Today The Fourth Official passed the 1000
views! To this news, TFO thought about what celebration he wanted to adopt and
it split up in two parts. The first part of the celebration was one of genuine
happiness. So let’s follow Thomas Müller and his refreshing way of
celebrating his goal against England during the 2010 World Cup after a fatal counter-attack. No pretentious “airplane”
moves, no acrobatics, just raise your arms high above your head, scream, run around aimlessly and look
around for your teammates. He did it, and he can’t believe it!
Müller's goal against England and the no-funny business celebration. The music provided by TFO goes well with the action, so cut the video sound!
Being purged and as it is Dance Thursday, The
Fourth Official feels it adequate to add a little slick move. And for this we
turn to the king of ridiculous meaningless steps: Emmanuel Eboue. Watch and
learn a dance never seen before probably never to be seen again. Put your feet closely
together, pull your butt out (far, far, out), curb arms, slightly flex knees, and
lift legs alternatively. You got it.
Eboue's ridiculous dance, from 0'18 to 0'24 in the video.
Goals: Klose (15'), Müller (26') and Özil (66') for Germany
In preparation for the Euro 2012, Germany and Holland offered us a prestige friendly game, accompanied by the longtime rivalry between both sides. If the final score-line was undecided on paper at the start of the game, it remained only that. The Germans came out on top by a large margin, placing themselves as a serious contender for the European trophy. Holland on the other hand, even amidst the notable absences and a palpable quality, seems to be reaching the end of a cycle.
Playing in Hamburg, it only took Germany 15 minutes to take the advantage in a nervy game. Toni Kroos’ cross found Miroslav Klose who laid off the ball to an on-rushing Thomas Müller who made no mistake. With a strong domination, Germany doubled their lead after Dirk Kuyt had missed the target receiving the ball from a corner kick. Müller and Özil combined on the right side of the pitch, the latter delivering a pinpoint perfect one-touch cross onto Klose’s head, beating Maarten Stekelenburg on the near post. A comfortable lead after 26 minutes of play, then. Holland replied timidly in the game but strongly on the physical level. The first half ended with Klose’s missed opportunity to take a 3-0 lead. The second half was a slight variation of the first. Germany dominated over a tame Dutch team who relied mostly on individual exploits for chances. Efforts from Sneijder (54’) and Babel (59’) were far too predictable to worry Neuer. The score was finally sealed after Germany’s golden trio Müller-Özil-Klose combined yet again to score a wonderful goal on the 66th minute. The game then lost considerable pace with each coach undertaking at least four changes.
A formality-win then for Germany, showing its muscles. On a stable (very) high level for the past 5 years, the Mannschaft used its well-known strengths: a well-oiled collective, youth and a relentless search for direct attacking football. The quality of the German players is not a secret anymore and tonight all of their players performed at their best, with, of course, a special mention to Özil, Müller and Klose. All the players seem most comfortable in and with each other’s roles within the national team. As an example one can simply look at the goals, where Özil and Müller swap position with a bewildering facility. In this sense, it seems Germany have become a very complete team, able to play possession, as it did in the early part of the first half, or counter attack, as it did in the second, with the same ease. Germany were in control of the game whether with or without the ball. Another testament to Germany’s quality is the fact that the absence of two of the most capped players, Schweinsteiger and Lahm, went unnoticed tonight. Löwe’s constant influx of younger talents has allowed him to have easily replaceable and equally performing parts. Toni Kroos doesn't just look like Scweini, he also plays like him (at least, with the national team).
The same cannot be said about Van Merwijk’s Holland. If the quality of the players is also undeniable (maybe less so for the back four), the automatisms seem at this point galvanized. The game was overly systematic: the good short ground passes are overly directed at Sneijder who in turns puts the wingers on orbit. If the midfield can rely on a guarantee such as Van Bommel, Holland’s plan B is on the other hand much less seductive. Babel offered much but alternated between the good and the less so; Strootman showed a good complicity with Van Boom Boom, but also a lack of the necessary experience to excel at international level (you do have to start somewhere); the masked Huntelaar although valiant in effort did not have the stature to carry the Dutch team forward. These three were not the worst Dutch players on the pitch tonight, far from it, yet they were all substitutes nominations. Van Der Vaart, Robben and Van Persie sure made their absence felt. Against an all around complete team like Germany, Holland could only rely on moments of grace and glory from individual players, and if these almost happened, it was not from the substitutes. Van Merwijk is not succeeding in supporting his talented starting line-up. On another note, the defense also seemed slightly under par, the complicity between the experience Mathijsen and Heitinga could not make up for the approximations of the wingbacks, notably from Braaheid on the first goal. Leaving that much space to a striker like Klose is treacherous.
