Why do we have top seeds for South Africa?

Well before CL Day3 this is probably not the best talk, but I can’t control myself, why the hell FIFA did change the rules of the game half way thru? Talking to some friend’s major reasons emerged.

First: Platini’s influence as UEFA’s president to try and find an easier path for the ‘bleus’.
With a below average campaign France is facing a possible earlier football vacations on 2010, what will make the self proclaimed football cleaner lost his temper. The one’s that have seen football in the eighties will probably remember how things were done when Platini’s awesome Juventus couldn’t win the games.

Second: FIFA’s and Real Madrid income brake if former CR7 fails to appear.
According to newspaper Marca, that would mean a loss of 80 million pounds. With Portugal’s lack of ability to win games on the pitch, this is probably the only way to make the football star land in South Africa.

Well, this is one vision, and maybe this none of them will go thru, if somehow you don’t know the fixtures, here they are:

Rep.Ireland vs France
Portugal vs Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece vs Ukraine
Russia vs Slovenia

Who do you think will go thru?

Looking the wrong way, have you seen Brazil vs Ghana?

Sadly the world as decided to watch Maradona’s last ‘flying high’ rather than the breathtaking final of the U20 World Cup. The quality of the game made the 120m plus penalties a joy to watch. Brazil made quite an impression in the first quarter – with 72 per cent of possession thru that period, Ghana then responded and started to put their offensive moves on the right way.
Unfortunately for them (and for referee De Bleeckere because it was a mistake, he should have showed a yellow card) a 37 minute sent off to Daniel Addo would change the spirit of the game. For almost an hour, Ghana defended their heart out and has been rewarded with a penalties shootout (4:3) victory after a goalless draw.
To everyone that missed try to watch the full 14 penalties, what a cracker! If you can’t, not a problem, most of these young talents will soon or late arrive in Europe’s finest championships. For history the first World Championship won by an African side and an unbelievable battle between four times champions/seven time’s finalists Brazil and two times second and now champions Ghana. See also my Best eleven for this World Cup, which I wrote a couple of days before the final.

TIP: I have nothing against Diego Maradona, his one of my all time favorites, but do we really need to give him all this kind of attention! Come on Armando, grow up, you’ve putted Argentina in a World Cup, that’s almost as difficult as miss the lottery.

So the group stage as came to an end, joining the rest of the pack we’ve seen Switzerland and Slovakia raising for the occasion.

Switzerland
Co-hosts on the last European, the Swiss’s were hardly a tipped country to go thru the World Cup but they managed to win the group against 2004 continental champions Greece and lost only once.

Best: A lot of players spread around Europe’s top championships, good offensive ability with players on the sidelines like Barnetta and in the middle Vonlanthen or Yakin.
Worst: The defensive line – although some well known players like Senderos – seems too permissive, the lack of international experience will probably be decisive.

Slovakia
Win a group against their former and highly most potential country part Czech Republic, the new generation of players seems eager to please the Slovakians and will give the first taste on a World Cup grand stage.

Best: Won one of the most competitive groups – with Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Poland in theory being pretty even – and some confidence-booster rumors saying the second lost was to keep their neighbors out.
Worst: The most permissive defense of all group stage winners with ten conceded goals, lack of experience due to their premier on a final phase of a World Cup.

Slovakia and Switzerland join Denmark, Germany, Spain, England, Serbia, Italy and Netherlands.

On the playoff are the top seeds: Portugal, Greece, Russia and France.
And: Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine and Republic of Ireland.

Congratulations also to Honduras that join USA and Mexico on the bus to South Africa from the North, Central America and Caribbean while Costa Rica will play the playoff against South America fifth Uruguay. On that area Argentina finally joins Brazil, Paraguay and Chile.

The final playoffs will be played on 14 and 18 November, the European matches will be known next Monday.

Bus half full to South Africa

Cool weekend, when almost all the European qualifying groups crowned a winner on the pursuit of a World Cup spot. Denmark, Germany, Serbia and Italy have secured a place in the 2010 World Cup and join previous stage winners England, Spain and Netherlands.

Denmark
Underdogs against Portugal and Sweden, the Danish have adopted a nice style of play, with the midfield always working hard and the offense on the feet of their biggest talents.

Best: The offense line, with Bendtner, and veterans Tomasson and Rommedhal on constant pursuit of the ball and with eyes on the opponents net.
Worst: On the other side of the pitch, the defense seems too permissive – remember the game against Portugal? It ended as a draw, but the Portuguese side had more than 15 scoring opportunities. The unbelievable amount of injuries on the last months as to end.

Germany
The European vice-champions have cruised in a tough group. They’re doing an awesome job with youngsters and winning a lot of trophies, now is probably the time of the big boys.

Best: Pragmatic like always, Germany as found a way to use their traditional good strikers, after England they have the best attack of the qualifying round.
Worst: While their full-backs give the right consistency, the centre-backs are too ‘German’, Metzelder, Mertesacker or Westermann have a lot of difficulties on their opponents play the ball thru the grass.

Serbia
The young country as inherited the former-Yugoslavia style of play. Short pass, all ready to aim at the opponents defense. They’ve contributed to France actual crisis.

Best: Very compact and always cohere on the defensive side. A lot of stars like Vidic, Ivanovic, Zigic or Stankovic in the main European championships.
Worst: They tend to have moments when concentration disappear, giving them a lot to work if they want to perform well against the best national sides in the world.

Italy
There’s no passion when the azzurri are playing, it’s all about the score, but they are world champions.

Best: The pragmatism of a score-oriented team that usually delivers. Marcello Lippi back at the helm is a crucial asset.
Worst: Like the Serie A top teams, the oldness of most of his players will probably show when it’s time to make four/five games in two weeks.

Congratulations also: on South America to Chile, that joins Brazil and Paraguay. On Africa to the Ivory Coast, that joins Ghana. On North, Central America and Caribbean to Mexico and USA.

On the playoffs Bahrain drawn 0-0 at home with New Zealand, the All Blacks have home advantage on South Africa road.

Heads or tails? England or Spain?

On the road to South Africa two European squads join Netherlands and put their hands on the qualification.
100 per cent victorious, they both produce an exquisite football, but with same important differences, England influenced by the coach Fabio Capello and Spain by the crushing style of Barcelona.

England
More pragmatic, always with high concentration on defense, uses a direct style of play to win matches.

Best: The midfield duo-Gerrard/Lampard, once called unmatchable by fans all over the world they are now essential to the only midfield that rivals with… Spain.
Worst: The fullbacks, neither Ashley Cole – that seems to have long lost is sparkle – neither Glen Johnson are truly what the doctor orders.

Spain
With a more passing style, they have on ball possession the first weapon to win games. The European champions are once again with high hopes.

Best: Like England, the dynamic duo on the center, Xavi the brain, Iniesta the pace. They bring all the show they give at Barcelona to the national squad.
Worst: The defense, I can’t name one Spanish defender without frowning my eyes. Obviously when you have the ball that’s not much of a trouble...

Also congrets to Ghana and Paraguay. They’re booth with assured presence in South Africa 2010.

On the other side what to say about self-proclaimed giants from Portugal… and France… and Argentina.