Where will he fit in at the Lane?

Confirmation came tonight that Spurs have indeed signed Rafael Van der Vaart from Real Madrid. The Dutchman is a decent player, a poor man’s Wesley Sneijder in my view, but that doesn’t make him a dud by any stretch of the imagination. I wonder though where exactly he’ll fit into the Spurs lineup, with the excellent Luca Modric already established as the club’s main playmaker, and Van der Vaart lacking the pace or power to really impose himself on the Premier League from wide areas. For 8 million euro he’s a player that’s sure to bolster Spurs attcking options as they face the rigours of a Champions League campaign for the first time. But I’m far from convinced he’ll make that much of a difference as the season progresses.

Big money move for Gourcuff

The big news from Ligue 1 last week was the transfer of Yoann Gourcuff from Bordeaux to Lyon. On his debut Gourcuff and his new side slid to a defeat to Lorient, managed by Gourcuff’s dad of all people. My feelings on this guy are mixed, to the point where I now have doubts about him having once held him in high regard. A flop at Milan could be ignored due to it all happening too soon, and a stellar league winning season at Bordeaux helped put him back on a pedestal. But Gourcuff was poor last season, anonymous during the World Cup and will be under huge pressure to perform at Lyon burdened by a massive price tag. His development this season will be very interesting to observe.

The goings on at AC Milan during the past week have really caught my eye, as first the Rossonieri brought in Zlatan Ibrahimovic on loan with a view to a permanent move from Barcelona. They then trounced Lecce 4-0 on Sunday night and looked very impressive in doing it, and followed that up by signing the enigmatic genius that is Robinho from Man City for a deal that could ultimately be worth 18.2 million pounds. With a potential front six of Pirlo, Seedorf, Pato, Ronaldinho, Robinho and Ibrahimovic season ticket holders at the San Siro must be rubbing their hands together with glee. Of course its how the likes of Nesta, Silva and Antonini at the back manage to cope that will really determine the level of Milan’s success this season. But one things for certain; new coach Massimo Allegri has a hell of a job on his hands moulding all that attacking talent into a cohesive until during the season ahead.

Quagliarella scored a beauty in the World Cup

Staying in Italy and it’s hard to know what to make of the dealings of Juventus and Inter this off-season. La Vecchia Signora have splashed out in all directions, bringing in the likes of Bonucci, Krasic, Quagliarella and Lanzafame in an attempt to improve on last season’s dismal showing. I think they’ve erred in selling Diego back to the Bundesliga however, the gifted Brazilian would have come good given time. Treble winners Inter have gone in the opposite direction, adding only Brazilian youngster Coutinho to their ranks and selling the loose cannon that is Mario Ballotelli to Man City. They’ve lost Mourinho and replaced him with Rafa Benitez of course, which can only be viewed as a step backwards. Inter opened with a scoreless draw, while Juve lost one nil, and both will be looking for improvements after the international break. You get the feeling that if AC click this season then Il Scudetto is there for the taking as I’m not sure how strong Juve are even after all their buying, while you always got the feeling that the Mourinho effect gave this particular Inter side the X factor. With the Special One gone it’s hard to see them being as strong this time around.

How special will he be in Madrid?

And speaking of Mourinho, what of Real Madrid as they start off on another journey to topple their arch enemies Barcelona? In have come Carvalho, Ozil, Leon, Di Maria and Khedira. Players like Drenthe, the aforementioned Van der Vaart and club legends like Raul and Guti have all waved the Bernabeu goodbye. Mourinho says he needs time, but when Barca are likely to threaten the 100 point mark again this season (they reached 99 last term) it makes it imperative for Real to hit the ground running, making an opening scoreless draw in Mallorca all the more worrying. Though he has scaled the footballing heights on numerous occasions over the past few years Mourinho must have felt deep down that the task facing him in Spain might be his greatest yet. Watching him try to scale the summit again will be a fascinating experience.

Great signing for Wolfsburg

Heard the one about the manager given 25 million to spend on new players over the summer and leaving it untouched? Well that’s exactly what Bayern Munich coach Luis van Gaal has done, as the German double winners welcomed Toni Kroos back from his loan spell with Bayer Leverkeusen and left any more squad alterations on the back burner. Bayern could still have more than enough to take the Bundesliga by storm this time around, but a retooled Schalke with the likes of Jurado, Raul and Huntelaar in the ranks, and a Steve McLaren led Wolfsburg featuring Simon Kjaer, Diego and Bosnian hitman Edin Dzeko will both be formidable challengers.  The Bundesliga is always well worth keeping an eye on, this season as much as ever.

Hello Bebe

When you’ve been to Italy, France, Spain and Germany you have to head back to England for a Premier League wrap up. So let’s see; Chelsea lost Ballack, Deco, Joe Cole and Belletti among others and added Ramires and Benayoun. Steady as she goes for Ancelotti’s men. Man United are following a youth policy that may or may not pay dividends. Fact is the money ain’t there for the 30 million pound transfers anymore, so fans should get used to more Chicaritos and Bebe’s arriving as long as the Glazers stay in charge. Arsenal bought two French central defenders, a French reared Moroccan striker, and neglected to buy a new goalkeeper. So between them Messrs Almunia, Fabianski and Mannone must have the answers right Arsene? Between Spurs, Everton, Villa and Liverpool positions 5-8 will be shared, maybe in that order, and I’ll be here for a week if I get started on Man City. Toure, Milner and Silva I like, Koloarov and Ballotelli not so much.

