Motty's quarter-final preview - part 1
The first of the 2010 quarter-finals take place on Friday with the Netherlands v Brazil (1500 BST) and Uruguay v Ghana (1930 BST).
I think the Dutch will stretch Brazil, but I take the South Americans to go through to the semis.
In the other match, Ghana might find this a step too far against the experienced Uruguayans.
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South Africa 2010 will be John Motson's 10th World Cup with BBC Sport. John will be filing regular video reports from Cape Town, offering expert insight and opinion as well as recalling his own fond memories of previous tournaments. You can watch World Cup Motty on the BBC Sport website and the Red Button. John will also be using 
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Comments
Injuries and suspensions aside, I hope Brazil can defeat the Dutch by a good margin. Hopefully a good match without bunker tactics being employed by either team (hint: Portugal).
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unless your a top quality passing and footballing side you cannot beat brazil, in the last 25 years only argentina and brilliant french teams have beaten brazil in the world cup ,good luck to holland but i fear they will get beat.
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It's going to be tough, but Brazil's flair will propel them to win by a tight margin.
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The Dutch will be Brazils toughest test to date but all that means is Brazil will step up the gear they've always looked capable of doing. I thought the Ivory Coast might have given them more of a test, physically they were more than capable of doing so but Brazil just brushed them aside. Yes Portugal got a draw but both were as good as qualified and why put in extra effort when it's simply not required.
In Sniejder, Robben and Van Persie they have obvious threat but Brazil have simply looked a cut above the rest so far this tournament, Spain included.
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Nope Brazil won't win this time =)
Itll be a chessmatch of a game which will explode into life into the last 30 minutes. Key fact: Brazil can't field their first XI.
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I expect both teams to play with a defensive 4-2-3-1 system,the Dutch will have to be at their best to beat this solid Brazillian team.As somebody that advises bookmakers who is going to win matches,my advice here is to bet Holland where you get the draw included as in the Asian Handicap. They are unbeaten in their last 23 matches and Holland have only lost one of their last 12 games against South American opposition. I reiterate if Robben, Van Persie, and Sneijder are in top form and can motivate the rest of the side, Holland can progress.
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i cant understand why ghana are seen as underdogs and motty thinks they will lose because of experience....
this shows a trend of lack of knowledge of african football, which has occured throuout the world cup, all these johnny come latelys, suddenly think they know anything about african football.
In a world cup year the African cup of nations is NOOOOO indication as to how well african teams can do.
Looking at the teams Ghana with Appiah, Gyan, Muntari, Boatent, pantsil, mensah, owusu-abeyie. are names that are known to the educated football fan. if you follow u19-u23 championships theses names will be familliar, and will certainly be on the radar of premier clubs ayew,addy and vorsah
Urguay by contrast suarez, forlan, Caceres, (godin and lugano at a push) and now cavani, but he was hardly puling up any trees in seria a last year
uruguay are basically forlan and suarez and relly on their defence ironically.
this is a ghana team who are here WITHOUT essien the most complete midfielder in the world, and without appiah and mutari as they cant get in the team.
This team deserve more respect and this game has no clear winner
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Brazil have a better defence, but the Netherlands are also pretty solid at the back. The Netherlands have a better attack at the moment, but if Kaka regains his peak form, the Brazilians may be more deadly.
The Brazilians are very industrious, whilst the Dutch are very fluid. Dutch movement on and off the ball may be to much for the Brazilians. On the other hand the Brazilians athleticism may prove too much for the Dutch.
Most international games determined by which midfield plays better and creates more chances. The Netherlands overall have more midfielders who can create something out of nothing and I believe this is the reason why the Netherlands will be victorious today.
On the Ghana vs Uruguay game. I can see it being a tough match, but a match where the team again with the most active midfielders prevails.
I believe Ghana have better midfielders who are on form, if the Ghanaian midfielders are on form today and Ghana's defensive pairing deal with Uruguay's strong strikeforce, which they can certainly do. Ghana will be victorious and the first African country to reach the semi finals. This game for Uruguay will be their toughest yet in the competition and not only the strikers will have perform like in their previous matches.
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There's only one winner in this, end of discussion. The Netherlands. And that's The Netherlands not Holland.
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At 09:11am on 02 Jul 2010, foscari wrote:
I expect both teams to play with a defensive 4-2-3-1 system,the Dutch will have to be at their best to beat this solid Brazillian team.As somebody that advises bookmakers who is going to win matches
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haha, what a load of nonsense!!
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@8, Not sure you have to be 'educated' to know a lot of those African players you listed, are you suggesting the Motty isnt aware of them?
I think Ghana are the underdogs mainly because they're not as good as Uraguay, who have been playing consistently better.
