I really do not like Marca at all, but I check it every day just like every other Spaniard. And fortunately they gave me this little gem to show everyone. I think the video plays all over the world, so check it out and have yourself a bit of a smile and a laugh. The Old Bull still has some life in him! No wonder he is excited, he was robbed of this very emotion in 2002….

Now then, on to the Deutscheland Mannschaft, our next opponents, and certainly the toughest test yet. I watched, almost in horror, as Germany dismantled a sorry looking Argentina side flush with attacking talent but with little tactical know-how, and a pathetic shape that fed in to the Germans hands quite nicely. Germay plays with a 4-2-3-1, which can sometimes look like a 4-1-4-1 with one of the central midfielders, typically Khedira making darting runs in to the box. This is accomplished by the incredible work rate of the two wide midfielders/strikers, Thomas Muller and Lucas Podolski, although I would say Muller works much harder then Podolski (not that it matters as Muller is suspended. With that being said, the team is setup for counter attacking, and often sputters when in possession, as the young charges often find it difficult to exploit space when man marked versus the zonal marking they often face on the counter. Watching Germany tear through the Argentine back line (no one did it yet, but it really should have been done earlier) was a simple reminder to the world that you cannot push a high line against a team that breaks with four dedicated attackers, essentially creating an even or in the case of Argentina, uneven break at the back. Argentina’s lack of a central midfield pairing, with only Javier Mascherano left to do the work of several men, meant he was often over run by the two central midfielders, could not keep his eye on Ozil all game and was found pulled out wide as neither Di Maria nor Maxi provided much of a defensive deterrent. When Maradona switched to three in the back, the Germans simply had a better numerical advantage then before, and that was where the real damage was done. Its not as if they were docile the entire match, but they looked much more dangerous when their opponent decided to take chances.

Spain of course have looked a little frail on the counter in this tournament despite playing a double pivot. Im not all that convinced that this fact will lead to changes from Del Bosque, seeing as how he has not changed his lineup since the Chile game, even though the previous three games have provided very different formations and tactics to consider. This game is no exception. Lesson one, do not use a diamond midfield!

Germany’s formation certainly does cover all the bases, and is strongest on the wings, with Muller and Podolski providing excellent cover for Lahm and whoever else plays out wide (Boateng or Badstuber), and with two central midfielders, they have numbers in the middle, with both Klose and Ozil able to hassle the center backs and deep lying midfielders, limiting their time on the ball. A good example of the disruption to the system this can create was Pique’s performance against Paraguay. His long balls and other passing was very poor because he was constantly being closed down by Nelson Valdez. Expect Klose to close down Pique, and Ozil to close down Busquets. With that being said though, I do see Germany’s main weakness in the center of the pitch. While careful attention is paid to providing defensive cover for the full backs by the two wide forwards, Klose rarely crosses the half way line, which is normal for a striker, and Ozil has free reign to move all over the pitch. Which means he does little defensive covering, and with the long runs of Khedira and the constant probing of a winger converted in to a central midfielder in Schweinsteiger, you have a weakness. If Spain can dominate the center of the midfield, either with sheer numbers or by using Silva over Torres to exploit the space between Schweinsteiger and the two center backs, we may have a hole.

I do foresee the lack of width that has plagued Spain as fitting in to Germany’s hands. They can pinch their wing backs closer to their center backs in order to form a very solid wall outside the Germany penalty area, and let the wide forward deal with Spain’s wing backs. It may also be worth noting that if Spain do begin to dominate possession, Germany will be prepared to counter attack through Ozil, Klose and whichever of the wide forwards not being pinned back. Ozil will often drift to the side of the field where opposition full back has pushed forward, creating a 3v3 situation, which is how Germany scored its fourth goal against Argentina. Leaving Busquets deep in order to break up these quick counter attacks. I would caution against man marking Ozil, as it really does little for the team beyond isolating a player. I must also caution that Philip Lahm will enjoy 30 yards of space to run in to when Capdevila is pushed back by either Trochowski or Kroos or Marin, which will create an overload on the left wing. Lahm will go right to the byline, but Muller, not a natural wide player, tended to move in field, looking to exploit the space between the left back and center back. With him out, they have the option of complimenting Lahm with Marin, or continuing with the in-field drift by Kroos or Trochowski, although neither have the strikers nose of Muller. Germany has several smart options when counter attacking, and it seems like they may atleast score a goal a game, but somehow Serbia stopped them so their is hope.

It might be worth noting that Germany are far less dangerous when they have to build slowly and methodically. Schweinsteiger is not the most accurate passer, while Ozil, when condensed will have more difficulty creating. I would not go so far as to say Spain should concede possession to the Germans, only that winning the ball back immediately after loosing it may not be needed, only that impediments to the counter are put up so that Germany must move forward with a full compliment of defenders behind the ball. Argentina rarely was able to get more then 5 players back to stop a counter attack, despite Maradona never pushing his fullbacks very far forward. Argentina pinned the Germans very deep for a majority of the game, and the final three goals of the encounter were more down to Maradona removing a defender and sending his midifelders further forward then Germany being an overwhelming force. I would admit they were highly prolific though.

