Thursday, July 01, 2010

World Cup Quaterfinal Action

By popular demand...a little World Cup Analysis of the Elite 8 or what they call in the rest of the world...the quarterfinals...crazy rest of the world.

Uruguay v. Ghana
It's actually been a fascinating sociological demonstration how South African fans (and African fans more generally) have gotten behind the sole remaining African team. I doubt seriously other continents would have this level of unity. While Ghana has won consistently in the past years through a stifling defense. However at the end of the day I think Ghana will miss Michael Essien's play making abilities as Uruguay match's the Ghanan defense but has more striking capabilities.
Pick: Uruguay

Brazil v. Netherlands
This might be the best match of the quarter-finals. The Dutch have looked as good as anybody. They have a ton of experience, firepower, and their best player is finally healthy. However Brazil is top dog in the soccer world more so now as they've adopted a more defensive focus. Too many stars, too much firepower as soccer royalty moves on to the semis.
Pick Brazil

Paraguay v. Spain
I think I speak for all mankind as I'm rooting for Paraguay given that super-model/super-fan Larissa will strip naked and run around if Paraguay wins. Umm go Paraguay? Unfortunately Spain is the #1 team in the world by rankings led by David Villa and Xabi. They tossed aside Portugal, who is better than Paraguay, so Spain should role in probably the most lopsided of the quarterfinal matches.
Pick Spain

Argentina v. Germany
Germany I think has shocked a number of football/soccer fans. The youth/foreign movement of the German squad has been more successful then I think initially projected. Their crushing of England demonstrates the importance of infrastructure for a national team (as England lacks one). However there's something about this Argentina that seems more than the sum of their substantial parts. Despite barely making the World Cup, Maradonna's squad has looked as impressive as anyone in South Africa. In the end, I'll pull an ecological fallacy and say because South America has been better than Europe...Argentina gets the win
Pick Argentina

1 comment:

Gutsy Goldberg said...

stupid blogger ate my comments! I will try to re-create:

1) Pick: Uruguay. I think the game will be the same as the Korea-Uruguay match... w/ Uruguay getting an early goal, hunkering into a shell, giving up an equalizer, and then rapidly responding w/ a winning goal 2-1.

2) Pick: Brazil. Anything can happen. It's two superpowers!

3) Pick: Spain. I too am now rooting for Paraguay and Larissa!

4) Pick: Germany. I think their young players have been incredible, and they've had a much tougher road so far (Serbia, Ghana, surprising Aussies, England) than Argentina (Korea, Nigeria, Greece, Mexico). I give the Germans the slight edge.