If the Euro Cup is still far away and all prognoses must remain cautious, Germany’s sure on the right path to entering the competition strongly. Holland on the other hand will hope to have a complete squad for the Euro, because if they do, their side could reveal itself one of the deadliest as it did not only during the South African World Cup but also during the Euro 2008.
We continue with The Fourth Official’s cover series. To remind of the concept, TFO offers you a great song cover equated with a great soccer move cover.
What do you do when you need to make an inch perfect cross when the ball is rolling on your weaker foot? Such a profound dilemma could only have a spectacular solution, namely the “rabona” (or the “scarf move”): “a method of kicking the football whereby the kicking leg is wrapped around the back of the standing leg—effectively with one's legs crossed.”*With this move, players like Maradona could in 1980 cry out “We can work it out” to the ball whilst perfectly addressing it to his teammate with his better left foot. If the rabona has now become less of a technical feat to accomplish, its purposeful usage is on the hand rarer. The point is now to show that you can indeed work it out for yourself, but also for the team, the way it should. So watch Aquilani appropriate himself the rabona with his tall and lanky body as he sings “try to see it my way”. A different style, like Stevie’s, the same technical ease, and a goal in the end.
Maradona's 1980 rabona for Argentina against Switzerland
The play is here simple. The team star receives the ball in center circle, run diagonally towards the goal past defenders, beats the keeper with the simplest of shots, and his team wins. Remarkable by its simplicity, Thierry Henry stunned all of the Bernabeu by creating himself a way out of there. It was only a year later that Kaka proved himself by undertaking the feat. If Dylan is said to be stunned by Hendrix’ cover, Henry must be abashed by Kaka’s. Everything fits: using the body to defend possession the acceleration, successfully overtaking the first defender, the weaker foot finish (if only they had tried a rabona…), the Champion’s League atmosphere and the three points. Kaka’s run did occur in stoppage time, just to add that extravaganza equal to that of Jimi’s solo. The move of a generation, interpreted twice, so that we are sure to get the point.
Henry's 2006 qualifying goal for Arsenal against Real Madrid
Kaka's 2007 qualifying goal for Milan against Celtic
Small talk can only reach so far. Instead the Fourth Official introduces you to a new category of posts: the covers. On the one hand, a great cover of a great song, on the other, a great cover of a great soccer move. Between them a similar re-appropriation of signature gestures, simple enough. And since this is the first of the series, you get three for the price of one!
“I Fought The Law”, from Bobby Fuller to The Clash.
Let’s start with the most obvious of comparisons. On the one hand we have Diego Armando Maradona, El Pibe, possibly the greatest player ever to have lived, scoring what has long been dubbed “the greatest goal ever.” Dribbling past half of the Queen’s team, Maradona fought the law, in the strictest of ways: cocaine, his refusal to join a big European club, his hand of God, his friendship with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. Most of the time, the law did win. Now take Messi’s incredibly similar goal against Getafe. The same path, the same fake to pass the keeper, the same diabolical left foot. Yet Messi fights another kind of law: the law of the records and those of physics. No one expected Maradona’s goal to be so well re-interpreted. Faster, stronger, louder, Messi adds the distortion, wins and adds “I guess my race is run.”
Maradona's:
Messi's:
“The Man Who Sold The World”, from David Bowie to Nirvana.
Van Basten’s goal is exceptional. From an impossible angle, the Dutchman volleys the ball in the opposite corner, lobbing the goalkeeper. An extraordinary feat only matched by Van Basten’s impressive personal prizes: three Ballons d’Or, best scorer for the Euro 1988, for the Italian Serie A (x2), for the Dutch Eredivisie (x4) and for the Champion’s League. Yet few remember Marco as an all time great. A truly blasé persona, Marco was thought to have died alone, a long long time ago, but with this volley he only answers: “I never lost control.” Youri Djorkaeff, with a prize list opposite of Van Basten’s (the two most prestigious collective rewards, the World and Euro Cup) brought us the 90s version: forget the simple volley; try the bent oblique grungy bicycle kick. On a grey Lombard afternoon, the melancholy is only greater, but the result remains: the ball in the top corner, a beautiful ballad in itself.
Van Basten's
Djorkaeff's:
“Ghost Town” from The Specials to Kode9 & The Spaceape.
