The Official World Cup 2010 Thread

[loveissucide]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

Even without him, they`ll probably still scrape through to the latter stages as they always seem to do.

They do have other good players, tons of experience at the top level and reasonably good form on their side. No scrape through about it methinks.

[Astronomer]

Yeah I think Australia's still screwed pretty much.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by loveissucide

They do have other good players, tons of experience at the top level and reasonably good form on their side. No scrape through about it methinks.

Not so sure I agree now because with Ballack out, the rest of the squad look very average. Given that Bayern Munich will supply a number of players to the squad with players like Lahm, Schweinsteiger and Klose etc they all looked very average against Inter Milan yesterday!!! I think they`ll either scrape through to the latter stages as they often do or go out in the second round....which really is about as far as they are good enough to get.

[right-track]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

Not so sure I agree now because with Ballack out, the rest of the squad look very average. Given that Bayern Munich will supply a number of players to the squad with players like Lahm, Schweinsteiger and Klose etc they all looked very average against Inter Milan yesterday!!! I think they`ll either scrape through to the latter stages as they often do or go out in the second round....which really is about as far as they are good enough to get.

You say they looked average against Inter, yet you forget that they reached the final of the Champions League.
Germany, like Spain, will have their teams made up from the bulk of a couple of league clubs. They'll have a ready made 'team' by comparison to most.
I expect Germany to reach at least the semi-finals.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by right-track

You say they looked average against Inter, yet you forget that they reached the final of the Champions League.
Germany, like Spain, will have their teams made up from the bulk of a couple of league clubs. They'll have a ready made 'team' by comparison to most.
I expect Germany to reach at least the semi-finals.

I think they were extremely licky to beat your team!!! They then beat an extremely defensively minded Lyon who should have never gotten to the semis at all!!!

If Germany get to the WC semis its really going to be another dire footballing travesty where discipline, organization and dogged resistence triumph over skill and excitement.

[right-track]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

I think they were extremely licky to beat your team!!! They then beat an extremely defensively minded Lyon who should have never gotten to the semis at all!!!

If Germany get to the WC semis its really going to be another dire footballing travesty where discipline, organization and dogged resistence triumph over skill and excitement.

Maybe so, but when all your squad consists of players playing exclusively in the Bundesliga, you have a great chance.

Interestingly enough, England are the only other team consisting purely of players playing in their home league. Italy come next close with the exception of one.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by right-track

Maybe so, but when all your squad consists of players playing exclusively in the Bundesliga, you have a great chance.

Interestingly enough, England are the only other team consisting purely of players playing in their home league. Italy come next close with the exception of one.

That`s because English players are bloody expensive!!! but seriously, I don`t think players playing in their home league makes too much difference these days, because the inter-changing over the years of players playing in different leagues has now become so common. In fact, the last great German side back in the 1990 WC had their core players player in Serie A.

[Urban Hat€monger ?]

People have been writing the Germans off before tournaments since France 98. How they don't have the stars they used to and how there's not many young players coming through....blah blah blah

They always get there or there abouts though.

[loveissucide]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

That`s because English players are bloody expensive!!! but seriously, I don`t think players playing in their home league makes too much difference these days, because the inter-changing over the years of players playing in different leagues has now become so common. In fact, the last great German side back in the 1990 WC had their core players player in Serie A.

Euro '96 and WC 2006 had two very strong sets of players if I remember correctly, and organisation and teamwork are crucial in football-something Inter display.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by loveissucide

Euro '96 and WC 2006 had two very strong sets of players if I remember correctly, and organisation and teamwork are crucial in football-something Inter display.

Inter do have this and are worthy winners and despite having no Italian players in their starting 11, play the Italian way and have some players of great technical ability (Sneijder, Eto`o etc) their style of play is always interesting to watch, despite the emphasis often being on defence.

The organization and teamwork are DEFINATELY essential and Spain, Brazil and Argentina for example typify all these qualities combined with a huge amount of flair and technical ability as well.

My gripe against Germany, is that they don`t have the flair and technical aspect (Lahm probably the best) and they have some highly rated prospects that are now part of the squad such as Kroos. I`ve nothing against Germany but I`d sooner see a more technically gifted and exciting squad reach the latter stages of the WC than the normall dogged displays by the huns!

Ok, 1996 they had a squad that was worthy if not world class but Croatia, England and Czech Republic should have won their matches against Germany. As for 2006, well they had home advantage which certainly hepled them in beating a far superior Argentinian side. I would have far rather seen an Italy v Argentina semi.

Only one hard grafting disciplined side that was short on skill, has actually won a major tournament as far back as I can remember and that was Greece and that was also with a German manager.