Game 23: England vs Algeria

This has been a tough tournament for the Three Lions. Two successive draws in a row, with the team only having scored one goal in total, may spell doom for England after the 0-0 draw today against Algeria.

In truth, Algeria were the better team for much of the match. They connected their passes well, stood up to the tough English center-forwards, and made good runs on offense. Karim Ziani was a maestro on the offense, tormenting the English backline and constantly trying to set up opportunities for his fellow countrymen.

On the other side, Rooney could do very little. Because of the usual double-marking, Rooney had to constantly track back to the center of the field just to even get touches on the ball, something you generally don't want to see your central-forward and main goal-scoring machine doing.

"No excuses," said captain Steven Gerrard, "we weren't aggressive enough."

Constantly the English attackers would try to lay the ball off for each other, rather than going for goal on their own. The few times they did have shots on target, such as from Lampard, Gerrard, and Rooney, the ball had little strength behind it, making them comfortable saves for Algeria keeper Rais M'Bolhi.

Much like the United States, England now goes into their final game against Slovenia in a win-or-die situation. Even if England pull off a draw, they would more than likely not go through provided the Yanks also draw. If the United States win, England is out regardless, if the United States lose then England will go through with a win.

In other words: to move on, England has to win.

Algeria will be going into their final game against the United States with renewed confidence, and if they win then they could conceivably go through provided England also loses.

Group C is turning out to be one of the most exciting groups of this years tournament.

Game 5: England vs United States

What an excellent way for the United States to start off the World Cup campaign. The players had been speaking very positively throughout the week leading up to the match and they did deliver, but through a tough drawn out fight.

Almost instantly into the match, England went ahead in the fourth minute as Heskey linked up to Gerrard, creating a beautiful give and go against a flat footed US defense. Many people were still settling into their seats, taking a sip of their drink, chatting with other attendees when the goal happened, catching literally everyone off guard. However, the men of the US were not phased.

The United States started to kick into action, and the midfield performed very well, outshining England's superstars for most of the match. They provided good feeds, made good runs, and really just ran around Milner, Lennon, and Lampard, but out of all of them, Dempsey would be the golden boy for the team. In the fortieth minute he would take a hard shot at goal from outside the eighteen yard box, and Robert Green would commit an error so great that it will go down in history, an error so bad that the tabloids will beat him senseless. What should have been an easy scoop up instead ran right past the goalkeepers gloves, and I'm sure in slow motion for everyone watching, crawling it's way into the net. The United States had just equalized against England.

The rest of the match would see both sides continuously pushing, both wanting to come away with a win. England would have a glorious chance in the fifty-second minute when Heskey gets clear of the defense only to see his shot saved by Tim Howard, who made himself huge to block the shot. Thirteen minutes later Jozy Altidore would respond, by leaving Jamie Carragher in the dust to put a low-near-post shot on goal, which Robert Green just manages to knock off the post. These back and forth attacks would continue for the rest of the game, but ultimately England would be disappointed, as the United States came out with a big draw against one of the toughest teams in the world.

There are obviously some big questions concerning this match. Firstly, did the United States deserve this draw? The answer has to be 'yes'. The combination of Findley, Clark, Dempsey, and Donovan was fantastic. These guys worked their butts off, and performed a passing game that put the England midfield to shame. Don't forget Cherundolo either, who ran around Milner and Wright-Phillips like they were simple ball-boys getting in the way. Even Lampard, one of the top midfielders in the world, failed to show up all game, being completely outshines by the United States opposition. These guys worked hard, and although the goal came off of a mistake, it was deserved, because they kept pressing and pressing, never giving in to defeat. They were hungry for a victory and made sure England could not get their way.

However, the United States defense did seem to be an issue in comparison to England's. Whereas John Terry was strong and confident, Oguchi Onyewu was slow to react and cautious. DeMerit may have done a good job marking Rooney, but Rooney was also never fed the ball to actually attack, but when somebody else would leap into the box, such as a Heskey or a Lennon, DeMerit would not react to them. Coach Bradley will have a lot of work to do heading into the next games to make his defense ready, and maybe consider benching Onyewu because he does not seem to be fully fit. Regardless, on a whole it was still an excellent showing, and the United States men's national team should be proud of themselves.


