Watching these two sides made me think of England, and what would have happened if we had made it through this far.
It would have been a travesty, because this was a proper football match between two seriously decent teams.
I enjoyed it so much that I ordered room service (burger and chips) in my Middlesborough hotel to celebrate. This is something I'm not used to. Room service that is. I've had plenty of burgers in my time. And chips.
But there's something very odd about room service. All that silver tray malarkey, and not knowing whether or not to tip the waiter; I find the whole experience as foreign as a World Cup final.
It's all Greek to me. Or should that be Spanish?
THE STORY SO FAR
Match of the tournament: Germany 0-1 Spain
Player of the tournament: Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Goal of the tournament: Tevez (Argentina v Mexico) - [2nd goal]
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
URUGUAY 2-3 HOLLAND
Ah yes, I remember this one: I was in a hotel in Middlesborough for both semi finals. Just in case you were interested.
Cracking game here, ruined only by a Dutch win.
That and the TV director choosing to be in on a close up at the moment Van Bronckhorst let fly. That decision may have cost Giovanni my goal of the tournament crown (he'll be gutted).
Here's another example of this unforgivable sin:
As an armchair viewer, there is nothing more frustrating than this.
With the possible exception of Mark Bright.
THE STORY SO FAR
Match of the tournament: Slovakia 3-2 Italy
Player of the tournament: Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Goal of the tournament: Tevez (Argentina v Mexico) - [2nd goal]
Cracking game here, ruined only by a Dutch win.
That and the TV director choosing to be in on a close up at the moment Van Bronckhorst let fly. That decision may have cost Giovanni my goal of the tournament crown (he'll be gutted).
Here's another example of this unforgivable sin:
As an armchair viewer, there is nothing more frustrating than this.
With the possible exception of Mark Bright.
THE STORY SO FAR
Match of the tournament: Slovakia 3-2 Italy
Player of the tournament: Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Goal of the tournament: Tevez (Argentina v Mexico) - [2nd goal]
Saturday, March 26, 2011
PARAGUAY 0-1 SPAIN
And so I took a deep breath and started to give a shit about the World Cup again.
The only thing that brought me back to this point was the realisation that Spain could still save the day, and in turn save football. If there was going to be any justice, then this Spanish side would win the World Cup (I won't spoil the ending for you). And because of this, because the future of football itself was at stake, this scrappy game was full of tension. In short: it was a proper Quarter Final.
A proper quarter final lacks the quality of a semi, but marks the point in the tournament where players and fans alike start to think "two more wins and we're in the final". That's enough to make an Englishman freeze (see 2002 & 2006).
This seizing up of the bowels has led to a rash of QF penalties in living memory. And not just shoot outs. Two for Linekar in 1990, not to mention one for Cameroon in the same game. Two missed in this match (plus one chalked off from Alonso).
But if you're looking for a truly significant World Cup Quarter Final penalty miss (and let's face it: who isn't?), look no further than Brazil versus France from 1986. One of the great World Cup matches, Platini's France were European Champions; Brazil, tournament favourites, boasted arguably their best squad since 1970.
Give it to Zico!*
[*Storyteller 2 circa. 1982]
THE STORY SO FAR
Match of the tournament: Slovakia 3-2 Italy
Player of the tournament: Thomas Muller (Germany)
Goal of the tournament: Tevez (Argentina v Mexico) - [2nd goal]
The only thing that brought me back to this point was the realisation that Spain could still save the day, and in turn save football. If there was going to be any justice, then this Spanish side would win the World Cup (I won't spoil the ending for you). And because of this, because the future of football itself was at stake, this scrappy game was full of tension. In short: it was a proper Quarter Final.
A proper quarter final lacks the quality of a semi, but marks the point in the tournament where players and fans alike start to think "two more wins and we're in the final". That's enough to make an Englishman freeze (see 2002 & 2006).
This seizing up of the bowels has led to a rash of QF penalties in living memory. And not just shoot outs. Two for Linekar in 1990, not to mention one for Cameroon in the same game. Two missed in this match (plus one chalked off from Alonso).
But if you're looking for a truly significant World Cup Quarter Final penalty miss (and let's face it: who isn't?), look no further than Brazil versus France from 1986. One of the great World Cup matches, Platini's France were European Champions; Brazil, tournament favourites, boasted arguably their best squad since 1970.
Give it to Zico!*
[*Storyteller 2 circa. 1982]
THE STORY SO FAR
Match of the tournament: Slovakia 3-2 Italy
Player of the tournament: Thomas Muller (Germany)
Goal of the tournament: Tevez (Argentina v Mexico) - [2nd goal]
Thursday, March 24, 2011
ARGENTINA 0-4 GERMANY
"Football doesn't get any simpler than that" said Mark Lawrenson as Miroslav Klose tucked in another supreme counter attacking goal to wrap up this one. He's probably right.
Germany were always going to win.
Argentina could have done with some forewarning.
A single goal behind at half time, having had a goal of their own disallowed, they got caught by a couple of sucker punches on the break in the second half. If only they'd watched the England game...
Although to even begin to liken England's performance to Argentina's is offensive in the extreme. Sorry, Diego!
The more observant of you will have noticed that England's exit coincided with the death of my enthusiasm for this World Cup.
This is only partly true.
While Germany were flattening Maradona & Co. I was enjoying a long weekend in the village of Little London in East Sussex. The weather? Well it was very similar to what it's like now, thank you very much. Which makes me realise that in between this game and this blog, we've made it through an entire winter:
THE STORY SO FAR
Match of the tournament: Slovakia 3-2 Italy
Player of the tournament: Thomas Muller (Germany)
Goal of the tournament: Tevez (Argentina v Mexico) - [2nd goal]
Germany were always going to win.
Argentina could have done with some forewarning.
A single goal behind at half time, having had a goal of their own disallowed, they got caught by a couple of sucker punches on the break in the second half. If only they'd watched the England game...
Although to even begin to liken England's performance to Argentina's is offensive in the extreme. Sorry, Diego!
The more observant of you will have noticed that England's exit coincided with the death of my enthusiasm for this World Cup.
This is only partly true.
While Germany were flattening Maradona & Co. I was enjoying a long weekend in the village of Little London in East Sussex. The weather? Well it was very similar to what it's like now, thank you very much. Which makes me realise that in between this game and this blog, we've made it through an entire winter:
THE STORY SO FAR
Match of the tournament: Slovakia 3-2 Italy
Player of the tournament: Thomas Muller (Germany)
Goal of the tournament: Tevez (Argentina v Mexico) - [2nd goal]
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