Argentina will win the 2014 Brazil Fifa World Cup

Arjen Robben is the player of the tournament. With two matches of the 2014 Brazil Fifa World Cup to go, it is safe to say that a player who was almost retiring at Chelsea around a decade ago is the player of the tournament. That is barring an expected huge Lionel Messi performance on Sunday. Robben moved from the English Premier League to Real Madrid and carried the ‘bad boy’ tag with him until his Bayern Munich destination a few seasons back. He left Spain again on the verge of collapse but found room and warmth to grow. That resuscitation in Germany moulded him into a great player the world is witnessing today. He is wiser with less hair, truly a revelation for the Dutch in this Fifa World Cup.

The Netherlands hoped to play the final and many fancied them to do so, and even win it, but they have been too good from start until a match ago. The problem was that they had been at their peak far too early as their performance and winning huge in earlier matches proves. They played attractive football and, reached the ceiling by the quarter-final stage. Louis van Gaal is well aware of this fact and his expression of his dislike of their fixture against the hosts is proof of the fact. I personally believe Brazil are more beatable now than they were against Germany. Their dilemma around who to play and restore pride and whether to exclude the tried and tested to give new blood a chance to have a run is real. Van Gaal stares the prospects of failing to win what he feels is a dead rubber or the humiliation of the resurgent Brazil in the face.

As for Argentina, they always raised their game just enough to scrap the result. Save for their encounter with the Dutch, they did enough to get what they wanted. While it was a difficult match physically and mentally, they will be expected to hit top gear against Germany in the final. To make their case harder though, they have a day less to both recover and to prepare for that final. They endured a 120-minute long extremely competitive energy-supping match plus the emotional wrecking penalty shoot-out in tough weather conditions.

In comparison, Germany did stroll past Brazil and literally had a field day. Their recuperation and preparations will be longer and better, naturally. What makes this music to their ears is the fact that they had the same Dutch ‘early peak’ and scrapped through when Ghana let it slip. The United States stretched them to the limit and so did the Algerians. They hit the ceiling as they reached top gear to get past the Africans. It was a welcome relief that Brazil did not turn up on Tuesday. That luxury afforded by the hosts has more physical benefits than mental. After that stroll, concentration levels may drop a degree. Argentina will be sharper mentally but a notch low physically.

At this high level of the game, there are very fine margins in the football factors of performance. The obvious cases of altitude, weather, nutrition, motivation and all that jazz do count. Of course, the majority of the players who will take it to the turf on the 13^th of July are Europe based. So, the altitude and weather will count for little. The managers and players know each other pretty well, but something will have to give. There can never be an doubt of proper and professional preparation in the field of play.

Football is such that the team that will walk away victorious, needs to create one opportunity and utilise it. Given this line alone, this is a huge ask and a burden whose solution eludes many. In the German Bundesliga, Under-9 to Under-17 teams are taught at least nine patterns of attack to create that one opportunity. Congruently, it means with this knowledge, one has to learn how to stop nine attacks, or know nine defending ways. There are a lot more at higher levels of the leagues, and it is a project that goes through to the national team. It has to start with recognising each and every one of them and the variants, and then deal with it effectively and ruthlessly.

As humans, it takes several attempts to be precise even on something we are expects in. The match may not provide such opulence to try and try again. This is when a team needs one moment of brilliance from its top player. It may be any player for that matter but chances can never be taken. Argentina will have to dig in deeper and pull off a stance to utilise Messi more than they did against Holland. It would have been very painful for him to have been anonymous in most of extra time and then fail to have an opportunity at the highest level, in the final. Germany on their part, are a well-orchestrated choir driven by the mentality to be exceptional in both attacking and defensive jobs. That roundedness of their structure makes it harder to single out individuals. Each has a role to play, basically, to be efficient in their area of operation. Many depend on doing simple things right all the time. It can be just once.

