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SEZ LES - The Berlin fall ...
ANYTHING planned for Sunday afternoon? You have now!
The World Cup wallcharts stuck up in bedrooms around the land had long since thrown up the distinct possibility that should there be a minor slip by one of them in their group then it could well be England v Germany in the second round.
Well, Germany made the slip. They lost, had a man sent off, missed a penalty and still topped their group!
England - as per usual - were generally average to dire, didn't lose but finished second.
Anyway, having reckoned on losing to Ghana if we'd got them in the second round, I've always had this feeling that we'd beat Germany - and do so on penalties. For once.
I'll stick by that rather precarious prediction. But I can't say I share the unbridled optimism of some of our panellists. Can you on the evidence so far?
I happened to be in Berlin when Germany played their opening game and gave the Aussies that 4-0 drubbing.
My eyes were opened alarmingly wide by Germany's whole approach, the way they played, their fluency, their teamwork, their understanding.
I have yet to see - and you can include Brazil and Spain and anybody else - a better performance.
Frankly, on the evidence so far, I think the Germans are - by some distance - superior to England.
Not that it's stopped those crafty Krauts instantly deciding within minutes of qualification on Wednesday, that England are favourites on Sunday. We're not going to fall for that one are we?
Mind you, there'll be no doubts whatsoever over there as they wash down the bratwurst with a few steins. For them there's only one winner whoever they play!
We're the underdogs for sure and, to be fair, that mentality usually suits us.
But we're going to need much more quality than we've shown so far. Yes, we'll raise our game, but I'd certainly be more confident if Wayne Rooney was on it instead of most worryingly off it.
Quite clearly his ankle isn't right and one wonders if his pre-tournament frustration - ie, in that Mr Angry performance against Japan - was because he just knew he wouldn't be 100 per cent fit for this World Cup.
He's most certainly affected physically and has become troubled mentally. He's been doing things we've never seen him do before.
Let's hope he fires on Sunday. Let's hope we beat 'em. On penalties please!
Final word on the vuvuzela. South African culture, right?
I've seen plenty of South African cricket and rugby union on TV over the years and never heard one!
Must just be football. Don't bring 'em back, please!
Got a view? Leave a comment below.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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