LA PRUEBA DEL DELITO

This picture was included in an Olé article titled "Bad Art" yesterday. It's a note German keeper Jens Lehmann made night before the match against Argentina in 2006 FIFA World Cup.

The note reads:
1. Riquelme left high; 2. Crespo long run/right, short run/left; 3. Heinze left low; 4. Ayala long wait, long run right; 5. Messi left; 6. Aimar long wait left; 7. Rodriguez left.

Lehmann kept the piece of paper in his socks through out the match, and read it before each Argentine penalty kick. He then crossed out the names of the players already taken their shots.

Jens Lehmann stopped Ayala and Cambiasso's penalty kicks and Argentina lost. The incredible reputation of Germany in penalty shootouts was further burnished that fateful day.

Almost a year later now, the lost still felt like it was dealt yesterday. How the hell did we lose?!
Afterall, much expected as well as unexpected took place. Fatigue from Mexico game, Pato's injury, absence of Messi, Pekerman's poor substitutions, Lehmann's shootout stops...

To understand the lost, the question needs to be rephrased to: How the hell did the same selección that scored 6 goals against #2 european qualifier only score once in 120 minutess? Then the answer would reveal itself: they didn't play to score more goals.

After Ayala's goal, Pekerman called off the offensives and tried to hold the 1-0, so when Abbondanzieri came off he didn't think twice before putting on a DM (Cambiasso) for CAM (Roman), and then Cruz for Crespo. You cannot play against an offensive team like Germany with a defensive mindset, especially not when they're at home! What a retarded move by José Pekerman and it cost us the title. He deserved to be fired! Germany must be kept on its toes. Bombard their goal so they have no time to plan a equalizer. Clear case where offense would of been the best defense.

Well, enough rending. Basile will not make the same mistake. About time the senior side get some titles, it's been too depressing for too long.