On Holland v. Brazil: Who will win

This is the most important match so far in the tournament. It is the belief of many, including myself, that the winner of this game will be very likely to win it all. But before we cut to the projected scoreline, let's go over what this game means to the tournament.

The two sides that are meeting here are two legends of football. On one side of the Atlantic, you have the magnificent Oranje known as simply the "Dutch Masters," and that name suits them, as they've invented their own style of play, total football, and they also sport one of the most impressive rosters of superstar players year in and year out. In one of the most traditional countries on earth, football runs through the people's veins.

On the other side of the Atlantic, you have the authors of the term "The Beautiful Game." Or at least, if they didn't coin it, someone coined it watching them play. Brazilians play, historically, with a calm, crafty, off-the-cuff style of play in which every players individual talents are utilized to their fullest potential while still preserving a great team element that propels them to victory over any side. And talent is never a problem in Brazil, as Andy Gray says in Fifa 10, Brazil literally have enough players "to field seven national teams." And that's just got to be true. Look at all of the players who weren't selected: Ronaldhino, Ronaldo, Alexandre Pato. Or even the ones who are some of the best in the world at what they do and can't start because some other great player is sitting in their spot, like Barcelona star Dani Alves who sits on the bench while Inter Milan phenom Maicon towers onfield.

So that's what these teams represent historically, but what about in this tournament?

Let's start with Holland. There has been some griping that Holland have been "boring" to watch because they aren't scoring enough. But let's look at the facts. Holland haven't lost a game since 2008. They were undefeated in qualifying and ran the table in their group. They've only conceded one goal in this tournament. This is a team that's absolutely on fire, and just because they aren't scoring four goals a match doesn't mean that they don't know how to win, because they obviously do.

Now for Brazil. Brazil have impressed massively in this tournament, as one would expect. But people have started asking questions, particularly with the injuries of key players like Felipe Melo and Elano. They also conceded a goal against North Korea in their opener, and some were a little nervous even as the final whistle blew in that match on a 2-1 win for the Brazilians. That said, they still ran the table in their group and pretty much handed Chile their asses in the first Knockout match.

These teams however are also remarkably similar. Both have been criticized for not being as creative as past sides, but are still doing as good as they could possibly do. Both are also key players in world football and came into this tournament as favorites to win it all.

This was a tough one to call, but I think I have decided who I think will win this one: Holland 3-2 Brazil.

I think Holland is going to win this one, but I imagine it will be very close and the Oranje may need 120 minutes to decide it. But I think Holland are going to win this game for a number of reasons:

1. Arjen Robben v. Michel Bastos. This match-up will decide the game. Robben is back and, as he shown with his miraculous goal against Slovakia, he's ready to do some damage in this tournament. With Robben back, the Dutch just look more lethal. When he gets on the ball and starts cutting in on that left foot, you can't help but think something big is about to happen for the Dutch. And I think the inexperienced Bastos, who has been playing quite well mind you, is going to have a problem with "Yellow-Shoes Man," as my girlfriend first called Robben before she knew his name.

2. Injuries on Brazil. Elano is an inspirational talisman of the Brazilian side of 2010. With him gone, a lot of air can go out of them. He's the guy who can pull them up by their boot-straps when they are down, he's the guy who can deliver perfectly weighted passes to Fabiano streaking down the middle. To make matters worse, his replacement Ramires won't be available because of a yellow-card suspension. I think that the Dutch holding midfielders with stars like Mark Van Bommel, Nigel De Jong, and Wesley Sneijder will be able to win the battle in the middle of the field, especially with a crippled Brazilian center.

Out wide, Brazil will have to cope without Felipe Melo, who in all honesty wasn't a particularly marvelous player in the first place, but he was a great passer of the ball and he represented the majority of Brazil's pace away from the ball getting behind defenders. I would expect Dunga to put in one of the younger guys with comparable skill to Melo, like Nilmar or someone like that, but we'll have to see.

3. Juan is kind of an idiot. Juan, the center defender of Brazil, has scored a goal in this tournament, but he's also been playing like a bit of an idiot. His tendency to ball-watch is what gave Drogba his headed goal in the Ivory Coast match, and his other tendency to be woefully out of position is what gave North Korea their gift of a goal in the Brazilian opener. Basically Brazil's central defence is characterized by Lucio cleaning up Juan's mess, and I think that Holland are particularly good at making messes really messy, particularly if that mess is made by a defender giving the ball away in his own half, being out of position, or just giving away free kicks with ridiculous handballs and bad challenges. Watch for Brazil's number 4 to give Holland their first real chance on goal.

4. Holland's defence are great at shutting down individuals. If you think about most of Brazil's goals so far, they have come from great individual efforts by either Fabiano or Robinho, with the exception of Elano's goal and his assist in a goal Fabiano scored, but those don't count because Elano is done, as we know.

This is important because Holland's defence is characterized by great pressure on the ball and a stalwart desire to keep people out of the penalty area. Of course that leaves them open to balls over the top and coming in from out wide, but you get the point. What I'm saying is that Holland's defence is structured around preventing goals from being scored the way Brazil likes to score goals.

5. Robin Van Persie wants to prove himself. Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of Van Persie. He's kind of a little brat and he really doesn't seem to be particularly good at finishing his chances. Right now he has one goal, and he was supposed to be a front runner to win the Golden Boot. Other Golden Boot contenders like Luis Fabiano (3) David Villa (4) and Gonzalo Higuian (4) are clearly really far ahead of him. But I think Van Persie is pissed, I think he's going to come into this game with the clear intention of staying in this game for the duration, and keeping Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, a 23 year old phenom from AC Milan that I am quite a fan of, on the bench. Van Persie knows that he's got a youngster with the same goal tally as him breathing down his neck, and he also knows that his name is nowhere near as fun to say as "Class-Yan-Hoont-a-lar."

