|
   
|
Taken from The Independent newpaper - sums up the last four quite nicely.. 
And then there were four... who will win the world's greatest prize?
Uruguay face Holland, the conquerors of Brazil, tomorrow and favourites Spain take on the effervescent young Germans on Wednesday. Glenn Moore assesses the semi-finalists' prospects
URUGUAY - DALE
World Cup form DWWWD
Goals (for-against) 7-2
Top goalscorer 3, Suarez, Forlan
Ever-presents: (7) Muslera, Maxi Pereira, Lugano, Arevalo, Perez, Forlan, Suarez
Suspended Suarez, Fucile
How they play
The most flexible team in the tournament, they are happy to play several formations in one game, with an impressive ability to switch from a defensive set-up to an attacking one. They began as one of the few teams playing three at the back but have fielded a back four in their last three games. They usually deploy two holding midfielders, Diego Perez and Egidio Arevalo (the only Uruguay-based outfielder in the squad), and have used Diego Forlan either behind or alongside Luis Suarez, who will miss the semi-final. They are strong at set pieces, which Forlan takes. Unlike the other semi-finalists, they send free-kicks near the halfway line into "the mixer", rather than taking them short.
Key player
The defensive unit has been sound but it is Forlan who makes things happen, whether playing off the front or leading the line. The Atletico Madrid striker is in superb form.
Strengths
Sophisticated tactically, strong defensively, a goalscoring threat in Forlan. They have overachieved already, so no burden of expectation. Calm manager. Good at set plays.
Weaknesses
Injuries (Nicolas Lodeiro is out, and defender Diego Godin and captain Diego Lugano may also be unfit) and suspensions (Suarez and Jorge Fucile) will stretch the squad, especially at the back. May be over-reliant on Forlan for inspiration. Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera is suspect in the air.
HOLLAND- BILLY
World Cup form WWWWW
Goals (for-against) 9-3
Top goalscorer 4, Sneijder
Ever-presents (
Stekelenberg, Heitinga, Van Bronckhorst, Van Bommel, De Jong, Kuyt, Sneijder, Van Persie
Suspended Van der Wiel, De Jong
How they play
Van Basten, a Johan Cruyff disciple, wanted to win with panache in the Dutch tradition. Van Marwijk wants to win. This has led to long periods – poorly received at home – in which the back four and holding players pass among themselves, waiting for the opposition to commit rather than taking risks.
They play with a five-man midfield but this is a fairly rigid 4-2-3-1. Robin van Persie leads the line, Arjen Robben and Dirk Kuyt are on the flanks (with orders to hug the touchlines when in possession), Wesley Sneijder plays in the hole, while Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong hold. The full-backs push on to an extent, more so the right-back Gregory van der Wiel, but he and De Jong will both miss the semi-final through suspension.
Key player
Sneijder's awareness can split defences, but it is Robben who makes the difference. The winger's pace, quick footwork and accurate shooting transform the Dutch team from a solid outfit to a threatening one.
Strengths
Patient and well-organised, with Robben's explosive trickery on one flank and the tireless Kuyt on the other. Sneijder's set-piece delivery and passing are astute.
Weaknesses
The defence wobbled when Brazil put them under pressure. One full-back is past his best, the other a long way from reaching it, John Heitinga is prone to dive in. Van Bommel and De Jong concede fouls too easily. Van Persie is lacking sharpness after a long injury lay-off, and his frustration at failing to score is showing.
GERMANY - PETE
World Cup form WLWWW
Goals (for-against) 13-2
Top goalscorers 4, Müller, Klose
Ever-presents (9) Neuer, Lahm, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Müller, Podolski, Ozil.
Suspended Müller
How they play
A mobile 4-5-1 formation with Miroslav Klose ahead of a midfield that floods forward with pace and movement. Mesut Ozil operates in the hole behind Klose but drifts to create space for Sami Khedira. Lukas Podolski and Thomas Müller are goalscoring wide players. They press high up the pitch when the opposition has the ball.
Key player
Ozil has taken the headlines and the 21-year-old is a star in the making but Bastian Schweinsteiger makes the Nationalmannschaft tick. The converted wide midfielder has filled Michael Ballack's shoes with a series of mature performances, dictating play from the holding role.