Final Score: England 1 - 1 United States

Group E: Netherlands

Eight straight wins in qualification, undefeated in world cup warm-up matches, it is easy to see why Oranje are one of the favorites to win the tournament. Due to years of total football, when the Dutch have always had a strong squad, the team has surprised many when they look at their history and notice a single finals victory, the 1988 European Championship

This is the statistic that has always plagued the Netherlands, they show up to a finals and progress through the knockout stages only to be beaten prematurely.  In a sense, they are just like England, and like England, many journalists believe this year will be different.

Notorious for locker room rows, the Dutch have apparently calmed down, and are playing more like a cohesive unit. Total football is even back, with the defenders randomly becoming attackers, and the attackers tracking back to defend. Although their defense is their weakest link, their midfield and forwards rank on top of the worlds elite.  Dubbed the fantastic four (pictured), Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Rafael van der Vaart form the core of the team. They can score, take free kicks, run till their legs run off, stagger defenders,  and physically challenge for the ball. However, there could be a problem, Arjen Robben just injured himself, which isn't a big surprise, he is always hurt. As a result, Dirk Kuyt could take his starting spot, forming a strike partnership with van Persie.

Provided the team ceases all the typical in-fighting, then this could be a spectacular time in history for all soccer fans.

My Prediction: Runners-Up

Photo taken from: http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2010/laughter-in-south-africa-oranje-trains-and-looks-forward-to-arjen.html , show your support to his wonderful Netherlands blog.

Group D: Ghana

Along with Australia, this is Ghana's second world cup appearance in a row, and second ever. In addition, just like Australia, they have a fearsome squad.

In 2006 Ghana shocked everybody by reaching the second round, where they were promptly beaten by Brazil, but they did put out a good showing. On top of this, Ghana went on to win the U-20 competition, and a few of these players on now in the squad.

A unique aspect about Ghana is how young all the players are, with the average age sitting around 22-24 it is amazing to see so many of them succeeding in the top flights of the game. However, without Michael Essien (who is out injured), will Ghana have a chance? He was easily the teams best player, and one of the reasons they made it to the Cup for two tournaments in a row.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Ghana will be the most successful African team at this tournament. They will reach the second round and put up a good fight against England, and then lose in the dying minutes of the game. Note, I also pick Cameroon to make the second round, but they will be soundly defeated by Italy, which is why I say Ghana will be the most successful.

Key Players:
Asamoah Gyan (pictured) is an amazing striker, having scored 17 goals in 32 qualifying games he will be the target for the midfielders, such as Sulley Muntari who had an amazing season with Internazionale as they went on to win the Champions League.

My Prediction: Second Round loss to England.

Group C: Slovenia

To many, Slovenia is simply a team happy to be at the World Cup, but this doesn't mean one should discount them. During qualification, little was thought about them, but the world took some notice when the team gained some good results to edge out the Czech Republic and Poland, then even upset Russia in a playoff to book a ticket to South Africa.

After twelve games in qualification (including playoffs) Slovenia only gave up five goals! The reason was for their stellar defense which shocked other nations and put them off guard. Although it is not attractive soccer, if they continue to play the way they have then they could be a major upset in the tournament. By frustrating attackers, and neutralizing opposing midfield players with constant possession, Slovenia has the ability to possibly sneak into the round of sixteen knockout stage.

However, it must be noted that in qualification their opponents lacked out and out strikers. Arshavin of Russia was probably the closest to that mantle, but even he does not have the experience as England's lineup, or a few players from the United States and Algeria squads. The goal for Slovenia will be to not get intimidated and keep playing the style they have become accustomed to.

Key Players: Robert Koren (pictured) for West Bromwich Albion (recently promoted to the English Premier League), and Miso Brecko of Koln in the Bundesliga, both defenders, are the anchor for the backline and the reason for a lot of the teams success. If both can stave off energy and keep their good partnership working, then strikers such as England's Wayne Rooney and USA's Landon Donovon could become a non-factor.

