England All Stars

In light of nearly all of first round games being played (with the exception of Group H), England’s result against Paraguay doesn’t actually look so bad. Yes the overall performance wasn’t great, especially as we all looked a little limp by the end, but getting that all important first win is surely the major thing.

If you look at all the games played I think you could say alot of the teams expected to do well seem to be taking it slowly. Brazil looked like they were playing beach football (Brighton not Rio) and teams like Portugal and Holland have done enough in their games to get to the end feeling contented.

Of course some teams have decided to steam right in. The Czechs looked right up for it in their match against USA while Germany stormed to a thumping 4-2 win against Costa Rica.

But with the rest of the group games still to come, some of the big boys will be looking to get more into it and find a lot more penetration, with the English lads in particular showing us how it’s done.

Sure we’ll all be bouncing up and down for joy when they do…

Well at least thats what it felt like in the heat of Frankfurt. It would’nt have been so bad, but we didn’t exactly set the stadium alight with our silky skills. The heat certainly got to the gaffer, we’re always telling him to wear a hat. Those substitutions left me and Benny scratching ourselves with bewilderment and most of the team to be honest. I especially feel sorry for Defoe and Bent, they must have been shaking their heads with disbelief why they didn’t make the squad. Then again at least we can all take a major positive from the game, we can only get better.

If you didn’t think Jens Lehmann was a massive twat well you’d be wrong.

For yes he has clearly excelled himself with his current “England have a mental block” rant, 2 days before the Germans get thinks started against Costa Rica.

Jens is clearly remembering the time the boys last suffered a mental block when we could only put 5 past his beloved Germany in their own backyard (and even Heskey scored!!).

According to this BBC report the boy wonder has won his fitness battle and will be winging his way back to Germany (with the unlucky Defoe on the next Easyjet flight back home).

If this is the case it’ll pose one serious question. With Rooney back who will the gaffer play upfront?

Does he go with 2 recovering from injury players in Rooney and Owen? Will he stick with the little and large Crouch/Owen combination that has looked pretty good in recent matches. Maybe Crouch and Rooneyâ?¦ or he may decide not to play all 3 and stick Walcott up on his own with Hargreaves playing just behind!!!

Whatever the pairing, and providing this report isn’t a pile of horse crap, the whole nation will be breathing a big sign of relief.

Well it’s nearly time for the big kick off and both Bjorn and I are getting rather sweaty thinking about this year’s world cup (and that has nothing to do with being packed inside Sven’s rather tight nut huggers).

So when it all starts with a bang who will be there when it all reaches the huge climax?

The smart money would say Brazil, with all their skill and samba rhythm they’re looking like they’ll be in there till the end. Players like Ronaldinho and Ronaldo are more than capable of scoring and Roberto Carlos always likes to give it a good whack.

But there are a number of teams who could cause a shock by sneaking round the back.

England will be looking very hard to beat, even with Rooney the boy wonder having a broken foot they still poses enough trust in the midfield to cause anyone problems, especially with the dynamo that is Stevie G powering through the middle. A good rear guard that looks particularly tight should also stand them in good stead.

The Germans will be hoping that home advantage helps cover up the fact they are quite shite at the moment while Holland have assembled a young group of lads hoping to blood them in for the next World Cup in 2010. With this in mind I think they might get a little too excited and peak too soon, ending in disappointment.

Then of course there is Italy, currently embroiled in a mass match fixing scandal that has rocked their preparations. Let’s face it though, it wasn’t really a suprise as those Italians have always been a bit dodgy!

Spain, Portugal and Argentina are all showing some good form, and will all feel that they are in with a chance to get their hands on the prize. Unfortunately Spain so often promise so much but deliver so little, and Argentina areâ?¦ well Argentina.

Then there is France, Czech Republic, Ivory Coastâ?¦ the list goes on and on.

Think the only thing that is certain is that this is going to be a fantastic world cup and I for one am finding it hard to contain my excitementâ?¦