Tuesday, August 04, 2009

frauen-em

"when you cut down the largest tree in the woods, there is more room for the smaller ones to grow." -Kenneth Heiner-Møller, denmark, on the retirement of their star striker.

"I firstly chose the girls who are hungry to win and then the ones who hate to lose."- Bruno Bini, france

speaking of france, i was watching the u19 women em the other day, and three of their midfielders impressed me with their tenacity in defence, class and passing ability. complete midfielders. and i was thinking, france haven't had any great central midfielders in recent times. or maybe that quartet of tigana, platini, giresse, fernandez was an anomaly.

in any case, germany will definitely enter the tournament as the team to beat, even if japan held them to a draw in a recent friendly. japan were really impressive in that game. they moved the ball so well. and i was struck by how far forward their keeper was playing. really as a sweeper.

germany's captain and talisman birgit prinz has returned from injury and reinvented herself as an attacking midfielder, a trequartista. her partnership with inka grings, a striker who also likes to drop deep, will be interesting, because essentially, they will be playing between the lines. the wingers can go in and attack the space.

this fluidity gives the defence problems because no one knows who is to pick up who.

a player whom i hope would be fit in time is kelly smith, of england and formerly of arsenal.

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