Defenders have to be technically disciplined and tactically sound in decision-making. This means winning all balls all the time without making any errors. The same goes for the midfield, whose other concerns includes top quality passing of the ball forward with minimum loss of time. The ball played early and fast on the ground makes it easier for the strikers to score. That is how they effectively scored seven goals out of a mere thirteen attempts at goal against Brazil. Most of the opportunities were very easy to convert. Given that supply, the strikers' clinical finishing would be top priority. Thomas Muller is known for his inferior natural technique, but what he was taught in his adolescence, he will execute with perfection and with ease.

Joachim Low and Alejandro Sabella have tasks in their hands, but one can be assured they started that many years back. It becomes a different kettle of fish when one realises they have a World Cup finals within days. Coaching is about shaping a team to create the opportunities to score and psyche the players to execute well as efficiently as possible when that moment of truth comes. The same goes, as he has to work with the same team to deal with those moments coming from the opposition in the same match. They have to manufacture a great moment in attack and then deny the star players any room for their moment of brilliance.

Both cases can be successfully achieved by the same team on Sunday, or one team gets one aspect right and the other team win the other option. The two teams can have it both ways in the same match in varying degrees and portions. Once in a while, due to bad team preparation or excellent tactical work by opposition, none of this happens. This explains the woeful Brazilian night at the hands of the Germans and the following day’s draw between the Netherlands and Argentina.

All said and done, the Germans’ excellent group work becomes harder to deal with. They had time to chillax before the big day. Argentina over-relies on Messi and as a collective, have not really wowed anybody, but they will welcome back injured Angel Di Maria, in which case they may not need a great team performance. After all, they have Javier Mascherano who officially has the most passes in the tournament so far. Unofficially, he has the most interceptions and the highest ball retrieval rate. The 2014 Fifa World Cup final is the day they may step up into the plate and be counted, the day Lionel Messi will prove he is the greatest player in the world ever. With all due pressure on him, that is the moment to deliver as developing cold feet can only prove he is a sissy, to the delight of both Pele and his country man, Diego Maradona. The two are wrestling over the title they impose on themselves and Messi is here to end that war on Sunday. Cometh the moment, cometh the Messi!!

Netherlands needed penalties to beat Costa Rica 4-3 in 2014 Fifa WC

Costa Rica started very badly and on the back foot as they were exposed on the wings with their three defenders. They quickly sorted that and managed to have balance and depth at the back, especially the central position. They needed to get forward and be a threat to the Dutch defence a little bit more. Their compactness bothered them and the ‘General’ in Luis van Gaal pulled the Costa Ricans wider to enable penetrative movements forward.

Arjen Robben and Depay found the easy spaces to run into on both sides and the two changed sides occasionally. Despite the tactical adjustments, the Costa Rican defence had little solution to the pace of the Dutch pace when Robben, Depay, Sneijder and van Persie were in full flight. They found the resolute defending and goalkeeping of the South Americans unbreakable.

For all their trouble and toil, Costa Rica failed to make a telling pass out of the defensive area and gave away possession cheaply. The final pass into the final third was worse, resulting in the substitution of Joe Campbell. They fashioned a few moves into the penalty area but fluffed them.

Turning the 1-3-4-3 into a 1-4-5-1 seemed to keep the Dutch attack at bay effectively, but Holland responded by adding numbers upfront. Robben tried to win every free-kick possible, including one taken by Sneijder against the left upright post.

The best part of the night came in the last four minutes of extra time as The Netherlands attacked and Costa Rica counter attacked in basketball fast break fashion. Both teams were close to scoring thrice in that period of time, including a strike of the cross bar by Sneijder. Urena ran rings around the defence and his efforts were only blocked by Jasper Cillisen, who was replaced by Newcastle’s Krul in time for the penalty shoot-out.

With all the drama, it had to come down to kicks from the penalty spot. Krul saved the two to send the Dutch to face Argentina with a 4-3 win.

