Today sees the second semifinal of the 2010 World Cup, and isn't it a cracker: Germany versus Spain. Just 4 years ago, we saw Schumacher vs Alonso for the F1 crown. This time, we see their respective football teams take to the pitch for the chance to face the Netherlands in Johannesburg.
On the surface, it's a rematch of the Euro 2008 final. But if you look closer, this is a much different German team than the one who played two years ago. Even without the injured Michael Ballack, they seem to be going from strength to strength. This is the team that has scored 4 goals for 3 matches now (2 of them in the knockout stages), against teams of increasing difficulty (Australia, then England, then Argentina).
On the other hand, they had a strange 1-0 loss to Serbia, who didn't even make it past the group stages, but it seems such a distant memory after their recent dominance. Their other concern will be missing Thomas Muller from the lineup, as he is serving a one-game suspension after previously receiving 2 yellow cards.
The new kids on the block take on the veterans from Spain, who no doubt are under significant pressure to win the World Cup for the first time. One may argue that they've had a slightly easier time of it than the Germans - their only real rated foe to date has been Portugal in the Round of 16, yet they've failed to dominate any of their matches. To add to that, they too suffered a strange 1-0 loss to Switzerland, who also failed to make it to the knockout rounds. That said, they've won all the matches they needed to win. And this will almost certainly be their most successful World Cup in 60 (yes, SIXTY) years, no matter what happens from here on out.
The key matchup for me is the battle of the strikers: Germany's Miroslav Klose versus Spain's David Villa. They are the reason their respective teams made it this far, and both are contending for the Golden Boot as well. Look for them to be scoring a goal or three tonight. In case this one goes to penalties (and there's a good chance it will), they will be the center of attention there as well.
So just to confirm today's sole game: Germany vs. Spain - 1930 BST - LIVE on BBC 1
How do I think this will go? It seems my heart and brain agree - Germany looks to be the better team, and I am rooting for them to win this one. They took out my bet Argentina, but they fully deserved to, so I'm transferring my support to them. Never discount Spain, though, as their experience may translate to them handling the pressure better than Germany. I'm predicting a 2-1 win for Germany. I will also go on the record to say that the winner of tonight's fixture will win it all on Sunday night in Soccer City. It's the first evening match I'm staying up for, so I'll see you in the comments!
Fantastic post and it ain't that short either. Come on Germany!
Actually I don't think it was that strange (at least compared to the Spain-Swiss one). Right from the squad lists, I felt that Klose is essential for the team. Once he got sent off, Germany had no one holding the line and pressing defenders, making it much harder for auxiliary strikers Podolski and Mueller to move forward and join in the attack. I didn't see them winning that one from the red card onwards, though I thought they should have perhaps drawn with the penalty.
yay! great post mr. j.
If Klose scores tonight, he'll equal Ronaldo on 15 World Cup goals, which is a record.
Nice post mr journeyer.
That does make sense.
:D
Klose doesn't do all that much other than scoring goals, does he? Typical fox-in-the-box.
thank you mr. c. :D
True. I'm betting he'll get at least 1 in tonight, but he won't want tying/beating Ronaldo just as a consolation prize.
That said, even Germany can't score 4 against Spain... right?
I remember coming across an article earlier today that said they'll score 5. :P
That's... insane. :O
Do, er, club teams I think they're called, start hurriedly buying and selling players based on what they've seen at the World Cup?
Yes. A bad case is Ramon Vega, he had a good World Cup/European Championship with Switzerland, Spurs bought him and now many regard him as the worst player...ever
i'll wager badoer would be worse.
Yep, there's always a gamble if you have your eye on a player.
Do you try to snap him up before the World Cup and risk him getting injured, or wait until afterwards and risk him having a great tournament and doubling in price!
Of course, he could also have a shocker and you then have the other problem, in that he wasn't as good as you thought he was :)
Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose prove that it shouldn't be done but clubs do so anyway.