These are my keys to a Dutch victory that I think is going to happen. How full of crap am I? Comment!

On Landon Donovan: An American Hero.

In the 90th minute yesterday, Tim Howard saved a scary looking header and proceeded to hurl the ball past the half-line. It looked as if the play had been rehearsed, as it was soon five Americans on just four Algerians. Jozy Altidore, who played his life out the whole game, put the ball over perfectly to Clint Dempsey, who got beat up the whole game, including an elbow in the box that wasn't called. Dempsey was only able to ricochet the ball off the keeper.

As America looked on, for that split second, it was over. We played over and over in our heads the Edu disallowed goal in the Slovenia game, the bullshit off-side call against Dempsey in this game in the 35th minute. America was going to go home early.

But then, in the right place at the right time, as he has been so many times for this country, Landon Donovan flew onto the screen and emphatically buried the ball in the back left corner.

What followed was one of the most passionate celebrations I've ever seen and the world record for increased internet traffic over the span of just an hour. The entire world now knows what the U.S.A. is capable of, and it's because an entire team of men who really care about this tournament and who are actually giving everything they have are delivering. It's also because Donovan has been the best leader you could possibly ask him to be. He also roofed the goal in the Slovenia game that would lead to the rally that led to the tie (should have been a win, but I'm over that now).

What did he have to say about it?: "The net looked like the ocean." Top that, William Butler Yeats.

This result couldn't be any better, the United States have won their group for the first time since 1930, they've recorded their first clean sheet in 12 games, and they have a great leader to rely on in Landon Donovan, an American hero.

On United States: What they need to do to beat Algeria.

United States have to win against Algeria. I know that they can tie, but in my book they have to win this game. They need a result, a three point result, going into the elimination rounds. Before I begin giving my keys to the Algeria game, a quick note on the call that denied Edu in the 86th minute: it's bullshit. I have never seen a more poorly officiated game, throughout, than United States v. Slovenia.

Now, here are my keys for a win against Algeria:

1. Better pressure on the ball, more organization in the back. I've seen one too many times in this tournament already the United States defense get split open as a result of defenders out of position, poor pressure on the ball, or just sloppy play from the defenders.

This starts in the midfield though, I know Michael Bradley got a goal and all, but the kid needs to put more pressure on the ball. He's letting practically everything get by him, and whoever is next to him, Clark or Torres, is doing just as bad of a job.

Also: DON'T CONCEDE A GOAL IN THE FIRST 30 MINUTES. For some reason, I don't know if it's just that it takes us Americans longer to wake up because of the time change, or what, but Americans traditionally get scored on early, and this tournament has shown that that can be the kiss of death in a game.

2. Herculez Gomez/Edu/Edson Buddle need to play well. Robbie Findley, a player I have been adamantly condemning, will be unable to play in this match because of a two yellow card suspension. This means that whichever of the three forwards Bradley chooses to start (hopefully Buddle or Gomez) needs to play well, not only so that they can establish confidence in their team, but so that Findley can stay on the bench where he belongs.

If Altidore has help up top from one of these three that he has desperately been lacking with the hapless Findley in the game, the U.S. could break this game open.

3. Control Ziani. Ziani has shown that he is the most creative player that the Algerians have, and he is very capable of causing some problems for the U.S. I don't know if they need to double him when he's on the ball or have someone like Cherundolo cover him the whole game, but we can't afford to leave this guy unmarked and we certainly can't afford to give him the ball 40 yards out with 10 yards of space in front of him. If that happens, close your eyes.

4. Team leaders need to keep it up. Donovan's goal in the Slovenia game was probably the biggest shot of adrenaline the U.S. could have hoped for, and it's evident in the TWO goals that they scored afterward (See what I did there?) mean that they are fired up. Donovan and other leaders like Bocanegra, Dempsey, and Howard need to keep up the intensity and the passion because that's what younger players like Altidore and Bradley are thriving on.

These are my keys for what the United States need to do to beat Algeria on Wednesday. Have some of your own? Comment!

On New Zealand's 1-1 tie of Italy: The ultimate case for why I hate Italy.

I despise Italian football. They're whiny, over-theatrical, lucky, and just play extremely unentertaining games. Their win in 2006 was based on an amazing performance from Gianluigi Buffon and a lot of practice taking penalty kicks. However, redemption for my little personal world came today when New Zealand tied the former World Champions in what is already being called one of the greatest upsets in football history.

It started when Martin Tyler and Ally Mccost(the best commentating team in the WC this year) were saying early on that New Zealand's best chance of getting a result in this match was from set pieces. Sure enough, four minutes later, and with a little bit of luck, Winston Reed (who also scored the equalizer in the 93rd minute to produce New Zealand's first ever point in the WC five days ago against Slovakia) tapped in a wonderfully worked ball in from a set piece.

The World Champions were now down a goal against the second lowest ranked team in the entire tournament, a team that were given a 1 in 5,000 chance of winning the WC.

But THEN, about 20 minutes later, Daniele De Rossi, one of the most shameless players in World football, took a dive in the box after Kiwi defender Johnny Smith lightly grabbed his shirt. A penalty kick from Iaquinta and an extremely awkward celebration involving De Rossi putting his fists up to Iaquinta's face and resting his mouth on them and the game would be level.

From here, Italian players tried every trick in the book, they practically cried if a New Zealander touched them.

New Zealand's back line, particularly Ryan Nelson, defended as if their lives depended on it, and well deserved the result.