Holland beat Chile 2-0 in 2014 Fifa World Cup

The match was dull for most of the first half. Holland won a few balls midfield and failed to utilise them. They could not capitalise on loose balls, and their counter attacks proved fruitless and the Chileans were content to deal with the blunt attacks.

Chile injected some pace into attack but the final pass disappointed. They occasionally penetrated the Dutch defence and claimed a few penalties that were not given. There match lacked creativity from both sides and the entertainment value was minimum.  

Two late, one very late, goals ensured Holland recorded a win that took them to the top of the group. A ball from the right was delivered to the penalty area. Frei was unattended as he jumped and headed the cross home. No one pressed the man on the ball as the ball was crossed. There was lack of marking as the Chileans ball-watched.

Holland defended a corner and quickly set up a counter attack when De Jongh’s clearance fell to Arjen Robben who sprinted towards the penalty box and played the ball square to Depay to score at the far post.

The win placed Holland on the summit of Group B

Brave Australia lose 3-2 to Holland in the 2014 Fifa World Cup

 

This was cracker of a match, more so that the unfancied Australians took the game to the 2010 South Africa World Cup finalists. The Dutch looked very ordinary as they wondered what had hit them. It was one Tim Cahill. However, the former Everton kingpin's troops were brave in the fight but very naïve to let it slip.

After being guilty of a mistake in midfield, Australia presented Arjen Robben with a chance to run at their defence. The striker had to shrug off a very physical challenge and stay on his feet, run with the ball from the centre line creating a three versus one situation against a back paddling defence. Robben still had work to do as he contended with the approach of a sprinting defender who dived in desperately in vain. The Bayern Munich striker tucked the ball into the right of the net with the goalkeeper on his knees.

It was the response of the Socceroos that lit the stadium. After winning the ball in midfield as well, the ball was played to the left past a failing attempt to retrieve it. A diagonal ball was ferociously volleyed past the keeper by Cahill. The Australian’s lining up of the volley complemented the run as he ticked all the boxes of the key factors of volleying on the run. He kept his eyes on the flight of the ball, kept excellent concentration, arms wide for balance and struck the ball at the mid-point below the centre of the ball. The ball flew over the bemused goalkeeper into the roof of the net.

Australia had obvious goal-scoring opportunities that they squandered before half time. Both teams began to press each other up field and opened the game for each other. The seesaw affair continued to entertain. The Dutch were caught napping once more, failing to clear their lines and committing a handball by Janmaat in the penalty box. Wesley Sneider fouled his man in midfield and the resultant free kick ended with the ball in the penalty box. Up stepped Jedinak to send the goalkeeper the wrong way for a rare lead.

The Netherlands’ response was just as swift. Australia fluffed a glorious chance, the chance of the tournament so far, when they failed to utilise one of the three-versus-ones they had; one being overplayed by Cahill to his left when he could have reduced the weight of the pass or opted to passed to his right and the other where they passed over the responsibility and passed square. The bizarre choice to chest the ball goal wards summed up the day for the Socceroos, as they paid for it directly from that counter attack.

The Netherlands swiftly moved forward in numbers and with pace. They found the Australia defence flat footed and square. The threaded ball found its way to Robin van Persie who stabbed the ball home with Jason Davidson covering the offside against three attacking Dutch players. The marking was extremely bad and there was no man charging towards the passer and the scorer.

After several easy chances by Australia, Depay took a ball in midfield and glided across the central defence to crack a speculative long-range effort that swerved to the right and bounced in front of the goalkeeper who made a meal of it and paid dearly. The ball nestled at the right bottom corner of the net. Again, there was no pressing from the Australian midfield and no one charged towards the ball. Depay savoured the space and a free and perfect hit.

For their effort, it was such a disappointing result for Australia who should have won the match by a wide margin, against their fancied opponents. For that kind of display, they did not really deserve to go home this early. They were very clever in dealing with Robben’s right to left inward runs as they screened him eternally, however they were naïve enough to boot themselves out of the 2014 Brazil Fifa World Cup.   

