World Cup Day 13 predictions

Just in case you thought vuvuzelas were only annoying...

My predictions

Slovenia 1-1 England

I have a feeling one of the US and England will slip up, and the US look more determined. An easier prediction is 0-1 to England, but the turmoil and injuries to the team (specifically in the backline) should take a toll.

USA 2-0 Algeria

See above. Algeria looked okay against England but that's not saying much; the US will see this as a great opportunity to progress and should have a goal or two in them.

Australia 0-1 Serbia

Without Tim Cahill, Australia have struggled to create chances; he's available for this match. However, Serbia are well organized and should play with more purpose. Australia have to win to progress and could leave space at the back.

Ghana 1-2 Germany

Germany can get it done when they need to, and can score goals. Ghana have struggled to score, even though they lead the group. A draw (or even a loss and some luck) sees Ghana through, so they might not be the most adventurous.

World Cup Days Eight, Nine. I'm really slowing down.

Day Eight results - 0 for 3 again.

Germany 0-1 Serbia

me: Germany 2-1 Serbia. Wrong result, half-wrong score. Shit reffing. Nine cards in the first half. Klose should never have been sent off. The Germans looked good in the first half, but Podolski apparently found his club form for country. Well done to Serbia. They are my dark horse candidate, so...

Slovenia 2-2 USA

me: Slovenia 1-2 USA. Wrong result, half-wrong score. What a great game, though the US really should have won, with a ghost call pulling their third goal back. What was so impressive was that neither team stopped attacking. Compared to the next game, this was so refreshing and exciting.

England 0-0 Algeria

me: England 2-0 Algeria. Wrong result, half-wrong score. What a dire game for England. Only the play of keeper David James was any good. Could this finally put to rest the Gerrard-Lampard-midfield debate? Gerrard was England's best player against the US. Out wide against Algeria he was barely in the game, and Lampard was shit. It must be so frustrating for coach Fabio Capello to watch as pass after pass goes astray. Just for fun, compare the forwards for Spain with the England forwards. It's not a pretty sight.

Day Nine results - finally some results in my favour

Netherlands 1-0 Japan

me: Netherlands 3-1 Japan. Right result, wrong score. What a boring game; worst I've seen so far. The Dutch seem to have forgotten how to attack. Full credit to Japan, who swarmed all over the field pressuring the Dutch at every touch, but a better team would have passed or dribbled through the pressure, while the Dutch were happy enough to just pass it back to the keeper time and time again. I can't remember any of the Dutch starting 11 trying to dribble past an opponent. They've got two wins, neither convincing, and I hope they either find their real form or lose their next game. I had such high hopes for their playing style.

Ghana 1-1 Australia

me: Ghana 1-1 Australia. Right result, right score. A good match that Ghana should have won. Winger Harry Kewell was sent off for stopping a goal with his arm; full credit to the Aussies, who needed a win and kept on attacking. Someone had obviously told the Ghanaians to shoot from distance; too often they did when a pass would have been better. This group is bonkers now, and this sets up a barnstormer of a game between Ghana and Germany.

Cameroon - Denmark

me: Cameroon 1-0 Denmark. I haven't watched the whole game yet. It's 1-0 to Cameroon in the 30th minute, so could be good for me. J-pop says it's a great one, so I'm looking forward to finishing later today.

I'll link to match highlights after the games today; I don't want to inadvertently see a result.

And now a seemingly forgotten segment here: Did you know?

Not available in Europe. Get it? Doesn't make as much sense now that he did well while on loan at Everton last season, but it's still funny.

Did you know that Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy golden boy and the face of the US national team, is known as Landycakes? He really is. Even to his fans. I really don't like him, but I can't remember why. This quote might explain it:

“They are jealous of us, the Mexican players, because we've got a life and they have nothing ... Because of that they despise us. ... Who is going to win this game? The best team. And we know good and well who is the best team between the U.S. and Mexico. We know it well.” - Landon Donovan

That's only slightly unfortunate right now, as the US are struggling to get out of the group stages while Mexico are almost guaranteed to go through.

World Cup Day Eight: predictions gone to shit

I'm watching the Germany-Serbia match right now, it's 0-1 in the 73rd minute, and my predictions (and I suspect most everyone else's) have gone to shit. The ref in this game is waaaaaaayy too card-happy. Klose should never have been given his first yellow.

Also, what is up with the cardigans worn by the German coaches? Horrible idea. Apparently others thought so too. I'm looking for a picture. He's usually so well dressed, as seen in this photo probably from Euro 2008:
And here is the cardigan in question:

You be the judge.