Whatever happens the season ahead just proves once again that the old adage “The more things change the more they stay the same” rings true. Enjoy.

That winning feeling

Getting up for work on Monday morning is never a pleasant experience, but it’s even worse when you’ve stayed up late the night before. This time around though I had no qualms about making the sacrifice, knowing full well the horrors I’d face as my alarm went off to signify the dawn of another week in the office were worth it, just so I could witness the thrilling climax of the year’s final Major in golf. So, Martin Kaymer, you might have been responsible for me being in need of an extra cup of coffee to see me through another manic Monday, but I won’t hold it against you. In fact, you get the privilege of topping this week’s Hot List.Hot – Martin Kaymer: Already a five-time winner on the European Tour by the age of 25, it was clear to all golf fans for some time now that Germany’s Martin Kaymer was something special. His playoff victory over Bubba Watson in the USPGA at Whistling Straits on Sunday merely confirmed that he now truly belongs in the upper echelons of the game. His clutch putt for par on 18 to stay at 11 under, and make the playoff, showed what many suspected all along; namely that Kaymer had the metal fortitude to go with his sweet ball striking ability. That Watson could be charged with playing a dumb approach shot to the green on the 3rd playoff hole is beyond dispute, but Kaymer made sure of victory by playing the percentages and holing out for a bogey five and the opportunity to hoist the Wannamaker Trophy aloft. Assured of a spot on this years Ryder Cup team Kaymer will be one to watch at Celtic Manor, anyone who wasn’t aware of the talent this rising star possesses before Sunday will be sure to take note of him from now on.

On track for Flushing Meadows

Andy Murray: Despite holding a winning record of 6-5 over Roger Federer before the two met in the finals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto on Sunday, Andy Murray had yet to beat the Swiss maestro in a match where the title was on the line. Indeed, Murray had been on the receiving end of a couple of heavy beatings in the two Grand Slam deciders they’d played out in New York and Melbourne, so perhaps the Scotsman had decided enough was enough by the time the players lined up under the cloudy Canadian skies. In a week where Murray took out the in-form David Nalbandian, and the World Number 1 Rafa Nadal, on his way to the finals, he proceeded to serve like a God against Federer to secure a 7-7, 7-5 victory. Murray appears re-energised after overcoming a mid-season slump, a parting of the ways with his former coach Miles Maclagan has removed the shackles from his game by all accounts. With a big US Open fortnight at Flushing Meadows fast approaching, Murray has to be in with a great chance of winning the Grand Slam title that thus far has eluded him.

A winning combination

Rip VanWinkle/Johnny Murtagh: I must have spent a good week trying to get a clear picture in my head of how I thought this afternoon’s Juddmonte International at York was going to pan out. In the end I gave up, resisting the temptation to have a bet, having formed no clear path in my mind that might have led me to the potential winner. Nevertheless, when it comes to the big Group 1 races in which I don’t hold a stake I invariably hope the Ballydoyle challengers carry the day, and so it proved on the Knavesmire, as Rip Van Winkle responded brilliantly to the urgings of his jockey Johnny Murtagh to claim a 3rd career success at the highest level. The son of Galileo saw the 10 furlong trip out best to pip Twice Over on the line, and pay back the faith that those who kept him in training at four had shown in him. Murtagh should also claim a large share of the credit for a ride that saw him at his very best, urging and cajoling a colt that responded in kind to win out in the end. Teamwork in its purest form.

Smudger tries in vain to contain his man

The Premier League: Be it the fairytale start made by Blackpool, the statement of intent laid down by a rampant Chelsea, the resilience shown by Aston Villa in shaking off the loss of a manager and strolling to victory, or the smooth return of Man United to competitive action, those who follow the Premier League must be well pleased the new season is up and running and that we’ve another 37 rounds of fixtures to look forward to. Just as we all tell ourselves when May arrives that we could do with a break from the highs and lows that come with the territory of following our favourite teams, so it is that when action resumes the following August we wonder how we’ve survived without it for so long. It’s great to have it back.

The look on his face says it all

Not – Dustin Johnson: It really is hard to get away from that epic USPGA, and as good as Martin Kaymer’s win was, chances are that this year’s event will long be remembered primarily for Dustin Johnson’s error in grounding his club in a bunker before playing his second on 18. After incurring a two-stroke penalty following the violation, Johnson fell back to nine under and missed a spot in the playoff. To be fair to the guy he fronted up to the media in the aftermath and handled himself like a pro, handled himself like he should I guess. But I shudder to think how he’d have reacted if he’d made the putt for par on 18 that would have given him a one shot win before he incurred the penalty. Johnson is too good a golfer not to rebound from this, he’s a Major winner in the making no doubt, but next time he needs to make sure he’s aware of all the rules on the particular course he’s playing, so that nothing like this ever happens him again.

