W?reldbeker, World Cup, Weltmeistershaft; its coming, yet we debate colons?

[warheart]

Ballack sucks.

[Silfir]

Well, I guess considering that the Spanish team is commonly accepted to be the best of the world and would never end up losing to a B-class European side you must clearly know what you're talking about OH WAIT

[Adom]

What are people on? Either you guys are on some drug or I am, because I watched most of the games and only remember seeing Ballack score about once. The other players beat him. He didn't help with the ball or do anything which seemed to contribute to the team.

[Silfir]

Then maybe you didn't look hard enough

Ballack has been filling the defensive midfielder position for a while now - the modern playmaker position. He used to be a more offensive player, which naturally results in more scoring and flashy attacking, because there was no one else, period, who could really do that in those days. I am quite sure that his participation was integral to Germany reaching the finals, even if he "only" scored once. Strikers live and die by how many goals they score, good offensive midfielders will and should often score, but it's entirely optional for defensive midfielders.

[moomoo]

Atleast someone got their way of France losing horribly.

Is it just me or does it seem that many teams that seem to dominate the game still end up losing - mostly becouse they can't finish a goal and get messed up by counter attacks. Many teams seem to play defensive football which relies on special situations and swift counters.

And go go Argentina!

[vogonpoet]

France didn't dominate and loose. They were totally unable to pass the ball in the final third of the pitch. The mexico defence and midfield deserve some credit for this, but in general, the french were just crap.

Now I have to go into anti-germany mode.

Deutschland unter alles, Serbien fur den Sieg!

[Silfir]

You might be talking about Switzerland there, right?

The way I see it you have to score for your offensive play to count for anything (Fail on the Spanish there, though god knows they tried!). There is a lot of luck related to that defensive strategy. I remember before the Germany - Australia match Australia was described as just that kind of defensive team - doing everything to keep a clean sheet. If you score a lead against that kind of team, they have to do what they weren't planning to do, and that's when they often collapse.

I remember times when Germany used to win their games just like Switzerland did - I hope they can still do that if it becomes necessary! The first requirement for that kind of thing is having an excellent, solid and reliable keeper. (That's why, for instance, England couldn't play that way if they wanted to.) Brazil sort of has that philosophy going right now, coming from their coach Dunga (most of Brazil resents him for it), but at least you can be sure Brazil won't collapse if it turns out they need to play offensively and score.

As for France, they were just incredibly poor. Mostly, you could see the players had skills, but there was nothing to make them work together. Domenech needs to be sacked first thing once they get back. There's still a chance - Both Mexico and Uruguay will do everything they can to avoid having to play Argentine - but I want them out.

Anyway, I'm off to see Germany play Serbia soon. Here's hoping being awesome wasn't a one time thing.

[moomoo]

You might be talking about Switzerland there, right?

Yeah, mostly. Tho I had some other games in my mind too when i wrote that.

Anyway, I'm off to see Germany play Serbia soon. Here's hoping being awesome wasn't a one time thing.

Gonna watch myself some of that too. Expecting some goals to be had.

[vogonpoet]

bwa ha haha ha .... Germany are going down. How many yellow cards can one tesm get???? ha ha

[Silfir]

Yeah... Now I wish we still had Ballack. He'd scored that penalty for sure, and maybe he would have been able to keep the team together after that idiotic Klose sendoff enough for that goal not to happen. As it was, the young German team had the fighting spirit and the breath, but not the experience to get that draw.