This to me was the penultimate example of why Italy is the most unimpressive, shameless, and frankly dirty teams amongst the big European sides.

On the Opening Round of the Group Stage: What I've observed.

So we've seen the first 16 games of the WC, we've had one good look at every team that is playing in the tournament this year. These are my observations from the precedings thus far:

Goalkeepers: Doing fine. I'm really tired of the media circus surrounding goalkeeper "errors." So Rob Green fumbled a ball, Algeria's keeper misplayed a ball, and Paraguay's keeper came out too early on a corner. Who cares? Aren't goals what we want to see anyway?

Also, no one is talking about the keepers who have had great performances. Nigeria's goalie Vincent Enyeama stopped Messi four times when the ball would have surely gone in the top corner. Japan's goalie played like an absolute hero against Cameroon, taking a hard fall on his tailbone and finishing the match. Tim Howard...is just incredible.

If the keepers have made errors, they have more than made up for it in their individual performance, and I say again: since when does an audience mind when goals are scored?

2. Jubulani Ball: Piece of crap. I know that this is kind of a cliche topic, but it has to be said. It seems that the complaints of players about this ball are well warranted. It flies way too far, it nearly impossible to curve (it seems) and takes some very odd bounces. Most of these players are used to just playing with something that looks round, this "technological achievement" of a "perfectly round ball" has them all caught off guard, and no one has quite been able to tame it.

3. The Far East: Surprising everyone. South Korea, for a couple of days, was the only team to get more than one goal in a game. They seemed to just cut swathes through Greece, who was certainly struggling, but the performance was impressive nonetheless. Then Japan destroyed the hopes one of Africa's main teams, Cameroon. But they certainly haven't stolen these games.

Kisuke Honda, for Japan, was perhaps one of the most exciting players to watch on the ball we've seen so far. His goal was one of the coolest I've seen yet.

North Korea, even though they didn't win, did extremely well against Brazil, and were even able to get a goal out of the contest. The two goals scored on them were hardly contestable as well, as the first was some kind of miracle, and the second was such an impressive display of skill that I can't think of a team that would have been able to stop it. It certainly seems as though the Far East are capable of surprising someone in this tournament, perhaps we'll see that tomorrow when South Korea takes on Argentina.

4. Big name teams: Unable to deliver. Italy ties Paraguay. Spain loses to Switzerland. France ties Uruguay. England ties the United States. Brazil wins by a goal over North Korea. Portugal ties Ivory Coast. It seems as if none of the big teams that have qualified in this tournament, other than Germany and Holland, who we'll get to later, have been able to really get a handle on their game. The majority of them just look like another team. Even Spain, despite an extremely impressive passing display, were unable to get that finishing stroke working.

5. Germany, Holland, and Argentina: The front runners. If not for an extremely impressive performance by Nigeria's goalkeeper, Argentina would have won their opening game 4-0 just as Germany did so impresssivly against Australia.

Holland have played their most difficult game in their group, so you have to believe that they will be able to rack up the goals.

Germany looked...immaculate in their game. They were even able to get a struggling Miroslav Klose to score. These seem to be the teams in the driver's seat at this point. Two are expected (Argentina and Holland) and one was perhaps underestimated by me, but should have been expected (Germany).

6. Cristiano Ronaldo: A douche. ...That's really it for that one.

7. Fabio Capello: Still an idiot. Capello decided to play Ledley King at centre back to replace injured Rio Ferdinand. The more than capable Upson was on the bench, sitting there. King is quite injury prone, and was barely cleared to even play in the tournament. King got horribly injured in the match against the U.S. and is now out of the WC. So Capello has managed to oust two centre backs thus far. 2 down, 21 players to go, right Fabio!

8. Diego Forlan: The Big Bad Wolf is howling. The only player to accrue more than one goal thus far, Forlan was the orchestrator of Uruguay's route of South Africa today. He's my favorite player, he didn't let me down today, and it's looking great for his team to advance into the next round (perhaps farther).

These are my findings from this opening round. Have some of your own? Comment!

On Holland v. Denmark: Three things to watch for tomorrow from one of the favorites to win the World Cup

Holland (AKA Netherlands) is going to win this game. It's just a question of by how much. I think it'll be 3-1 personally. Holland's got some problems in defense (possibly their only weakness), and may even concede an early goal. But the Oranje this year have fielded one of (if not the best) team they have ever had. So, going in to tomorrow, I want to give my three keys to watch for tomorrow from this extremely talented country.

1. Total football. This is a system invented by Dutch club Ajax in the early 70s and was famously implemented by Holland in the 1974 World Cup, where most of the players were actually from Ajax. In this system, any player that moves out of his position is quickly replaced by another. It's much more complicated than that, but that's the basic system. As a result, any player on the field can become a defender, midfielder, or attacker. The Oranje have made this system famous, and while it's implementation is not as "total" as the '74 side, it is still the hallmark of Holland football and will be on display in the opening game. It's success is based on the adaptability of the players on the pitch, and this Dutch side is not short on talent at all. Their starting line-up consists of Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Rafael Van Der Vaart (Real Madrid), Wesley Sneijder (Champions League winning Italian side Inter Milan), Robin Van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich, injured, unfortunately), Nigel De Jong (Manchester City), and Mark Van Bommel (Bayern Munich). All of these guys play in the top clubs at the top level of club play in Europe and some are considered the best in the world at their positions. These guys make total football look easy, and could be the most adaptable side in the Oranje's history.