Major selection errors tonight

Harry Redknapp: Spurs may have come away from tonight’s clash against Young Boys Berne with a fighting chance of making it through to the group stages of the Champions League following a 3-2 defeat, but Harry Redknapp should be counting his lucky stars that his team still live to fight another day. The Tottenham boss was well and truly found out on the European stage, fielding a front six from the off that contained only one player in Wilson Palacios with any shred of defensive quality. Lining up away from home in a Champions League tie, even if it is against a Swiss side lacking any kind of star names, showed Redknapp to be in contempt of his opponents and tactically clueless on the European stage. Where did his sudden love for Gio Dos Santos and Roman Pavlyuchenko come from all of a sudden! Chances are Spurs will win the tie at White Hart Lane, and the English media will fall over themselves to hail ‘Arry’s ’achievement.’ But after tonight I can’t for a second believe that Spurs will make any impression in the Champions League itself, were they to be so lucky to make it that far.

A stunning stadium

- It’s been one of my busier sporting weeks, I guess anytime you end up at the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park in the space of a few days has to be categorised as such. As it turned out I was fortunate enough to get a ticket from a fellow blogger for the opening soccer match in the Aviva, where an Airtricity XI was no match for a Man United squad going through the motions. To say I learned anything from the encounter would be a stretch, but it did further emphasise the gulf in class between the haves and the have nots – even if the have nots are in the middle of their league season and still proved to be no match for a half baked United side that won 7-1. The highlight for me was marvelling at the scale and beauty of the Aviva itself. It truly is a wonderful stadium, fit for any sporting occasion no matter the scale, and let’s hope it plays host to many memorable matches in both rugby and soccer in the years ahead.

Only The Best

- Having enjoyed a Wednesday evening at the most famous sporting landmark on the South side of the River Liffey, I was then lucky enough to have the opportunity to cross over to the North side on a blazing hot Sunday to savour what promised to be a titanic encounter in the All Ireland hurling semi-final between Cork and Kilkenny. As a guest of Vodafone I was wined and dined for the afternoon, those guys sure know how to do things in style, but I was struck almost immediately after arriving as to how serene the numerous Kilkenny fans were. Not a hint of nerves, just the sure-footed confidence that their team that had won four in a row was not about to let them down. And of course they didn’t, with the men in black and amber running riot in the first half and effectively ending the match as a contest within the first 25 minutes.

The greatest hurling team ever?

What amazed me more than anything was the gulf in class that was evident between the two sides. Kilkenny were first to every ball, cleaner in their striking, more clinical in their execution. They seemed to be playing a game that the men in red were not familiar with. The only sad note to report in the aftermath of the Cats crushing win was the news that Henry Shefflin will miss the showpiece on the first Sunday in September. The biggest games are always better spectacles when the best players are on show, and this years final will be lesser for the absence of Shefflin.

Oh and in case anybody’s wondering why I’m referring to hurling balls as such, and not as sliotars as most everyone else in the country does, take a trip to Elverys sports store in Croke Park and look at what the leather bound sphere’s are described as on the packaging. The Anglicization of this nation must surely now be complete!!

Tough times for Tiger

- So what else’s been going on in the sporting world over the past few days? Where to start might be the easiest answer!! In golf Hunter Mahan secured his second victory of the season at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, Ohio. But the biggest story of the week by a long way was the appalling play of Tiger Woods. The scandal plagued World Number 1 finished the tournament 18 over par and second last overall – only Swede Henrik Stenson finished with a worse score at 20 over. Woods is now a long shot to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team on merit, and its hard to see Captain Corey Pavin giving him a wild card considering his current dreadful form, though Woods himself has intimated he’ll accept one if offered. The years final major the USPGA starts at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin on Thursday and after Woods struggles there, if he makes the cut I’d be shocked, expect him to announce his withdrawal from public life for a few months at least. There’s just too much going on in his personal life right now for his golf game to be any kind of priority.

A cruel game at times

- The fickleness of horse racing was brought to bear again over the weekend, as the world’s highest rated horse Harbinger suffered a career ending injury on the gallops in Newmarket. Just a few weeks after pulverising a high quality field in the King George at Ascot, Harbinger will now be unable to confirm to all those who still harboured doubts about him that he actually was the real deal. There’ll be no contest against Rip Van Winkle in the Juddmonte at York, no clash of the generations in the Prix de L’Arc at Longchamp in October, no potential trip across the Atlantic for the Breeders Cup to confirm his superiority against the American stars. It’s only now that we know for certain Harbinger will never race again that he might be properly appreciated. But as racing fans take time to ponder how good he actually was, most will never get tired of watching him bound clear in that memorable King George.

- There’s a new football season almost upon us, the traditional curtain raiser the Community Shield has been and gone, and Man United took home the silverware with a 3-1 win over a Chelsea side that’s had a pretty awful pre-season. United looked good, with new Mexican signing Javier ‘Chicarito’ Hernandez providing a highlight by scoring with his face, but Chelsea were far from being at the races. Nevertheless with an easy looking start to the serious business of the league including ties against West Brom, Wigan and Stoke, I’m sure Carlo Ancelotti won’t be getting to anxious yet.

