First Glance At The World Cup
Jun 7th, 2010 by 'holic
A weekend spent largely in the garden is over, and how. The rain lashes down as I type. I am grateful though for the mini-break, as well as the huge quantities of fine wine that flowed in the sunshine.
Returning to blogging is not easy, particularly as the stories that were big last week remain unaltered, as recorded by Gunnerblog earlier today. Pique and Xavi continue to bombard Cesc in the Spanish camp. Joe Cole’s people keep the pot boiling in an effort to secure his preference for a move to Arsenal, and Lorient continue to hold out for a bigger chunk of Arsenal’s summer transfer warchest, whatever that may be.
So I want to steer clear of these stories, to avoid the speculation overload. What better way than to take an early glance at the World Cup. Who would have thought that a week ahead of the meeting of Holland and Denmark that we would be worried about the fitness of Nicklas Bendtner, and not Robin van Persie?
That contest looks to be one of the picks of the opening round of fixtures. France against Uruguay on the opening night may give us an early look at a number of Gunners, but it doesn’t promise to be a free-flowing demonstration of attacking football. By the time that game starts Carlos Vela and his Mexican team-mates will have discovered just how strong the hosts are in the tournament opener.
Saturday offers two intriguing clashes. Argentina should prove too strong for Nigeria, but that may be close for much of the game. Home interest will focus on England against USA in Rustenburg, and I have a feeling the sides may be more evenly matched than many of my countrymen would have you believe.
If any concessions to management are needed then Sunday’s trio of matches may well be sacrificed for the greater good. Sorry Aussies, and good luck against Germany. Brazil will be required viewing next Tuesday, and those of us who have memories of 1966 will be looking for North Korea to surprise and delight again.
Sadly we have to wait until Wednesday for Spain against Switzerland to complete the first matches. Phil Senderos, can you hear me? You have a choice of Barca players to maim. Sacrifice yourself for the greater good. Obviously though I will be looking for a market value-boosting hat-trick from Cesc.
That’s that then. Gently eased back in for another blogging week. Hopefully one that will reveal some real news to discuss, and maybe even one or two different stories. Perhaps we’ll even buy this Vuvu Zela geezer everybody keeps going on about?
34 Responses to “First Glance At The World Cup”
First gun
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May the best team win (with the exception of Spain) 🙂
That’s all very good holic, but where is the pound going?
i’ll put my money on RvP as the tournaments top scorer. such class he brings.
-orri from the great white north
Why is it as an englishman albeit an expat I find it hard to root for England with great enthusiasm?Probably because I am a lifelong Gunners fan easing into his late 40’s. My first world cup was 74 and we did not qualify so we all followed the Scots that was until I saw Johan Cruyff and co and said my god what was that beautiful thing we just saw and HAHA for Scotland losing to Peru. I think the same can be said of 78 HA HA at Scotland again despite Archie Gemmil.Again no England. At this time though I cared more about Pat J,Pat R,Sammy,David O,Liam and Big Frank all under Mr Neill’s management. I really could not give a fig for Ray Wilkins and Trevor Francis or whose better Clemence or Shilton.I cheered more for Gerry Armstrong when he beat Spain for Northern Ireland as the NI defence had Jennings and Rice. Skip forward to David O’leary in 90 and the penalty kick. I cared.Maybe because I moved to the US in 89 Gazzas tears did not affect me because I did not know who the fuck he was really.No satellite or interweb then.Now here we are in 2010 and no Gunners in the squad.Same story as before but instead of Ireland or NI I will be following the Dutch and Denmark to a lesser point NOT the French sorry Thierry but you fucked up,and Cameroon well you get the point.Our history has never really been rife with a strong English backbone…I know Adams,Seaman recently.So I see the World Cup as a month filler before the boys in Red and White run out on a late August afternoon. Im on a hiding to nothing Saturday if Donovan scores the winner my son and I will both cheer if Lampard or Rooney do it we still think they are cu*nts.
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/overseas/spain/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/06/07/manual_204913.html&TEAMHD=spain
Tar Heel Gunner – Scotland lost to Peru in 78.
Yours,
a pedant 😉
I do not want Yaya Toure at our club, he only cares about the money and has no love for Arsenal, I really hope this is not true.
zicoinexile
touche,the memory is fading with age but the sentiment of admiring the Dutch and ridiculing the Scots remains.Was it 74 where they did not lose but got eliminated anyway?
Come back on Thursday for the pound, Das 😉
THG, yes indeed, that was 74.
As a Scot you will excuse me if I have a wry smile when it comes to penalty shoot outs in this tournament. 😉
Only kidding, may the best team win (bar the team with Tapalonians in it).
