Germany 2010 better than Brazil 1970, a word about Asamoah Gyan and all hail the unbeaten All Whites. Read on for our World Cup quarter-final thoughts.
By Shane Breslin & Conor Hogan
1. Germany 2010 are in some ways better than Brazil 1970.
We at JOE are prone to hyperbole, and sometimes it doesn’t pay off. We called Paraguay an awful team last week only for them to completely prove us wrong with an outstanding display against Spain. Comparing Germany’s current team to The Greatest Team of All Time™ isn’t hyperbole, however. Because it can be backed up by plain hard facts.
Fact number one: Germany are the first team to score four goals in three separate matches since Brazil ’70. Unlike Brazil, however, they still have two more matches left in the tournament, and still have time to emulate the great unfulfilled side of Hungary in 1954 in scoring four or more goals in four individual World Cup matches.
Fact number two: By this stage of the tournament thirty-years ago, four different Brazilian players had gotten on the scoresheet (Rivelino, Pele, Jairzinho, Tostao). Four different players managed to get on the scoresheet for Germany in their first match (Podolski, Klose, Muller, Cacau) while two other Germans, Ozil and Friedrich, have since scored.
Fact number three: Brazil ‘70 had conceded five goals by this stage of the World Cup. Germany have to date conceded just two.
Fact number four: Brazil had scored 12 goals by this stage of Mexico ’70. Germany have scored 13 to get to the semi-finals.
Fact number five: Miroslav Klose has scored more goals in World Cups than Pele. Okay, so maybe Pele was more than just a goalscorer, but it is still an astonishing statistic. The ‘Black Pearl’ managed 12 goals in his four World Cups. Klose has already netted 14 times in his three tournaments and looks likely to break Fat Ronaldo’s record of 15 by the tournament end.
Brazil ’70 are better in one respect; they went through the tournament unbeaten and scored in every match. The Germans lost and drew a blank against the Serbians in the group stages. However, on statistics alone it’s safe to say that this is a bloody good German side.
2. Asamoah Gyan would be a major addition to any Premier League club.
Missed penalties with the last kick of extra-time notwithstanding, the Ghana striker should hold his head high after this World Cup. In the three-pronged attacking formation which took Ghana to within six inches of becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the tournament, Gyan is the vital element. Whereas Andre Ayew and Kwadwo Asamoah, two members of last year’s World Youth Championship wining side, flit and forage down the flanks or between the lines, Gyan is the solitary but considerable battering ram who helps Ghana open up defences.
The ease with which he bulldozed his way past Premier League regular Carlos Bocanegra of the United States to score Ghana’s winner during the second round match last week suggested that the 24-year-old (right) would be a perfect addition to any English top flight side.
Gyan is currently on the books of French top flight side Stade Rennais but there’s no doubt that his particular brand of centre forward play, combined with a quality level of finishing and plenty of bottle – okay, he hit the bar with the most important African shot in history against Uruguay but moments later stepped forward and stroked one into the top corner with the first penalty of the shoot-out – will have piqued the interest of a host of Premier League managers. Watch this space.
3. New Zealand may be the only undefeated team in the tournament.
Whichever side wins Wednesday night’s semi-final between Spain and Germany will be favourites in the final, irrespective of the opposition. The interesting thing is that both these teams have already lost in the World Cup. Germany lost in their second match against Serbia, while Spain were shocked by Switzerland in their opener.
Therefore, if the ultimate champion will, like we suspect, be one of those two, there will have been only one side who will have finished their campaign without losing a single game. And that team will be New Zealand.
The All-Whites drew their first match against Slovakia after a 90th minute equaliser, put in a heroic performance in the second leg to hold World champions Italy to a 1-1 draw before a dour 0-0 draw against Paraguay closed out their campaign.
Has the only undefeated team at a World Cup ever not been the champion before? Only once, in 1974. Eventual winners West Germany lost their final group game 1-0 to rivals East Germany. Scotland, meanwhile, were eliminated on goal difference, despite defeating Zaire and drawing with both Brazil and Yugoslavia.
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