Terrible refereeing decision for the penalty and sending off but Spain by some distance the best side we've seen in the WC so far. Ukraine are no slouches. Wonder if they can keep it up?

Woops! Anyone else having problems with an erratic log-in?

England are just plain bonkers not to have appointed Hiddinck. He's going to steer one of the poorer sides at the WC into the last 16 and quite possibly the last 8. Chipperfield is obviously used to being totally out of his depth having practised drowning in Basel's CL games whilst Wilkshire is new to being out-classed. Moore is hopeless- only Lucas saved the Aussies bacon at the back and that goes for flaky Schwartzer. Ref was right to apologise but you can be certain that Prso and pals will have sussed the Aussie keeper's weakness- just as well for the socceroos that Prso is 100% rubbish.

I am chuffed that Togo are winning after those arrogant tossers gave Rovers grief over what in retrospect was a very generous offer of a chance for Ahn to resurrect his non-career. go Togo! PS, anyone remember which matches I am supposed to be previewing?

Tris spot on again. Come on Mr Armchair, show us you can spot a duff pundit- you've had enough practise.

I did say, the USA are going home pointless. The Czechs are good but not that good.

As there was no website to post my preview, I will pre my postview. Japan were well organised and benefitted from the worst bit of reffing in the World Cup so far. Australia are weaker than I thought but unlike SGE, Hiddinck is a tactical genius and played his substitutes extremely well- Australia in the final 15 minutes were a way-stronger proposition than they were in the first 75 and Japan couldn't cope. I've always felt Schwarzer is a dodgy keeper and still do. Neill had a very solid game, Emo was anonymous so was good by his standards. Chipperfield and Wilkshire showed that lower division players cannot operate at this level. Craig Moore was predictably poo. Besciano was not Prem class on this showing. Viduka was leaden footed. Cahill and Aliosi transformed the socceroos, notwithstanding their goals. Hiddinck will have to do something different against Croatia but at least Japan and Croatia will have played each other before the likely second place decider. I expect the Aussies will get stuck into Brasil- a lot depends on the ref for that one. If there is a non-contact sport FIFA special, socceroos will do well to finish with 9 on the pitch. Japan could embarass Croatia if they keep their organisation going- the Croats are more of a rabble than the Aussies are.

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Duke Of Edinburgh was right for once.

No

If the Mancs with their supporters' association and former waiting list are at 40,000, how are they going to fill 75,000 every week? FCUM might have only 3,000ish but it could be they are seriously going to hurt the Mancs by not being there.

Looks like Jordan is looking at other options.

Depends on how fit the Swedish players are. Free of injury and slimmed down, they could easily repeat the 7-0 scoreline they notched here in Malta.

That was a fantastic preview Bobby G. Made me want to follow the fortunes of Iran. Sooner or later Mexico are going to produce great players but Borgetti's time at Bolton has shown that 2006 probably isn't that time. I doubt Iran has the game to upset the Mexicans though.

1) Its summer 2) Blackburn folk often have an emotional need to be angry- don't know why 3) Might as well take it out on an Aussie 4) Lucas Neill was personally responsible for an uncomfortably large number of goals against last season through poor positioning and lack of concentration 5) He is screwing his employers in the way most people can only dream of and only waggy gets fired for 6) Other than that he's a very good player who will have everybody saying "if only we had Lucas" if he's not here next season- his dribbling ability and eye for a great pass have inproved enormously under the Hughes coaching regime.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup200...1791137,00.html Boy oh boy, we will know the names of the 22 refs better than the players in the World Cup winning team.

Just seen that most places are now listing the Premiership clubs for the 2006/7 season. Somehow, everything looks cleaner now we don't have big club ahead of us in the alphabetic list.

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jun4h.html The latest on the scandal with a Juve/AC bust-up blaming each other... sweet. Three weeks to go until the first report is issued.

The ex-colonial aspect gives this one a real edge. Any result could be possible but Portugal to squeeze through with probably only 19 players on the field at the final whistle.

Ok, I don't remember seeing them mentioned on here so far but SWITZERLAND are having a decent pre-WC build-up and could be a more skilful version of Greece at Euros 2004.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-...y?track=tothtml Soccer dismissed.

I am surprised that so few have gone for exit at second round. Last night against a frankly rubbish Hungary told us all we didn't want to know. England = Rooney = England's outstanding chance Would you rely on Crouch coming good in a domestic game, never mind the World Cup? I don't think England will lay the Swedish hoodoo in the Group stages and so it looks like Germany in the second round. Don't think we will win 5-1 again, out on penalties more likely.

Is Stone Island off the coast of Wales?

Does the fact a Malta team (whose star player is a regular in Mansfield Town's Reserves) were very unfortunate not to hand Croatia a well-deserved beating in the Qualifiers colour your view of Croatia's chances?

This reported starting formation seems fraught with problems. I don't know what would be worse- stuffing a very poor Hungarian team with a flawed system that gets found out in Germany or a mauling from the press now that unsettles everybody. Everything I am reading now points to Rooney being out of the World Cup completely.