Where to now?

- The biggest news in football in the past few days was the abrupt departure of Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill. This one’d been brewing for a while, there were pretty strong rumours he’d walked out towards the end of last season too, but obviously this time around straws and camels backs were involved and the man from Norn Iron has walked. Perhaps he realised he’d brought Villa as far as he could now that owner Randy Lerner has put a stop to any kind of lavish spending. There’s the possibility that the imminent departure of James Milner to Man City may have been one blow too many, or maybe we will all realise that O’Neill was right in getting out while he could when Ashley Young is sold to Spurs before the transfer window closes. Regardless of the reason O’Neill has left Villa high and dry with just days to go before the season start. All those who bleed claret and blue must know that the difficult times are only beginning.

- To finish off I’ll leave with a bit of light humour courtesy of the ever controversial French left back Patrice Evra, who when told of Lilian Thuaram’s condemnation of his antics at the World Cup, had this to say of his erstwhile colleague. “He sullied my name without knowing what happened. Lilian thinks he’s the new coach, president of the FFF and president of France. Walking around with books on slavery in glasses and a hat does not turn you into Malcolm X” Somebody’ll have to go some to deny Evra the quote of the year trophy after that little gem!!

Well, as you might expect from a man who was as polarizing as George Steinbrenner, there have been two kinds of stories I’ve been seeing the last couple of days. The first kind mostly ASSUMES that Steinbrenner will … Read More

via Joe Posnanski

The final is almost upon us

There are a couple of things we know for certain ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday. One is that Englishman Howard Webb will referee the big game, after having what many, including FIFA quite clearly, consider to be a commanding and controversy free tournament. Webb’s standing on the international stage is still a lot higher than it is back in England of course, numerous errors in the Premier League over the past 18 months tarnishing what was once a stellar reputation. Ask any Newcastle fan about Webb for example, and they will point to a game towards the end of season 2008-’09, when he disallowed a perfectly good goal that would have given the Magpies a vital win over Fulham. The error sent them down.

The other thing football fans will be aware of is that the World Cup will have a new name on it come Sunday evening. Neither Spain or Holland have ever won the trophy before, so whichever country reigns victorious will become the 8th nation to rule the footballing world. This can only be a good thing, as the fact that up to this point only 7 countries have ever claimed the prize, and of them England and France have only done it once and that was on home soil, does not reflect well on the strength of the global game.

What kind of World Cup final will it be? One containing sides with contrasting styles, that’s for sure. The free-flowing, and often swashbuckling Spaniards, against the well-drilled and combative Dutch, for whom this has been a tournament to be proud of. Red versus orange, Mediterranean versus the Lowlands, beauty takes on the beast. But of course the last comparison is being very disingenuous to a Dutch side containing the wonderful attacking talents of Wesley Sneijder. This guy alone ensures Holland always carry a threat on the attack.

Headed for the Golden Boot?

Sneijder in many ways has been the star of this World Cup. Aside from the fact that he is the joint top-scorer with 5 goals, and how he was credited with the Dutch equalizer against Brazil in the quarter-finals only the geniuses at FIFA know. He has been the creative master in a team that was badly in need of one. Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk took a risk of sorts in pinning the bulk of his hopes on Sneijder. If the Internazionale schemer had been out of sorts in South Africa after what had been an exhausting, if ultra successful season with the Nreazzurri, then the men in Orange would have been looking to an unhappy Robin van Persie, a selfish Arjen Robben, and a limited Dirk Kuyt to fire them to glory. In short Holland would be home by now, and along with a mean defence, Sneijder is the main reason they are 90 minutes from glory.

Club mates at Barcelona next season?

In many ways Spain have the opposite problem. They are overloaded with creative players, midfield marvels like Xavi and Andres Iniesta have been every bit as good as we’d hope they’d be. But it really is incredible to think sometimes that a player as extravagantly gifted as Cesc Fabregas cannot make Vicente del Bosque’s starting XI. Fabregas has lit up the Premier League on a consistent basis over the past number of seasons, and yet has to be content with cameo roles for La Seleccion. That’s not to mention the likes of David Silva, recently transferred from Valencia to Man City for a Kings ransom, Pedro from Barcelona who started in the semi-final at the expense of Fernando Torres and the emerging promise of Javi Martinez, who surely won’t be playing his club football at Athletic Bilbao for much longer. None of these three have been regulars either in this World Cup.

So while the Dutch camp arrived in South Africa knowing that Sneijder would have to carry his club form into this tournament for them to stand a chance, the Spanish came to the party with the confidence that comes from being European Champions, and the knowledge that if one part of the machine broke down there were other supremely talented options on hand to restore it to full working order. In essence this is why I believe Spain will emerge victorious on Sunday night, because when push comes to shove it will be the team with more of the answers to the questions posed.

Captain fantastic

At the back you could pick holes all day long in the respective defences, but let’s just hope defences won’t be the deciding factor in a match that’s shaping up to be a final to remember. Spain definitely have the edge in goals, with San Iker Casillas having rediscovered his mojo, and the lumbering Martin Stekelenberg not covering himself in glory in the semi-final win over Uruguay. At centre-half most people would take Pique/Puyol over Heitinga/Mathijsen. But if forced to choose I’d select the Dutch full-backs Gregory van der Wiel and Gio van Bronckhorst, over their Spanish counterparts Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevilla. As overall units I see very little to split the back fives, and they appear to cancel each other out.

