Holders Bow Out and Great Game Tomorrow

Italy became only the fourth defending world champion to go out in the group stage after a 3-2 loss to Slovakia. One of the things we've come to expect at international tournaments is for the Italians to start slow, have the whole world say they are old tired and sloppy, barely squeak out of the group, then turn it on and go deep. 99% of the people saying they picked Slovakia to win are full of it. It was stunning to see the Italians go out like that, but in retrospect the team selection before the World Cup and Lippi's tactics in the three games were woeful. I don't think there is an example of a coach getting it so right in one world cup and getting it so wrong the next time around.

The mood around the squad was somber with Lippi fully accepting all the blame for the debacle and Gattuso being being particularly sober in his comments about this being an opportunity to reassess the whole of Italian football. As tough as it must be for Italy to face this at least they are not limping out the way their opponent in the final four years ago is. The French made unqualified fools of themselves in South Africa both on and off the field. 1 point in a group with Mexico, Uruguay, and South Africa is shameful. To send a starting striker home, have the team boycott practice, a starting fullback refuse to play, then have the coach storm off without shaking hands with his counterpart make it perhaps the worst display at a world cup in recent memory.

The good news for these two national teams at a time of sorrow is that the future is actually pretty bright for both of them (or can be at least). They both know who their next manager will be. Laurent Blanc for France and Cesare Prandelli for Italy. Both very competent guys who will add a new element and inject their teams with a sense of change that is desperately needed right now. And, countries are blessed with talented pools of young players that would be a dream in other parts of the world. Although France is probably slightly better positioned for Ukraine-Poland 2012, by the next world cup and the following Euro I suspect Italy will be back amongst the big guns.


Tomorrow pre-tournament favorites Spain play for their lives in the final group stage match against Chile. The Chileans themselves aren't assured of passage despite having won their first two games, so this will be for all the marbles. I am intrigued by this match for many reasons. The stakes, the players, the managers, etc. Despite mediocre results Spain have dominated their opponents and only dismal finishing kept them from three points against Switzerland and a blow-out against Honduras. Will tomorrow be the day the strike force finally clicks, or the day the wasted opportunities send them home? I honestly don't know.

On the other side I can't wait to see how Chile approach this game. The press is reporting that Marcelo Bielsa intends to take on Spain the way they did their previous opponents: with pressure, pace, attack, and in a peculiar 3-3-1-3 formation. This might be true but I will believe it when I see it. Against a Swiss side built on patience and containment that approach made sense, and against a Honduran team hanging on for dear life from the first minute of the first game there really wasn't an option. But against a high possession team with precise passing and a stable of dangerous attackers, being that aggressive might be a suicidal strategy. Add to that the fact that Chile need only a draw to win the group, and the choice Bielsa must make is a monumental one.

Hope it is as good as the build up, then on to the knock-out rounds!