call, but that’s not why England lost.
As an Arsenal fan, I took great pleasure in knowing that Ashley Cole had a bad game.
I wonder if England fans wish Ryan Giggs was 5 to 10 years younger and had been born in London.
Remember what I said about Mesut Oezil; that he was someone to watch?
I honestly don’t know if Germany just had great counterattacks or England’s defense was just that bad. I think it was a little of both.
England had the sort of balance in their attack in this World Cup that no team should want: one goal by a forward, one by a midfielder and one by a defender.
Manuel Neuer’s punt to Miroslav Klose that resulted in Germany’s first goal was the first assist by a goalkeeper in the World Cup since 1966.
Before the Argentine team gets too cocky, they should consider a few facts:
- They defeated teams that had a net plus 1 goal differential in the games that they played against teams other than Argentina.
- They defeated teams that had scored a total of 14 goals in ten games, including today’s game.
- Three goals were scored and while Tevez’s second goal was stunning, his first was the result of a blown call and Higuaín’s goal resulted from one of the most embarrassing giveaway’s I’ve ever seen.
Ian Darke: with every game I thank God it’s you, Martin Tyler and others doing the play-by-play and not the horrible Tommy Smyth, but for God’s sake the man’s name is pronounced Ig y EEN, not Ig WAYNE and not Ig WAN. Also, every Hispanic man I have ever known with the name Javier pronounces it Ha vee air, not Ha vee a. They’re not French, okay?
Javier Aguirre: a taller keeper might have gotten a hand on Tevez’s screamer. Might have, perhaps, but there was absolutely no way the 5’9″ Oscar Perez was going to touch it.
Anyone impressed with Sergio Romero, Argentina’s goalkeeper? Not me.
I think England would be happy to have a forward who hadn’t yet scored if he could do what Leo Messi does.
I’m so glad that Argentina v Germany is going to be on Saturday.
Diego had better hope that Walter Samuel gets well soon because, Gabriel Heinze, who was brilliant today, can’t do it all by himself.
Argentina v Mexico Open Thread
Will El Tri beat the Albicelestes or will it be a repeat of their 2006 matchup?