There is a nice symmetry to Spain’s accomplishments over the past couple of years however, that mirrors the exploits of the great French sides of 1998 and 2000 that pulled off the World Cup/Euros double. And of course symmetry is something that springs to mind when watching Xabi Alonso and co. in action on the pitch. There is a precision to their passing that is almost hard to comprehend. It’s neat and tidy and pleasing on the eye. But it’s often deadly too, and that is what sets them apart. Whilst it was a rudimentary goal from a corner that put paid to the Germans in the final four, the Spaniards still passed their Teutonic foes to death. The likes of Lahm, Scweinsteiger and Klose simply had no answer.

So watch out for Sergio Busquets on Sunday, and the job he does on Sneijder in an attempt to quell the main Dutch threat. If it’s a task the young Barcelona player is up to, and evidence suggests to date that he’s a man for the big occasion, then I expect the combination of Xavi, Iniesta and Villa to guide Spain to the sweetest victory of them all.

Spain still on track for glory

Tomorrow, June 30th, will be the first day since the World Cup began over two and a half weeks ago that there won’t be any live football on. The group stages have been and gone, and with Spain’s victory over their Iberian neighbours Portugal tonight, the last 16 has been whittled down to 8. Time for the serious stuff to start, for the remaining sides to step up to the plate and strive to claim their place in history. And you can keep up to date with all the action on the go with the AP 2010 World Cup from Nokia’s Application Store, The Ovi Store. By way of a guide to the eight contenders left standing in World Cup 2010 here’s a run down on the current star in each line up.

The future's bright, the future's Robben

Holland – Arjen Robben: Injured for the first two games, Robben made an immediate impact when introduced as a sub during Holland’s 2-1 win over Cameroon in their final group match. He followed up on that favourable impression by starting the 2nd round encounter v Slovakia, and opening the scoring with an impressive run and shot following a great pass from Wesley Sneijder. Robben is the kind of player who can be quiet for long periods and then explode into life, turning a contest on its head in the process. More than likely to line up on the right in the quarter-final v Brazil, he could very well give the Selecao’s left-back Michel Bastos a torrid afternoon. If he does, expect the Dutch to make it into the last four.

Eying up the Golden Boot

Brazil – Luis Fabiano: Dunga’s men have been quite impressive thus far, without ever really turning on their renowned Samba magic. Perhaps it’s just not in them – any side with Gilberto Silva as its anchor is bound to be more practical than playful after all. Nevertheless, Luis Fabiano has been a constant menace up front for a side that strolled through the group stages, and hardly broke a sweat in beating continental rivals Chile in the 2nd round. Fabiano has three goals to his name already, each one taken with the confidence of an in form striker. And although his support cast of Kaka and Robinho have been rather more mercurial in the competition, Fabiano can still rely on his team mates to provide him with plenty of ammunition. Holland will need to be on high-alert to ensure some of the Sevilla man’s bullets don’t hit the target in what I consider to be the tie of the last 8.

Uruguay – Diego Forlan: Uruguay have been a revelation at World Cup 2010, and in Diego Forlan they have one of the players of the tournament so far. The former Manchester Utd misfit is the conductor of the orchestra as far as his team is concerned, taking the vast majority of their offensive free-kicks, burying a marvelous penalty v South Africa, and providing his strike partner Luis Suarez with numerous assists to allow the Ajax striker notch three goals of his own. Forlan is full of confidence, and clearly enjoys the responsibility of being the main man for his country. Ghana will be no pushovers next Friday evening in Johannesburg, but I’m backing the South Americans to make it through to the final four, and that prediction is based largely on the form of Forlan.

Ghana – Asamoah Gyan: As the only African team to make it to the last 8 Ghana will have the best wishes of the continent with them. Their top man so far has been Asamoah Gyan, scorer of three of their four goals in the tournament, and a player that has become one of the shining stars of a Ghanaian squad many wrote off as serious challengers once Michael Essien was ruled out through injury. An opening victory over Serbia in Group D was celebrated by the White Elephants as if they’s won the cup itself, a Gyan penalty seeing them through, and he repeated the trick from the spot against Australia to secure the point that saw them qualify for the Last 16 as runners-up to Germany. The best was yet to come from Gyan who showed great strength and composure to score the winner v the USA in the first knockout phase. If the Stade Rennes forward can repeat the trick in the quarters Africa could well be cheering one of its own into the semi-finals.

Argentina – Lionel Messi: Hard to believe this guy hasn’t scored so far, but you get the feeling he won’t be overly perturbed by this fact as long as his team keep on winning. While Gonzalo Higuain (4) and Carlos Tevez (2) have notched for Maradona’s men, indeed even the old workhorse Martin Palermo has a goal to his name, Messi is still drawing a blank but La Pulga is pulling the strings quite delightfully for his side. I believe that the team functions best when Juan Sebastian Veron lies ahead of Javier Mascherano in the midfield, he is the one player able to spot a killer pass to Messi, and from there all hell will break loose in the opposition defence. Of course there will be no chance of Germany giving Messi and co. the space they’ve enjoyed in their opening four matches. But spurred on by the bitter memories of their exit at the hands of the Germans in 2006 the Argentines, and Messi in particular, will be going all out to exact revenge on Saturday afternoon.