Not sure what stonroy is on about, there’s no chance Yaya Toure is coming to Arsenal. ‘Holic, I would agree that the England and US teams don’t make such a lopsided match as some have said, although on paper England are far the better side. I empathize with my Arsenal-supporting English mates for having to suddenly cheer on those we’ve all spent all these years jeering. As an American, I don’t have to worry about any of that, just fretting about the many taunts that will come my way should USA not make a good showing.
I’ve filled out a bracket, and while I’d love to see Netherlands lift the trophy (once the Americans are knocked out, of course), the Robben injury may be too much for them to overcome, which has me betting on Brasil topping Spain to win it.
Lager if you please.
I’d love a Spain/Holland final with Holland taking the Cup but alas I’m not particularly confident in their defense. When Van Bronckhorst is a starter in your defense then you have to roll your eyes at their chances. Sure they will score many goals but if a smart tactician like Low or Dunga decide to play counterattack then Holland might get stung.
Spain arguably has the best overall team. Their defense isn’t the best but it’s balanced and still much better than most, while they boast the best midfield and best striking duo on the international stage. However, expectations may bear on them who knows.
Lok for Germany to do a job on most of the teams they face though while also being entertaining with Ozil, Muller, Klose, Marin, Shweini, Lahm and Kroos all posing attacking threats.
“Phil Senderos, can you hear me? You have a choice of Barca players to maim“.
Including Cesc, God willing.
PS: Mal rayo te parta, infeliz.
As a true Englishman (born and bred here but having grown up abroad) I am used to defending my country’s footballing team long and hard.
Where I grew up you either supported an English club and England or an Italian club and Italia.
Serious battle lines were drawn throughout our (very large) school. I got into many a scrape defending my country in a football argument. Leeds v AC Milan in 1973 was a major flashpoint, as was England’s 3-2 victory over Italy in New York in 1976.
Today, however, I find myself backing Holland in this World Cup.
Why? Because I like their football and their history of style and I don’t know too much about most of their players.
England? I have no problem with the likes of Spuds Crouch, Defoe, Dawson, Lennon, King etc lifting the World Cup. Nor Barry, Johnson or Hart/Green/James.
BUT I just can’t cheer on the likes of Terry or A. Cole. I find them both despicable. I don’t really care too much either for Rio (drugs ban?) or Gerrard (assault?) tbh. Neither of them are fine role models. And whilst Rooney may possess brilliant skill, he’s hardly likeable.
I’m sure all national teams have equally as unlikeable characters, but many of my fellow country men readily admit that Ing-er-lund have more than their fair quota of prats.
Spain definitely the team to beat – but certainly have a ropey backline (Ramos / Poo-hole / Pique / Capdevilla) which more tactically astute teams could threaten. If they draw Italy in the quarters as expected I think they will struggle as they always seem to have a complex when playing them. I’d fancy England to beat Italy but not Spain if we got as far as the semis….which we should do. We have a great draw, impossible to play Spain or Brazil until the last four. Serbia or Germany in round two should be a tough test, though please God can we not draw Australia in the second round, if we lost to them it would be a total nightmare.
Shame for the tournament if Drogba is crocked for the Ivorians, it would be great to have an African team having a successful tournament, and they would be a very dangerous team with him leading the line. Holland to play some nice stuff but get knocked out by the first decent team they play – you can’t win trophies with a defence as shit as theirs. Capello’s a top coach, possibly the best in the tournament, and we have an outside chance – but I take Spain to beat Brazil in the final.
DAF @ 16 – spot on with your thoughts on our In-gur-land “heroes”. I do feel I am missing out somewhere, and i want to be interested but i just can’t get enthused over our Chavski spivs, scouse yobs and ManUre cheats.
Stonroy @ 9 – Yaya Toure to us seems almost impossible as he has been here twice on trial in AW’s time and been rejected both times. Also, his Mr 20% can hardly wait to quash the rumour every time it surfaces – come to think of it though? . . .
Maybe Big Phil could head Xavi in the teeth as his mark of thanks before he leaves. Cheers Phil. Piss off Xavi with every one of your 397 vice-presidents.
Despite my terminal Anglophilia and desire to relocate across the pond for awhile, I’m nothing if not American to the core when it comes to these sorts of things. Glad to see ‘holic giving my Yank boys some acknowledgement, something much of the English sport press has declined to do. At the moment, assuming Jozy and Gooch have some health, I think the odds are about 40% England, 40% draw, 20% Yank upset. And as an Arsenal supporter, I look at the England squad and can only feel that I’ve never in my life been more glad NOT to be English and thus have so many of that lot forced on me. That said, nobody will convince me that Capello is anything but brilliant and regardless of the players, I won’t be surprised no matter how far he goes. Bob Bradley manages not to screw too much up in the American squad but I wish we had a truly international-class manager, England fans should consider themselves lucky.
