Welcome to The Whole Delivery's (though a Daily Kos diary) continuing coverage of FIFA 2010 World Cup. Of course, the marquee match on everyone's mind is upon is, as the United States takes on 3rd-favorite England in the Group C highly anticipated opener.
First, to get you into the spirit of this World Cup, here is what originally was the song of this World Cup, before FIFA ridiculously and politically changed it to the weak Shakira's "Waka Waka" (my sentiment of course, but felt by many others, including South Africans):
It's K'Naan's emotional "Wavin Flag". This was performed at the kickoff concert two days/nights ago:
Wonderful song, isn't it.
Okay, it has already been a high drama day so far, as this US-England encounter is the final match of a tripleheader today, which is normally the case on a World Cup weekend group stages day.
First, it was the "sprit and the swift" of South Korea and their ethos, as they were too much for a lethargic Greece side by the score of 2-0. The 2nd goal came from the Kuwan Warriors mercurial captain and Manchester United unswung hero Park Ji Sung.
In the 2nd contest of the day, who would have thought that Gabriel Heinze would be the man to score the winning goal for Argentina? Well, if you did, you maybe rich person right now.
Heinze's header in the 6th minute was enough to pull Diego Maradona and his side to a 1-0 victory over a Nigerian team who were really poor on the day, outside of course the terrific Vincent Enyeama. The Hapoel Tel-Aviv shopstopper was certainly that and more today, as he became one of the rare Man of the Match winners to be on a losing side.
In fact, Enyeama also achieved probably a greater accomplishment today in the otherwise disappointing no-pointed for the "Super Eagles." He became Lionel Messi's tormentor. Oh what an accomplishment indeed.
So that is what has transpired into the 1st two matches today, now here are the keys for the last match, the Group C highly anticipated and ridiculously over-hyped (thanks to ESPN) opener between a former colony, and its masters.
The Keys
The US formation
I can't strees this enough how this will determine how this game will be, this is the be all, end all right here folks.
If United States coach Bob Bradley sticks to the sound and solid 4-4-2 formation with Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey in the midfield (and maybe the ever improving Robbie Findley) up top, than the United States will give England serious fits today and could possible even get all 3 points.
Please embed that paragraph into your mind if you don't already know the deal here.
This is the formation that works best for this team because it gets everyone's strengths to its full maximum on this team, especially the attacking players of Donovan, Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, and whoever else in the starting 11 today. It makes the US be offensive and not be conservative and defense, which is when "we" are at our worse.
But if the us does be conservative and defensive by going with the nervy 4-5-1 formation that cost us 4 years in Germany, then it will be a long, long night for US fans, and a great opening night to England's hopes of ending a 44 year of winning their 2nd World Cup. Quite simply, you must go at England to be successful. Because like all elite teams, if they go at you with no resistance, they will dominate you and possible put 4 or 5 goals on the board.
Everything else in this game will be determine because of the US formation.
Glen Johnson at Right Back and Emile Heskey for England
Really the two biggest weaknesses of the England side that the US can exploit if they are aggressive in a 4-4-2 instead of a 4-5-1. Johnson is a terrific talent blessed with the ability to score goals from the right back position at anywhere on the field. But his offense abilities make him sometimes forget his 1st job, and that is defense.
Johnson can be caught out of position a lot of times and make crucial errors for England at the World times. While everyone focuses on the England goalkeeping situation, and whether David James or Robert Green will start (and how Tim Howard is one of the best goalkeepers in the world), the real weakness for England is right here. Johnson must be disclipine for the three Lions tonight, especially if Dempsey, Donovan, Stuart Holden or DaMarcus Beasley run at him on the flanks.
For Heskey, he is the man that Wayne Rooney loves to partner with, but he has had a forgettable year of more injuries and just not being good enough to play with his club side Aston Villa. But he is the man that holds the ball so well for Rooney to run off on, and it will be interesting how Oguchi Onyewu, Jay Demerit and/or Clarence Goodson does against him.
Frankly, a Jermaine Defoe -Rooney pairing is more dangers for the US defense because of Defoe's fine pace to couple with Rooney's pace and diligence. So the US may breathe a big sigh of relief that the out of form Heskey maybe starting (or Peter Crouch) instead of the slick Tottenham striker that is Defoe.
Finally, the third big key is that center defense for both teams
As we just said just now, the US defense, much questioned about for injuries and shaky form, will be put to the full test tonight. How will Onyewu be? Will Jay Demerit's lack of talent be undress tonight, or will his dogged defending be on point for one full night? Or what if young Clarence Goodson gets the nod, will he rise to the occasion or shrink under the pressure?
And will Carlos Bocanegra or Jonathan Spector be able to contain the dangerous Aaron Lennon and his world class pace and cleverness on the right side of the pitch when England goes forward? The US midfield will have to certainly help back, and they can do that with the best of them.