Ozil celebrates again

Germany – Mezut Ozil: There was a lot of fuss made of Ozil following his performances in Germany’s Under-21 success in the European Championships last summer, with many wondering could he translate his silky touch, killer eye for a pass and deceptive pace onto the biggest stage of them all. Well the answer is an emphatic yes. Ozil was England’s tormentor in chief last Sunday, playing an instrumental role in sending Fabio Capello’s boys crashing out, and no doubt Argentina will be working all week on a game plan to try to combat the diminutive maestro who plays his club football at Werder Bremen. Ozil seems to get better as each game passes and if this trend continues there is a wondrous contest in store between him and Leo Messi in what promises to be a match to remember.

Great signing for Wigan

Paraguay – Antolin Alcaraz: Paraguay came into the tournament with a much vaunted forward line featuring well-known faces like Roque Santa Cruz, Oscar Cardozo and Nelson Valdez. The three have combined for a total of zero goals so far so it stands to reason that it’s been their defence that’s brought them this far and Antolin Alcaraz as been a key figure in their rearguard. Signed by Wigan in May from Club Brugges Alcaraz looks like being a shrewd acquisition by Roberto Martinez. Strong in the air, capable on the deck, and with a keen eye for a goal as he showed against the Italians in the Group F opener, Alcaraz and his defensive cohorts will need to be at their best to stem the Spanish tide in the last of the quarter-finals. The signs to date are that this guy is up to the task.

Best on show

Spain – David Villa: What a pleasure it was to watch David Villa in action tonight in Spain’s win over Portugal. The newly signed Barcelona forward once again showed why he is so highly rated, with a display that was full of endeavour, skill and no little composure as he slotted in the game’s only goal, after having his initial effort saved. Were it not for Portugal’s keeper Eduardo being in sparkling form Villa would have had a couple more, as a few of his long-range attempts on goal were splendidly saved by Portugal’s best player on the night. As far as Spain are concerned though, and as good as Andres Iniesta was this evening, Villa was the best player on show by a distance. Already the joint top scorer in the World Cup with four strikes to his name, the man from Asturias will fancy his chances of adding to this haul against Paraguay, in what looks like the kindest draw Spain could have hoped for in the last 8. If he keeps his current level of form up David Villa will be named player of the tournament, and could very well have a World Cup medal to go alongside the European Championship one he claimed in Vienna in 2008.

Top scorer in the making? David Villa has three already

So there we have it. 32 teams started out on June 11th and two weeks later we’re down to the last 16. Gone are both finalists from four years ago, France and Italy. Still alive are so-called minnows of the global game like Slovakia and Japan. One thing this World Cup has not been is predictable. With the dust settled on the last round of group games here are a few thoughts on the action so far.

1. Stand out teams for me to date have been Uruguay, Japan and the USA. The South Americans have progressed to a second round meeting with South Korea and I fancy them to make it through to the quarters. Yet to concede a goal, the Uruguayan defence has been superbly marshaled by Diego Lugano, and even though the much hyped Nicolas Lodeiro has yet to shine a midfield featuring Edison Cavani is doing a good job. But of course it’s up front where the real strength of Uruguay lies, with Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez to the fore. Forlan especially has been in sparkling form in the past two group games, and though Suarez has missed his fair share of chances the Ajax man is a persistent threat. The lively South Koreans will be no pushovers but I’m backing the boys in blue to come through this one.
2. 

   Three goals so far for Vittek

   Kudos must go too to Slovakia, featuring competition joint top-scorer Robert Vittek, who made their way through a group that many (myself included) thought Italy would top. Of course the Azzurri turned out to be a busted flush, but the Slovakians got the job done over the reigning champions, showing great attacking verve and exploiting the gaps in the struggling Italian back line. The fairytale might very well end when they face The Netherlands on Monday but for Marek Hamsik and co. to have come this far is a massive achievement.

3. 

   American hero

   And let us not forget the United States, a team who properly went for it and got their reward at the death. Make no mistake this is a solid side with the ever-dependable Tim Howard in goal, and a defence featuring no-nonsense performers like Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra. The coach’s son Michael Bradley has impressed many with his displays in midfield, and while regular watchers of the Premier League already knew of Clint Dempsey’s quality the former MLS Player of the Year has shone on the world stage. The bulk of the attention though is focused on Landon Donovan who grabbed the last-minute winner against Algeria to send the US through to a second round tie v Ghana. It’s been quite a revival for Donovan who enjoyed a great loan spell at Everton last season, returned to the LA Galaxy with his reputation enhanced, and has now scored what is probably the most famous goal in American soccer history. Uruguay – United States quarter-final anyone?