You should always bid for flops in a WC (ala Rooney, C Ronaldo, Kaka, etc...) instead. ;)
Interesting! I had no idea it was so complicated.
This reminds me of Kleberson!
Bad times. Although Fergie bought Park Ji Sung after a world cup and everyone loves Park :)
:D
AWESOME.
hahahaha.
Oooh apparently Torres has been dropped tonight
5 matches too late.
Desperate times call for desperate measures? Though he was the one who scored that Euro winning goal...
Any word on the Fabregas injury?
I reckon it's the right choice. Torres has had a shocker of a World Cup, just like rooney, Kaka, and other so called big names.
Not saying that you are wrong. Just saying maybe the Germans have even less to fear if they pack the midfield any further since the wings will be more open, and German long balls have better accuracy than Spanish ones so far. Unless they are going for Llorente instead of Fabregas?
Haven't heard anything on Fabregas yet. I know pedro is replacing torres though so they're obviously looking at adding a bit more pace to their attacks.
Pedro is in for Torres tonight.
Pedro? Hmm... Might give the German defense something to think about. I think Friedrich can cope though. Villa is more troublesome, as it will make Captain Lahm more of a central defender than he already is. I suspect there will be quite a few last-ditch game-saving tackles from him tonight.
From BBC live commentary:
I agree with his comments almost completely, but the question is: Arshavin? Really?
This makes me want Germany to trash the Spanish team into oblivion. I mean sore losers aren't nearly as bad as the winner that just rubs it in your face. :(
That second video reminds me of that Champions League came when there was a fight after the match and someone chased after someone kickingn them on the pitch, but I can't remember who it was
Crouchy!!!
I remember seeing that interview live. good times ;)
You should watch the whole series. It even features his WC goal! :D
I did.
His acting, well, stick with Spurs mate and you'll be fine.
:D
Right I am tuned in.
Germany to win 3-2. German goals from Klose, Schweinsteiger and Ozil. Spanish goals from Villa and Xavi.
Let's go!
My 2-1 predo goals will come from Klose, Schweinsteiger, and Villa.
I think Lukas should get a goal. And Captain Philipp too.
5-2?
Not a chance. I'm thinking 3 goals is extreme.
To quote The Simpsons...
Open wide for some sooccceeerrr!!
I think we are heading to extra time with this one. I expect it to be really close. Given my ability to forecast that probably means Marilene is right.
Hehe.
Halfback passes to the center. Back to the wing. Back to the center. Center holds it. Holds it.
But that is what makes this WC fun! Remember 4-0?
YAY! :D
Spain have a good defence though.
I do like the name Schweinsteiger.
heeeheee. I am assuming it is the Spanish center?
:D
Sorry but I have never rated Ramos as a defender. Me thinks he is a frustrated winger.
I wonder if Red Bull have an option on him because he is a Seb
Nah, quote from the best Simpson episode ever.
BASTIAN! :D
Oh yeah.
Spain have a good defence if you exclude Ramos though.
:D
Kick off!
phew, thought i'd missed a bit.
I agree with my newspaper's comment that "The entire Spanish squad, with the exception of goalkeeper, captain and saint Casillas is attack-minded".
Which means I don't trust their defense. Not that I trust Germany's one either.
They have Neuer in goal who has so far, not impressed me.
What is the "best pass completion rate"? That the person you aim at manages to get the ball?
Loony on the pitch
Intruder. Niiice.
ooh, that's a new one.
They should bring back Kahn!
yup.
hee :D
Not quite a crazy irish priest running down a straight
You managers are so technical. Pass completion means it goes to one of your own players. Not necessarily the one you aimed at
I'm torn. I want Spain to win because my sister lives there, I want Germany to win because it would make the England defeat less disappoinnting :)
Always loved Lehmann.
You were guaranteed goals when he was in net.
