And then there were four

And then there were four. Let’s look the first semifinal match-up.
After Germany routed Australia in their opening match I was invited on a TV show to discuss the early form of teams, along with another sports expert from radio. Mr Radio seemed reluctant to crown Germany early favourites, or to write-off England at that stage. “Teams ease into a competition,” was his argument.
Well, England eased out of the competition and Germany reminded us why their manufacturing draws the highest regard in industrial cycles.
Once they get it right, they manage to get it right again, and again, and again.
The German game and gameplan is so simple and so devoid of hype and hoopla that experts have been driven to distraction (like German opponents) trying to unravel what is so simple.

Speed vs precision

The problem for Germany, is now they are the overwhelming favourites to win the World Cup. Germany have not been favourites for a long time. Not even when they made the finals of Euro 2008. So we don’t really know how they will cope with that pressure. What we do know is they will play with the same speed they have all through the tournament. Speed which broke the English, out-gunned the Argies and dazzled the world.
Standing in their way, is a team that has ‘eased’ into the tournament. Spain.
In fact, they have eased along so much, that they almost got beaten by a terrific Paraguay side in the quarters.
Spain are the only team in this World Cup that can afford to pass the ball slowly. That is because they are the only team that can actually thread the Jabulani through the eye of a needle, if need be. Then, in a split second, they go from tortoise to hare.
And that makes them, in a sense, more dangerous than Germany.

Bench press

Which brings us to bench strength. Which showed up the hapless Maradona. If you don’t have a tactical bench plan, it won’t matter even if you have the best player(s) in the world. Germany will be forced to show us what their bench is like. Neutrals will miss Thomas Mueller as much as his team. But, it is time for Piotr Trochowski, or perhaps, Toni Kroos, to go, like Mueller, from unknowns to stars.
In that sense, Spain are much more formidable. As TV experts will continue to remind us, if you have Cesc Fabregas on your bench, you do indeed have a bench. Pedro and Fernando Llorente have both shown an appetite for destruction, and only Vicente Del Bosque’s faith in Fernando Torres stands in the way of their playing time. Which brings us to the coaches.

High Loew or the Big Bosque?

The only fault we have been able to find with Joachim Loew is his fashion sense. The blue sweatshirt (or is it a sweater), with the dark suit seems only to highlight a jarring clash between casual and formal. Otherwise, his coaching and managing has been peerless. You don’t win three games at the World Cup by four goals each, only by luck, or only by tactics, or only by speed. You win by a combination of those factors, and many more. Loew has perfected the combination.
Del Bosque has the perfect combination.
But does he know what it is?
Time and again, his faith in Torres has been met with frustrating runs, poor touches and often, even poorer service. I, along with many couch experts, believe that Fabregas should start out on the left, with Villa down the middle. And Torres should be the impact substitute.
But Del Bosque will not change. Still the devil in his plans may be the Saint – Iker Cassilas. Who has looked anything but sure and confident. But Del Bosque will not change.
As long as Spain win, he does not need to.

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