So now let me just highlight some match analysis. Take note that I no Shebby Singh, I no Carlton Palmer. I no M'sian or Engrish. >.<
Match 1: Netherlands & Denmark.
So let's get this fact across here. The Danes are well known to be physical. In the sense that we're talking abt Scandinavian countries. So now comes to the biggest question: How far can they go in this match? We need to take note that while the Danes are the surprise package this season, we're NOT talking abt a certain edition of the Euros where they indeed ended up being winners while making ppl losing/gaining $$$ by loads and thousands. But still, there's nothing to sneeze abt in a team where the fans can really re-dream abt the good ol' yrs of Laudrups and the merry bros. So now just let me highlight the key man here. Christian Eriksen. At the risk of creating a burnout where such a probability is no diff from seeing a Rapture coming down halfway thru this Euro, let me just say that a lot hinges on this 20 yr old, who given the best case scenario will end up shooting up the new talent charts. A lot has been said abt him, but to me the key lies in the very fact that he can and will be the go-to guy when it comes to link-up and offense. At least I do see it as part of his game anyway. I'm not abt to say he's a Sneijder. That's way too far flung. For a 20 yr lad to receive rave reviews, there has to be something so much more. So what am I to say on him? An attacking midfielder. For all we know, he can really play across the middle park. For all we know, he can be (heavens forbid!) far more technically sound than a certain loose cannon associated with grannies. But pointless jokes aside, once I saw his stats for Ajax together with his weight-height proportion, my verdict is this: He's sure no damned Sneijder or Xavi. More towards the Iniesta mold if I say so myself. Seeing how he has rise up like Rocketman himself (his starting-subbed out stats=major absurdity until the very point where we're talking abt Ajax itself), a lot of eyes will be on him. In a squad where the only forward universally known is a certain Bendtner, media stress will be on him. (Not that I will assume the Danes are all abt those two anyway. Rommedahl still in at 33=at least he no Baros.) So how will he cope on the biggest stage so far will go a long way on how the Danes will progress.
The Dutch will be far more straightforward for me since Bert van Marwijk has done a Total Dismantling on every front conceivable.
Total dismantling on the Total Footie philosophy?
Johann Cruyff might still have something to say here.
Total dismantling on the dressing room SOP? Well its a miracle that we still have yet to see that cosmic implosion the Dutch are so famous for. And I blame this bloke for killing the drama.
Totally dismantled the notion that its far more timeworthy to focus on the hot stacked chicks rather than the players themselves?
Congrats old Bert. You're the official Guiness Record holder as the most capped Dismantler. :)
So now let's talk abt the key guys. A lot of the fans will say Sneijder. b/c we all know he's the heartbeat on all things Dutch. In fact, everything in the attack goes through him. But it's really tricky to pinpoint who to earmark. Barring the correct de Jong due to the last World Cup, I can pretty much say "Hey look at Van der Vaart!" "Look at Robben! "Look at how van Bommel is gonna headbutt that bloke with Boulahrouz emulating Keano!" Okay, the final statement is a joke due to that crazy footbrawl N ages back against Portugal. (Which is an outright irony srsly now) So if I really wanna do the hardest task at hand, it should RVP. A lot of talk has been said on his sometimes(?) erratic(?) form, but still no one knew what did RVP stands for last time round when Wenger signed him. Last time police still wear shorts, guys. ofc given the kind of talent the Dutch have at their disposal (to be fair, de Jong Sr is far more reliable than Lampard/Gerrard/Barry/etc), it's not really fair for RVP to be RVD(amn)'ed if things happen. But still if there's anything I can say here, RVP's greatest weapon lies in his movement. Off-the-ball stuff is the only thing making a diff between the truly intelligent and the truly clever. Case in point: Great ppl will always be intelligent, but not clever by default. (Have to thank a fella bro just now for his exact words. :D)
Now onto Portugal and the Krauts.
Germans. Now there's no need to say abt Manuel Neuer b/c he can effectively defend the vital back end. I'm very damned sure at least. Defence will be all abt Lahm marshalling the backline. Still remember how bloody fast he was in World Cup 2006, but then again being the skipper says quite a lot now. At least Mertesacker ain't that lucky. For whatever reasons anyway. So now who? Bastian "Bastion" Schweinsteiger. Why? From the orthodox dead-ball winger to the current Paul-Scholes-minus-the-card-bait. It's really surprising to see how combative he has gotten as a center mid while knowing how to cut down on the Tome of all ppl blacklisted. Given the relative inexperience we're seeing in the current Krauts, Löw really needs a mature head to marshal the kids. And let's not kid ourselves. Lahm is a capable leader, but given what we've seen in the backline so far, it's a no-brainer that the squad needs a 2nd in command. b/c a vast majority of the real talents lies in the attack. In fact Bastion doesn't even need to sit back and bark orders. b/c he's no barking dog. Barring the aforementioned gungho-ness, there's such a thing called "I still can kill with dead balls". (No innuendo intended) As I've said, I'm seeing him as a Paul Scholes w/o the card-bait. Bluntly put, at least he can tackle.
Portugal: A lot of ppl tend to forget that if NOT for that disaster called Carlos Queiroz, the qualifiers wouldn't be that clear-cut. Altho Paulo Bento screwing up at the most crucial moment is a fact. So now comes the biggest question: Is Portugal a one man team? Might not be that simple. CR7 flopped at the big stage? Well maybe we should take a look at who bossed the team post-Big Phil. Actually I only remember Paulo Bento for all the right reasons so far. Queiroz is remembered due to the irresisitible force called "me=boss=responsibility to be sacked". So now we'll have to come to the key man since any other players mentioned as the result will get me killed by all the horny fangirls not-so-amused. Bento. He's the only guy that matters. Why? Again we'll have to see how he managed to take the team back from the grave. I'll be a bloody damned good liar if I were to say Portugal didn't look like a team of dead men walking prior to this fella being plonked into the hot seat.
P.S: The final pic was down to me not having enough time to trawl pic search due to a family outing soon to come. Yes, me=fail. *face palm*
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