Bayern Munich - Viva the Champions.

Arjen Robben is one of the few players who have played at Wembley Stadium and the one with most experiences there and now, probably his last and best memories will always be his fluctuating and mesmerising performance. He had the last word after his exploits that confused the many young Borrusia Dortmund players. 

Bayern Munich won 2-1 the Champions League final which was in England's decorated and famous Wembely Stadium after that winner from the balding Dutchman. Bayern equalled Liverpool's five European titles. Not only did he perplex his opponents and draw the ire of his fans. He was selfish and ultimately lethal. He is one man I always admired for his knowledge of his own talent. There is no question of his pride in his trade, if one follows where he has been, from his days at PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea, Real Madrid and now Bayern Munich.

The speedy Robben thrived on speed and dribbling wizardry few can match, especially when he is happy. After a fruitful season in which they wrested the Bundesliga in ruthless fashion from Dortmund and are still on track for the treble, he must be a very relied man after that missed penalty kick in extra-time in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea in the Champions League final in Munich before Bayern  lost on penalties to the Didier Drogba power master stroke.

Now leading a two-men movement affectionately known as Robbery, a wing-pronged attack involving Frenchman, Frank Ribery, he set up one goal and scored a softy in the dying minutes of the biggest match ever between these two German teams.  

What can one ask for with a man-of-the-match performance? He had Bayern's best two chances but somehow too eager to get things his way, fluffed both. Chasing a through ball, he wasted precious time attempting to switch the ball to his favourite left foot, dinking his effort poorly for goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller to turn away.

Moments later, it was a gilt-edged chance from the ball rebounding off a defender, but he shot straight at the goalkeeper. His second half shift to the left saw that Robbery effect when his interplay with Franck Ribery culminated in the dribble past Weidenfeller to set up Mario Mandzukic for a tap in into goal. He controlled the ball facing the advancing keeper and rolled the ball past a bemused Weidenfeller, Ribery assisting with a deft backheel.

Bayern's fans went into a frenzy as they screamed and shouted as their club entered the record books, chasing the Real Madrid and AC Milan title records with nine and seven championships respectively. By the time they conceded the winner, Dortmund were feeling the relentless pressure of Bayern pushing forward.

They reacted by doubling men charging towards the ball and ran extremely hard to neutralise the attacking force force that even Bayern never knew they had. Dortmund had two clear goal-scoring opportunities in the opening of the half, creating a total of seven of them. 

Solid Bayern defender Dante, had a clumsily kick on Marco Reus in the stomach, being lucky to stay on the pitch to see thew end of the match. Ilkay Guendogan sent Manuel Neuer the wrong way from the penalty spot.

The champions' triumph were a personal record for the manager leaving the club for Pep Guardiola to take over. The 68-year-old Heynckes became only the fourth manager to win the European Cup with two different clubs following his earlier success with Real Madrid in 1998. That elite club consists of Ernst Happel, Ottmar Hitzfeld and Jose Mourinho. 

Both goalkeepers had to summon their super-powers to ensure the spectacle lasted the entire 90 minutes. Given the rapid fast and furious tempo of the match, extra time could have spoilt the otherwise good show. It was Dortmund who began at blistering pace maintained entirely for almost 30 minutes. Reus and Polish Robert Lewandowski pestered and probed relentlessly the Bayern defence.

The Bayern attack was not to be outdone as Arjen Robben had an opportunity of a half-time hat trick, which did not matter eventually as the Bavarians lifted the famous Cup with big ears. Love them or hate them, Viva the Champions. Congratulations to Bayern Munich of Germany. 

South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup Final Preview.

Don't you feel for that ugly animal? Someone surely should. Africans are better when it comes to abuse. They rushed in to rescue Python "2010" in Cape Town from such abuse, whisking him off from slavery. Poor Paul.