My Prediction: Group C 4th Place.

Group C: Algeria

If there were to be a 'wild-card' team in Group C, then Algeria would be it. With most of their players being European born, and therefore having gone through youth systems, the Desert Foxes field some quality players, thank goodness for the ability to change nationalities!

Although most teams consider their first game to be the most important, for Group C it is paramount. While the United States and England are battling it out, Algeria will be playing for their lives against Slovenia. If the Desert Foxes win, they could have the ability to pull an upset over the top two teams (US/England) by sneaking into second position and knocking one of them off in a final week head-to-head.

However, there are inconsistencies, such as losing to Malawi in an earlier match, a minnow of a nation, but then later beating Egypt, a usual power in the African Cup of Nations. Attack minded, they are likely to be stopped in their tracks against the solid defenses of both the United States and England.

Key Players:
Karim Ziani (Pictured) is probably the most talented of the lot, playing his club ball at Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga. Furthermore, don't forget about one of my fantasy picks (well partly because he was a cheap buy) Hassan Yebda who is an up and coming player on his national side. Although his club performance over the past year at Portsmouth in the Premiere League was a little lacking, as the team was relegated.

My Prediction: Group C 3rd Place.

Group C: England

Take one glance at the England lineup and you would have to be crazy to think these lads could not win the title. But they won't. On paper England always has one of the strongest teams in the world. Filled with amazing players who play for the top clubs one would expect exciting games, and easy victories; yet, England has always underperformed. Whether it be red cards (Beckham in '98, Rooney [pictured] in '06) or losing on penalty kicks (most years), England always find a way to get knocked out.

Many pundits agree that this year will be different. Rooney has calmed down, Gerrard and Lampard actually work together, and in Fabio Capello the team has found a coach that will keep players focused and determined.  But recent events could have changed this. John Terry's off the pitch 'antics' have begged questions on how well the team gets along, while recent injuries to Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Barry could be hugely detrimental.

Don't get me wrong, England have a huge chance at succeeding, but a lot of different factors will have to come together to make it possible. The key is for Capello to keep the team in check, and utilize the strongest midfield in the game to their full potential. Once everyone is healthy (queue glare at Barry), the likely midfield would be Barry, Gerrard, Lampard, and Joe Cole with two strikers in front. However, I wouldn't discount the setup of:

Barry 

J. Cole ----- Gerrard -----Lennon

Lampard

Rooney

Truly frightening.

Key Players: Wayne Rooney has the ability to contend for the most goals in the tournament. He is a classic striker in every sense of the word, a strong, powerful, attacker that has a good eye for goal. This past season at Manchester United has seen him in his prime and he will be keen to bring that to the national team.

Ashley Cole: Yes, he is key. A much-better-than-average defender, he is lightning fast on the flanks and will be essential to provide crosses into the box for the strikers and central midfielders. With Barry or Carrick potentially playing a holding-midfield role Cole will be able to constantly make these runs.

My Prediction: Semi-Finalists, going out on, yup you guessed it, penalty kicks.

Group C: United States

Below is an article I wrote and submitted to a few local papers. It was not published (as of yet), but I did like it.

US Soccer: It's Not About Winning

By Derek Rhoades

American's are a competitive breed of sports fan, we want our teams to win, to sign the best players, and to have the most amazing plays. With the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa just days away, many individuals are already clamoring for the United States team to be successful, but winning is not a part of this success. Instead, the national team is heading to South Africa with another goal in mind, to show the world.

Comparatively, soccer has always taken a back seat to the rest of sports in the United States. It has never had the same history as baseball nor the rabid fan base as football, and until recently, had been little more than a small blip on the world radar. This is what will be on the player's minds during the tournament, where they hope to gather interest and recognition for a developing sport back home, to prove to the world that America can compete in the biggest sport on the world stage.