4. It’s not been plain sailing for England so far, when is it ever I hear you ask? The Robert Green howler in their opening match really knocked the stuffing out of them, and they were so poor v Algeria it was hard to believe. To compound matters we were then ‘treated’ to the spectacle of John Terry trying to wrestle control of the squad from Fabio Capello, failing miserably, and then going on to perform with great credit in the nervy win over Slovenia. It’s never dull when England are at a major tournament, and now that they’ve got themselves in a situation where they face the Germans again, who knows what might happen. England have come this far without Wayne Rooney ever catching fire and it’s hard to believe he won’t have an impact at some stage. Three o’clock Sunday might be a good time for the Manchester United star to get his act in gear.

• Spain are not the force many predicted they’d be but I believe they’ll beat Portugal on Tuesday. Pity how off the pace Fernando Torres has been so far though.
• Brazil look exactly like we thought they would – strong in defence, well screened in midfield and carrying a real goal threat in Luis Fabiano up front.
• Argentina have wowed many, Leo Messi has yet to score but he’s been in great form. However their back line is full of mistakes, Martin Demichelis v South Korea already proving this. Although I think they’ll handle Mexico in Round 2, I wonder how they’ll cope when they face the real big teams.

Seconds out….Round Two.

Five correct answers and this could be yours

So I’ve received a prize to give away to one of my readers. And it has really come at a great time because A Sporting View is going from strength to strength, and the blog has gained a really loyal following in the year its been up and running. It’s the perfect way to say thanks to one of my lucky readers. The prize is a cool one too, a Vodafone Mobile Broadband Dongle that comes with one month’s credit – meaning you can take the net with you while you are on the move and stay connected with family, friends and maybe A Sporting View too. In order to be in with a chance of winning simply answer the five questions that I’m setting out below, no surprises that they’re all of a sporting theme and focus on stellar performances in keeping with Vodafone’s broadband coverage. Leave your answers in the comments section at the bottom of the page or alternatively you can send your answers to me on Twitter – you’ll find me here. Best of luck everyone.

1. 

   Goals, goals, goals

   Diego Milito was the star performer for Internazionale in the Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, scoring two brilliant goals. Perhaps not a household name with everyone until recently Milito spent three fruitful seasons at Real Zaragoza in La Liga. Can you name the Englishman currently plying his trade for Zaragoza in the Spanish top flight?

2. 

   Anyone for cricket?

   Irishman Eoin Morgan played a starring role in helping England win the World Twenty20 title recently in the West Indies. Today he made his test debut for Andrew Strauss’s side against Bangladesh. But Morgan is only the latest in a long line of Irish cricketers who performed at the highest level. Name the Corkman who played 123 times for Man United in the 60s and also played cricket for Ireland?

3. Tiger Woods is in the middle of an almighty slump both on and off the golf course. His marriage is in ruins, and his golf game in shreds, as witnessed by his blow out in missing the cut at Quail Hollow and his WD from the Players Championship during his final round. But can you name the courageous performer who was a team-mate of Tiger’s on the Stanford golf team and successfully sued the PGA Tour in 2001 for the right to use a golf cart in competition?
4. 

   Clay monster from Mallorca

   There is no better performer on a clay court than Rafa Nadal, indeed there are many already proclaiming the Spaniard as the greatest clay courter of all time. Just 23, Nadal already has four French Open titles to his name, and is a red-hot favourite to make it five this year. But can you name the player to hand Nadal his only defeat at Roland Garros?

5. 

   No longer playing inter-county hurling

   Truly great sportsmen and women are judged not only by their performances on any given day, but also by how long they can stay at the top. Sustained excellence is something that separates the good from the great. With a Munster hurling semi-final looming this weekend against Tipperary some of the more experienced performers on the Cork team will have to find new answers to the age-old question of whether or not their competitive fire still burns as brightly as in years past. How many Cork players started in the 1999 final against Kilkenny that are still on the team for this Sunday’s clash in Pairc Ui Chaoimh?

Closing date for entries is June 6th and once I have all the correct ones at hand one lucky winner will be selected by an independent judge.

Will he stay or will he go?

Perhaps it was a weekend where the focus of most sports fans was not what it might have been. The weekend directly before a Saturday featuring not just the Heineken Cup Final, but also the Champions League decider can have that effect. But it was still noteworthy on many levels nonetheless. Check out this weeks hot list to see who’s making the sporting headlines for all the right reasons and those for whom it was a weekend to forget.

HOT

Jose Mourinho: What to get the man who has everything? Looks like it might be the Real Madrid job but who apart from ‘The Special One’ really knows. His Internazionale side wrapped up their fifth consecutive Serie A title on Sunday with a win at Siena and an emotional Mourinho saluted his fans in aftermath with tears in his eyes. The Nerazurri head into this Saturday’s Champions League final against Bayern Munich in the Bernabeu with a potential treble in sight, a feat never before achieved by an Italian club, and for Mourinho it could be the most fitting of parting gifts before he makes Madrid his permanent home.

Smooth operator

Adam Scott: The man with one of the smoothest swings in golf, and a game so honed off the fairways that he’s currently dating Serbian tennis hottie Ana Ivanovic, returned to the winners circle at the Texas Open on Sunday evening. The weather affected event may not have featured the most formidable line up of the season, but Scott got the job done on a 36-hole Sunday shooting 66-67 for a one shot win over Swede Freddie Jacobson. Now all he needs to do is finally contend in a Major and the Aussie could be set for a return to the top echelons of the game.

