From the Evansville Courier Press, July 4, 2010
The high-profile quarterfinal showdowns between Holland and Brazil on Friday, and then Germany and Argentina on Saturday, were billed as the featured matches to this point in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
For me, the games were great examples of teams that displayed both style and substance with both Holland and Germany showing they will continue to vie for a place in the final on July 11.
* Attacking artistry on display: Both Brazil and Holland are regarded for their aesthetic beauty of the soccer they play. Brazilians are proud of their 'Joga Benito' ('the beautiful game'). Holland finished as World Cup runners-up in 1974 and 1978, but most of their fans regard them as the winners because they played "Total Football."
Argentina entered this year's tournament with as potent an attacking arsenal as we have seen in recent memory with the combination of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Diego Milito and Sergio Aguero.
Germany is regarded as more systematic and methodical in their attacking approach, counter-attacking through wide attacking play. Thomas Muller and Lukas Podolski have been key to Germany's flank play, opening the field up for young playmaker Mesut Oezil and center forward Miroslav Klose.
* Managers adopt 'defense wins championships' mentality: What marked the unique matchup between Brazil and Holland is that both teams have adjusted their tactics to be more defensive while still having rosters littered with some of the best attacking players in the game. Holland had only conceded one goal in the group stages, and Brazil only conceded two.
Dunga, Brazil's manager who was a defensive midfielder and the linchpin of the great Brazil team that won the 1994 World Cup, coaches a team that carries a similar approach that he had as a player — tough and focused, committed to defend.
Bert Van Marwijk, the Dutch manager who has both Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder and Real Madrid attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart at his disposal, opts to play with two defensive midfielders behind Sneijder in his midfield.
* Congested midfields appear to be the key component in success: Heavily congested midfields by each of the four teams in these matches lent itself to forcing opponents to try to play around them, but not through them.
Brazil played with a variation of their box midfield, with two central midfielders sitting behind attacking players Kaka, Robinho, Dani Alves and Luis Fabiano. Inserting Alves — a right back for Barcelona — gave even more freedom to the Brazilian attacking players.
Argentina played with four central midfielders in a diamond, which allowed Messi to sit atop the point of their attack, right underneath Higuain and Tevez.
Both the Dutch and the Germans used two defensive midfielders sitting in front of their back four. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira both neutralized Messi with their presence and initiated the German attack.
Holland had Mark Van Bommel and Nigel De Jong sitting in front of their back four, which gave Sneijder license to roam in the Dutch midfield.
* Free Kicks are the difference: For Holland and Germany, that became the difference in them pulling off their victories.
A quick restart from Sneijder to Arjen Robben down the right flank in the 53rd minute seemed to catch Brazil off guard, and when the ball got knocked back to Sneijder to cross into the box, the Brazilian defense looked unorganized. Sneijder's cross ended up in the back of the net.
Robben's corner kick in the 68th minute was flicked on by Dirk Kuyt to Sneijder, who scored on a header.For Germany, Schweinsteiger's brilliant service on a free kick in the third minute led to Mueller scoring.
The high-profile quarterfinal showdowns between Holland and Brazil on Friday, and then Germany and Argentina on Saturday, were billed as the featured matches to this point in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
For me, the games were great examples of teams that displayed both style and substance with both Holland and Germany showing they will continue to vie for a place in the final on July 11.
* Attacking artistry on display: Both Brazil and Holland are regarded for their aesthetic beauty of the soccer they play. Brazilians are proud of their 'Joga Benito' ('the beautiful game'). Holland finished as World Cup runners-up in 1974 and 1978, but most of their fans regard them as the winners because they played "Total Football."
Argentina entered this year's tournament with as potent an attacking arsenal as we have seen in recent memory with the combination of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Diego Milito and Sergio Aguero.
Germany is regarded as more systematic and methodical in their attacking approach, counter-attacking through wide attacking play. Thomas Muller and Lukas Podolski have been key to Germany's flank play, opening the field up for young playmaker Mesut Oezil and center forward Miroslav Klose.
* Managers adopt 'defense wins championships' mentality: What marked the unique matchup between Brazil and Holland is that both teams have adjusted their tactics to be more defensive while still having rosters littered with some of the best attacking players in the game. Holland had only conceded one goal in the group stages, and Brazil only conceded two.
Dunga, Brazil's manager who was a defensive midfielder and the linchpin of the great Brazil team that won the 1994 World Cup, coaches a team that carries a similar approach that he had as a player — tough and focused, committed to defend.
Bert Van Marwijk, the Dutch manager who has both Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder and Real Madrid attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart at his disposal, opts to play with two defensive midfielders behind Sneijder in his midfield.
* Congested midfields appear to be the key component in success: Heavily congested midfields by each of the four teams in these matches lent itself to forcing opponents to try to play around them, but not through them.
Brazil played with a variation of their box midfield, with two central midfielders sitting behind attacking players Kaka, Robinho, Dani Alves and Luis Fabiano. Inserting Alves — a right back for Barcelona — gave even more freedom to the Brazilian attacking players.
Argentina played with four central midfielders in a diamond, which allowed Messi to sit atop the point of their attack, right underneath Higuain and Tevez.
Both the Dutch and the Germans used two defensive midfielders sitting in front of their back four. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira both neutralized Messi with their presence and initiated the German attack.
Holland had Mark Van Bommel and Nigel De Jong sitting in front of their back four, which gave Sneijder license to roam in the Dutch midfield.
* Free Kicks are the difference: For Holland and Germany, that became the difference in them pulling off their victories.
A quick restart from Sneijder to Arjen Robben down the right flank in the 53rd minute seemed to catch Brazil off guard, and when the ball got knocked back to Sneijder to cross into the box, the Brazilian defense looked unorganized. Sneijder's cross ended up in the back of the net.
Robben's corner kick in the 68th minute was flicked on by Dirk Kuyt to Sneijder, who scored on a header.For Germany, Schweinsteiger's brilliant service on a free kick in the third minute led to Mueller scoring.
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