Dudes!!!!

Yo!!!! The World Cup is like less than 100 days away and stuff!!! Bam! Woo! Smash!

So much snow in New York I almost forgot! Whoa.....

So yesterday and today a bunch of WC teams played friendlies. For some the final tune up before they name their squad. Some interesting stuff but it is important not to read too much into it. I just felt like posting because hearing/reading the words "last friendly before heading to South Africa" made me pop a six foot boner for charity.

Brazil vs Ireland
I can't imagine Dunga is serious about excluding Ronaldinho AND Pato but plans on bringing Adriano to the WC. I think at least Pato makes the squad and if his options are healthy Adriano stays in Brazil. Robinho has a real problem grasping the concept of offside vs onside. I was kind of hoping for Ireland to grab a win hear and maybe attenuate the sting of being robbed of a spot this summer. That and I absolutely loathe Brazil.

England vs Egypt
Kind of embarrassing to go into the break a goal down to a team that didn't even make the dance, but a 3-1 win is enough. Don Fabio seems to be the meticulous kind of manager that has purpose in everything he does and I suspect many guys played for their spot on the team today. To me James Milner is one of the most underrated players in the Prem and definitely deserves a starting spot on the national team if they are going with 4 midfielders, which appears to be case. Surprised he didn't start. Cartlon Cole is a very dangerous player that maybe doesn't get his due because he is at West Ham. Given the strike corps drops pretty hard after Rooney and DeFoe I can see Cole getting some minutes in South Africa.

Argentina vs Germany
I know it is a one goal win. I know it is a friendly. I know there are gargantuan problems standing between Argentina and the World Cup. So I am just going to enjoy this. Always a classic match up and the pieces I got to see were hard fought and fairly entertaining. Di Maria looked lethal. Much of the team has sorted itself out but the backline continues to be undefined. Demichelis' injury shouldn't keep him from SA. Along with Heinze I think he is a lock. But who else? There are at least 3 guys who could start at right back (Zanetti, Zabaleta, Papa) and a whole raft of center-halfs. Heinze could even play there and have Insua slide in at left back. I think today cemented Higuain as the 9 for the tournament.

France vs Spain
Spain are an absolute machine. France's problems off the field are well known but they are still a quality side. If someone, anyone, else were in charge the talent in this group would be enough to have them considered in an elite group of favorites. And they were beaten soundly at home by their neighbors. Right now I see Spain as the best team going into the tournament by a sizable margin. The only concern I have regarding Spain is exhaustion. They have played international tournaments the last two summers with essentially the same squad and almost all their players are at elite clubs that go deep into multiple competitions. In addition four of their key players (Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, and Xavi) are staples in the Barcelona lineup and have been subjected to an almost superhuman fixture list. If Spain reaches the final in July Xavi will have played competitive football for 22 of the previous 24 months at the highest possible level.

Holland vs USA
I don't think there is much to take from this. A 2-1 loss in the Netherlands is neither discouraging nor surprising. Stuart Holden got hurt and that is bad. We more or less know who is in the squad and where it is weak and strong. A spot in the final 16 is very doable and hard work and focus should get the Americans there.

Switzerland vs Uruguay
The Swiss went up 1-0 at home and then got run off the park. A 3-1 win in the Alps might be a big boost for Uruguay, a squad I think will surprise a lot of people next summer. You can say what you want about qualifying groups but the Swiss have been in two consecutive WC's. Uruguay are not terribly deep in many areas but they are gritty and tough and have skill in their strikers that is equalled by very, very, very few national teams. If they are able to keep themselves on the park I think they are going through as the second team in group A.