Spain and Holland play each other in the first ever World Cup on African soil, when they clash at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

From a spectator point of view, even to journalists, they exhibit similar characteristics in the field of play. Let the learned one tell you: they do not.

DEFENCE

Spain have a central defense that is solid but play square instead of tandem. This means that the partnership of Carles Puyol and Gerard Piquet has not conventional marker in front and a sweeper behind him. They are side to side.

Piquet, and not Puyol or Xavi, is the brain of Spain if you know your football, though Puyol is an influential and essential leader. Their strength is, diffusing the danger before it arises. They are very clever and organised. They make up for their lack of pace by quick decision-making. While Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila like going forward, they have not been as productive to date. I do not expect anything further in the final. They will surely have their hands, feet actually, full.

The Netherlands have John Heitinga and Joris Mathijsen in the central defensive partnership that assumes a marker and sweeper partnership. They are full of energy and are a dependable lot that has not given much so far. The full backs are Gregory van der Wiel and Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Their roles are more defensive because the corridors they need going forward are always occupied by the Dutch natural wingers, either Robben or Kuyt.

MIDFIELD

For Spain, Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso are a central midfield duo that are marshalled by Piquet and Puyol. They intercept the ball well and early. They surge forward to support attack if play pulls Xavi and Iniesta to the wings, otherwise, they form a formidable cover for their aging central defence not to be exposed. This destructive combative unit enables the creative nature of Xavi and Iniesta to focus solely on offensive duties. Xavi touches the ball every 46 seconds in this tournament, the majority of the time going forward. The pair can be supported by Pedro, making them a goal making industry that moves left to right with deadly efficiency.

Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong give Holland the bite the Spanish may hate. They have a work-rate they need, given the less defensive qualities of Robin and Sneijder. They lack the intelligence and patience when under pressure and commit quite a few worrying fouls that Spain will love to take. Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt and Wesley Sneijder are a very mobile trio that on its day, can be a handful. The coach prefers a left footed Robben on the right flank where he accelerates forward, drops a shoulder, checks in and shoots with his left. This has been productive even at club level fir Arjen. The same can be said about Kuyt on the left, though due to lack of pace, he only manages to get to crossing positions instead. He gets into prime scoring positions well and often.

FORWARDS

Arsenal's Robin van Persie is a dangerous rusty and forceful attacker that may be hard to contain. So far, he has been crawling out of his skin, though his worry about injury is evident with every touch. He is even less comfortable with a possibility of a tackle. This is already cutting the Spanish defence job by half. Puyol will find gaps to join attack with less worry.

Spain have David Villa alone in attack, usually preferring to open up space on his left and running into the penalty area, unlike van Persie who stay centrally as a target man. The fluidity of the Spanish attack gets all offensive characters into the penalty area at the end of each attacking period. In a scenario where Fernando Torres plays, he takes a target man kind of role and Villa plays behind him, probing the flanks, especially the left. 

General Team Behaviour.

Holland are a technically superior team relying on pace and commitment. Their speed of attack is very nerve wrecking. They are not psychologically strong and they may not retain their composure if things don't go well. It is something they may have overcome, given their response to the Brazil 0-1 lead in the quarter-final. Spain are a precise and patient lot that is highly tactically gifted. They are the most mature team in the world by far. They are not prone to mistakes, being mentally strong with huge hearts and amazing fighting and team spirit and they will punish any lapse of concentration.

Usually this world cup has shown us one team coming to play unusual football and lose, rather than a team that brings in something new to break down the opponents. So it depends who will abandon their everyday tactics and lose. Just in case they come out and stick to their guns, we will see teams separated by a penalty shoot-out. Otherwise, the Dutch, if they win, they will score more than once. Spain will only achieve an odd goal for their win.

What does your Octopus say?

South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup Final Preview.

