Imagine England are about to advance from Group C in first or second position. Whatever happens, Capello's men will still face a tough last 16 clash. Using the power of predictions it's time to look at who England might face and who is best avoided from Group D.
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
19/05/2010
15/05/2010
Analysing the 2010 World Cup provisional squad lists
I’ve just been looking through the entire provisional squad lists (yes, they have to do it all again by the June 1st deadline) and spotted some unusual facts and figures. Hope you don’t mind me sharing them with you.
10/05/2010
Rooney injury worries – can he last the World Cup intact?
Once again Wayne Rooney limps off at the tail end of a Manchester United game. Am I the only person beginning to wonder whether he can endure the rigours of a World Cup?
The PFA and Football Writers' Association award winner has scored 33 times this season, offering Utd fans a much needed scoring option following the loss of Ronaldo and Tevez last summer.
United even jumped to 86 league goals over the course of the campaign, a remarkable step up from the 68 accrued last season.
So he’s helped to up the goal tally and his manager doesn’t seem too concerned about Rooney’s latest injury.
“I think he's aggravated the groin again. I don't think it's serious – he'll be OK for England,” said United manager Alex Ferguson.
Well, we’ve been here before, but at least this time England aren’t alone in having injury worries.
Spain’s Fabregas, Torres and Xavi may struggle to play regularly in South Africa.
Holland’s Robin van Persie is only just coming back from injury.
The good news is Socceroo legend Harry Kewell will probably be fit after missing the last twelve years with hair band problems. That’s good news for everyone else but not Australia.
The PFA and Football Writers' Association award winner has scored 33 times this season, offering Utd fans a much needed scoring option following the loss of Ronaldo and Tevez last summer.
United even jumped to 86 league goals over the course of the campaign, a remarkable step up from the 68 accrued last season.
So he’s helped to up the goal tally and his manager doesn’t seem too concerned about Rooney’s latest injury.
“I think he's aggravated the groin again. I don't think it's serious – he'll be OK for England,” said United manager Alex Ferguson.
Well, we’ve been here before, but at least this time England aren’t alone in having injury worries.
Spain’s Fabregas, Torres and Xavi may struggle to play regularly in South Africa.
Holland’s Robin van Persie is only just coming back from injury.
The good news is Socceroo legend Harry Kewell will probably be fit after missing the last twelve years with hair band problems. That’s good news for everyone else but not Australia.
28/07/2009
Early qualifiers for next year Pt 5
Australia
Let’s cut to the chase. Anyone who connives in the use of ridiculous footballing nicknames deserves all the bile they get.
Don’t get me wrong. I think Blue Samurai (Japan) is great, if a little pseudo-pornographic.
In the absence of a witty way to say hallucinogenic cake munching quarter final fodder, Oranjes does for the Dutch.
And who could fail to be impressed by the mighty Les Eperviers (The Sparrowhawks) of Togo? Not me.
However, I draw the line at The Socceroos. If ever a nickname was so false and calculated to make even simpletons puke into a bucket, this surely is it.
First, there are plenty of other animals in Australia which could be appended to the word “soccer”. Koalas spring to mind, as do the grey-headed flying fox and the Sugar Glider (a small arboreal possum which, as its name suggests, can glide between trees).
But my real problem is this. The game we are talking about is “football”, not “soccer”. Get that right and I might take a passing interest in the Flying Footy Foxes next summer.
Let’s cut to the chase. Anyone who connives in the use of ridiculous footballing nicknames deserves all the bile they get.
Don’t get me wrong. I think Blue Samurai (Japan) is great, if a little pseudo-pornographic.
In the absence of a witty way to say hallucinogenic cake munching quarter final fodder, Oranjes does for the Dutch.
And who could fail to be impressed by the mighty Les Eperviers (The Sparrowhawks) of Togo? Not me.
However, I draw the line at The Socceroos. If ever a nickname was so false and calculated to make even simpletons puke into a bucket, this surely is it.
First, there are plenty of other animals in Australia which could be appended to the word “soccer”. Koalas spring to mind, as do the grey-headed flying fox and the Sugar Glider (a small arboreal possum which, as its name suggests, can glide between trees).
But my real problem is this. The game we are talking about is “football”, not “soccer”. Get that right and I might take a passing interest in the Flying Footy Foxes next summer.
23/07/2009
Early qualifiers for next year Pt 4
Japan
The first team in the world to qualify is also among the candidates for an early exit, despite some overexcitable chatter from the manager and players.
They have much higher hopes for the Blue Samurai, according to comments allegedly made after the eye-catching 1-0 win in Uzbekistan which sealed qualification.
“We will surprise the world! Hip, Hip, Hurrah!” chanted the players.
Then manager Takeshi Okada, presumably drinking from the same pool of mindless optimism as his squad, chipped in: “We want to raise our level higher as we are aiming for the World Cup last four.”
So that’s higher than a group in which the other teams were Australia, Qatar, Bahrain and Uzbekistan? A group in which they came second, by the way. And Okada’s crack wannabee semi-finalists could only manage draws with two of these after putting the mighty Oman to the sword, erm, 1 – 1.
On this evidence the Blue Samurai will need to raise the bar a bit higher to get out of the first group phase.
The first team in the world to qualify is also among the candidates for an early exit, despite some overexcitable chatter from the manager and players.
They have much higher hopes for the Blue Samurai, according to comments allegedly made after the eye-catching 1-0 win in Uzbekistan which sealed qualification.
“We will surprise the world! Hip, Hip, Hurrah!” chanted the players.
Then manager Takeshi Okada, presumably drinking from the same pool of mindless optimism as his squad, chipped in: “We want to raise our level higher as we are aiming for the World Cup last four.”
So that’s higher than a group in which the other teams were Australia, Qatar, Bahrain and Uzbekistan? A group in which they came second, by the way. And Okada’s crack wannabee semi-finalists could only manage draws with two of these after putting the mighty Oman to the sword, erm, 1 – 1.
On this evidence the Blue Samurai will need to raise the bar a bit higher to get out of the first group phase.
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