Sami Khedira had missed training over the weekend with a thigh problem but is expected to be fit for the match. Because there really is no other player to take his place in the lineup, given the injuries German had pre-tournament. I suppose Serdar Tasci could move up in to midfield, and Dennis Aogo has also played some central midfield, but neither have done so with the national team, and both have very few caps, so that would be a big hole to fill. Not that Khedira has to many caps either, but he has looked more then competent in his role. I thought Boateng had a slight knock but he seemed to come through the Argentina game just fine.

—————-Neuer—————-
Lahm—Friedrich–Mertesacker—Boateng
Trochowski—Schweinsteiger–Khedira—Podolski
—————Ozil—————-
—————Klose—————

If Khedira cant go, I do not know what Jogi Loew does in the center of midfield. He could plump for a diamond shape, adding a second striker (Germany brought quite a few along), or he could use Piotr Trochowski, the Hamburg man alongside Ozil as a second playmaker. Or like I mentioned above, Aogo and Tasci could play in the center midfield also. But it probably wont come out as a problem because Id assume Khedira starts. Muller is suspended for card accumulation, so he will probably be replaced by the more level headed Trochowski, who can provide much the same cover as Muller, although he is less of a goal threat and may get in Lahm/Ozil’s way at times. Toni Kroos or Marko Marin are also options, but neither have seen much time in the tournament. Germany’s main problem right now is a lack of depth, although a tournament or two from now I would be terrified by the squad they have, its just so talented.

Germany will be the most difficult opponent as of yet. One goal from Villa will not seal the deal, there will need to be more urgency in the Spanish ranks for this game.

Spain Team News:

Iker is soooo getting a hummer tonight…..

Despite the euphoria of the wing against Paraguay and the first trip to the semis, I was left rather unmoved for most of the game. Spain was bad, very bad in the first half, and against a better side should have been punished. A strong team unit in the German side would surely have put them away early. Until the penalty madness, the game was fairly dull and not meriting a quarter final appearance at the World Cup. After the penalty madness though, it was a great effort by the team. We could sit around all day debating the reasons for the performance, and I wont essentially blame one party or another. Ill move past it and worry about the Germans, a much sterner test.

Selection wise Fernando Torres is still performing very poorly and as we discussed last game, it may be worth finally dropping him. He has been unable to turn it around, and at this point in the tournament it may be worth doing. I recommended two approaches against Paraguay (well actually I said drop Torres for the Chile game, as did many readers) of either Llorente with Villa continuing to play out wide, or using Silva or Fabregas as an extra midfield creator. Decisions decisions…

The merits of using Llorente against Germany versus using Torres are that Llorente provides a greater physical presence, looks sharp in getting to crosses and can hold the ball up well. Germany’s center backs are massive, Mertesacker actually taller then Llorente, so getting to crosses and clearances may be difficult. Holding the ball up also is not always needed since we will not be the counter attacking team. The physical presence in the center, which allows players to play off of him (essentially holding the ball up, but with one or two touch passing) may be a nice addition. Its a tough call, because while it restores Villa out wide and gives Iniesta and Xavi a quick forward outlet, Torres has been doing that well also. Torres also has the history of getting the better of the German defenders, so he has that going for him. Pushing Villa out to the left has reaped its rewards, but now he would come up against probably the best left back in the world, and one wonders if its wise to keep Lahm occupied with Villa to curb his forward runs rather than stick him in the middle where his speed and guile will have to get the better of the German center backs. Again, its a tough call, but it seems a better idea to see what change Villa can get out of Lahm, at the same time curbing Lahm’s forward movement. Villa also does a job defensively, hustling back when needed. It creates an interesting matchup, but it means no Silva/Fabregas because there needs to be a central player to confront the center backs.

Llorente or Torres, Del Bosque will persist with Torres. I guess we just have to keep our fingers crossed.

Iniesta drifts to the left a lot, so he will need to either bum rush Lahm with Villa or start to move to the right more often to help Ramos attack Boateng, who despite being a physical presence and very talented, is like many of the German players, still a little inexperienced in this type of game. Ramos needs to improve his decision making in the attacking half for this game, as he had a bad game against Paraguay. Often out of position, and not providing much when he had the ball, he was actually overshadowed by Capdevila. I guess he was trying to hard. He was pretty good against Portugal, so maybe if he tempers his froward runs more, especially with Podolski to deal with, he can let his defending stand out as much as he wants his attacking to.

