or maybe it should be a best IX from all the red cards. I thought it might be time to start thinking about who might make this list. I think Buffon wins the keeper spot. Though I thought Edwin Van der Sar played well and Bobadilla had an outstanding tournament, even though they exited early. Ashley Cole and John Terry belong on the defenders list as I think the english defense is the only thing keeping them in the tournament Cafu would probably find his way as well and maybe roberto carlos or possibly lahm from germany. Middies, I think Gerrard has had a good tournament, Zinha from Mexico deserves a look. Maxi Rodriguez and/or mascherano from argentina. you could mention beckham as well I suppose since without him the english would probably be sitting at home on the sofa right now. I think after today and the later games we'll obviously be takling more about the Brazilians but up to now most would agree they haven't been outstanding yet. Just player well enough to get by in many cases. Kaka will probably find his way on the list by the time the finals come around. Strikers... Klose, Maybe one of the brazilians. whoever wins the golden boot will obviously be here if it's not klose. Pauleta has played well but it hasn't amounted to much./ he could be talked about if they advance much further as he will have to be a factor. I'm just starting to mention some names, obviously the quaters semi's and finals will go a long way to determining who wins what but I wanted to know who you guys think are the stand outs so far. I have a lot of englishman on my list so far even though they haven't played well I think the four that I mentioned are the reason the english are still alive. They've not played well and still won their group and are in the quarters. Mention who you might pick and who I might have overlooked.
I think we should wait till the tournament over before picking anything Beside, Lahm > Ashly Cole (at least in this WC)
From so far.... ----------Isaksson-------- Cafu---Neil--Cannavaro--Lahm Ribery--Vieira--????--M.Rodriguez ------Torres---Klose------ Really struggling to think of the other central mid spot. hmm....
Regardless if you think Grosso dived or not Lucas Neil was still skinned in the box in the 93rd minute of a 0-0 match. That alone rules him out of consideration for Best XI. My team is very similar to your with a few differences: ---------------------Buffon Cafu-----Cannavaro----------Nesta------Lahm --------Maxi-------Viera-----Mascherano -----------------Kaka -------------------------Klose I picked players who have been consistent in every game they played. I think Philip Senderos can make a case for the other CB but unfortunately he got injured which hurts his chances of making the 1st XI. Nesta as well is injured but I felt his performances in the first two matches were too good to overlook. Also, if Gattuso keeps playing like he did versus Australia he is a certainty to get some consideration for this team. I'm still waiting for alot of the creatvie players to show more consistently. After Riquelme's first three games he was a lock for this team. But he sort of faded during the last 50 minutes of the Mexico game.
---------------------Buffon Miguel-----Cannavaro----------Nesta------Lahm --------Maxi-------Viera-----Essien -----------------Kaka -------------------------Klose
My XI based on my favourites so far: ------------van der Sar --Cafu---Toure---Jaidi---Lahm Robben----Gerrard---Cahill----J.Cole -----Klose------------Rooney I realise that this is not the best players in the tournament, if it was Kaka would play and so would Ronaldinho, but it is some of my favourites based on games I've enjoyed and what I thought were the bets performances.
Lahm on the left back Nesta & Cannavaro the central defensive pair Kaka in the midfield Klose up front those are the players who have made the biggest impression on me. I'd also like to add some Ghanaian or German midfielders, but I can't single out whom
(so far). . . .1)Buffon,2)Sagnol,3)Cole,4)Gallas,5)Cannavaro,6)Cesc,7)Joe Cole,8)Van Persie,9)Podolski,10)Kaka,11)Messi. . .coach:nikolaos1981
The real problem with your list is that Nesta has only played two games and wasn't particularly inspiring against the United States (the yellow card tackle right at the top of the box comes to mind). I'd have to probably give Gallas the nod at the other CB spot, but Terry has plenty of time to overcome his error against Ecuador because other than that he has been top class.
I don't like picking best XI before the end of a tournament, but whoever doesn't have Riquelme in AM and Miguel (from Portugal) at RB has clearly been watching a different tournament than me!
GK-Buffon (ITA) LB-Lahm (GER)-watch GER. all there offense starts from Philip Lahm CB-Ayala (ARG)-Held Drogba, Borgetti, Van Nistelrooy, Kezman, Milosevic all scoreless when the met the big man CB-Gallas (FRA)-Is there any more physically imposing CB in this tourney RB-Miguel (POR), Arjen Who? MF-Riquelme (ARG), best player in tourney so far MF-Mascherano (ARG), allows Riquelme to never worry about defending in midfield MF-J. Cole (ENG), the 3 lions best player by MILES!!!! MF- Maxi (ARG), besides the goal he has played excellent box to box in all games FWD-Torres (ESP), despite the early exit he was clearly one of the top 2 strikers in the tourney FWD-Crespo (ARG), wily veteran scores the goals, sets them up, plays unselfish, defends up front. A true definaition of a player sacrificing his abilities to fit the team (are you listening JS Veron?) Coach-Juergen Kilnsmann (GER)-instilling a new set of attacking football for the new breed of German players. KUDOS!!!!
i agree with a lot of you that we should pick the 11 best after the tournament. but as of now, the player that should be on everyone's list is Klose. imo, he's having the best tournament out of everybody. and not because he has 4 goals but for the fact that he's doing everything right.
Klose has been outstanding, and a huge reason that Germany has gotten this far, I agree. But I can't imagine a best eleven without Cannavaro. He's playing out of his mind. Italy has been down to 10 for a significant amount of time so his worth has been even greater, as has Buffon's.
great point. cannavaro is nothing less than a brick wall. will definatly be included in everyone's 11 after the tournament aswell.
3-52 formation GK: dida (bra) Lib: juan (bra) CB: Ayala (Arg) Cannavarro (ita) Left wing: Lahm (Ger) Right wing: Cafu (bra) Defensive Midfield: Pirlo (ita) Attacking midfielder: Joe Cole (eng) Attacking midfielder: Kaka (bra) Center Forward: Klose (ger) second striker: robinho (bra)
I'm waiting until the tournament is over to make a best XI but so far players that have been standing out are Klose, Podolski, Ballack, Lahm, Maxi, Ayala, Miguel, Sagnol, Ribery, Beckham, Gerrard, Canavaro, Torres, Alonso, Riquelme, Boka, Akale, Toure, Appiah, Rosicky and Nedved (to an extent), Ze Roberto, Lucio, Juan, Kranjcar, Neil, Bresciano, Cahill, Frei, Senderos, Magnin, young-pyo, park, chun-soo, Milievsky, Voronin, Sheva. Quarters will be telling.
I think you need to go back and watch the US/Italy(and Italy/Ghana) match again. For as well as Cannavaro has played Nesta was head and shoulders over him in the first two games. He wasn't beaten once in 180 minutes. In the US game he won every header over McBride and he was outrunning Beasley at the end of the game. He was class. Getting a yellow card(which he actually didn't) is part of the game when your a defender.