Posts Tagged ‘Rustenberg’
Capello should stick with Green to avoid uncertainty
Fabio Capello had a number of issues to ponder after England’s 1-1 draw with the USA last weekend - none more so than who to pick in goal.
It can’t be denied that we currently have the weakest set of goalkeepers for a generation. With no obvious candidate for the number one jersey, fans and pundits alike are divided as to who should start for the Three Lions in South Africa.
However, that lack of faith should not be displayed by the man who matters - Fabio Capello. It seems obvious that he wasn’t sure who should start England’s first game, playing all three ‘keepers in the warm up matches. Even as the squad touched down in South Africa any of them could have started in Rustenberg.
When the Italian did decide to pick Rob Green as number one for the America game it may have been helpful to let his choice be known earlier than just two hours before kickoff. That way Green could have mentally prepared for the match and taken confidence from his manager’s faith. Anyone who has placed an England World Cup bet will want to see a confident performance, after all.
A similar show of decisiveness could prove advantageous in the run up to England’s second match against Algeria. Green will no doubt be dwelling on his horrendous error and will be anxiously waiting whether he has kept his place. All those worries, which have festered over the past week will not dissipate in the two hours prior to kickoff. Similarly those waiting in the wings - David James and Joe Hart - could do with longer to prepare to take the gloves.
Once the players take to the field I agree there is relatively little Capello can do to influence the game - he was certainly powerless to prevent Green’s blunder on Saturday. But he can do everything in his power to send the players out as mentally and physically ready as possible. The World Cup betting makes the Three Lions strong favourites for the match, and Capello must ensure they take their chances.
In short, the manager must back his man between the sticks, even if in private he, like the rest of the country, remains uncertain as to who that should be.
Tags: America Game, Blunder, Confident Performance, Decisiveness, Dwelling, England World Cup, Fabio Capello, First Game, Gloves, Goalkeepers, Joe Hart, Kickoff, Match, No Doubt, Pundits, Rustenberg, Three Lions, Waiting In The Wings, World Cup Bet, Worries
What a load of new balls!
We are more than 10 games into the World Cup now and, sadly, most of the talk amongst World Cup Betting pundits has been about the negative rather than a flowing set of exciting football matches and memorable goals being scored.
Goalkeeping cock-ups, red cards and only one really impressive performance so far, from the Germans, among countless column inches about vuvuzelas and, most notably, the way the Jabulani ball has been behaving.
England’s 1-1 draw with the United States saw the most horrific mistake from Robert Green, allowing Clint Dempsey’s tame effort to cross the line to level the scores, but the Jabulani seemed to have little to do with that despite Green’s protestations.
However, on Sunday, Slovenia goalscorer Robert Koren admitted that his 25-yard effort that beat Algeria keeper Faouzi Chaouchi and gave them a vital 1-0 victory in their Group C opener had definitely been affected by the ball, which has since predictably been defended by manufacturers Adidas.
The ball has been widely criticised by goalkeepers since it was introduced in the run-up to the finals, but Adidas say the main problem so far has been caused in games that have been played at altitude, which includes the England and Slovenia games in Rustenberg and Polokwane respectively.
Adidas spokesman Thomas Schaikvan said: “Playing at altitude is not the same as playing at sea level - that is just plain science. There are players who play in leagues with other balls, there are players that have not played in the Africa Cup of Nations, and players with other federations who have not practised with this ball.”
Maybe countries, all of whom have had the ball at least since February, should have taken their practice with it more seriously, because those with the most experience have certainly performed best so far, most notably Germany.
The Jabulani has been in use in the Bundesliga since the start of the second half of their season in January and they looked most comfortable knocking the ball around in their 4-0 win over Australia on Sunday. Fluent, confident and always in control unlike most of the other sides seen in action since last Friday.
Elsewhere, World Cup Odds still have Spain and Brazil as favourites to win the competition – I wonder if that will change after they have had a go with the Jabulani ball?
Tags: Africa Cup Of Nations, Altitude, Ascii, Bundesliga, Cambria, Clint Dempsey, Cock Ups, Countless Column Inches, Div, Fareast, Font Definitions, Font Format, Football Matches, Germans, Goalkeepers, Impressive Performance, Mso, Orphan, Panose, Paper Source, Props, Pundits, Red Cards, Robert Green, Robert Koren, Rustenberg, Sans Serif, Sea Level, Spokesman, Style Definitions, Style Name, Style Type, Theme Font, Times New Roman, Ups, World Cup, Yard Effort