World Cup Wildes Thee World Cup Squad

Well it is over and all we have to look forward to now is the upcoming European season barring nations like Russia who are playing as we speak. It has been a while for me on the blog I decided to stay silent and let thetournament unfold without giving any input. I have a lot to say, the team I had to win didn't in Portugal. The team I thought could win it didn't in England in fact, me and a bunch of my friends from secondary school would have played better than the English. I had a WTF moment when I saw the Korean front man Jong-Tae-Se cry while singing the national anthem. That was classic. Today though I'm not here to run the rule over the tournament's great and pathetic moments I'm here choose my squad of 23 for the tourney. Me being a Dutch fan I rather not speak on the loss in the final against Spain all I will say is congrats to the Spaniards. They have created a wonderful story, they really have. First team to win the World Cup after an opening loss, well deserved. I have a feeling some of them will be in my squad of 23, let us advance like Oezil shall we

World Cup Squad

(Coach)

Joachim Loew

(Goalkeepers)

Diego Benaglio (SUI) & Eduardo (POR)

(Defenders)

Gerard Pique (ESP), Philipp Lahm (GER), Sergio Ramos, Gregory van der Wiel (NED), Ricardo Carvalho (POR),Fabio Coentrao (POR), Marcus Tulio Tanaka (JPN), Juan (BRA)

(Midfielders)

Andres Iniesta (ESP), Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER), Wesley Sneijder (NED), Oscar Perez (URU), Mesut Oezil (GER), Keisuke Honda(JPN),Kevin Prince Boateng (GHA)

(Forwards)

Luis Suarez (URU), Diego Forlan (URU), Giovani Dos Santos (MEX), Arjen Robben (NED), Robinho (BRA), David Villa (ESP)

Formation

4-3-3

This seemed to be a very popular formation in the World Cup this term. The two finalist in Spain and Netherlands employed it with great effect. I do like it but sometimes it is a great indication of a team that only has one striker in form or in some cases like Ghana only one striker of great menace.

Starting XI

Goalkeeper-Diego Benalgio (SUI)
Right Back- Gregory van der Wiel (NED)
Centre Back- Ricardo Carvalho (POR)
Centre Back- Gerard Pique (ESP)
Left Back- Philipp Lahm (GER)
Central Midfielder- Andres Iniesta (ESP)
Central Midfielder- Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER)
Central Attacking Midfielder- Wesley Sneijder (NED)
Right Winger- Arjen Robben (NED)
Left Winger- Robinho (BRA)
Centre Forward- Diego Forlan (URU) (captain)

WHY?

Diego Benaglio- Iker Casillas was the captain and goalkeeper of the nation that has just won the World Cup and yet he doesn't even make my squad but Bengalio was apart of a Swiss squad that was eliminated in the group stages. So you would think Casillas would be in the starting XI and Diego would be back in Bern. Look at who defends Casillas the likes of Pique and Puyol while Diego has to be protected by the likes of Steve von Bergen and Gelson Fernandes. What a difference in quality and for Diego to only concede one goal throughout his nation's tourney. A goal by the way that had a hint of offside. He was a beast against Spain and his reactions are the best I have ever seen. Benaglio is old school instead of a parry he comes up with a reassuring catch. Eduardo did progress further than the Swiss but yet again he has a strong defense to protect him. They were a lot of people who griped over the quality of keeping at this summer's fiesta. Certainly they didn't see the Swiss custodian in action.

Gregory van der Wiel- Alright they haven't really been that much quality fullback action in this World Cup. Maicon the Brazilian right back forgot he is actually paid for defending and not bushwhacking up the park trying to score. Sergio Ramos is a World Cup champ but I don't trust him enough to be a starter. Glen Johnson for England had a brief cameo and Bakary Sagna of France was apart of the Les Loser camp. Gregory was very green in this tournament and if they were better more constant performers at the World Cup he probably would not had made my squad. That being said he looked bright throughout most of the tournament. It must be worth noting that his teammate John Heitinga is actually a right back but because of the Dutch lack of depth in that area he was drafted into the the middle. As for Gregory he had a solid campaign too bad it ended in tears.