The repeated step over is nowadays a classic. Even right backs can pull it off with confidence. But do you remember the good old days when it only meant samba? When it only meant that you left your opponent staring at nothing while you blissfully pass him? Denilson surely does. Maybe the last of the Brazilians to be all fun and no work*, the winger had a mitigated career full of unfulfilled promises. Here is an example of what he did best, the step over in question, full of rhythm, anticipation horns and playfulness. Mancini on the other hand shows us the institutionalization of the step over: no longer joyful, it’s become mechanic; the jerseys turn from orange and yellow to black and white; the action concludes itself by a cold missile and not a silky pass; the field itself is depopulated. No sound, just a hint of it.
Denilson's (starting at 1:24)
Mancini's:
TFO
*Some argue, and probably rightly so that the last Brazilian generation to be fully all fun and no work was that of Zico’s and Socrates’.
Gearing up for a European mid week,
the Fourth Official offers you a look at one of his favorite current forwards:
Antonio Di Natale. Small, pacey, technical and cold-blooded, “Totò” is Udinese’s captain courage. Scoring an average of 22 goals per
season since 2004, the 34 year old has become the emblem of a team always
capable of playing attractive attacking soccer. He also managed to be Serie A’s
top scorer in two consecutive seasons, 09/10 and 10/11, a remarkable feat in
Europe’s most defensive league. Yet, with all the greatness his numerous goals
entail, Di Natale has consistently refused bigger offers to remain in a club
that has obviously attained a big part in his heart. A real provincial hero
(who else still gets sponsored by Asics?), the striker embodies at best the
spirit of a club that never lies to itself about its aspirations. This season,
Di Natale is at it again, leading the scorers’ classification with seven goals
in nine games. Udinese, is currently second of the Serie A, after having held
the lead for one week. In the fight for the title, there a few chances the
Friuli bianconeri will be able to keep the pace of clubs such as Milan,
Juventus, Lazio or Napoli, but they seemed promised to at least a European spot
by the end of the season.
Last week Di Natale scored Udinese’s
only goal in the club’s win against Palermo. This is a video (starting at 0:26)
of Di Natale’s great backheel pass. Note this is at the 75th minute
at a time when most of the other players keep play simple.
If the Napolitan-born striker might remain in
the world’s memory only as part of the Italian squad that failed miserably at
the 2010 World Cup, his name is forever engraved in the mind of Udinese’s
supporters. And the Fourth Official likes it better that way; making Di Natale
a sort of secret pleasure only few know of, as a special luxurious treat.
Here are Di
Natale’s 29 goals from the 2009/2010 season.
The Fourth Official’s grades are
back, ominous as ever, with a classic: Inter-Juve.
Internazionale FC 1 – 2 Juventus FC
Goals: Vucinic (12’) and Marchisio (33’) for Juventus, Maicon (28’) for Inter
Stadium: San Siro
The Game: 7 then 5.
two diametrically opposed halves for an unstable game. If the first half was
exhilarating with three goals, one crossbar, pace, technical quality and
enthusiasm from the players and the fans, the second was just a tactical
formality with Juventus nullifying all of Inter’s attempts at scoring. If the
first half was Juventus, then the second was Inter.
Internazionale: 4. A disappointing performance from Ranieri’s
men, never really able to match Juve’s spirit in the first half, except with
Maicon’s surge of pride, and unable to break the deadlock in the second. A lot
of work ahead.
Castellazzi: 6. Helpless on the first goal, helpless on the
second, Castellazzi nevertheless pulled out some important saves, notably on
Matri and Estegarribia, avoiding a bigger defeat to his team.
Maicon: 6 (5+1 for the goal): A neutral game for the
Brazilian fullback if it wasn't for his goal, itself slightly lucky. Far from
his top level.
Lucio: 5. A calamitous first half + a boss-mode second
half = right in the middle. Eaten by Matri, then solid against Juve’s attacking
waves.
Chivu: 4. Tricked by Matri. Tricked by Vucinic. Guilty
on both goals. A tough night.
Nagatomo: 4. In a defense that slept all through first
half, Yuto got a lesson from Lichtsteiner, a real constant fullback.
Cambiasso: 5/6: No more half grades TFO told himself, yet
that doesn't seem to resolve the problem, especially for Cambiasso,
successfully dominating Pirlo and Vidal in the first half hour, then slowly
disappearing from the game.
Zanetti: 7. Running, experience, the only Inter player to
tread over water.
Obi: 5. Like Zanetti a lot of running, but unlike his
captain, not enough experience to impact such a game.
Sneijder: 6: If his vision and technical ability
automatically place him in the higher tier of players, his lack of pace and
tendency to repeat himself unveil his lack of form this season. Come back to
us!