My predictions

Germany 2-1 Serbia (guess I got that one wrong)

There's still time (EDIT: full-time. 0-1 to Serbia. Argh) for Germany to get me the result, but after having a penalty saved I'm not sure they have it in them. Podolski has had a bit of trouble in front of goal today.

Slovenia 1-2 USA

I've never cheered for the US, and I almost hope I'm not right on this one. But they should be better than the Slovenians. Because I didn't see the Slovenia-Algeria game, I have no idea how they did, other than they barely beat one of the least-favoured teams. C'mon you plucky Balkan bastards!

England 2-0 Algeria

England have to win one game, right? There should be a gulf in class, and I don't think Algeria have a Swiss performance in them. Count on Rooney for one (he has that ad to live up to, after all) and maybe Crouch to gangle one in. Yes, gangle (from gangly) is a verb now.

World Cup Day Three: results, Germany's youth and the reffing so far

Asamoah Gyan scores the pivotal penalty against Serbia

Day Three Results

Slovenia 1-0 Algeria
me: Slovenia 2-0 Algeria. Right result, half-wrong score. I have no idea how this game went and I don't know any of the players on either team*, just had a hunch. Puts Slovenia in good stead and puts some pressure on the US to beat them.

Serbia 0-1 Ghana
me: Serbia 1-0 Ghana. Wrong result, wrong score. This is the first game I've got totally wrong. Ghana showed more organization at the back and invention going forward than I thought. Serbia had a great chance to make it 1-0, and then Ghana were correctly awarded a penalty that they buried. This throws my group predictions for a loop, as I had Serbia going through. Now they have to get a win against Australia and a result against Germany and hope things go their way.

Germany 4-0 Australia
me: Germany 2-1 Australia. Right result, wrong score. Our first blow-out of WC2010. Germany dominated start to finish all over the pitch. They passed the ball well, used space intelligently, took their chances, and look to be a force this tournament. Nice to see Podolski and Klose score; both players have struggled this year for their clubs. Other than one or two players, Australia just don't have the quality. With Cahill getting the red card (horrible call, by the way), Australia's chances of progressing have taken a nose dive.

Also, what's scary about Germany is that they've got such young talent. Muller (who I had no time for in the Champions League final but who just scored a nice goal) is only 20, and kept Klose and Luca Toni out of the Bayern squad. Ozil (see below) is 21, their starting keeper Neuer is 24, captain Philip Lahm is, amazingly, only 26, Mertesacker in defence is 25, Gomez is 24, Khedira 23, Schweinsteiger is 25. If they do well here one can only imagine how long this core group can play together.

Young player of the tournament

Early days, but Mezut Ozil of Germany looks the business. He could have scored twice in the first half, and looks like a creative force. The bigger European clubs will be knocking on Werder Bremen's door this summer if they aren't already.

Reffing so far

So the straight red against Everton's Tim Cahill gave us the first reffing controversy of the tournament. It was a foul, maybe a yellow, but certainly not a red. Australia have every right to feel aggrieved; after the dubious penalty given against them in 2006 to give the Italians a late, late victory, they might start to feel like someone is working against them.

Other than that, I think the reffing has been very good. The other red cards have been for two yellows, and both that I saw looked deserved.

Blown coverage

And if you were wondering why there aren't ads during the games, see this shit coverage by Britain's ITV: missed Gerrard goal.


* After checking the squad lists, I do know a couple of Algerian players: Belhadj had a good year for Portsmouth; Bougherra plays for the Rangers in Scotland but I think I've only heard of him through playing Football Manager.

World Cup Day Three: predictions and surprises

South Korea beat Italy in 2002. Will there be surprises this time?

My predictions: (I swear I haven't seen the early results)

Slovenia beat Algeria 2-0

Serbia beat Ghana 1-0

Germany beat Australia 2-1

I'm really hoping Slovenia pick it up a notch and make Group C interesting. If they win this morning and take a point off the US and England they could have a chance of going through. Craig Forrest, ex-Canadian keeper and Sportsnet commentator has even picked them above the US. I think it's a pretty long shot.

Serbia are my dark horse picks to do well, but only if they get out of the group; both Ghana and Australia will challenge them for second in Group D. Germany should win. This game between Serbia and Ghana could determine the group.

Surprises

There are always surprises at big tournaments. In 2002 South Korea made it to the semis (on some questionable reffing calls), in 2006 the Ukraine made it to the quarters. In 1998 Nigeria and Paraguay made it through the group stage ahead of Spain and Croatia made it to the semis.

I haven't picked any. Serbia or Mexico could go to the semis, and Spain could get knocked out in the Round of 16 by Portugal or Cote d'Ivoire. All three scenarios are possible. Also look for an African team to do better than I've predicted (which is: only one team out of the groups, and then eliminated in the Round of 16).