Ricardo Carvalho- Was magnificent throughout his nations four game run. Being drawn in the so called group of death along with Brazil and the Ivory Coast, the Portuguese did well not to concede a goal throughout the group stage. What was unfortunate however is their elimination from the round of 16 by eventual champions Spain through the only goal the Portuguese concede throughout the tournament. Carvalho when you think about it kept the likes of Didier Drogba, Robinho, Kaka, Luis Fabiano quiet and made Fernando Torres look like a small child with a slight limp. He is one of many outstanding performers at the tournament who were let down my their team mates this summer.

Gerard Pique- For goodness sake this man was kicked in the head about 3 times and bled for his nation. I have to say Pique has to be among the finest defenders on the planet. The thing is Spain keeps the ball so much the goalkeeper and the defenders are not really thought of. Pique made this squad because of his excellence in basic defending. When I was growing up and was actually a footballer one of my first coaches said to be. Defending is not about tackling and toughness its about getting to the ball first, even if your not quick be quicker than the other man trying to get to the ball. Pique does this all the time he isn't very fast which is true but he gets to the ball first. That is more than enough justification why is in the starting line up.

Philipp Lahm- The fullback this term has really impressed me. I knew he was great going forward but his defending has been really good. He would prefer to play in his natural right back position but the cutting infield thing is really effective. Since he is right footed playing against left footers he forces them on to their weaker foot thus downgrading their game. Not to mention he Has lead the second youngest team at the tournament to a 3rd place finish and still had both defensive and offensive duties. Awesome.

Andres Iniesta- Before the final Iniesta was relegated to the bench of my squad with the vulture like Oscar Perez circling in my starting XI due to his sly aggressiveness. Iniesta was playing well throughout the tournament but it has been his ability to draw a foul that makes him an asset.He is so wise when it comes to the goading of opponents. He shows them enough of the ball to invite them in for the tackle and then he ushers the play away. Another basic technique is getting your body between the ball and the man something he is a master at not to mention his killer ball and surging runs.

Bastian Schweinsteiger- I must give full credit to Joachim Loew for deploying Bastian in a role I have never seen him play in before. Traditionally a wide man Bastian had the responsilbilty of a deep lying midfielder due to the fact that Michael Ballack was injured and not available for the tournament. I think he was the best player at the tournament. People rave about how Italy's Pirlo has such a fantastic passing range and can spray the ball from a deep position and find a team mate but Bastian has that ability, a fierce shot, dribbles and the ability to making surging runs and he did all of that this term. What he did as well that I thought was very admirable is help defend and ease his new deep lying ally in Khedira. People forget football is about enhancing not only your game but your team mates as well. Khedira only had a handful of caps but you won't know it because Bastian covered the Stuttgart man's back oh so well.

Wesley Sneijder- My savior, my hope and my light. Oh Wesley I pity you so . You did every thing you had to and more. I will be honest the Dutch hardly flattered but the truth is that they were effective. None more so than Sneijder. Or as I like to call him the the Selacao slayer. He made the Brazilians slither back to Brasilia with an air of shame and dissolution. Uruguay and Forlan were for long against your artisan like talents. We know he is a mercurial player but in the past he hid in games and was not very effective like in his Real Madrid days but now he has transformed his game. No longer does he search for that big play, now he is guaranteed several a game now. He won it all in 2010 except the one that would have meant the most. What is need in a team nowadays is not the magical but the effective and that is what he is.

Arjen Robben- Why would Real Madrid and Chelsea ever deem him surplus to requirements not to sound so cliche'. Maybe it is fragile frame that seems to break like weighed glass, that is the only rational thing I can think of. Perhaps even his volatile nature and less than endearing demeanor has led to his expulsion but as my grandmother says if your good the world has to use you. Good is he not? Has to be a yes. Arjen was injured at the beginning of the tournament, so in reality he guided his side to a birth in the final not being 100% fit. I wonder if he was if they would be singing Iniesta's praises from Galicia to Canarias. The thing is he wasn't fully fit and he breezed past the competition. Just in the UEFA Champions League he waltzed pass opposition but in the end came up empty handed because his team mates let him down. I'm sure the man from Gronigen will see better days.

Robinho- Brazil by their high standards had a very unsuccessful tournament. Knocked out in the Round of 16 by cup finalist the Netherlands. Had a close shave with North Koreans and went into a stalemate with their formal colonial masters Portugal. Their stars like Julio Cesar, Kaka and Dani Alves looked not very good. A few looked spritely. Elano, Luis Fabiano and Maicon to name a few but the general feeling is that the Selecao underwhelmed except for one. That one is Robinho. The trademark step overs never gets old to me, it looks very simple and at every opportune moment Robbo looks to sneak it in. He makes the team due to his alertness and extreme vision. In the game against North Korea I did not know how he found Elano but he did I think it was the best pass I have ever seen.

Diego Forlan- My captain and the old soldier. Love the man to death now not only for his play but for his kind heart as well. Forlan's sister was in a car accident when he was a young boy and is paralyzed now. Diego vowed to become a professional footballer and make enough money in order to pay for his sister's medical fees for the rest of her life and dedicates every goal he has and will ever score to his ailing sister. If only football gave out awards just for kindness and loyalty Forlan would have taken them all but football doesn't do that. Diego got his own award through his own football prowess however, he can now say at this moment he is the greatest goal scorer on the planet. He is the Golden Ball winner with a goal tally of five goals in seven matches. Beating back the exploits of Germany's Miroslav Klose and Thomas Mueller and Spain's David Villa. I chose him to lead my line not only for his recently acquired accolade but how he won it and the circumstances. David Villa has a powerful ally in Torres up front and conjurers in Xavi and the Spanish midfield too many to put in a sentence. Who does Forlan have besides Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani to supply him the ball. It is rhetorical question. Forlan took set pieces and scored the goals and captained the side in the absence injury stricken Diego Lugano all while making the likes of Alvaro Pereira look decent. He deserves all the praise in the world.

The Coach

Joachim Loew- Even though he picked his nose and ate the contents within his nose I still he was one of the smoothest operators around. I loved the blue V-neck I would have bought one like it if I didn't have one like it in the same color. Apart from is hygiene and fashion sense I think he did a killer job with the Germans. It was a young team with a new captain and somehow they got the bronze medal. The reason why he will lead my squad is because he was very brave. He trusted Klose a man who hardly got a game for his club leading up to this tournament. Podolski's case is similar only is that "Prince Polly" has been a regular for his club unlike Klose but basically he wasn't performing either. He brought guys like Oezil and Khedira in. Placed his best player in Schweinsteiger in a foreign position. Made Arne Freidrich play as a center half instead of his usual position as a right back. Chose an inexperience Manuel Neuer over the veteran Tim Wiese in goal and gave the smallest German in their ranks the captaincy in Lahm. The man has guts.

Substitutes

(GK) Eduardo- Portuguese keeper like Benaglio has only conceded one goal and was brilliant in his foray in the competition.

(RB) Sergio Ramos- As a friend of mine once said at least he has great energy and that is what got him on this team. Made a lot of probing runs and what can I say he has won the World Cup.

(CB) Marcus Tulio Tanaka- If there is a ball to be headed this guy is there. Japan gave a good account of themselves given they were tipped not even to get out the group. Tanaka steady the ship though

(CB) Juan- When Lucio does his Garrincha impression and just goes gallivanting up the park there he is to cover his ass.

(LB) Fabio Coentrao- Certainly a lot of fun going forward. This is what the World Cup is about. I have never heard of Fabio until this summer.

(CDM) Oscar Perez- As I said early if Iniesta didn't play Captain Marvelous in the final he would have been in my starting XI. To me he is a combination more aggressive Claude Makelele but yet a slyer Gennaro Gattuso.

(CM) Mesut Oezil- I knew about him before the tournament seen him play at youth level but never focused on him. Should have I really should have. He looks like a drugged out Willy Wonka, I think its because geniuses have a crazed look about them look at Einstein.

(CM) Keisuke Honda- Absolutely tireless. Best make shift striker I have seen in years. I think he is the Japanese equivalent of Tim Cahill. All action midfielder.

(CAM) Kevin Prince Boateng- Very skill big man. I was a fan off him since his Hertha Berlin days.

(FW/LW) Giovanni Dos Santos- This guy needs to find a club at a high level that will give him a start week in and out. He could be the best one day.

(ST) Luis Suarez- He must have been scoring goals for fun in Holland. He is up there with the world's best and does what ever it takes to win ask South Korea and especially Ghana.

(ST) David Villa- The reason why Spain one the World Cup essentially.

Well that is my world cup team. So who is on your roster?