A matchup of true heavyweights in this morning’s quarterfinal. There’s history between the sides—the 1986 final in Mexico where Maradona’s side put down the West Germans in a 3-2 display of beautiful attacking football comes immediately to mind. Never one to avoid the spotlight, the tournament’s most valuable quotable is stirring the pot before the match:
Maradona stared into a Fox Sports camera on Thursday and with a mock German accent asked, “What’s the matter Schweinsteiger? Are you nerrrvoushhh?”
This in reply to the Bayern Munich playmaker’s suggestion that the Argentine’s have been harassing officials.
We all know about Argentina’s attack, but what’s of question is their defense. That suggests the key matchup will be Demichelis versus Klose, the German finding his form again, and while neither one are speedsters, it’s Klose’s ability in the air that might see Demichelis holding his head in shame.
Open thread today only, after the bump!
72 comments
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 9:44 AM
Neither team’s defense can handle the other side’s speed, so we may get a helluva match. I’m sure Germany hopes Jonas plays. Argentina’s two biggest advantages beyond just having Messi? Giant crowd support inside the stadium, and the players’ requited unconditional love for their coach.
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 10:04 AM
Pigsticker is killing them. First he rode a tackle to play the long ball to Podolski, then served that beauty to Mueller.
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 10:12 AM
UEFA president Platini does not seem happy with the UEFA team’s lead.
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Maybe Jerome asked Kevin-Prince to hurt Ballack so Mueller could play? That Ballack injury has worked out great for Germania.
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 10:23 AM
so how many goals do we think we’re going to see here today .. certainly it won’t close at 1-0…
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 10:24 AM
Klose should have done better.
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 10:24 AM
wasted chance by klose …
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 10:25 AM
larry .. whose going to score the first goal for arg. … my pick is tevez… he’s just been the most active besides messi this first 25 minutes …
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 10:32 AM
and Messi as well.
Sean
July 3, 2010 at 10:32 AM
Argentinas defense is a wreck. Who’s maradona’s tactition?
Suman
July 3, 2010 at 10:33 AM
Germany is tracking back very well..the couple times it seems like Argentina has had an opp to attack with numbers, the advantage quickly dissolves..
Suman
July 3, 2010 at 10:35 AM
Nice try by Higuain, he almost snuck it by the ‘keeper near post there
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 10:37 AM
major offsides on that one
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 10:38 AM
argentina seems a little unhinged right now
Suman
July 3, 2010 at 10:40 AM
I turned off the autorefresh on this post, since we’re not liveblogging–and also I’ve lost a bunch of half-composed comments due to the page refreshing before I submit. OK with all? You will have to manually refresh to see most recent comments..
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 10:42 AM
ozail .. has been relatively quiet this game … you’ve got to think he’ll have a moment or two this game
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 10:43 AM
higuain finally getting involved, but tevez is most likely. this should finish about 3-2 if we can get another before the 55th minute.
Suman
July 3, 2010 at 10:46 AM
Just received this via fb msg..any responses?
“A) why is tevez so annoying?
B) why is Germany’s coach such a nose picker and eater? ew.”
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 10:46 AM
how old is heinze … i feel like he’s been playing for the argentine side for like 20 yrs
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 10:47 AM
tevez is dogged … probably annoys a lot of people … don’t know about the german coach’s nose picking but love his late 1960s wardrobe …
Sean
July 3, 2010 at 10:49 AM
Heinze was grown in a test tube by old Nazis. Him and Forlan…
Suman
July 3, 2010 at 11:02 AM
Where’s everyone watching? home? the beach (Sean)? We’re in Ithaca, staying at the house on a gorge my Uruguayan friend has been renting for his sabbatical year. He’s got a projector set up in the living room, assorted Latin American Cornell people drop by for games..crowd of about 15 this morning.
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:06 AM
watching at my lady’s place in georgetown, dc
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 11:08 AM
2nd day of matches at home. weird to be watching in the morning, from comfy chair, in HD, by ourselves, AND without South African beer in front of us.
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:08 AM
i love mascherano .. talk about tough ..
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 11:09 AM
this match needs another goal. otherwise, we are heading into a lockdown.
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:10 AM
well larry’s at least its a reasonable hour .. the first two weeks or so i was watching in san diego where the morning game was at like 7 am … coffee and soccer
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:10 AM
germany has .. so far .. defended really well
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 11:14 AM
players won’t shoot from open play around the box, but they’ll take 40 yard bombs on free kicks with a ball they can’t control?
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:14 AM
you know the argentine keeper does not exactly fill one with confidence
Sean
July 3, 2010 at 11:16 AM
I’m in jersey with some friends watching, near but not on the beach.
Another chance for klose there, but looks like aregntina can put something together if they hold off the German counter
Ligocki
July 3, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Ozil is killing me . . . he appears tired and VERY lazy!!
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:21 AM
lahm just saved a goal there
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:21 AM
@ligocki … i know he’s been practically silent today after scorching everybody all tourney
Ligocki
July 3, 2010 at 11:21 AM
I also think Klose needs to come out . . . he appears to be showing his age!
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:22 AM
nah .. klose has least two really bad tackles left in him …
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:24 AM
and apparently a sitter as well..
Sean
July 3, 2010 at 11:25 AM
There’s klose now! Sheesh this German team is pretty amazing
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:25 AM
maradona needs to make some subs … argentina needs to make a push obviously
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:26 AM
@sean … this german team is just far more talented than i expected …
Ligocki
July 3, 2010 at 11:27 AM
Ryan – agreed. I think fresh blood to up the tempo and press the German defense . . And that last goal was ALL Lahm – great effort on the ground to push the ball through to Podolski, who then passed/deflected it off the cone (Klose)
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 11:28 AM
now milito for maxi? and drop tevez back a little, slide messi outside some to create more room for him to take on defenders.
Sean
July 3, 2010 at 11:29 AM
They’re better than everyone expected. I can’t beleive Im enjoying watching a German side
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:31 AM
“this is where the argentine temperment is in some question” … whatever could the announcer mean … http://soccerlens.com/germany-argentina-post-match-fight-video-analysis/227/
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:31 AM
wow… the germans have just crushed today
Ligocki
July 3, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Nail in the coffin . . .
Larry
July 3, 2010 at 11:32 AM
Schweinsteiger!!
Brady
July 3, 2010 at 11:32 AM
That No. 9 sucks.
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:34 AM
you have to respect any side that starts a guy that whose name in english sounds like meatsacker
ryan
July 3, 2010 at 11:35 AM
glad to see the german side is consolidating angela merkel’s political power
Comments are closed.