2. Scoring chances. Lots and lots of scoring chances. The Netherlands pass a lot. They also shoot a lot. They have probably five guys that can hit the target from any angle on the pitch from 25 yards out or farther. This is a team that can score, and they can score a lot. They made a business out of it, having an undefeated qualifying run for the World Cup and an undefeated record in friendly matches. Particularly, watch for Robin Van Persie to take a shot that you'll never expect and upper 90 it off the cross-bar. Sneijder can also slot them in like it's his job.

3. Wesley Sneijder free kicks. You've probably heard of Ronaldo's famous free kicks, but a rising star from set pieces is Wesley Sneijder. He's basically automatic, has a great curve on the shot, and can hit them from pretty much any angle. Make sure to pay attention when he gets behind the ball. Did you watch any of those videos? They're pretty cool. Just saying.

These are my three key things to watch for tomorrow morning at 7 AM (that's right, fire up those DVRs or set an alarm! You won't want to miss this). Do you have other keys or think Denmark has a chance in hell? Comment!

On United States: What we learned today.

I thought I'd wrote a post that just summed up what I thought the U.S. team should take away from their opening tie against England. I would like to preface this post by saying I am extremely happy with the result, and am very proud of the American side. That said, let's look at what we now know from watching this game:

1. Robbie Findley shouldn't start. Ever. Robbie Findley is a youngster who has just broken unto the scene because of his "speed." Quite frankly, I'm growing more and more unimpressed with forward known for their speed, especially, in Findley's case at least, when that is their only attribute. Even more frankly, Altidore used his speed much more impressively with that one great chance he had late in the first half, getting around Jamie Carragher and just missing a shot that bounced off the post. Findley is just fast. He can't carry the ball at all. Kind of like...Theo Walcott. That's not a good comparison, in my book.

Findley messed up almost every touch he had on the ball, particularly his first one, and his passing throughout was pretty dismal. It seemed like every time the U.S. lost the ball, it was all his fault. He needs to be replaced with Buddle, or perhaps even Herculez Gomez. Both have proven how potent they can be, especially in the goal scoring department.

In short, Findley's speed can come in handy as a substitute late in the game when defenders are tired, but having him start is a recipe for bad chemistry and ball movement.

2. Tim Howard is a champ. If you missed the game today, I hope you at least got a chance to look at all of the amazing saves that Howard made. There were about three saves that I legitamately still can't figure out how he made, and his ability to hold on to a shot without allowing a rebound has proven to be invaluable. He also took a cleet to the hand from Emile Heskey and stayed tough, finishing the game off.

United States know that they can always rely on the last line of defense, and that's important to establish in the opener of a tournament as massive as the WC.

3. Jose Torres deserves a chance. My other least favorite U.S. starter right now is Ricardo Clark. He was the man responsible for marking Gerrard when they scored their goal in the sixth minute, missed numerous markings throughout his performance, passed like his cleets were made out of bricks, and could barely keep the ball. Clark seems tired, and frankly doesn't seem to be playing with any spark at all. Every time he touched the ball it was like all the air went out of whatever the U.S. was trying. But then, there's Torres.

I only got the chance to see this kid play once, but it was incredible. He's got great skills, passes accurately and with just the right amount of touch, and is absolutely voracious. When he's in the game, a whole new burst of energy is given to the team. In fact, it was his substitution for Clark in the friendly against Turkey that allowed the U.S. to open up and score their two second half goals, giving them the victory.

When he loses the ball, you can see his fury as he chases down the offender and rips it back, and whatever cost. I think that Bradley should experiment in the next game and go with the hot player at the moment and let Clark think about how much he really wants this for his country.

4. Oneywu is back. The media was making a huge point of doubting Oneywu's form in the WC. But, if they had paid attention at all during the Turkey game, they would have seen that he was in fact, back. And this game was no different. Oneywu got his head to two corner kicks, and eventually he's going to get one, it's just a matter of when. He also absolutely devoured English attacks. Most of the time when they lost the ball it was because Gooch had poked, slid, or punched it away from them with his great feet. There should be no reason to doubt Oneywu anymore, especially not after this performance.

5. Dempsey, Donovan, and Altidore are in form. These are the three key players for the United States and all three played extremely well today. Donovan was the most innovative player on the pitch, and he made some great passes that would have been goals if Ashley Cole hadn't been in the way.

Altidore made some great runs, showed a lot of confidence on the ball, and also had the best chance in the match to score. I blame him not scoring it on Green's rapid determination to ammend for his earlier fumble, but we'll see.

Dempsey also could not have played better. And I don't want to hear anything about his goal being "lucky." Sure, the goalie fumbled it, but Dempsey still made a great strike from a long way out with a lot of power on it, and that's something to be said when you're staring down John Terry. Also, he proved in this match just how much of a warrior he is. Getting cleated in the thigh, punched in the gut, and falling on his face several times, Dempsey always got back up, as he has always and will always do during this tournament.

6. Bradley is a great coach. Though he made some subs a little later than I would have liked, Bradley had the right idea as soon as he saw Capello's decision to push his men into a more attacking playing style. He quickly told his players to switch to a counter attacking style, which they performed quite well, capitalized by Altidore's oh-so-close chance.

Bradley has led this country where it has never gone before in it's football playing history, now let's see if he can take it even further.

These are my thoughts on what I learned from today's match. Did you see anything, or think my findings are dumb? Comment!

On United States vs. England: Who will win.

We are only hours away and I want to make one last prediction: United States 2-1 England.

Rooney will struggle all game against the U.S.'s resolved defense, and Dempsey, Donovan and Altidore will cut swathes through an aging, injured, and unresolved English defense.

The United States biggest challenge will be getting through England's rock solid midfield game, helmed by Man U and Chelsea stars Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard. But, with a little innovation and a lot of confidence, the Yanks will succeed.