For England, how will the philander John Terry play with the now seemingly healthy Ledley King partner with each other? And will they be aware of the dangers of not only Altidore, but potentially Edson Buddle, Herculez Gomez and Findley? Or will they under estimate them at their own peril?
Will how good of a coach Capello is, and with how David Beckham is in MLS and has the whole story on the US team (especially being teammate with Donovan and the rising Buddle), you can expect England to give the full respect. It is up to the American attackers to be at optimum level and still cause the new parring problems.
There are other keys to the game that have to be raised:
Will Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard finally be able to play together? Who will first come off on the bench? And will Bob Bradley get out classed once again by a better coach, like he did in the Confederations Cup Final with Brazil last year by Dunga on that night?
That will all be answered in a short time, it is the United States and England in Group C opener, coming up!
And the Prediction: I really think this will be an open contest, and I say Bob Bradley will make a crucial coaching blunder somewhere in this game.
If the US starts with a 4-4-2 with Donovan and Dempsey in the midfield (the key to the match), than the United States can certainly win this game. I say 2-2 draw if that's the case, even with a Bradley coaching error
But if they start off in a 4-5-1, then England will dominate the game from start to finish, and win 3-0 on the day. I hope I'm terribly wrong, but conservatism, just like in politics, is not the way to go in high level soccer or football.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The Thread is Open (only to this game and the Cup), and the thread as always, is LIVE:
Commentary to start when the match starts folks.......enjoy the ride and come on United States.
4-4-2 with Findley.....................4-4-2 with Green in goal instead of James, and James Milner instead of Joe Cole.
Donovan vs Ashley Cole, Donovan unintentionally broke Cole's foot in February
And there it is, Gerrad in the 4th minute!!!!!!
Terrible defending from Onyewu there, out of position, and Gerrard, who had a terrible season, scores in just the 4th minute here.
Now will the US be able to show cutting edge here, and Heskey with pass to the the finish there. Bradley was too relax there on the defending.
And Capello has got them organized so well here......the header by Dempsey there to Green's hands.
US calming down a little bit more, but the tension is still there after 10 minutes have passed here.
So far, no service for Altidore and Findley, and no work in the midfield....Ricardo Clark is invisible.
The US are playing way too many long balls here and having no possession in the middle as well.....they need to use their speed like right there, with Donovan.
A chance there.......great ball by Donovan and Altidore just a whisker off there for the USA...and great defending there by Steve Cherundolo.
US possessing the ball okay here, but will they be able to get the cutting edge of the final third......the yellow to James Milner here in the 26 minute.
Tim Howard is down, and the US can ill afford to lose him obviously here....and he's still down.
Quietly Wayne Rooney hasn't been needed here.........nevertheless, same scoreline, same stuff.
Not a bad effort at all from Donovan there..........still scoreless here.
What mistakle from Robert Green, Goal Dempsey
Green, who had a wonderful season for terrible West Ham this year, with a mistake that will have him benched for the rest of the tourney.
Did Tony Heyward and BP give Robert Green those gloves? What a gaffe from Green there.
That's a team demoralizer for England there, and mistakes have cost both teams here....as there is three minutes of stoppage time here.
The 1st half is over, and what more can you say who the protagonist here is.
With a Gaffe like that, Robert Green can run as a GOP Senate candidate in Nevada, South Carolina, and everywhere else.
1st half analysis:
Clearly Emile Heskey has been the man of the match so far England, holding up play so well and looking like the same Heskey who doesn't need match play at all to be this effective.
But the US got better and held their line after Clark, Bradley, and Onyewu messed up and let Heskey get free and Gerrard to score.
Great job by Lennon there, but Rooney just a little in front.
England in the ascendency here again to start off a half.
52' Great save by howard on Heskey, who does everything you want in a forward except..............score goals.
59' The US getting better position here on defense, and Onyewu runs wells here to keep Rooney Off here,,,,and Carragher gets a yellow here.
63' Altidore great effort, uses his fine pace, Green saves and goes off the bar.
Would that have happened with King or Ferdinand...........maybe, maybe not.
72' US obviously fortunate there....Rooney header well wide off a great service from Gerrard.
74' Findley committing the foul, gets the yellow, and tension is there for all the folks.
And rooney almost there.......
Edson Buddle looks set to come in as Howard does it again.
Last substitution for England with Crouch coming in for Heskey.
Bradley has got to make a substitution here, and he will with Stuart Holden coming on for hopefully either Clark or Bradley.
And there it is.........Tied at 1-1, and both teams are still the favorites to progress in Group C.
Holden in for Altidore.........90th minute.
4 MINUTES OF stoppage time, with a few minutes elapsing here..........
Full review to come folks, and post-game analysis and all.
And here's the photo caption: