Community Shield, and Super Cups

The pre-season is slowly coming to an end, the transfer market drags on into it's nothingness, teams play useless friendlies, and Manchester City buy (with no limit). But what is giving me hope as I wait for the start of the European seasons is the super cup, or community shield. A preview of what will be coming next season, the winner of the domestic cup and the winner of the domestic league pitted against each other for a trophy which can be considered relatively important.

Here's what happened in the English Community Shield, French Super Cup, and the German Super Cup:

Javier Hernandez celebrating his first goal

Manchester United defeated Chelsea 3-1 at Wembley stadium, while the blues had the better of the chances, United put away the opportunities they had. The scoring started with Valencia before the half, Rooney squaring the ball perfectly across the box with his first touch, leaving Valencia to apply the finish. Then after the half the newly bought 22 year-old Mexican, Javier Hernandez, scored his first goal for United on his debut. A strange tap-in with the ball ricocheting of his foot and onto his face to somehow end up in the back of the net. Then Kalou brought one back for Chelsea, but after, Berbatov put an end to the match with a delightful chip, putting the final score at 3-1.

Schweinsteiger lifting the German Super Cup

As for the German Super Cup, Bayern defeated Schalke 04 2-0, thanks to goals from Klose and Muller. The score was 0-0 until the 75th when Muller scored a simple goal while the Schalke defense fell asleep, after that, the second goal came thanks to Olic's rampaging run down the right wing, a couple of step overs and then a simple pass to Klose to finish off Felix Magath's team, and claim the German Super Cup.

Taiwo lifts the French Trophee des Champions

The French Super Cup was a different type of match, Olympique Marseille and Paris Saint Germain battled a tight 0-0 until it came to penalties. After 5 kicks from each team the score was 4-4, and when Giuly missed for PSG, Cisse scored his right after to give Marseille the French Super Cup, or what they call the Trophee des Champions, the Trophy of the Champions.

As for the Italian and the Spanish Super Cups, the Italian one will be played the 21st of August between Inter Milan and Roma, while the Spanish "Super Copa" is a two-legged affair which will take place the 14th of August and the 21st of August between Sevilla and Barcelona.

2010 World Cup awards: Forlan wins Golden Ball

A nice little graphic with Forlan's tournament statistics

After the World Cup, it's not all over, there's still plenty of awards to be dished out even if your team didn't lift the trophy. When the nominees were announced, I put up a post with the Golden Ball (best player of the tournament) and Best Young Player award nominees, I forgot about the Golden Glove (best goalkeeper of the tournament), but that award seemed already decided.

And now, FIFA have dished out every single award, and here are the winners (I won't be putting Adidas in front of all these award names, I'm sorry FIFA):


Golden Ball (Best player):
Diego Forlan

Golden Boot (Top scorer):
Thomas Muller

Golden Glove (Best goalkeeper):
Iker Casillas

Best young player award:
Thomas Muller




Yes, here they are, three names for four awards, and it's exciting seeing a young player like Thomas Muller sweep up two awards. Muller claimed the top scorer award because even though he was tied at five goals with David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, he had the most assists (three), therefore the young German claims the top scorer award. I find it very exciting that such a young player is sweeping two awards in his first World Cup, for me, Thomas Muller could become one of the next legendary players.

As for the other two awards, I'm very much in agreement with FIFA, Iker Casillas was the best goalkeeper for me without a doubt, and Diego Forlan was the heart and soul of Uruguay as he dragged them back into World Cup history, claiming a fourth place.

What are your thoughts on the awards? Share them below by commenting!

England demolished 4-1 by Germany

England's phantom goal in 1966

It was really interesting seeing England's build-up to the World Cup, everything about keeping Rooney fit, making sure the golden boy doesn't get injured, and playing a 4-5-1 around him like at Manchester United. Strangely enough, Rooney was terrible this tournament, if I were forced to give him an average rating for all four matches, it'd probably be something like a 3/10.

It's also really interesting to see a reverse situation of 1966, the year England won the World Cup thanks to a goal which didn't actually go over the line by Geoff Hurst. That 1966 final which in extra time England beat Germany 4-2 with a phantom goal is England's only World Cup glory, and yet again while many talked about the "golden generation" etc, England fail to achieve on the big stage.

Klose scoring Germany's first goal

Germany - England


The first 15 or 20 minutes weren't the most exciting, both teams were analyzing each other, scared to take risks or chances which could result in errors, but once things got going, it became a very exciting match. While Germany were passing and stroking the ball around looking to create wonderful through balls and silky slide passes, their goal came in a very "route 1" type of way. Goal-keeper Neuer boots the ball up to Klose who catches Terry and Upson asleep as he gets around them to slide and tap the goal past David James.

Podolski finishing for Germany's second

England were shell-shocked, a quick, powerful goal which immobilized the English until Germany got their second with Podolski. Beautiful silky one-touch triangle passing from the Germans which eventually releases Muller outside the box with no one on him, the young German remains cool and squares it to oncoming Podolski who finished between James's legs.

England eventually woke up as Upson scored with a header from Milner's cross, Neuer had come out to challenge for the ball, but the German goal-keeper missed it completely letting Muller head it in for England's first. Right after this Lampard lobs Neuer with a wonderful volley from outside the box which pings onto the bottom of the cross-bar, the ball bounces a foot and a half in and then pings again on the bottom of the cross-bar as Neuer quickly collects the ball. An obvious goal which the referee doesn't allow, and so for England it is 1966 reversed.

Lampard's chip bouncing in the goal

In the second half we see a more convincing England, 57th minute, Lampard thunders a free kick onto the bar, but 10 minutes later Germany score their third. A well crafted counter-attack against a sleepy England allows 20 year-old Muller to strike from just inside the box, beating David James at the near post virtually ending the match. Germany had time to grab another goal, yet another crafted counter-attack with Ozil squaring the ball to Muller for the young German's second goal.

The game finished with German dominance, a 4-1 score-line which will resonate the message that just because the EPL is the top league in the world, doesn't mean that England has the top players in the world...