World Cup Diary - Part XIV
I'm rather positive that I'm going to have to eat crow over that one, but, heck, I've got an opinion and stand by it, so pass the Heinz' if I have to in the future.
The particular item of my disagreement, rather, of my emphatic statement, is the fact that the youngest striker we field regular, one Lukas Podolski, is an arrogant, no-good, lazy, overrated white-trash, twenty years old brat. Where our other strikers *work*, don't call any ball lost until they are up and away and fight for each and every ball they have, if Podolski doesn't get the ball served on a platter in a way no-one else could miss the shot, he simply ignores it. Yet still he's in the starting team, I have no clue what the team's coach is seeing in him, but, heck, that's the reason why they pay him the bucks and not me, because, frankly? I'd be out of my depth as a soccer coach. I just see the facts that he didn't score one measly goal in a long, long while. I'd let him cool his heels for a while on the bench and bring Neuville for example, who scored that game-winning goal against Poland after playing the joker role. But, as I said before, luckily I'm not the coach, and considering my bitching, it's likely as not that Podolski will score some game-deciding golden goal and will be everybody's darling. I'll have my crow medium-rare and will eat it with relish.
Alright, so Podolski scores the third goal against Ecuador. So what. As I figured before, it was one of those goals you couldn't miss, he'd have to drop dead on the spot falling backward, a no mean feat actually while running, and still would have likely scored accidentally. Nevertheless, he leaves a lot to be desired. Otherwise, it was a fun little game. Some nice moments, an atmosphere that again was intoxicating, an overflowing enthusiasm that's doing this country a lot of good, for a change I don't even mind being labeled as 'German' every so often, and that's speaking volumes I guess.
Poland is saving face, at least a little bit, by winning 2:1 against Costa Rica, and I'm sorry to see Costa Rica go. The enthusiasm of their fans, the bright-eyed happiness of their team, definitely an enrichment to the Cup. Maybe next time, it was fun having them, that's for sure. Not only because they threw coffee packs at the audience of their training sessions. A nice gesture nevertheless, pity I'm a tea person.
Trinidad-Tobago are out as well as Paraguay. The latter won against the first 2:0, but it didn't do any good to either of them. At least they played, hopeless as it might be. Kudos to them for that, which is sad actually. I'd rather notice that someone didn't play than having to notice that despite everything someone's still putting up a fight. Sad state of being, ain't it? Especially considering...
Sweden vs. England. I swear. If it would be up to votes, NEITHER of the teams would advance to the round of last 16. What an abyssmal game. So, yeah, they scored, but...bleargh. Beckham should be put out to pasture (I mentioned already that I happily have Heinz with my crow, it applies to this statement as well, thank you very much), Owen is a pity, but what I saw of the game didn't really endear me to my normally favored English. Uninspired and boring, heck, even Cole and Campbell had one of 'those' days. Woe is me I guess. So, yeah, both advance, Germany will take on Sweden and England hopefully gets back to its old brilliance against Ecuador...I'm not counting on it though. *mutter*
The particular item of my disagreement, rather, of my emphatic statement, is the fact that the youngest striker we field regular, one Lukas Podolski, is an arrogant, no-good, lazy, overrated white-trash, twenty years old brat. Where our other strikers *work*, don't call any ball lost until they are up and away and fight for each and every ball they have, if Podolski doesn't get the ball served on a platter in a way no-one else could miss the shot, he simply ignores it. Yet still he's in the starting team, I have no clue what the team's coach is seeing in him, but, heck, that's the reason why they pay him the bucks and not me, because, frankly? I'd be out of my depth as a soccer coach. I just see the facts that he didn't score one measly goal in a long, long while. I'd let him cool his heels for a while on the bench and bring Neuville for example, who scored that game-winning goal against Poland after playing the joker role. But, as I said before, luckily I'm not the coach, and considering my bitching, it's likely as not that Podolski will score some game-deciding golden goal and will be everybody's darling. I'll have my crow medium-rare and will eat it with relish.
Alright, so Podolski scores the third goal against Ecuador. So what. As I figured before, it was one of those goals you couldn't miss, he'd have to drop dead on the spot falling backward, a no mean feat actually while running, and still would have likely scored accidentally. Nevertheless, he leaves a lot to be desired. Otherwise, it was a fun little game. Some nice moments, an atmosphere that again was intoxicating, an overflowing enthusiasm that's doing this country a lot of good, for a change I don't even mind being labeled as 'German' every so often, and that's speaking volumes I guess.
Poland is saving face, at least a little bit, by winning 2:1 against Costa Rica, and I'm sorry to see Costa Rica go. The enthusiasm of their fans, the bright-eyed happiness of their team, definitely an enrichment to the Cup. Maybe next time, it was fun having them, that's for sure. Not only because they threw coffee packs at the audience of their training sessions. A nice gesture nevertheless, pity I'm a tea person.
Trinidad-Tobago are out as well as Paraguay. The latter won against the first 2:0, but it didn't do any good to either of them. At least they played, hopeless as it might be. Kudos to them for that, which is sad actually. I'd rather notice that someone didn't play than having to notice that despite everything someone's still putting up a fight. Sad state of being, ain't it? Especially considering...
Sweden vs. England. I swear. If it would be up to votes, NEITHER of the teams would advance to the round of last 16. What an abyssmal game. So, yeah, they scored, but...bleargh. Beckham should be put out to pasture (I mentioned already that I happily have Heinz with my crow, it applies to this statement as well, thank you very much), Owen is a pity, but what I saw of the game didn't really endear me to my normally favored English. Uninspired and boring, heck, even Cole and Campbell had one of 'those' days. Woe is me I guess. So, yeah, both advance, Germany will take on Sweden and England hopefully gets back to its old brilliance against Ecuador...I'm not counting on it though. *mutter*