Don't you feel for that ugly animal? Someone surely should. Africans are better when it comes to abuse. They rushed in to rescue Python "2010" in Cape Town from such abuse, whisking him off from slavery. Poor Paul.

Spain and Holland play each other in the first ever World Cup on African soil, when they clash at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

From a spectator point of view, even to journalists, they exhibit similar characteristics in the field of play. Let the learned one tell you: they do not.

DEFENCE

Spain have a central defense that is solid but play square instead of tandem. This means that the partnership of Carles Puyol and Gerard Piquet has not conventional marker in front and a sweeper behind him. They are side to side.

Piquet, and not Puyol or Xavi, is the brain of Spain if you know your football, though Puyol is an influential and essential leader. Their strength is, diffusing the danger before it arises. They are very clever and organised. They make up for their lack of pace by quick decision-making. While Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila like going forward, they have not been as productive to date. I do not expect anything further in the final. They will surely have their hands, feet actually, full.

The Netherlands have John Heitinga and Joris Mathijsen in the central defensive partnership that assumes a marker and sweeper partnership. They are full of energy and are a dependable lot that has not given much so far. The full backs are Gregory van der Wiel and Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Their roles are more defensive because the corridors they need going forward are always occupied by the Dutch natural wingers, either Robben or Kuyt.

MIDFIELD

For Spain, Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso are a central midfield duo that are marshalled by Piquet and Puyol. They intercept the ball well and early. They surge forward to support attack if play pulls Xavi and Iniesta to the wings, otherwise, they form a formidable cover for their aging central defence not to be exposed. This destructive combative unit enables the creative nature of Xavi and Iniesta to focus solely on offensive duties. Xavi touches the ball every 46 seconds in this tournament, the majority of the time going forward. The pair can be supported by Pedro, making them a goal making industry that moves left to right with deadly efficiency.

Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong give Holland the bite the Spanish may hate. They have a work-rate they need, given the less defensive qualities of Robin and Sneijder. They lack the intelligence and patience when under pressure and commit quite a few worrying fouls that Spain will love to take. Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt and Wesley Sneijder are a very mobile trio that on its day, can be a handful. The coach prefers a left footed Robben on the right flank where he accelerates forward, drops a shoulder, checks in and shoots with his left. This has been productive even at club level fir Arjen. The same can be said about Kuyt on the left, though due to lack of pace, he only manages to get to crossing positions instead. He gets into prime scoring positions well and often.

FORWARDS

Arsenal's Robin van Persie is a dangerous rusty and forceful attacker that may be hard to contain. So far, he has been crawling out of his skin, though his worry about injury is evident with every touch. He is even less comfortable with a possibility of a tackle. This is already cutting the Spanish defence job by half. Puyol will find gaps to join attack with less worry.

Spain have David Villa alone in attack, usually preferring to open up space on his left and running into the penalty area, unlike van Persie who stay centrally as a target man. The fluidity of the Spanish attack gets all offensive characters into the penalty area at the end of each attacking period. In a scenario where Fernando Torres plays, he takes a target man kind of role and Villa plays behind him, probing the flanks, especially the left. 

General Team Behaviour.

Holland are a technically superior team relying on pace and commitment. Their speed of attack is very nerve wrecking. They are not psychologically strong and they may not retain their composure if things don't go well. It is something they may have overcome, given their response to the Brazil 0-1 lead in the quarter-final. Spain are a precise and patient lot that is highly tactically gifted. They are the most mature team in the world by far. They are not prone to mistakes, being mentally strong with huge hearts and amazing fighting and team spirit and they will punish any lapse of concentration.

Usually this world cup has shown us one team coming to play unusual football and lose, rather than a team that brings in something new to break down the opponents. So it depends who will abandon their everyday tactics and lose. Just in case they come out and stick to their guns, we will see teams separated by a penalty shoot-out. Otherwise, the Dutch, if they win, they will score more than once. Spain will only achieve an odd goal for their win.

What does your Octopus say?