Or Tony Schumacher
Hard to believe that it was 7 British GPs ago this weekend. ;)
Intruder interrupts Spain. This is like Eurovision
ahhh Crazy Jens :D
Too close for comfort, that.
I wonder if they get to repeat the game?
If you want Tony you might as well stick with Neuer. That was a great save just then. Plus he has added acting skills. ;)
Tony's approach to goalkeeping was like Michael's to racing except he did a lot more damage
+1
I was going to say the French wouldn't be too happy... but then again what have they been happy about this year?
The NHRA driver?
Btw, my 2nd and 3rd sentence referred to Neuer. In case it wasn't clear.
That's what I was thinking. NHRA = Drag racing. :D
Good pressure from david tennant
That is a different Tony Schumacher. There was a German keeper with that name who committed one of the worst fouls in the history of football
David Tennant = goal poaching extraordinaire. :D
This is him attacking Patrick Battiston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3byTNRoxujo
On replay, I think Oezil wasn't offside. Ah well.
Puyol shoulda scored there, lovely cross
Puyol chance! I think bald heads are better than that mop for goals.
Corner! Finally Piotr shows some attacking intent. Lovely combination with Philipp there.
Spain played themselves into trouble there. They were looking for passes and had a man standing wide left on his own the whole time
Casillas lucky, moved for the ball too early there.
Germany still looks good. Spain has improved. This game looks better by the minute.
Spain seem to be struggling with their passing. That is twice it has broken down with the Germans just standing off them
But they are looking to attack more now. Which is better for us.
Ramos thinks he is Forlan
More like Maicon. But he is neither.
What happened to the German passing there? Should have broken better.
There is a lot of space in that Spanish defence
It's always difficult when a team is so direct. It's easy for Spain to make hundreds of short passes and look in control
I am upset with Piotr's positioning. With Philipp covering the central defense (as he has always been needed to do), he should stick further right. Like Mueller did.
I just though Oezil and Podolski look a little slack in passing there.
I would agree with that. Looked like something that would happen in the first minute of a match before the players had settled
Bah Ramos. :(
That should have been a yellow
ooh, f1 crossover plug :)
This weekend is awesome for sport.
They are crossing the streams. Don't they know F1 should be on a different thread
As if forgetting he is a defender isn't bad enough, he does bad tackles when he remembers he needs to mark Lukas. I really really dislike him.
heheehh!!
Ha :D
liked that!
That was a fantastic shot! PIOTR! You now have my love too! :D
Excellent save from the keeper
:D
San Iker. :D
Dios mio. :P
Per Mertersacker seems to have finally gotten into top gear. Been awesome in shutting out Villa so far.
Offside. Why is it that the 'now' Spain is capable of making every game they play in boring?
Brilliant stat: http://twitter.com/2010MisterChip/status/17972113331
They are double banned in my list of banned teams.
Aw. We will be watching history being made today then. :D
:D
I mean defense (N.Korea vs Brazil) and passing (Spain circa Euro 08) can be watchable, but this Spanish team is woeful.
Yep. Not too sure what happened, they seemed brilliant and then this World Cup happened.
New coach? They said earlier that del Bosque wasn't the Euro 08 coach.
Jerome 'Fancy-city' Boateng. :D
I think the problem with this game is a clash of styles. Spain want to play everything short so the game gets compressed but when Germany get the ball it stretches because they want to play it longer and faster.
No, even through qualifying they were brilliant.
Yeah, maybe. Bosque is more defensive minded - thus Alonso and Busquets replace 1 Marcos Senna. :(
Puyol made a great clearance but from attack
Argh. Lukas should have passed instead of punted there. Bastian was looking to break.
It's fair to say the Alice bands do not look good on everyone.
:)
Am I the only person who finds Spain extremely dull to watch except for Chavvy Xavi?
Iniesta more of a threat than Villa? Philipp has been switched to the left...
No, this.is.killing.me
No, you are not. They have been pathetically passing without attacking intent throughout this whole WC.