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Hup Holland Hup! That's what Dutch supporters shout worldwide. They have no problem calling themselves Holland, even though the country's name is the Netherlands.
So Holland will win. It's going to be tough, but they have everything for that: tactics, speed, strong distant kicks, great dribbling abilities (Elia). The only thing I am worried about is a dirty play from van Persie... he may be sent off if he keeps playing in that manner.
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Netherlands v Brazil 2-1 (champions league final re-run)
Uruguay v Ghana 3-2 (firepower overcomes fervor)
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Ariyo69 I do not think you know what you are talking about. I think for once we will see a brillaint game between the Netherlands and Brazil, with Brazil coming out on top. Also i think Uruguay will come out on top against Ghana, i agree that Ghana should not be understimated but i do not think they have what it takes to beat Uruguay as they have 1 or 2 players that are a cut above the Ghanains...
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Motty said Brazil so it would be Brazil end of story.
Samba kings all the way.................................
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Understandably the europeans are not particularly eager to see an African semi finalist but we'll see how it goes. Ghana was certainly better than Germany in their match, though they unfortunately lost to a superb Ozil goal mostly due to naivety and giving Germany too much respect to have a proper go.
This is time it's knowck out and I doubt they'd accord Uruguay the same respect. As long as the officiating is fair, anything can happen
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The tournament hasn't been awash with too many open games so I predict quite a few penalty shoot-outs from here on in.
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Motty's prediction for GHANA-usa game was a win for usa. I rest my case.
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Brazil are overrated. Going forward they are not all that great and in midfield they're not the strongest side I've seen either. Basically they have a solid trio in Cesar, Juan and Lucio, have Kaka, but beyond that I see nothing special.
I really fancy Holland to turn them over today.
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Speaking as an insular and uneducated European...
... I think we're more likely to see an East Asian team, probably South Korea, win the tournament outright than we are to see an African nation reach the semi-finals.
Both Japan and South Korea managed something Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, South Africa and Algeria all failed at... progressing from the group phase. That's pretty impressive when you think about it.
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The Netherlands will take a beating, Brazil are too strong with the likes of Robinho, Kaka & Luis Fabiano. Not only do they possess bags of creativity, Roberto Carlos is not there to tie his laces during a corner!
The Netherlands have not had a single convincing win yet. Extremely lucky against Denmark (2-0 = own goal & lucky rebound off the post). Lucky again against Japan thanks to the Jabulani ball (ask Kawashima!)and fortunate versus Cameroon with a keeper nutmeg and another rebound. It also took them until the 84th minute to secure the win over Slovakia.
Lets see some Samba!!....although Robben can dance...
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Hmm, and Brazil were so convincing against north korea and portugal.
Well looks like you were wrong 2-1 and the dutch go marching on!
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Brazil were pretty poor after a decent first half and looked clueless as soon as the Dutch equalized. Schoolboy defending and indiscipline has cost them dearly. Holland are not a great side by any means but may well get to the final. The winner of the World Cup will surely come from the other half of the draw though and I would fancy any of Argentina, Germany or Spain to beat them.
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Sorry Motty - got it wrong
Great to see a small country doing so well - how long since they were last beaten?
Brazil also lost it disciplinary terms - shame they always do that when they go down!
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Well Notasquick was spot on for 1st game... I'm off down the bookies with a few quid... :)
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@12 AND @15
I am sure I know far more about african football than motty,and many other people. I have lived in Africa, been to african cup of nations, which is more than most here. Have watched and followed african football and african players. Think I know a bit more about african football than you sir
As tonight has proved, Ghana were sooo close a fine bit of cheating from suarez denied a perfect goal and a well deserved victory. It was a goal and justice was not served. Uruguay played well but on chances I am biased but Ghana shoud have won. At 1-1 last kick of the game, a penalty. Ghana had it in their grasp! So Gutted.
number 17 exactly!!!
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I hate to further the stereotypes but Ghana showed their naivety by actually celebrating BEFORE the extra-time penalty was taken.The talk of Suarez' cheating is being exaggerated......looked like an instinctive reaction to me,there's no way he had time to evaluate the '1 game ban and take my chances that a penalty is missed with a last kick of the game' scenario.
Again,in the shootout I believe that Uruguay's tactics were spot-on as they sent their 'top boys' up first.......whereas Boateng didn't even get a chance to take what would have been Ghana's 5th spot-kick?
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Motty enjoying the mass presumption that Brazil will be flying through the rounds. Things just dont go that way sometimes sometimes, it seems.
The conversations going around the world are about our star players not shining. That's just what happens when you base your entire squad around a single surname.
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