The second round starts today and here's who is left.
Uruguay v South Korea
USA v Ghana
Germany v England
Argentina v Mexico
Holland v Slovakia
Brazil v Chile
Paraguay v Japan
Spain v Portugal
Only 6 European teams left and they all play against each other, which means only 3 go through to the next round, but considering the way most have been playing that is probably a good thing.
Only Holland of the Europeans have looked comfortable while Argentina are probably the pick of the rest at the moment.
My predictions for the last 8 would be - Holland v Brazil, Uruguay v USA, Argentina v England, Japan v Spain.
As for England if they are going to win here it would be their greatest ever achievment as a run in of Germany Argentina Spain then Brazil means beating the cream of world football.
Saturday 26 June 2010
Thursday 24 June 2010
Various - England Songs 2010
Every World Cup we get a selection of England songs, some are good and lots are bad this year is no exception, Here are 20 I've found this time, the Good the Bad and the Ugly.
The Good - Skatoons, We are Scientists and maybe Rik Mayall and a few others.
The Bad - The Competition, The Squad and many others
The Ugly - Terry Venables murdering an Elvis classic.
There are a few that grow on you with a few listens, but chances are you'll only listen to them until England get knocked out anyway, hopefully I'll still be playing them after July 11th, enjoy it while it lasts.
01 Beach - We Are England (The Flames Of 66)
02 Dile - Skank For England
03 Rik Mayall - Noble England
04 Squad - Three Lions 2010
05 Dizzee Rascal And James Corden - Shout For England
06 Chris Martini - When England Rule The World
07 Mitch Benn - Win One Lose One
08 Skatoons - The World Cup's Waiting For You
09 Twenty Teners - Oh Mr Fabio Capello
10 We Are Scientists - Goal England
11 Swagga - The Victory Bus
12 Terry Venables - If I Can Dream
13 Scaredy Cats - England's Lion Hearted White Shirt Warriors
14 Competition - Fabio
15 Shuttleworth And Mark E Smith - England's Heartbeat
16 Three Brians - We Are Engerland
17 Young Stanley - Sing It For England
18 England United With Spike - Grab A Stella Nelson Mandela
19 Barker And Hartley - It's Time For England
20 Chenille Steele - Come On You Lions
(Bonus Track) Dave Henson - The Vuvuzela Song
Download here - Link Removed
The Seventies
The Seventies, it seemed good at the time but those haircuts make you realise that it's a decade that should never be revisited.
Wednesday 23 June 2010
England Through
We made it harder than it should of been, but got the result :)
A goal from Jermaine Defoe was all in the end, but overall a much better performance which gives us all hope for coming rounds.
James Milner who looked way off form in the first match justified his inclusion with the cross for the goal and looked one of our better players, Rooney seemed to have rediscovered his confidence and hopefully the ankle injury is not too serious although I'm still not convinced he's 100% fit after his previous ankle injury.
The defence had that do or die look which will be tested more against better opponents but overall it's the result that mattered.
Now we wait to see who we play on Sunday? group D is wide open and only a German win would see them through unless Australia do something unexpected.
Personally I wouldn't mind playing the Germans as the game would be more open than if we had to play Serbia or Ghana.
A goal from Jermaine Defoe was all in the end, but overall a much better performance which gives us all hope for coming rounds.
James Milner who looked way off form in the first match justified his inclusion with the cross for the goal and looked one of our better players, Rooney seemed to have rediscovered his confidence and hopefully the ankle injury is not too serious although I'm still not convinced he's 100% fit after his previous ankle injury.
The defence had that do or die look which will be tested more against better opponents but overall it's the result that mattered.
Now we wait to see who we play on Sunday? group D is wide open and only a German win would see them through unless Australia do something unexpected.
Personally I wouldn't mind playing the Germans as the game would be more open than if we had to play Serbia or Ghana.
Where Are The Kids
Looking at the England squad for this World cup you start to wonder where are the next generation? only four of the twenty three are under 25 years old Joe Hart and Aaron Lennon are 23 and Milner and Rooney are 24 and eighteen of the squad will be well into their thirties by the time of the next world cup which is more than the Italy squad who have been accused of having "an ageing squad" and are unlikely to win again because of it.
Today's The Day
Only 12 hours to go before England's most important game in 4 years, two pretty dismal performances have seen us go into the final group game needing a win against Slovenia.
England Vs Slovenia should have been an easy game to predict but for some reason our players seem to have forgotten the basics and are likely to make Slovenia look like world beaters so take nothing for granted.
I'm getting the impression that some of our star names want to see the back of Capello and there is no better way of hastening his departure than an early exit from the world cup, hopefully I'm wrong.
I still think England have the ability to go a long way in this competition but not with what we've seen so far, one goal in two games (and I missed that thanks to ITV HD) is nowhere near good enough.
Every major tournament you get a call to change formation when it works perfectly well in qualification, the biggest problem we always seem to have is that Gerrard and Lampard can't play together so surely one or the other should be dropped rather than keep tinkering to fit them in somewhere, Gerrard is a fine player but I don't think he should be England captain, his words are about as inspiring as a speech from Steve "interesting" Davis, give Terry back the armband now before it's too late, the guy may be an arsehole but he's the only one who seems to have any leadership qualities, Although as England will be wearing an all red kit for the match maybe Stevie G will rise to the occassion?
Nine months ago we beat Croatia 5-1 with this team - Green, Johnson, Terry, Upson, Ashley Cole, Lennon, Barry, Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney, Heskey, so what has changed so drastically?
the obvious reason for me is that Terry was captain for the qualifying competition.
England Vs Slovenia should have been an easy game to predict but for some reason our players seem to have forgotten the basics and are likely to make Slovenia look like world beaters so take nothing for granted.