Strengths
Germany have pace and energy in most areas, and plenty of forward movement from midfield. They are tactically astute and disciplined. Goals can come from a variety of sources. Philipp Lahm and Müller have linked well on the right.
Weaknesses
Lack of experience can be a problem when things go awry. The only time they have been behind, against Serbia, they lost, and they looked rattled when England rallied. Left-back is a problem position. Rookie goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has made a couple of poor judgement calls.
SPAIN - CHRIS
World Cup form LWWWW
Goals (for-against) 6-2
Top goalscorer 5, Villa
Ever-presents (9) Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pique, Puyol, Capdevila, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Villa
Suspended None
How they play
Their shape has varied from 4-2-3-1 to 4-5-1, 4-1-3-2, 4-3-3 and 4-4-2. The preference is for Fernando Torres to lead the line, with David Villa either partnering him or supporting from the left, but Torres' poor form means Villa usually finishes as a lone forward, often supported by Cesc Fabregas. Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets hold in midfield, Andres Iniesta works a flank, usually the right, Xavi plays behind the striker(s), Sergio Ramos gets forward from right-back, while Jesus Navas and Pedro offer wing play from the bench. They press as a pack when not in possession.
Key player
Xavi is the fulcrum of the team's ball rotation and Iniesta supplies much of the imagination, but it is impossible to look beyond Villa. The Barcelona-bound striker has scored five of the team's six goals, playing in a variety of positions without losing potency.
Strengths
Superb technique and constant player movement enable them to keep possession for long periods, wearing opponents out and creating gaps to exploit. Near-telepathic link between the Barcelona players. Excellent goalkeeper. A bench that includes Fabregas, Navas, Pedro, Pepe Reina and David Silva. Consistent selection.
Weaknesses
Spain have struggled to break down teams who defend in depth, which could be a problem if they face Uruguay in the final. Torres is even less fit than Wayne Rooney. The central defender Carles Puyol can be exposed for pace, Ramos leaves gaps in behind. They have missed two penalties in the tournament.
[/b]
_________________
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear"
-Mark Twain
And then there were four... who will win the world's greatest prize?
Uruguay face Holland, the conquerors of Brazil, tomorrow and favourites Spain take on the effervescent young Germans on Wednesday. Glenn Moore assesses the semi-finalists' prospects
URUGUAY - DALE
World Cup form DWWWD
Goals (for-against) 7-2
Top goalscorer 3, Suarez, Forlan
Ever-presents: (7) Muslera, Maxi Pereira, Lugano, Arevalo, Perez, Forlan, Suarez
Suspended Suarez, Fucile
How they play
The most flexible team in the tournament, they are happy to play several formations in one game, with an impressive ability to switch from a defensive set-up to an attacking one. They began as one of the few teams playing three at the back but have fielded a back four in their last three games. They usually deploy two holding midfielders, Diego Perez and Egidio Arevalo (the only Uruguay-based outfielder in the squad), and have used Diego Forlan either behind or alongside Luis Suarez, who will miss the semi-final. They are strong at set pieces, which Forlan takes. Unlike the other semi-finalists, they send free-kicks near the halfway line into "the mixer", rather than taking them short.
Key player
The defensive unit has been sound but it is Forlan who makes things happen, whether playing off the front or leading the line. The Atletico Madrid striker is in superb form.
Strengths
Sophisticated tactically, strong defensively, a goalscoring threat in Forlan. They have overachieved already, so no burden of expectation. Calm manager. Good at set plays.
Weaknesses
Injuries (Nicolas Lodeiro is out, and defender Diego Godin and captain Diego Lugano may also be unfit) and suspensions (Suarez and Jorge Fucile) will stretch the squad, especially at the back. May be over-reliant on Forlan for inspiration. Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera is suspect in the air.
HOLLAND- BILLY
World Cup form WWWWW
Goals (for-against) 9-3
Top goalscorer 4, Sneijder
Ever-presents (
Stekelenberg, Heitinga, Van Bronckhorst, Van Bommel, De Jong, Kuyt, Sneijder, Van Persie
Suspended Van der Wiel, De Jong
How they play
Van Basten, a Johan Cruyff disciple, wanted to win with panache in the Dutch tradition. Van Marwijk wants to win. This has led to long periods – poorly received at home – in which the back four and holding players pass among themselves, waiting for the opposition to commit rather than taking risks.
