Yesterday during a discussion at work I referred to Di Maria as evidence that Argentina are not a one man team. So to undermine that he has a bit of a dodgy game, gives the ball away 50 times but then up he pops and scores the winner. He got there in the end but he did make my punditry and predictions look a bit pants.
A funny game that one, a bit like chess and then a final flurry at the end, which had me having to suppress my natural exuberance to avoid a repeats of my train embarrassment.
What I could have predicted was some Alan Green tedium…Yes Alan we get it. Switzerland are quite good. They are in England’s group for the Euro qualifiers. And so England won’t have it easy. You don’t need to say it every five minutes.
I couldn’t haven’t predicted when I settled down to watch the USA game that my TV would go into meltdown. Possessed by the spirit of Lawrenson or Greene or that American woman I was rude about yesterday? Who knows? But it did lead to a sulk of epic proportions. Eventually the TV did relent as it could tell I could out sulk it. Turned out to be another great 0-0 cake, topped off with extra time drama icing….which I confess I did sleep through. But that is what commuting is for; catching football highlights via my downloads.
Both losing teams exit with their heads held high. The USA in particularly played their socks off and as for Tim Howard – top dollar. Or 15 dollars actually as that is the number of saves he made.
Off the pitch we can’t seem to avoid shenanigans of some description. Now it’s claims of match fixing and Cameroon. Followed by claims that the alleged source of the claim didn’t say what it is claimed he said. Or at least not in the way that might mean it was strong evidence of match-fixing. I think I will leave that one to FIFA; they’re great at dealing EI all that corruption malarkey. HA!
My mate James texted me yesterday and asked me to predict my finalists. Before the competition started I would have been straight back…BOSH…..Argentina v Germany. But by yesterday morning, I was pretty sure it could be anyone. Every team has a weakness (although I think Colombia maybe have the least) and it feels like any of our quarter finalists could on their day make it. And that’s as it should be. Open and exciting. I think my preference would be for a final that no one really talked about before the tournament started. Columbia v Costa Rica maybe.
Quarter-finals already! Where did all that football go? And we now face a whole 48 hours of no live football. What is a Fox to do? Oh. I see. Pay attention to Mr TLF, reintroduce myself to the cooker, mow the lawn and reacquaint myself with the dusty and discarded copies of Runners World and Private Eye that are clogging up Chez TLF. Hmm, I wonder if there are any old MOTD left on SkyPlus? I can fast forward through Savage and Shearer. Marvellous.
Enjoy the break if you can and fear not; I’m not going anywhere.
Bored Fox
YESTERDAYS RESULTS
Argentina 1 Switzerland 0 aet
Belgium 2 USA 1 aet
Dr Pam is at hand again to deal with any impending relationship woes:
Don’t tackle social networking
Having your comments about events like the World Cup ‘liked’ or re-tweeted on social networks gives a real buzz. Instead of saying your partner’s posts are stupid, let them enjoy the moment.
Phrase of the day – French
If this bloody telly doesn’t work, it is going out of the bloody window.
Si ce téléviseur sanglante ne fonctionne pas, il va par la fenêtre sanglante.
Site of the day – interactive shirts. This is a bit geeky and quite addictive. It’s a history of World Cup kits for every team that made it to Brazil 2014. Good chance for a bit of nostalgia. USA 94 was definitely the year for some dodgy old patterns – see Italy, Mexico and Spain. My first ever England shirt is there – Spain 82. The shirt that graced the torso of Keegan and Brooking. It was very shiny and an unhealthy nylon and I loved it!
http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2014/may/30/-sp-world-cup-kits