SOUTH AFRICA- MEXICO
Host nations traditionally do well, but I am not sure that we have seen one as bad as SA before and a recent unbeaten run against some cherry picked opponents, has done little more IMO than paper over some very big looking cracks. The squad is weak, especially up front, 16 of them play their football domestically and only Steven Pienaar, who has been terrific at Everton again this season, looks really top class. They have failed to score in 7 from 11 competitive games and struggled against anyone ranked in the FIFA top 50 (Mexico are currently 17th) . The teams they have failed to register a single goal recently include Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Jamaica and North Korea, I rank Mexico superior to all of those and aside from Ireland, you would not rate any of them exactly watertight at the back, so where does this leave SA...... short of firepower, that's for sure !
Mexico are unbeaten in 8 starts against teams from Africa and have made it through the group stage in the last five World Cups, the last time Javier Aguirre was in charge, they won their group in 2002 and it would not overly surprise me if they did so again. Aguirre has given them stabilty after Sven changed the squad far too much and some idea of the talent he has in the side is that Castillo and do Santos, have both been deemed surplus to requirements. They are a very talented group, who impressed on the recent european tour with some slick, quick passing football, perhaps they lack experience up front, but Vela and Hernandez have almost limitless potential and on the bench Blanco has enough experience for four or five teams ! The altitude today will not be a problem with all the major footballing centres in Mexico, being at or well above the height of Joburg. I was very tempted by some big quotes for Mexico to keep a cleansheet, but in the end am happy to stick with them off level ball, as I just do not see them losing this one.
Mexico level ball 1.92 +.
Good Luck.
Host nations traditionally do well, but I am not sure that we have seen one as bad as SA before and a recent unbeaten run against some cherry picked opponents, has done little more IMO than paper over some very big looking cracks. The squad is weak, especially up front, 16 of them play their football domestically and only Steven Pienaar, who has been terrific at Everton again this season, looks really top class. They have failed to score in 7 from 11 competitive games and struggled against anyone ranked in the FIFA top 50 (Mexico are currently 17th) . The teams they have failed to register a single goal recently include Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Jamaica and North Korea, I rank Mexico superior to all of those and aside from Ireland, you would not rate any of them exactly watertight at the back, so where does this leave SA...... short of firepower, that's for sure !
Mexico are unbeaten in 8 starts against teams from Africa and have made it through the group stage in the last five World Cups, the last time Javier Aguirre was in charge, they won their group in 2002 and it would not overly surprise me if they did so again. Aguirre has given them stabilty after Sven changed the squad far too much and some idea of the talent he has in the side is that Castillo and do Santos, have both been deemed surplus to requirements. They are a very talented group, who impressed on the recent european tour with some slick, quick passing football, perhaps they lack experience up front, but Vela and Hernandez have almost limitless potential and on the bench Blanco has enough experience for four or five teams ! The altitude today will not be a problem with all the major footballing centres in Mexico, being at or well above the height of Joburg. I was very tempted by some big quotes for Mexico to keep a cleansheet, but in the end am happy to stick with them off level ball, as I just do not see them losing this one.
Mexico level ball 1.92 +.
Good Luck.
2 comments:
Good luck for the next world cup month, although is my first comment here I watch your blog for a long time and I must say that you gave me 6-7 good winners and for that I thank you but most of all I thank you for all the wonderful things you are doing here. All the best.
Adrian
Good luck everyone n really big Thank You for every superb write up...
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