————-Casillas————
Ramos—Pique–Puyol—Capdevila
——Xavi–Busquets–Xabi——
————Iniesta——-Villa
———–Torres————-

The double pivot definitely makes sense in this game, as midfield superiority not only wins possession, it can stem the tide of counter attacks and exploit the main weakness of the Germans. Run at them right down the center and it should create problems. Silva might be useful for such a tactic, and Del Bosque was toying with the idea in training but I think he will stick to his guns until the second half where his substitutions, often unorthodox, often lead to a turnaround in performance. Pedro brought a spark against Paraguay, expect him to come off the bench. Fabregas again gets over looked (he did have a minor shoulder problem after being brought down by Villar in the box) in the midfield and its a bit unfair on the guy, the same with Silva, but you have to stick with the guys that got you here.

The game has got my nerves a little jittered, as it is a massive opportunity for Spain. Id assume the Netherlands will be in the final, and that would be quite the matchup as well. This is a big game, a historic game. Lets relish and take the opportunity. VAMOS!

We have seen it so many times in the past where great players don’t make great coaches, and it now seems to have happened again with the greatest player of them all – Diego Maradona.

It saddens to say this because Maradona is a God in Campania, but the 48-year-old is not cut out for sitting on the bench. With the players he has at his disposal, Argentina should already be qualified for South Africa. Yet with just three games of their CONMEBOL group to go – two of them difficult trips to Paraguay and Uruguay – and only two points separating the fourth-placed Albicelestes from Colombia and Ecuador in fifth and sixth, there is the very real possibility of missing out on their first World Cup for 40 years.

There is no doubt that the main reason why Argentina find themselves in such a predicament is due to Maradona.

Football is sometimes over-complicated. If you pick the best players at your disposal, providing there is balance, you are likely to have a far greater chance of success than if you choose lesser players.

This has been proven by Maradona, whose squad selection has been absolutely bizarre at times. The coach has an unhealthy obsession with local players, almost as if he is on some quest to prove that South American football can still stand up against the poachers of Europe. Ten on Diego’s roster for the Brazil clash were from the Argentine League, including a 35-year-old Martin Palermo who has not played internationally for 10 years, and a 36-year-old defender Rolando Schiavi earning his maiden call-up.

It is no secret that Argentina are weak in defence, yet Maradona overlooked his only top class centre-back in Inter’s Walter Samuel, offering a baptism of fire for debutant Sebastian Dominguez of Velez Sarsfield. Meanwhile, despite such an embarrassment of riches in midfield, El Pibe d’Oro last night started with the 34-year-old Juan Sebastian Veron – whom regardless of his fine domestic form with Estudiantes has been playing out of Europe now for three years – and Jesus Datolo, who admittedly was one of Argentina’s best players and scored a wonder goal, but has been nothing more than average for Napoli since joining them in January of this year.

There are so many complaints that can be thrown at Maradona’s door. Why is the calamitous Gabriel Heinze still playing? Why was Carlos Tevez preferred in attack when his start to the season has been so inferior to the red-hot Diego Milito? Why is Lazio’s Mauro Zarate still being snubbed when he is such a phenomenon?

What more does Maurito have to do?

And what about Argentina’s formation? Why is Maradona employing an England-style 4-4-2, especially in a game against a Dunga-led Brazil who are renowned for loading the midfield and hitting on the counter-attack through the rigid gaps?

Argentina should be playing a 4-2-3-1 – with this formation they would have every country in the world quaking in their boots. Javier Mascherano and (the currently injured) Esteban Cambiasso holding in midfield, Diego Milito as the lone marksman, and any three from Lionel Messi, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Sergio Aguero, Zarate, Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Lucho Gonzalez, and Maxi Rodriguez in the attacking midfield trident. With Inter stars Samuel and Javier Zanetti patrolling the defence, Argentina have a team capable of blitzing the World Cup.

By using the 4-4-2, the Albicelestes waste all their strengths that are located in midfield and attack, and expose all their weaknesses in defence. Another example is captain Mascherano. Maradona once said that his Argentina team is “Mascherano and 10 others”, yet the Liverpool man has largely struggled and he was torn apart by Kaka yesterday.

This is the same Mascherano who marked the Brazilian so expertly during the 2007 Champions League final. The reason why the former West Ham man is labouring comes down to formation. He is not suited to the 4-4-2 (even West Ham’s Hayden Mullins was preferred to him in this system!). To play centre midfield at the highest level in a 4-4-2 you need to be an all action runner who can combine attacking, defending and physical play. Mascherano is a reader of the game, a man-marker, and needs to sit deeper or play in a more compact midfield.

All romantics of the game want Maradona to do well, but should he have another negative result against Paraguay on Wednesday, then the Argentine FA will have a big decision to make on whether they should replace him as coach before the final two decisive October qualifiers versus Peru and Uruguay.