They are dull except when they get an opening and then everything speeds up. Trouble is the German defending is too good for them and the Germans are not biting in midfield
I liked that little play but on the whole I'm enjoying watching Germany more
No foul??
I think a German goal would liven up the game but a SPanish one could kill it stone dead
I've never liked spain, they just always bore me. Seeing Switzerland beat them was excellent :)
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WASN'T A PENALTY! IS RAMOS GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH EVERYTHING?
+1
For me it was a penalty.
No worries. 0-0 at HT. Who'da thunk it?
That wasn't a penalty
Well thats karma for the no-goal for England...kinda
All I saw was the German attacker clip his own feet together
The legend that is Linekar describes this game as fascinating like chess.
Shame I find chess totally rubbish like this match.
It was clipping his calf and pushing and shirt (about the waist) pulling. Penalty for me. Plus that earlier yellow card he got away with, Ramos is making me very angry indeed.
Much in the same way Max said F1 races should play out like chess games? ;)
:D
erm
http://sidepodcast.com/2010/07/07/2010-fifa-world-cup-day-23/comments/#comment-835542
Ah well.
After his calf was clipped by an inept.
Outside the box in any case. So definatly wasn't a penalty.
I think he is right. Technically it is facinating but you technical stuff can only keep your interest so long.
you can have ET with 1-1, or 2-2. ;)
Then a free kick. It most definitely was a foul.
Or 4-4.
I'll wait for another replay in this analysis now but I still don't think it was
If we get 4 goals in this game it will be a miracle
I think we will... in the penalty shootout.
Do penalty goals count towards the golden booty things?
No.
On soccernet:
The only way we will get 4 goals before that is if Germany score 2 and SPain have to attack and forget about mincing about the midfield
:D
That was for golden booty not you asking the question
If Germany scores 2, I think Spain will just rollover and get a thrashing. Even in the dying minutes against the Swiss, they chose to pass rather than shoot.
2nd half kick off!
Philipp back to the right... Will this switching be a constant?
Torres may have been rubbish for the whole tournament but Spain play better when he plays
I assume it was to deal with a particular problem
They need height. Put on Llorente!
Was Boateng playing there, he was struggling.
Iniesta I thought. But now he seems to be back to marking Villa.
Cats, that was MIGHTY close.
When I heard Torres had been dropped I assumed that is what they would do. I was surprised they didn't because they have always played one of them all the way through
Yes. But Philipp can't play right back, central defense, right wing AND left back at the same time.
Nice hit by Alonso
and AGAIN!
Spain seem to be...shooting?!
You mean Alonso. Maybe he should try from further out? Like the halfway line?
Maybe they have worked out that to win they need to score
:D
Jansen for Boateng. Not surprised.
Boatenf being substituted
That man didn't look very happy about coming off.
Proper unhappy is kicking a water bottle or throwing the shirt.
I don't think he would be. He is not playing up to the team's standard. He doesn't deserve to be on. Sorry.
Some players get really stroppy about being substituted. They throw things and kick things just like Fernando Alonso
Also known as the Wayne Rooney reaction
This referee is far too lenient.
Ramos is the new van Bommel.
I think Spain need Christine to be their manager so they can put Forlán on
:D
He'd sort 'em out.
She can use the argument Forlan already plays in Spain
and Diego is a Spanish name. Getting Beckham in is going to be more difficult unless he has kept his house in Madrid
It is Dahveed! :D
Best chance yet
Brilliant German goalkeeper.
WHAT WAS THAT! Okay. Now it is game on.
Spain oh Spain.
It seems that only Villa can score.
You threatened them with Forlan, see.
:D
You have to wonder why a team that can play like this choose to be so boring most of the time
+1
Urgency.
At the start of this game I didn't really mind who won but I can now imagine how nervous and boring Spain would be in the final so I want a repeat of the 1974 final now
Kroos coming on
Toni for Piotr. COME ON GERMANY!