I'm getting the impression that some of our star names want to see the back of Capello and there is no better way of hastening his departure than an early exit from the world cup, hopefully I'm wrong.
I still think England have the ability to go a long way in this competition but not with what we've seen so far, one goal in two games (and I missed that thanks to ITV HD) is nowhere near good enough.
Every major tournament you get a call to change formation when it works perfectly well in qualification, the biggest problem we always seem to have is that Gerrard and Lampard can't play together so surely one or the other should be dropped rather than keep tinkering to fit them in somewhere, Gerrard is a fine player but I don't think he should be England captain, his words are about as inspiring as a speech from Steve "interesting" Davis, give Terry back the armband now before it's too late, the guy may be an arsehole but he's the only one who seems to have any leadership qualities, Although as England will be wearing an all red kit for the match maybe Stevie G will rise to the occassion?
Nine months ago we beat Croatia 5-1 with this team - Green, Johnson, Terry, Upson, Ashley Cole, Lennon, Barry, Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney, Heskey, so what has changed so drastically?
the obvious reason for me is that Terry was captain for the qualifying competition.
Monday 21 June 2010
World Cup Memories 1970
Don't actually remember much about the 1970 World Cup only what I've watched since, I seem to remember the games were being shown at odd hours so I was probably at school or in bed?
Looking at the footage shown it seemed to be one of the greatest tournaments, where England went into it with probably their best team ever but as you know goalie Gordon Banks mysteriously went down with illness just before the quarter final with West Germany and Peter "the cat" Bonetti was drafted in, I assume he was called the cat because he was asleep most of the time.
Actually I do remember some of that match when my dad was saying that he couldn't understand why Bobby Charlton was substituted when we were winning.
Looking at the footage shown it seemed to be one of the greatest tournaments, where England went into it with probably their best team ever but as you know goalie Gordon Banks mysteriously went down with illness just before the quarter final with West Germany and Peter "the cat" Bonetti was drafted in, I assume he was called the cat because he was asleep most of the time.
Actually I do remember some of that match when my dad was saying that he couldn't understand why Bobby Charlton was substituted when we were winning.
Why West Ham?
Probably due to being born during West Ham's golden era and them being the nearest team (about 15 miles away).
I had only heard of 3 teams when I was a little kid - West Ham, Man Utd and Southend, dad had briefly played for Southend after coming out of the army where he was the goalie for the army team.
I think Man U were league champions, but the Hammers had just won the FA Cup, Euro cup winners cup and then the World cup so it was no contest, can't help thinking I'd have enjoyed more success if I'd chosen the other lot!!
Those little bits of success have been few and far between in my years of following the Hammers but enjoyable when it does happen.
Been an armchair fan for the last few years so can't claim to be a number one supporter although I was dedicated for many years following them home and away from the mid seventies till the mid nineties.
Highlights are probably the 1980 cup year when I never missed a game home or away, and seeing some of the great names in Hammers history, sadly I didn't start going until after Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters had left but I still consider Trevor Brooking to have been one of the finest midfielders in the game.
Low points are too many to mention but the bad times make the good times so much sweeter.
I had only heard of 3 teams when I was a little kid - West Ham, Man Utd and Southend, dad had briefly played for Southend after coming out of the army where he was the goalie for the army team.
I think Man U were league champions, but the Hammers had just won the FA Cup, Euro cup winners cup and then the World cup so it was no contest, can't help thinking I'd have enjoyed more success if I'd chosen the other lot!!
Those little bits of success have been few and far between in my years of following the Hammers but enjoyable when it does happen.
Been an armchair fan for the last few years so can't claim to be a number one supporter although I was dedicated for many years following them home and away from the mid seventies till the mid nineties.
Highlights are probably the 1980 cup year when I never missed a game home or away, and seeing some of the great names in Hammers history, sadly I didn't start going until after Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters had left but I still consider Trevor Brooking to have been one of the finest midfielders in the game.
Low points are too many to mention but the bad times make the good times so much sweeter.
World Cup Memories 1966
I actually have a memory of the 1966 World Cup (Yes I am that old).
We were visiting my nan when I was a toddler on the morning of World Cup final day and she told me whoever scored first would lose, I seem to remember that dad was watching it and West Germany scored first, so as nan had told me what was going to happen I went outside in the garden and played for the rest of the match.
Nan's are clever aren't they :)
We were visiting my nan when I was a toddler on the morning of World Cup final day and she told me whoever scored first would lose, I seem to remember that dad was watching it and West Germany scored first, so as nan had told me what was going to happen I went outside in the garden and played for the rest of the match.
Nan's are clever aren't they :)
Back Home
West Ham's new signings look forward to the new season and teaming up again with former manager Avram Grant.
Cole - "I have no idea why I left, I feel so at home here"
Lampard - "I was mis-quoted I love the Hammers fans, and yes I was a bit porky when I was here before so it's a fair comment"
Terry - "That Christine Bleakly's a bit of allright, and that Karen Brady's not bad for an older bird"
Sunday 20 June 2010
Welcome
Another "Nothing Better" blog, this time totally Football related (that's the plan).
Obviously inspired by the fact we're in the middle of the 2010 World cup and everyone is mainly talking about Football (as it takes our mind off reality).
I've done several footie blogs before but I'm a nightmare for updating them, I start with a big update and then forget about them, hopefully this one will be different.
I've got a wealth of footie songs, pics and memories so if anyone visits I should update regularly.
Obviously inspired by the fact we're in the middle of the 2010 World cup and everyone is mainly talking about Football (as it takes our mind off reality).
I've done several footie blogs before but I'm a nightmare for updating them, I start with a big update and then forget about them, hopefully this one will be different.
I've got a wealth of footie songs, pics and memories so if anyone visits I should update regularly.
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