In 1994 the World Cup was held in the United States, under the condition that a professional league was started, but besides the record attendance and the horrendous denim colored jerseys the team wore, the United States did not capture the attention of other nations. However, it did open the eyes of the American public who quickly noticed the popularity that soccer enjoyed outside of the country. This insured the success for the inaugural season of Major League Soccer (MLS) which kicked off in 1996.

During the 1998 World Cup held in France, the national team took to the field with two seasons of professional play under their belts. They failed to live up to expectations, crashing out of the group stage as the worst team in the tournament. MLS would suffer from this setback, losing income and having to cut teams, but during the 2002 Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, something spectacular happened, something that saved the MLS and ushered in a new era for American soccer: the national team reached the quarter-finals. Suddenly the world had noticed America, the players were being talked about, and scouts from the top European leagues were sent out to watch developing American players.

MLS benefited greatly from this showing, seeing a spike in revenue and allowing the construction of soccer specific stadiums across the country. Furthermore, it allowed players to begin making their mark in the top leagues of the world. However, as typical in the sports world, the national team did not stay on top forever. The last World Cup, held in Germany during 2006, was billed by journalists as the year the United States would contend for the title, instead they failed to make it out of the group stage. This is not to say the team played poorly, in fact they played very well at times, holding eventual champions Italy to a one-one draw, they were just not the team everyone expected. Although it did not affect the popularity of soccer in the states, it left the rest of the world wondering: “Was it a fluke?”

This is the impression of American soccer the players will be dealing with ahead of the tournament. Some players on the team have since made an impression individually, such as Landon Donovan (pictured) playing on loan at Everton F.C., and Clint Dempsey already being a fan favorite for Fulham F.C., both teams competing in England's premiere league, regarded by many as the best league in the world. However, question marks are already being placed on how well the players will do as a team. The national teams first game will be June 12 in Rustenberg against England, which are one the favorites to win the tournament. Most expect England to win the game, but many of us are secretly thinking: can the United States pull off an upset? A possible repeat of the 1950 World Cup in which the US shocked the world by beating England one to zero in the group stage would certainly fulfill the goal the players have. Even if they lose they still have two group stage games against Algeria and Slovenia, both are teams who are simply happy to be at the tournament, it is during these games the players will have a chance to show off their skills.

Win or lose the world will be watching the national team this summer, where the players will be putting aside the past to showcase the future, a future in which American soccer can be respected and given more attention in world media, a future in which the players proudly stand up and exclaim to the world: “beware, we are coming!”

My Prediction: Second Round, as Germany will probably be too much for the team to handle.

Group A: France

France reached the World Cup amid great controversy. Failing to display the skills fans have come to expect out of the nation, France had to struggle through qualification. Placing second behind Serbia they had to do a playoff against Ireland to determine who would reach South Africa. In the 2nd leg of the playoff, Ireland had evened out the goal aggregate and the teams were heading into extra time, only for a handball from striker Thiery Henry to reach the onrushing William Gallas to score the goal and send the French through. Irish fans will never forget this, but the rest of the world is left asking, does France deserve to be at the Cup?

The star quality is there in all positions, but the bad qualification run leaves some doubts. Luckily for France, they are easily still the best team in their group. In theory most betting people will expect them to win all their matches, and this is likely. As such the real test for France will be once they get to the knockout stage, where they will most likely be facing S. Korea, who they should once again beat, but then come up against a very strong England squad, which on paper will run circles around the French. Les Bleues will have to be at their best in order to make a strong showing, and not have a repeat of qualification.

Key Players:

Anelka has been on fire lately for both club and country, to the point where I feel he now outshines Henry. He should be starting the games, and expect him to be the leading scorer for the French side.

Ribery and Malouda on the the wings will provide some good speed that will trouble some other nations, particularly because these two are also very strong players with the technical skill to dribble around double marking.

The defense all around is actually really good for France, and they will give up few goals, but they will have to score some points if they don’t want to finish in goalless draws. The key for France is to show up, forget about qualifying, forget about disappointing club seasons, and forget about the South African home crowd. If they can do these things then the classical French will shine in this years tournament.

My Prediction: Quarter Finals