Oneywu (fullback) and Howard (keeper) will need to play out of their minds to keep goals out, but playing against a high profile team like England will be inspiration enough.

England will probably get a goal on a set piece, perhaps a mental hiccup by the U.S. Other than that though, they'll be kept out of goal.

I predict the "upset" that the United States has been dreaming about for almost a year now. What do you think?

On Uruguay vs. France: Who will win.

The other game taking place on opening day is between Group A sides Uruguay and France. I thought I would go ahead and try to predict how that one will turn out, as well as the rest of the games that take place.

So, without further ado, here's my prediction: Uruguay 1-0 France.

I know, I'm calling the upsets pretty often here, but I like Uruguay's chances in this one. Especially considering how terrible France has been playing lately. On top of that, their defense has looked considerably shaky recently, and Gallas is dreadfully out of form. I think they'll have a hard time keeping a very in form Diego Forlan and the criminally underrated striker Luis Suarez out of the box.

Uruguay is also in their first World Cup since 1990, and the country that won the first World Cup ever in 1930 is hungry for a shot at another one. They've also got a lot more depth than they are given credit for, and the Pereiras (Maxi and Alvaro) are great attacking midfielders out on the wings.

They will probably have problems keeping France at bay in defense, but I don't think France will be able to finish well at all. I base that on them being unable to score against TUNISIA and only be able to tie CHINA (with one goal a piece). France is not playing well together, they have great talent, but something just isn't working.

Another thing: Uruguay and South Africa are at similar elevations (in fact, South Africa is lower) and they have similar climates. This is a major concern for European teams whose players come from lowland, moderate climates. Especially France.

In short, I think Uruguay will "shock the world" and eek out a victory against France. Think I'm being too bold? Think there's no way in hell France took those friendlies seriously? Comment!

On Opening Day (2 days!!!): Predicting who will win the opening match

For those who don't know, the opening match of the World Cup is this Friday at 10:00 AM (EST), and is South Africa vs. Mexico. In my mind, the winner of this match will have a great chance to advance and the loser will be out of the Cup altogether.

Predicting this match is tricky, as predicting any match that takes place in Group A (Uruguay, France, Mexico, South Africa) will be, because they are all pretty evenly matched, especially with the way France has been playing in the friendly matches. The only team that isn't considered to be as good is South Africa, and they have an obvious advantage, being the home team. No country that has hosted the World Cup has ever failed to make it out of the Group Stages. That will come in when predicting who will win the opening match of the World Cup. Without further ado, the winner of the opening match, I will also attempt to predict the score:

South Africa 3-2 Mexico.

I think South Africa will take this game, but I think they'll take it very closely. Even though Mexico has beaten Italy in the friendly matches, and is by all accounts a major dark horse in the tournament, I just don't see how they will be able to beat the home team.

This World Cup marks the first time that the tournament has ever taken place in Africa. South African legend/freedom fighter/god Nelson Mandela is going to be at this game. Furthermore, South Africa has been absolutely drumming their competition in the friendlies, beating Guatemala 5-0. They even beat Denmark 1-0, which is a major achievement considering what a hot streak that particular team has been on. These guys are going to be playing out of their minds.

Mexico won't go down without a fight though, and it will be a beautiful one. These are two teams from opposite ends of the world, but in many ways the play the same style of football. Loose, flowing playing style that relies on build-up passing just as much as miraculous individual effort could characterize either of these teams. Expect a game full of last ditch crosses, great ball movement, and plenty of skills on display (particularly watch for Mexican Giovani Dos Santos in the skills department). But I give the home team the edge.

On Goalkeepers: The five best in the world

If the 2006 World Cup showed us one thing, it's that having a great goalkeeper is a major plus in the World Cup. These are my top five keepers:

1. Iker Casillas. Country: Spain.


















I've mentioned the Spanish mainstay in goal before in my post about Mourinho, but the reason that he's in this post is the same as the reason he's there. Casillas is Spain, just as he is Real Madrid. Casillas has been between the posts since he was 7 at his club, and has always been regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world.

There are a couple of reasons why. He doesn't make mistakes, he's completely reliable, never gets injured, and is extremely good at starting attacks, mostly because he can punt the ball about the length of the field. He's also got really long arms and can jump like a freak, so that helps.

Casillas made headlines recently when he was one of the foremost players outspoken against the new "Jubalani" ball Addidas made for the World Cup. I saw the two goals that the UAE scored on Casillas in the friendly and I have to say, that ball did move in quite a peculiar manner. Then again, I could have just been shocked to see the ball get past Casillas and made up some reason why.

2. Gianluigi Buffon. Country: Italy.























When I mentioned that the 2006 World Cup taught us something I meant it. In that tournament, the man you see above allowed two goals. A penalty and an own goal, neither of which can be blamed on him. He is an aboslute psycho and is the highest paid keeper in the world.

Like Casillas, he also plays for a major national club, Juventus. He is internationally recognized for having lightning quick reflexes, fearless resolve, and an ability to get in front of any ball, no matter what.

It's odd to say that the most exciting player on a team could be the keeper, but in Italy's case, that just might be true.

3. Hugo Lloris. Country: France.















The youngest player on my list, 23 year old baby face Hugo Lloris made a name for himself accompanying major national club Lyon to the semifinals of the Champions League this year.

Lloris' story is a magnificent one. A player who didn't even make France's squad for the Euro 2008, Lloris proved himself to be the number one after an incredible performance in a qualifier against Republic of Ireland and, as mentioned, his stellar efforts at Lyon.

A true commander of the box, Lloris is known for being extremely reliable in one-on-one situations because of his spectacular reflexes and good decision making.