Paul Collingwood: For a country that always seems to be quite happy to remind everyone of the fact that they invented the game England have turned out to be decidedly hit and miss at cricket. On certain occasions they can conjure performances that flatten opponents and thrill the crowds but more often than not English cricket teams have been a byword for humiliation. Usually at the hands of the Australians it might be added. But no longer are England the Jekyll and Hyde of the cricket world after they steamrolled their way to the World Twenty20 title in the West Indies. Lead by Collingwood the team never looked back having overcome a slow start in the tournament, and with Irishman Eoin Morgan one of the star performers throughout, easily made it through to the final where they surpassed Australia’s total with something to spare. With a winning Ashes captain Andrew Strauss in charge of the test side, and Collingwood directing a victorious squad in the shorter form of the game, it appears English cricket is in rude health.

All smiles

Mark Webber: When you have Lewis Hamilton saying that the car you’re driving is so fast it’s ‘taking the micky’ out of the rest of the field you know your handling something pretty special. And so it is for Red Bull-Renault’s Mark Webber who secured his second consecutive victory of the Formula 1 season with a cosy win over his team-mate Sebastian Vettel at Monaco. The 33-year-old from New South Wales is now level on points with Vettel atop the drivers championship and the two men have a three-point lead over Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso on 75. McLaren’s reigning world champion Jenson Button is a further five points back. It may currently look like a tight tussle at the head of proceedings but if the Red Bull-Renault keeps up the pace its shown in the past fortnight then this title fight will turn into a straight shootout between Webber and Vettel.

Ireland's tennis star

Conor Niland: Whaddya know, Ireland has a tennis player to shout about at long last! Limerick’s Conor Niland is making waves on the professional tennis tour following his win on May 8th at the Israel Open and his taking out of British No. 2 Alex Bogdanovic in French Open qualifying this afternoon. Not only did he defeat rising Brazilian star Thiago Alves in the final at Ramat HaSharon but Niland also accounted for former Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler and accomplished home player Harel Levy on his way to the decider. It’s always been a source of amazement to me how Ireland can consistently produce world-class golfers and yet hardly ever seem to have a tennis player able to hold his own on the pro tour. Turning 29 in September its unlikely Niland will reach the very pinnacle of the game, but his success this year will give those following him hope that Irish tennis players can make it to the very top.

NOT

Boateng knows what he's done

Michael Ballack: National team captain, icon of the German nation and heading into your last World Cup during the best run of form you’ve experienced in many seasons. Then all your hopes and dreams come crashing down around you as a player who’s turned his back on representing Germany takes you out in the most  pre-meditated of fashions. Your name is Michael Ballack and you won’t be going to the World Cup due to an ankle injury courtesy of Kevin-Prince Boateng, who will be travelling to South Africa as a member of the Ghanaian 23. Football can be a cruel game sometimes and Herr Ballack is just the latest player to find this out.

No light at the end of the tunnel

Tiger Woods: I heard a joke earlier which I feel is worth repeating, goes like this; “Will the last friend to drop Tiger Woods please turn off the lights?” Ok so it won’t be winning any awards for originality, or indeed for cutting humour, but it sums TW’s  situation up perfectly. The world’s most famous philanderer was dropped by his swing coach Hank Haney by text last week after six years together and Haney has been letting fly ever since. It really is open season on Woods, the tabs are filing fresh reports on a daily basis that his marriage to Elin Nordegren is well and truly over, and his golf game is in tatters as evidenced by his blow out at Quail Hollow and his unseemy WD at The Players. Part of me hopes I don’t have to include Woods in future Not Lists but the way things are going for El Tigre right now I’m not overly confident on that one.

Will he be triumphant in Paris?

Roger Federer: Not often you’ll find the Swiss maestro on a list hanging in the negative column, but his defeat at the hands of Rafa Nadal in the final of the Madrid Masters just reaffirmed one thing: when it comes to clay court battles between the two the shaggy haired scrapper from Mallorca holds all the aces. Another straight sets win for Nadal on his favourite surface, his third straight clay title of the early summer, gives Federer little hope of retaining his title at the French Open which gets underway next Sunday.

A ray of hope for Munster

Munster Rugby: More a collective one this time but after suffering their fourth straight loss to their bitter rivals from Leinster there is a lot of work needing to be done by the Munster brains trust. Very obviously short in many areas of pitch against Michael Cheika’s side, Munster look to be in desperate need of a fresh injection of talent and a creative set of new ideas. The additions of Johne Murphy and Sam Tuitupou to next years squad will more than compensate for the loss of departing Springbok Jean de Villiers, but the men in red desperately need Paul O’Connell to fully cured of all his ailments heading into next season such is his huge influence on the team. Throw a returning Denis Leamy and maybe the marquee signing of a world-class forward into the mix and its clear that Munster have no reason to panic. But next season is shaping up to be a defining one for those in action at Thomond and Musgrave Park and the brave and the faithful who cheer them on.