I suppose I’m the dissenter here, since my boys can’t win I’m hoping Spain does, if for no other reason than that I hate Brazil and am tired of their condescending attitude towards us, going on about how America doesn’t know how to play football. This would be much easier if somehow Xavi and Pique were forced to have their legs amputated sometime during the group stages, but one can only wish. If not the Spaniards, the Dutch would be nice.
Greetings Holic and fellow ‘holics worldwide.
As my user name suggests, I was born in Holloway (true gooner terortory) but now live in the Land van Oranje. The Dutch have a decent team and as a barowner (ker-ching) I’ll be rooting for them in every game. I’ve got the “Hup Holland Hup” (Go Holland Go) banners and the orange bunting and flags hanging, BUT, in my heart of hearts I’ll always be cheering for England regardless of who’s in the squad.
Let’s be honest, Theo didn’t do enough to make the squad, I’m not implying for a second that SWP is in anyway better, but I think it will be a good lesson for TW to feel the dissapointment of rejection and hopefully next season he will double his efforts to try to prove to the world that he should of been picked. (win/win situation for Arsenal)
When Capello took the England job he promised the country that he would pick players on form and not on past reputation, this of course is complete bolloxs otherwise Heskey wouldn’t be anywhere near the squad, if you compare his squad with that of Sven Gormless Erickson of 2006 you will find very few differerences, England are weak and it’s only the over hyping British media and money grabbing bookies that are “bigging them up”. Luckily England have been matched in one of the weakest groups and if they come out on top (the Yanks will be no push over) then they may just go far.
Regardless, I’ll be rooting for the Three Lions (and NL for the dough) even though my first love will always be the riproaring gunners.
I’ll have a Heineken and a good ol’English Bitter please sir.
Cheers!
For those looking for an entertaining and talented underdog team to support, Honduras is still available. Shame on the overdogs!
Sigh, Even Blogger’s Sunday kickabout team could beat India 🙁 🙁 🙁 One day.. One day.
Sean- Our Saviour. Goalkeeping problems solved.
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http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/keeper-signs-professional-terms-with-arsenal
‘Holic, as an American I appreciate the confidence you have in our side although I feel that it is more a lack of confidence in the English side. I think England will figure out how to play football again and end up proving too much for us. I do however thing that we will both get through. Ultimately it will be better for the World Cup if England get through and find their rhythm because there is actually talent there that can make a run. That being said neither side play the game in the beautiful fashion that we are blessed with by being supporters of the Arsenal. Cheers and a bottoms up on an 18yo Glenlivet.
Calling All Holics
In the absence of any further musings from Holic Land,
I can thoroughly recommend ArseBlog’s Tues morning offering.
Very very incisive [ if permanently expletive ridden ] column,that in my opinion is the only Blogger to give Holic a run for his money.
No more need be said,just read and enjoy,but whatever you do don’t let any offspring under 14 anywhere near it.!!
AMERICA
WE SPEAK AMERICAN
Hi Holic, great blog as always.
I just wanted to pop over and say that I nicked your Yaya headline from a few weeks ago. I couldn’t help myself.
No worries, big man. On my way for a read now.
Well as a Brazilian, I am of course supporting Dunga’s lot, even tho it’s such a defensive unit with little creativity. I love watching Spain and Holland (RVP’s on fire right now so of course he’ll come back to us all crocked and exhausted) but I can’t see a European team winning this tournament. Europe never wins outside Europe, tho they can reach the final.
Good day, ‘Holics! ORANGE juice, if you will. Though if Chile get to the quarters I’ll be partying like mad! I just hope they fans left their field rockets West of the Andes…
Summer is scorching in NY. Some beer please.
Big Phil finally joins Fulham FC. All the best to him. He is one player who was totally mistreated by Wenger.
Hopefully he fulfils his potential at Craven Cottage.
Here’s a thought”
Is Barca’s behaviour this (and every) summer having a negative impact on their sponsor’s image?
In my case, yes.
I came home from work just now to find some junk mail, one of which was from UNICEF looking for aid. Interestingly, my gut reaction on glancing at their logo was: What are those b******s up to now? Not because I disagree with UNICEF, but because every time I see their logo it’s on a Barca shirt.
I imagine that UNICEF would wish to be associated with good will, responsibility, community and mutual respect. Barca have a community.