Kroos should have scored
KROOS! Come on...
Weak finish, shoulda just lashed it.
Free kick....
Lotsa people should've scored by now. Pressure.
Corner...
Puyol scores
Puyol goal!
Spain goal.
:(
Aww man. Stupid spain.
Woo Spain! :)
Who said you can't score a header with a ridiculous haircut?
FINALLY! GOOOOAL
I did. Woops. :P
No-one picked him up. He is one of the first players in that team who should be marked at a corner
It was because I opened a German beer, wasn't it..
What's wrong with that - Lawrenson
Straight leg, studs up etc
I like that conversation though.
"Awww, what's wrong with that?"
Silence.
"You're supposed to say nothing."
"I am saying nothing."
:)
Referee has been woeful so far...
hehe1
I think someone wants to start counting how many Spaniards are out there
Gomez for Khedira, Torres for Villa.
Torres coming on now. WHat is the point to that? On for Villa??????
If Germany score now that could be the worst substitution in history
Pedro FAIL
Absolutely rubbish Pedro
Oh dear Pedro, shoulda passed to Torres
Pedro you so so selfish...
He was looking for the headlines there
What is wrong with that #2 Lawrenson
He tackled with both feet off the ground
He had one leg in front and one behid
He tripped the player
Other than that nothing
Silva for Pedro.
Who is this man? He's quite annoying.
If Mick McCarthy is better than him, it says it all.
The absolute worst commentator in any sport. I would happily take Legard over this buffoon...
Used to play for Liverpool and as you will have guessed by his Lancashire accent Ireland
Hehehe.
Ah yes, just like John Aldridge ;)
Oh wait, that's the same guy that was on the Chris Moyles podcast.
no. the boring autosport guy who borrows ideas from steven was marginally worse. it's a close call though.
If they did something together I woud actually cry. Or at least send myself to an asylum to recover.
3 minutes for the Germans
Someone needs to strangle that octopus
Mark Hughes
i think you'd be instantly comatose.
I was about to say, is anyone else getting a bit freaked out by the octopus!
him. more boring than even mark lawrenson.
From my limited experience, Mr L is not so much boring, as annoying.
he's not annoying me. his voice sends me to sleep.
Full time: Germany 0 Spain 1
Come on Holland, don't let Spain win.
Interestingly enough though, we will have a new World Cup winner.
i want penalties.
Spain win
We have two teams who have never won the world cup before. I think that is the first time that has happened since 1978
I tune him out like a vuvuzela
Is it a bit awkward if you play with someone normally and then face them in the World Cup?
Epic.
I think Spain will win, but I want Netherlands to win.
Wow. Didn't expect that result. I sort of expected one goal, but I thought Germany would get it.
I think I would have rather Argentina or even England win than Spain. That is how boring Spain has become. :(
I can do that with Legard but not Lawrenson
It can be. Especially when they get back to their club
I put the Netherlands and Spain down on the sidepodsweepstake. not claiming I saw it coming mind ;)
http://sidepodcast.wikia.com/wiki/Sidepodsweepstake_-_2010_World_Cup
I didn't know there was a sidepodsweepstake
Ooh, I forgot about the sweepstake!
Stupid France.
Well, at least Germany can try and win the most pointless game ever.
What makes it scary is I predicted this final: http://northernwaffler.wordpress.com/2010/06/04/so-who-will-win-the-world-cup/
Not as good as the octopus, but I try.
And3 of the 4 semi finalists
Somethings happened and my predictions are becoming (almost) accurate.
I'll suppose we'll be back on Saturday for the most pointless match ever. Fun times.
excellent!
Just returned from watching the football outdoors (at the same place as last time)...
It was really cool but the weird thing is that it was packed with Spanish and Germans - more so than Danes at their own games...
The night was filled with singing and dancing and we had a great time - a really lovely warm night too.
Oh, and yeah, it was great that Spain won ;)