Thursday, November 18, 2010

World Cup 2010 Blog: “Lionel Messi Beats Brazil With The Patented Wondergoal” plus 2 more

World Cup 2010 Blog: “Lionel Messi Beats Brazil With The Patented Wondergoal” plus 2 more

Link to World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010

Lionel Messi Beats Brazil With The Patented Wondergoal

Posted: 17 Nov 2010 11:10 AM PST

What more can be said at this point? The boy’s not only on another planet, but should have one named after him. (Messium, or something.)

In a friendly which is never, ever a friendly, Lionel took the ball at the half in the 92nd minute, played it ever so briefly off Ezequiel Lavezzi, and then proceeded to run right through the Brazilian defense before going through Brazilian hearts with a late, late winner, not long to be forgotten in Argentina – and certainly not by Messi, who’d yet to score against the rivals.

He’s as jawdropping as they come, and it probably wasn’t even his best goal in the last week…


Romelu Lukaku Announces His International Arrival

Posted: 17 Nov 2010 10:40 AM PST

They weren’t brilliant, they weren’t terribly difficult, and he did get a helping hand from the normally dependable Igor Akinfeev, but these are the first two goals – in his eighth game – for a young boy who’s going to score loads before his career is over.

The first will require a team of scientists to explain how it snuck back through to the center of the box – which is of no matter to Romelu, who’s clearly chuffed.

The second makes one think someone needs to check this boys passport. Seventeen? Please. This man-beast is flat steamrolling grown men.

And with that, Romelu ushers in a little revenge on Tricky Dick. Could Belgium love him any more?


FIFA Gives 2018 & 2022 Bids The White Glove Treatment

Posted: 17 Nov 2010 10:08 AM PST

Michael-Jackson-White-GloveA fickle bunch, these FIFA people, which they sort of need to be at this point in time with allegations flying from every direction.

Their report on each of the bids for 2018 & 2022 has been released, with lots of interesting insights. But no clear indication where the World Cups might go.

Although bland but safe England sounds like a decent bet.

BBC broke down the European edition (2018) due to obvious self-interest:

ENGLAND BID
Good points: Transport, stadia, IT, security, marketing, legacy
Bad points: Too few venue-specific training sites or venue-specific team hotels, too few training base camp hotels

SPAIN/PORTUGAL BID
Good points: Stadia, transport, hotels, legacy
Bad points: Lack of clear security plan, co-hosting “a challenge”

RUSSIA BID
Good points: 13 planned new stadia, hotels, legacy
Bad points: Huge transport challenge and major building programme needed

NETHERLANDS/BELGIUM BID
Good points: Stadia, legacy
Bad points: Too few hotel rooms, co-hosting “a challenge”, lack of government guarantees

In England’s favor, it sounds more as though FIFA was looking for problems rather than presented with obvious shortcomings. However, Russia has the distinct advantage of being fresh, different, and possibly willing to offer up more in the arena of handshakes. (You know.)

And it appears FIFA’s no fan of co-habitation after Soouth Japan 2002, so that’s a distinct advantage.

From the Asian (plus US) perspective, the two most interesting stories come from South Korea and Qatar, two bids with wildly different hype as we approach the deadline. The latter has generated extraordinary buzz with its throw-money-at-it solution to the heat that is mid-summer in Qatar – about which FIFA appears very skeptical – while the latter has generated almost no buzz at all. That, however, changes with the revelation that it could hold some games in North Korea should they be awarded 2022.

And you just know Sepp would love nothing more for the mere opportunity to take credit from bringing the Koreas together. Sounds like a deviously cunning plan on the part of South Korea, and one which might be effective.

Incredibly, we’re only 14 days from the official announcement. Stay tuned as more “confidential” reports are publicly leaked by the day.


Wednesday, November 17, 2010

World Cup 2010 Blog: “Soundoff: Which Internationals Will You Be Watching?” plus 1 more

World Cup 2010 Blog: “Soundoff: Which Internationals Will You Be Watching?” plus 1 more

Link to World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010

Soundoff: Which Internationals Will You Be Watching?

Posted: 16 Nov 2010 12:30 PM PST

international-posterOf course there is but one true answer: Brazil-Argentina.

The not-quite-friendly friendly taking place in Doha has added significance in that it will usher in the return of Ronaldinho to the Selecao fold, if just for one game, as he now struggles for a return to the Milan fold. (Three straight on the bench.) Seems the horse-choppered one simply can’t get love from both sides anymore; it’s one of the other.

That said, a number of excellent international fixtures will be taking place. Abnormally excellent for mid-November friendlies.

One such game stands out:Russia and Belgium.

Not only do both teams have talent in youth which could use an extended run on display to the world, but it’s the return of Dick “Show Me The MONNEYYY” Advocaat against the team he dropped like a steaming pile of bratty footballers earlier in the year. You may remember he up and left his post atop the Belgium nat’l team for the same one over in Russia. The same one with a significantly more substantial paycheck, of course.

It’s just a shame that the fixture is in Kazan; it’d be nice to see Dick return to, say, Brussels, and face his past like the ex-lover who declared it over with a poorly worded text message. Though Belgium may not blame him for leaving – that Belgian team is reportedly an internal disaster.

The now Bielsa-less Chile versus Uruguay also is worth keeping an eye on, though it sort of pales in comparison to the other battle of South America.

But there are a number of games to quench the midweek football thirst. Which ones will you be watching? And which ones should we watch?


A Sitter Miss Of International Proportions

Posted: 16 Nov 2010 11:30 AM PST

Every sitter miss seems worse than the last, and every sitter miss is the “worst ever”, and nearly every sitter miss simply isn’t.

However, this one belongs in the pantheon of those at least claiming a legitimate shot for the shortlist, since it’s rather unfathomable that an international player couldn’t slot this bad boy home.

Khalfan Fahad, welcome to YouTube infamy.

[Spotted on 101 Great Goals]