Zarate: 5/6: An encouraging performance from Mauro who
relentlessly provoked his opponents, even if he tends to hold the ball a little
too long.
Pazzini: 5. “Il Pazzo” was under the weather; just watch
his header hit Buffon’s crossbar, isolated at the front of the Inter attack.
Subs: Castaignos (in at 45’) 3/4: inexplicably replacing Zarate, the
Dutchman added nothing to a game that had already slipped out of his team’s
hands.
Stankovic (in at 64’)
5: replacing Obi, Dejan put in a lot of work with very little success.
Alvarez (in at 75’) 5: replacing Sneijder, it took him four minutes to receive a decent
ball, and when he did, he had to diagonally dribble past 4 Juve players before
attempting to make a good pass. What would have happened had he had more time
on the pitch?
Juventus: 7/8. An impressive display of talent, confidence and
strength by the Bianconeri, constantly stretching the game with their “4-2-4”
formation. Talent floods all of Juventus’ lines, undoubtedly one of the “Bigs”
of Serie A again.
Buffon: 6: Against a relatively passive Inter side,
saved by his crossbar, this is one of Gigi’s easier wins against Inter.
Lichtsteiner: 6/7. Diligent defensively, at the origin of the
first goal, a good game from the Swiss.
Barzagli: 6. A low key performance, a shadow worker.
Bonucci: 7. On Pazzini, Zarate or Sneijder, Bonucci was
impeccable tonight, showing his tactical and technical abilities on many
occasions. Juve fans rejoice…
Chiellini: 6. ….because if Chiellini has gone to a left
back position, it’s only for the better. Strong and industrious, Chiellini got
the better of his critics.
Vidal: 5. The only Juve player slightly under par with
a few lost passes, his defensive work is still essential to his team’s good
functioning.
Pirlo: Disbelief. Everything Pirlo does is magic, yet tonight
he missed some of the easier passages of plays.
Marchisio: 7. Juve’s strong man proved again tonight his
preciousness (and not the cute way). With an utmost important goal and
intelligent passing in the midfield, especially making the Inter players run,
Claudio also allowed himself a winning tackle on Zanetti.
Pepe: 6. Not the most flamboyant of players, Pepe
nevertheless reveals himself perfectly in tune with coach Conte’s idea of a
right winger: pace and will.
Vucinic: 6/7. Who knows how important that first goal is?
He probably does.
Matri: 8. A bold grade, yes, but Matri proved himself
to be Juventus’ number one weapon with his incessant calls, his ability to
direct play (whether facing the goal or not), his one delicious assist to
Marchisio and his strength. Also the reason why Vucinic got to score the first
goal.
Subs: Etegarribia (in at 70’) 6: replacing Matri, showed some good
pace, had a real chance to seal the score, the young Paraguayan seems promised
to a bright future at Juve.
Del Piero (in a 85’) NG: replacing Vucinic, Del Piero was just there so that we were
sure it actually was Juve playing. Should have score the 3-1, but didn't bother
to.
Pazienza (in at 89’) NG: replacing Vidal, no grade for four balls played.
Soccer is a dance like any other:
from the tip of the toes, up the legs, through the waist and up to the
shoulders, the rhythm of the ball dictates the body’s movements. Optimal
contact between the two partners is a question of timing. Play Tom Waits’
“Raised Right Men”, watch, learn how to move with Serie A’s best dancers.
Watch the ball drop, eliminate
oblivious opponent by chesting it, snare drum beats. Move body in attacking
rage mode with the high-hat on the upbeat. Let the ball bounce, snare drums
beats again. Strike it on the upbeat with the organ chords. Watch the ball
float in the air and reach the back of the net. Terrorize enemy. Nocerino’s powerful
waltz.
Receive the ball outside the box on
the snare drum beat. Push the ball forward with the high hat upbeat to taunt
adversary. Involve teammate with a low strong pass, second snare drum beat.
Rush into the box as the other teammate returns the favor: an overhead deep
pass, the high hat keeps us waiting. Tilt head backwards to follow the ball,
once targeted, jump and throw right leg up for contact as the organ chords
again spread fear. Lavezzi’s break dance.
Follow the course of the play, snare
drum beat. Watch teammates combine, high hat upbeat. Compute back pass and
acutely decelerate your forward run, snare drum beats again. Gently push the
sphere on your right, organ chords announce the contact. Raise left arm for
balance, rock right leg back for power, hold head down for perfect height,
caress the ball for desired spin. High hat opens, and closes, contact is made.
Ball reaches the back net, the organ strikes again. Jovetic’s Tango.