4. Tim Howard. Country: USA.





























Yes, I did it.

Tim Howard is an extremely important part of the United States' national team. Not only is he one of the most experienced players on the roster, but he's also known for being extremely vocal about what he wants from his back line. And the much criticized US back four need all the "support" they can get. After every shot that he miraculously blocks, watch for Howard to explode off of the ground and scream at Bocanegra about not cheating up too far, and telling Gooch to wake up.

He's the fire of this team, and in many ways he's their star. He made a run at Manchester United and since then has found a place at Everton, where he is extremely well liked alongside teammate Clint Dempsey.

Howard's a big ole boy, and he won't take crap from any player, no matter who it is. I'd like to propose we nickname him "Mount Helen," because of his hot temper and his solid-as-a-rock playing style in front of goal. I like making up nicknames...anyway, moving on.

5. Julio Cesar. Country: Brazil.































He's only this far down because he's injured, because the Brazilian between the sticks is widely regarded as one of the best in the business. Playing for Inter Milan, Champions League winners this year, that picture of Cesar says it all. He's willing to do anything and everything for his club and, most of all, his country.

Imagine being the keeper for Brazil. You are the last line of defense for what most consider to be the greatest team on Earth. How do you deal with that pressure? Well, it helps when you're effing Cesar. The man cannot be scored on, under normal circumstances. Cesar makes teams work, and when you've already gotten by Brazil's brutal defense, you're probably running out of ideas.

These are my selections for the top five keepers in the world. Think the order should be different? Have your own players you like? Comment!

On Cristiano Ronaldo: Profiling the biggest football celebrity since Beckham

^That is Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2003, when his first club Sporting FC of Portugal played Manchester United in a friendly match, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had a revelation. By halftime, he decided: "I have to sign this boy. He is sensational." Two years later, Ronaldo would be recognized consistently as one of the three best players in the world and was absolutely tearing apart the competition alongside Wayne Rooney. He set a record that was tied this year by Lionel Messi of 43 goals across all competitions when he was at United. His performance inspired this video, and quite a few like it, that became a youtube phenomenon and sky rocketted his international celebrity.

United won three Premier League titles in a row, due in most part in most minds to Ronaldo's efforts.

However, Ronaldo's antics on and off the field soon won him a "love 'em or hate 'em" following. Those who hate him, think he is the scourge of football and represents all that is wrong with the sport. Those who love him, think he is the greatest player to ever walk the field. Much of your clout as a football enthusiast depends on what you think of Ronaldo, and that's saying a lot for any player.

He became one of the most recognizable faces in the world and was highly exposed in the media. This would only intensify the hatred of those who hate him, and would lead to massive increases in the sales of whatever sports drink or atheletic company he was representing for those who loved him.

Ronaldo was also quite vocal about his desire to go play for his childhood favorite team, Real Madrid. Soon enough, in 2009, because of the crippling debt saddled on the United Red Devils by new owners the Glazer family, Ronaldo was sold off to play for Real.

This is where my opinion of Ronaldo comes in, because this has been my first experience with him. Frankly, he's still a goal scorer, but other than a windmill of step-overs every once in a while, he doesn't flaunt all of the "wrap around crosses" and other patented moves that made him such a stupendous phenom to watch at United. Some people say that this is because he has matured as a player, and that may be so, but I have a different theory. I think he's achieved every thing he wants. It's almost like his stint as United was just him showing off to Real, which in itself is pretty impressive. Also, from watching him play, I don't detect his attitude anymore. He puts in a cross, and if his teammate can't convert it, he puts his hand in the air and says he'll do better next time, even if the cross was perfect.

I'm not sure I like the new Ronaldo though. I think I prefer him when he was screaming at refs for not calling fouls after he did 80 stepovers in a row and was cut low by a defender. I prefer when he nails a free kick from 43 yards away at an extreme angle and just puts his hands up in the air and smirks like it's not big deal. He had fire back then, attitude, personality. That was what ignited him on the field.

Now, he barely celebrates when he scores, doesn't say a word to refs, and does underwear modelling on his days off. He seems...well...bored. But this is where the World Cup comes in.

Quieroz, the Portuguese coach, has been laying the pressure on his team from day one, and continually tells his players that he expects them to win it all. Ronaldo has been the most vocal about how much pressure this puts on the players. And being in a brutal group with Brazil, Ivory Coast (now weakened with the absence of Drogba), and North Korea (who prove to be more of a fearless force week in and week out) Ronaldo and the rest of the squad are going to have to be in top form.

But Ronaldo is capable of anything, and he can take his country all the way. All he has to do is ignore all of the hype about him, ignore all of the Nike ads, ignore all of the bloodthirsty defenders who will be hacking away at him, and just shrug it off, smirk, and realize it's no big deal.

And maybe a few of those incredible juggling runs, knock-on nutmegs, spins, and fearless shots from 33 feet out will help, please.

On Diego Forlan: The Big Bad Wolf

This is a special post that I've been wanting to do for a while now on my personal favorite player: Diego Forlan. I have given him the moniker "The Big Bad Wolf" for a number of reasons. First of all, his trademark hair is gloriously long like a wolf. Second of all, he has the strength, speed, and agility that a leader of a pack should have. Which makes up the third reason: he is the leader of the pack. (I also just enjoy ironic nicknames that refer to children's stories).

At Atletico Madrid this season, Forlan has led the team scoring 18 goals in 30 appearences. But when those goals occur is very important. Forlan scored the winning goals in the Europa Cup tournament against Liverpool in the semi-final, and against Fulham in the final in extra time to help Atletico win the cup. Atletico didn't do so well in La Liga this year, but Forlan has shown one thing: he can step up big time in the big game.