They play with a five-man midfield but this is a fairly rigid 4-2-3-1. Robin van Persie leads the line, Arjen Robben and Dirk Kuyt are on the flanks (with orders to hug the touchlines when in possession), Wesley Sneijder plays in the hole, while Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong hold. The full-backs push on to an extent, more so the right-back Gregory van der Wiel, but he and De Jong will both miss the semi-final through suspension.
Key player
Sneijder's awareness can split defences, but it is Robben who makes the difference. The winger's pace, quick footwork and accurate shooting transform the Dutch team from a solid outfit to a threatening one.
Strengths
Patient and well-organised, with Robben's explosive trickery on one flank and the tireless Kuyt on the other. Sneijder's set-piece delivery and passing are astute.
Weaknesses
The defence wobbled when Brazil put them under pressure. One full-back is past his best, the other a long way from reaching it, John Heitinga is prone to dive in. Van Bommel and De Jong concede fouls too easily. Van Persie is lacking sharpness after a long injury lay-off, and his frustration at failing to score is showing.
GERMANY - PETE
World Cup form WLWWW
Goals (for-against) 13-2
Top goalscorers 4, Müller, Klose
Ever-presents (9) Neuer, Lahm, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Müller, Podolski, Ozil.
Suspended Müller
How they play
A mobile 4-5-1 formation with Miroslav Klose ahead of a midfield that floods forward with pace and movement. Mesut Ozil operates in the hole behind Klose but drifts to create space for Sami Khedira. Lukas Podolski and Thomas Müller are goalscoring wide players. They press high up the pitch when the opposition has the ball.
Key player
Ozil has taken the headlines and the 21-year-old is a star in the making but Bastian Schweinsteiger makes the Nationalmannschaft tick. The converted wide midfielder has filled Michael Ballack's shoes with a series of mature performances, dictating play from the holding role.
Strengths
Germany have pace and energy in most areas, and plenty of forward movement from midfield. They are tactically astute and disciplined. Goals can come from a variety of sources. Philipp Lahm and Müller have linked well on the right.
Weaknesses
Lack of experience can be a problem when things go awry. The only time they have been behind, against Serbia, they lost, and they looked rattled when England rallied. Left-back is a problem position. Rookie goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has made a couple of poor judgement calls.
SPAIN - CHRIS
World Cup form LWWWW
Goals (for-against) 6-2
Top goalscorer 5, Villa
Ever-presents (9) Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pique, Puyol, Capdevila, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Villa
Suspended None
How they play
Their shape has varied from 4-2-3-1 to 4-5-1, 4-1-3-2, 4-3-3 and 4-4-2. The preference is for Fernando Torres to lead the line, with David Villa either partnering him or supporting from the left, but Torres' poor form means Villa usually finishes as a lone forward, often supported by Cesc Fabregas. Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets hold in midfield, Andres Iniesta works a flank, usually the right, Xavi plays behind the striker(s), Sergio Ramos gets forward from right-back, while Jesus Navas and Pedro offer wing play from the bench. They press as a pack when not in possession.
Key player
Xavi is the fulcrum of the team's ball rotation and Iniesta supplies much of the imagination, but it is impossible to look beyond Villa. The Barcelona-bound striker has scored five of the team's six goals, playing in a variety of positions without losing potency.
Strengths
Superb technique and constant player movement enable them to keep possession for long periods, wearing opponents out and creating gaps to exploit. Near-telepathic link between the Barcelona players. Excellent goalkeeper. A bench that includes Fabregas, Navas, Pedro, Pepe Reina and David Silva. Consistent selection.
Weaknesses
Spain have struggled to break down teams who defend in depth, which could be a problem if they face Uruguay in the final. Torres is even less fit than Wayne Rooney. The central defender Carles Puyol can be exposed for pace, Ramos leaves gaps in behind. They have missed two penalties in the tournament.
[/b]
_________________
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear"
-Mark Twain
1)
