This jogo dos desperados should be the biggest scrap in the Cup so far. Both of these teams have strong footballing pedigrees, with three World Cup wins between them, but they both lost their first round matches. Uruguay’s defeat, 3-1 to Costa Rica, was one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far. England’s 2-1 loss to Italy is probably considered a shock in England, if not in the rest of the world. Both of these sides are fighting for their World Cup survival today, and their attitudes should reflect it.
What’s At Stake
The winner today can win next week and progress. The loser today is extremely unlikely to survive the group, and may be officially eliminated tomorrow. A point apiece works best for England, who have the easier match (Costa Rica) next week and a better goal difference than Uruguay.
Uruguay played straight 4-4-2 on Saturday, with Diego Forlan high in support of Edinson Cavani. It didn’t really work against Costa Rica’s back three, and Oscar Tabarez has switched around the side significantly. In comes Luis Suarez, a magnificent footballer who knows the Three Lions well: five of his Liverpool teammates are in today’s England side (Johnson, Gerrard, Henderson, Welbeck, Sturridge).
Leighton Baines was hung out to dry by his teammates in England’s 4-2-3-1 last week, as first Wayne Rooney and then Danny Welbeck, playing on the left of the “3,” failed to provide him cover against Italy’s attacking right fullback. Rooney moves inside to play in the center of the “3” today, where he will be free to create, especially if Uruguay’s 4-4-2 leaves England with an extra man in midfield. Suarez, whose role will be quite free behind Cavani today, may spend much of the match on the right to try to exploit Baines’s loneliness and swing in crosses for Cavani. Raheem Sterling, playing on the left for England today, will have to be diligent.
Players to Watch
Uruguay: Luis Suarez, an electrifying player who scores goals from ridiculous situations and can dribble as well as anyone on the planet. He’s also an extraordinarily daring player.
England: Wayne Rooney, of course. He wasn’t great on Saturday, but he did provide a beautiful assist, and the weight of England’s hopes will be on his stocky shoulders today as he moves back into the central attacking spot.
Ian Darke and Steve McManaman! Enjoy!
Match-specific Drinking Games
Nutcase: Take a shot every time Luis Suarez (pictured above) dives. Extra two shots if he bites someone. How drunk? Somewhere between hammered and unconscious, depending on whether Ol’ Ratface had his cheese before the match.
Seeing Yellow: Take a shot whenever a card is show. How drunk? You’ll be in as much pain as the players by the end of the match.
Funny man: Drink anytime the two commentators, my favorites, make you laugh. How drunk? Probably not very, but McManaman is always good for a chuckle.
Uruguay: Máte, but the Uruguayans have probably been drinking something a lot stiffer than tea since the loss to Costa Rica Saturday.
England. Gin. Beer. That’s what the English are drinking. This game isn’t going to be fancy enough for anything but beer.
For more:
– Read my general World Cup watching guide.
– Check out Zonal Marking, my favorite tactics website.
– See a commentary schedule or a review of each commentator.
– See where I’m getting my national drink recommendations.
– Check out other match previews from this group: England vs. Italy, Uruguay vs. Costa Rica
Picture credit: express.co.uk
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