This is what makes him the player to watch on opening day against France. I predict an upset in this game. Suarez and Forlan will be going up against a French side that may be playing without Gallas, and a side that could be very unsure of itself. Also, it seems that this post I made two weeks ago was a little presumptious. Because while the French look good on paper, they have more than struggled in the two friendly matches they have played since I posted it. They tied TUNISIA 1-1. And lost to CHINA 0-1. China didn't even qualify for the World Cup this year and I barely know where Tunisia is. I have picked Uruguay to advance along with South Africa out of Group A because of the contributions that I think Forlan will be willing to make. He's an absolutely fearless player, and is so clutch in these big game situations. And in the World Cup, every game is a big one.

Also: he's completely in form right now. Forlan has just come off scoring what could be the biggest goal of his life and has responded by scoring a goal in both of the friendly matches Uruguay has played. But the best wolf is always hungry.

I also admire Forlan for just not giving up. He began his career at Manchester United and was touted as the next big star, but he was unable to deliver. However, he has proven that he was not discouraged by this and has made a name for himself in his own right.

It doesn't matter if their houses are made of straw, wood, or bricks, if the teams in Group A don't open up, Forlan will huff, and he'll puff, and he'll blow their house in!

On African Countries: How far each of them will go

The 2010 World Cup marks the first time the tournament has ever taken place in Africa. This has led some to speculate if an African country will make a surprise run this year or not, as no country has ever gone farther than Cameroon in 1990, when they made it all the way to the quarter-finals, where they were narrowly beaten by England. Furthermore, there are a number of dark horses in Africa that everyone is excited about.

In light of this, I've decided to profile the African teams in the tournament this year to try and see who will do well.

1. Cameroon.














Cameroon is, historically, the best African country at football, especially in the World Cup. Their star player is Samuel Eto'o, who is known for being the fastest player on the ball in the world. They also have goalkeeper Carlos Kameni, who made a name for himself by keeping Espanyol in La Liga this year.

However, there are a couple of red flags for Cameroon this year, the most prominent being the attitude of spiritual leader Eto'o. Eto'o has been publicly questioning his place in the international campaign, and has dropped off in form significantly this year. Added to that, he recieved a red card in the first ten minutes of the game against Portugal. Without Eto'o, Cameroon are going to have a much more difficult time in the tournament.

There are a couple of things going for Cameroon, though. They are known for having great depth at every position, as most players could basically start. This was proven when Webo came in the game after Eto'o was ejected and led the Lions to a shorthanded goal.

They are also in Group E, which will be dominated by Holland, who had an undefeated qualifying run. Left in Group E are Japan, Cameroon, and Denmark fighting for second place and a chance to enter the Round of 16. These are three completely different squads, obviously, so Cameroon will have to work together well and score often to keep themselves in the hunt.

2. Algeria.








The North Africans are a little undermatched going into the World Cup this year, they are probably the weakest of the African countries. They're going to have to be able to bounce back from a friendly 3-0 drumming by Ireland if they want to upset United States or worse yet England. Coupled with a few injuries of key players, Algeria's chances in the World Cup do not look too bright, at least from where I'm standing.

3. Ivory Coast.









My personal favorite African team, Ivory Coast has their work cut out for them in this tournament. Placed in a group with Portugal, Brazil, and the very capable North Korea, Ivory Coast are in what some believe to be "The Group of Death."

Ivory Coast are lead by star player and Premier League leading scorer Didier Drogba. They also have stars like Yaya Toure, Saloman Kalou, and recent Barca player Keita. They like to score quickly and often, and they'll need to do both to beat out the incredibly talented teams in their group.

They also just got a new coach from Sweden last week, although Drogba has come out in full support of him.

Ivory Coast may have their toughest work in the Group Stage, but if they can get past that, they may be able to make it to the semi-finals, or perhaps even farther.

4. Nigeria.









Nigeria are in a similar position to Cameroon. They have one mega giant in their group, Argentina, and then two other basically equally matched teams, South Korea and Greece. Greece is a team plagued with injuries, so Nigeria's real obstacle will probably be South Korea.

Any of these three could advance with Argentina, but Nigeria will have to rely on their experienced players like Bundesliga veteran Obafemi Martins and Portsmouth's John Utaka if they want to advance.

5. Ghana.









Ghana is everyone's favorite darkhorse right now. They were the runner up in the African Cup of Nations after a tough loss to Egypt, but everyone has tagged them as the African team to watch right now. This is a little odd, considering that Ghana is decidedly the runt of a group that consists of Serbia, Australia, and Germany. However, Ghana was capable of upsetting all of those teams. And I say was because Ghana recieved some terrible news two days ago: Chelsea star and team leader Michael Essien is injured and will not be able to make the tournament.

But the team has responded well, and have come out to say that they are more driven than ever to do well. And though they were solidly beaten 4-1 against Holland on Tuesday, analysts like what they saw, and are still calling the upset with this team.

The key match will be their opener against Serbia on the 13th, as the loser will surely be out of the tournmanet.

6. South Africa.










Now things get interesting. No host team has ever failed to advance out of the Group Stage in the history of the World Cup. However, Group A with France, Uruguay, Mexico, and South Africa has been consistently fingered as the best Group in the tournament, with the obvious weakest link being South Africa.

Add the controversial exclusion of the country's all time leading scorer from the squad, and there has been some speculation if South Africa will be the first ever host country to miss out.

However, a lot of people are saying that there is no clear winner of this group. France has been performing terribly in their friendly matches, and weaker Uruguay has shown themselves to be quite a force to be reckoned with. Mexico has one of the most committed fan bases in the world, and are thought to be a dark horse to possibly advance even to the semi-finals. There are no guarantees for South Africa, no matter what the history books say.

