The 2010 FIFA World Cup Thread #2/Sports Thread #2 For 6/14/10: The Hero Honda Gives Japan A Historic Win
Photo from Getty Images and Fifa.comThe Final Analysis:
Well, this was one contest where the protagonists were clearly the managers. For Takeshi Okada, much criticism was labeled on him. And his lineup for today certainly raised a few eyebrows and garnered much criticism. It was very conservative, leaving the likes of Shunsuke Nakamura, Atsuto Uchida and Takayuki Morimoto out of the lineup. But it worked like a masterstroke.
Who knows if Uchida would have gotten out of position on defense, allowing the likes of Eto'o and Webo to go into space and capitalize. And who knows if Honda would have worked that hard like he did today with that lineup, or if Japan would have frustrated the midfield for Cameroon today. He got his tactics spot on, for sure.
But as Okada was the manager's man today, the opposite can be said of his counterpart. Paul Le Gren will be feeling the heart for his terrible tactics today. Eto'o in the "hole" behind Webo and alongside Choupo-Moting instead of outright up front? No Alex Song starting or even playing? And Kameni, one of the most underrated goalkeepers in the tournament, benched and replaced by Souleymanou?
Paul LeGren has a lot of questions to answer to, because he clearly delivered the most pathetic tactical performance so far in the tournament. And luckily, Stephanie Mbia's awesome effort that rattled the bar did not get him off the hook for just poor managing today.
The full review here .
Group E Standings (Points, Goal Difference) :
Netherlands 3 (+2)
Japan 3 (+1)
Cameroon 0 (-1)
Denmark 0 (-2)
And the match thread archive:
No question who the man of this match is, not even a second thought, although great defensive performances all around from Japan, specifically young goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, who certainly got some European clubs interested in him again:
Photo from Getty Images and FIFA.comThe lineups:
Japan: Kawashima, Abe, Tulio, Nagatomo, Endo, Matsui, Okubo, Hasebe, Honda, NakazawaDefense minded for Japan, as well as their young goalkeeper, and a real surprise for Cameroon here, as no Kameni in goal.
Cameroon: Souleymanou, Assou Ekotto, Nikoulou, Bassong, Eto'o, Makoun, Choupo-Moting, Webo, Eyong, Mbia, Matip
The conservative tactics of Okada has been proven to be right so far, while the tactics of Paul Le Gren has been the exact opposite. A total nightmare of a first half for the Indomitable Lions, and they need to do better in a hurry like they are suppose to do.
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