This is what I think about Africa's chances this year. Have your own opinions? Weigh in!

On Dempsey, Donovan, and Altidore: The United States' three keys to success in the World Cup

The U.S. has a legitimate chance to really make some waves in the World Cup this year. They should at least be able to get past the Group Stage. But if they are going to do anything at all, they are going to need a big contribution from three men, starting strikers Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore. As we saw in the friendly against Turkey, it's not only important that these three do well individually but also that they work well together. And from the looks of that second half, they will do just fine.

I'm going to profile these three guys to get a better understanding of what their individual contributions will be, as well as how they will work together:

1. Landon Donovan. Age: 28. Club: Los Angeles Galaxy. Hometown: Ontario, California.



Strengths: Pace, a wealth of experience (over 140 caps), two-footed, great finishing touch, great passer.

Weaknesses: Occassionally misses opportunities going for the big play.

Donovan is the poster boy of the United States national team. This is because he has been unquestionably accepted as their best player. He is also one of the only starters for the U.S. that is still playing in the MLS, though he is currently on loan to Everton. Donovan is really the most complete player the team has, and is behind nearly every goal the team has scored, registering 8 assists in the U.S.'s qualifying run.

We saw in the Turkey game how he completely juked out the goalkeeper, and instead of taking an open shot on goal, passed it over to teammate Altidore for a guaranteed goal. This is the kind of selfless play that makes Donovan the key to the United States' success in South Africa.

2. Clint Dempsey. Age: 27. Club: Fulham. Hometown: Nacogdoches, Texas.



Strengths: Ball skills, voracious playing style, toughness

Weaknesses: Lacking a bit of pace, has trouble finishing goals occassionally

Clint Dempsey is one of the most successful Americans to play abroad ever, as he became the first American to ever appear in a Europa Final last month with his club Fulham. At home, Dempsey is the closest thing the United States has to a "beast" in the forward position. The man who once broke John Terry's jaw in a friendly is the inspirational aspect of the United States' team. He is a leader on the field and inspires everyone around him to play with the same tenacity that he does. He can be played on either wing, as he is also two-footed like Donovan.

Dempsey will do whatever it takes to win, and that kind of attitude will go a long way in the tournament in 9 days' time.

3. Jozy Altidore. Age: 20. Club: Villareal. Hometown: Livingston, New Jersey.



Strengths: impeccable ball skills, great pace, scoring ability.

Weaknesses: has difficulty delivering in the final third, makes mistakes and loses possesion.

Altidore is the future of American soccer, and he has had that title for a while now. He's one of the most exciting players to watch on the U.S. team with the ball at his feet, as he is capable of doing some pretty amazing things. He is normally the man on the end of Donovan's assists getting the goals and they will need to dial in that connection frequently throughout the tournament.

With Charlie Davies unable to play for the U.S. because of a car accident, Altidore has big shoes to fill, but he has already shown that he is more than capable. He just needs to remember to rely on his teammates in the final third and maybe slow things down a little.

These are the three key players for the United States in the tournament this year, watch for them to make the sparks fly, if any are going to.

On Argentina: What their 5-0 route of Canada tells us about their chances

For some reason, I have become very interested in the South American side. It's probably because I've watched their five strikers (count 'em, five) playing on major European clubs. But it could also be because they are extremely fun to watch, as they proved in their 5-0 route of Canada. This approach seems to run counter to Portugal's approach when they drew Cape Verde Islands (the 117th ranked team in the world) 0-0. Portugal treated their game as a scrimmage, Argentina treated theirs as a showcase. I wonder which team is more confident now? You also have to admire the differences between Argentina manager Maradona's approach and Portuguese manager Quieroz. While Quieroz is laying the burden daily on his team of winning it all and claiming that they are the best team in the world, Maradona is praising his athletes and, at one point during the Canada match, tearing up in joy at the sight of his player's skill.

There are other things that we learned watching the match though, and I thought I'd weigh in on what I think they are.

1. Everyone is in form. This is a problem that many other sides, mostly European ones, are facing, but it doesn't seem to be a problem at all for the Argentines. When you can score 5 goals on a team that certainly isn't a push-over, something is going very well. Maxi Rodriguez is sure to have Liverpool fans salivating, as he looks to be in absolutely top condition (he scored that first goal in the video, from that crazy angle on the right line of the box). I don't care how much Quieroz wants to say that he's happy with how Portugal played against Cape Verde, they should have been able to score. And don't even get me started on an English side that has won their friendlies because of opposing own goals and penalty kicks.

I was also very pleased that 21 year old Sergio "Kun" Aguero was able to get a goal.

2. Midfielders are going to be a part of the action. This was a concern that I had about the side going into the World Cup, that their star studded forwards would be the only ball production going on, but it seems that midfielders, like Rodriguez, are ready and willing to commit themselves to the team and add a few goals to show it.

3. They are a selfless bunch of guys. I think another concern about Argentina was that their players, who are mostly superstars, might play selfishly and because of that would miss plenty of opportunities on goal. But watching that video, you can see Tevez, Higuian, and Rodriguez making sefless passes to their teammates so that they can get the goals. It seems like Maradona has done a great job of establishing almost a feeling of familial connection on the team. As you can see in the video, after every goal they are all congratulating one another, and, later on in the game, laughing at the ridiculousness of how easy this is for them.

This victory served not only as a showcase of the talent of Argentina, but also helped the team gain extremely important confidence in themselves and one another. They will surely be a force to be reckoned with, and will be able to advance handly into later rounds of the tournament.