Football's New Financial Regulations - Has UEFA cured the madness of the January transfer window?

It appears that a new era is dawning for European football, one in which clubs will seemingly no longer be able to operate in financially-unstable manners, and spend colossal sums of foreign money on players who, outside the madness of the January transfer window, would be valued sensibly and accordingly acquirable for reasonable outlay. UEFA, the often-maligned guardian of European competition, namely the Champions League and Europa League, announced earlier this week plans to enforce fresh ‘Licencing and Financial Fair Play Regulations’. Understandably, these announcements need some clarification, given the deliberate vagueness surrounding their title. Essentially free-spending Premier League clubs which have for too long belied financial scrupulousness will be nervously looking to the future after UEFA voted unanimously to adopt a ‘break even requirement’, to be introduced over a period of three financial years (2010/11-2012/13). This means that by the time of the 2013-2014 UEFA competition, clubs will be assessed according to whether or not, in essence, they have lived beyond their means or stuck to a prescribed budget. Yet does this key announcement for the future of the European game, described by UEFA President Michel Platini as an attempt to “put stability and economic common sense back into football”, sound the death knell for the sort of Premier League-led extravagance witnessed over the past few days?

This January transfer window, often a burden and a source of undue pleasure for managers and fans alike, sometimes within the space of 24 hours, has certainly lived up to expectations in terms of the outlay it has produced on footballing talent. Collectively, on just four players, Liverpool, Chelsea and Aston Villa have conspired to spend an astonishing £135 million. Naturally the individuals upon which this monstrous sum has been readily dished out, Luis Suarez, Darren Bent, Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll, have seen their abilities subject to significant price inflation, a naturally-occurring phenomenon during the transfer window, infamous for being a period in which clubs are willing to sacrifice natural fiscal activity for the sake of an assumed short-term advantage. Yet with UEFA’s announcement, has the fun gone out of the silly season which delights and infuriates supporters up and down the country annually? I would have to say it has; for Chelsea’s £50 million signing of Fernando Torres could easily become a phenomenon of the not-so-distant past, with clubs clamouring to reduce expenditure and operate at reasonable levels with at least a modicum of financial responsibility. Naturally for Arsenal the announcement will be of little concern, given that as pointed out by an esteemed journalist a couple of days ago, half of the Gunners’ starting eleven cost less than the silky Spaniard. Yet for clubs such as Manchester City, attempting to break into the top four seemingly by brute force of expenditure and a financial recklessness not witnessed in the Premier League since the early days of Roman Abramovich’s reign at Chelsea, UEFA may just have forced a rethink. Having said that, with a squad as large, young, talented and expensive as City’s already having been assembled, they probably needn’t spend again for another five or six years, not that this dose of common sense will fall on anything other than deaf ears.

When the paltry sum of £30 million was spent during the previous post-Christmas transfer window, analysts were clamouring to point out that the ‘age of austerity’ had finally hit football, up until that point the last bastion of financial insanity in a country and a continent tightening its belts and sheltering from the approaching storm. The claims that clubs such as Chelsea could possibly achieve a financially stable situation in which they would soon be in a position to ‘break even’ was spectacularly dashed just a few days ago, with the monied monoliths of West London announcing spectacular losses of £70 million up until June 2010. Journalists and spectators have also attempted to defy the odds and place Manchester City into this highly unrealistic category of Premier League clubs, claiming that the £200 million-plus shelled out by City’s extremely generous owners could be written off and turned into a profit over the next few years, providing for the existence of substantial Champions League revenue and the increased sponsorship that comes with this particular windfall. Yet despite the unrealistic sound of both Man City and Chelsea’s claims, each had better start trimming the fat and, no offence intended, ‘do a reverse Leeds’ if they wish to remain eligible to qualify for the lucrative fat-cat picnic that is the Champions League. Clubs which fail to adhere to UEFA’s new regulations will be banned from 2015, and whilst cutting back may seem a monumental task in itself, deprived of revenue from Europe’s premier club competition, clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City would quickly find themselves almost inoperable. Surprisingly enough, it is only Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur who would currently pass through UEFA’s stringent detectors unscathed; all other top five clubs, plus Liverpool, made substantial losses in the previous financial year, and the Merseysiders have done little to reverse this trend. Perhaps the aforementioned clubs are hoping for some change of heart from UEFA, and a relaxation of these deeply inhibitive regulations, but they are unlikely to get it from Michel Platini, whose negative feelings towards English football are well-documented in the domestic press, and for whom financial ‘common sense’, in his words, is a cornerstone of the new European order.

It is also worth mentioning that not only the English clubs, so often maligned for their share of the ever-expanding Premier League financial pie, could fall foul of UEFA’s rulebook. Barcelona and Real Madrid, both of whom, particularly the latter, have spent astronomically in the past few years attempting to capture the coveted Champions League crown, are loss-making enterprises. Barcelona in particular announced staggering losses for the previous financial year, and Real’s extravagant and sometimes vulgar level of spending in the previous summer will surely not be a one-off should the requisite success not manifest itself at home and abroad. So it appears as though the tumultuous events of Transfer Deadline Day will soon be cast into the pages of history, to be replaced by an era in which clubs are forced either to recruit players who unlike Andy Carroll haven’t seen their fair market value grossly inflated, or simply work with the squads they currently have. In light of UEFA’s ‘parent-esque’ intervention into the January party, the insolent clubs such as Chelsea and Liverpool have had one last drink, desperate to spend the vast sums of money available to them through television revenues before a new age is ushered in. Only time will tell how this will impact upon European club competition in the long-term, but in the meanwhile it might be pertinent to expect a somewhat less dramatic deadline day, and the egregious spending on Carroll and Torres in England, as well as Kaka and Ronaldo in Spain, to become the hallmarks of a bygone age for Europe’s top clubs.

Friday Football Failure - Once again QPR embarrass themselves live on television

QPR suffered their first league defeat of the season, 3-1 at home to Watford, thanks to a brace from Danny Graham. The result was a hammer blow for the R's, who were 90 minutes away from equalling an all-time club record of 20 games. Watford, just outside the play-off places going into the game, had already dispatched Millwall, Bristol City and Norwich on the road, and added another victim to their tally with a hugely impressive display at Loftus Road. Despite an early chance for ex-Hornets striker Heidar Helguson, who was given far too much space and time to get a shot away which was tipped over the bar by Scott Loach, Watford quickly began to dominate proceedings. Rangers were outclassed throughout the game in midfield, Alejandro Faurlin and Shaun Derry nowhere to be seen as Watford unleashed a series of attacks through midfield, wingers Will Buckley and Don Cowie enjoying continual success down the flanks against the R's staid, disorganised defence. Paddy Kenny was perhaps the only player deserving of any sort of reprieve, having been almost abandoned by QPR's previously rock-solid defence time and time again. Poor refereeing played its part; Graham's second goal, enough to add salt to the already gaping wounds of the home crowd, was dubious to say the least, and Warnock was quick to affirm his disappointment with the officials: "He's half a yard offside, a major decision". Yet the R's boss was rather more accepting of his side's faults, continuing: "But credit to Watford. They broke well and made our centre halves look like amateurs."

The build-up to the game, screened live on BBC2, was certainly full of the type of warnings the home side really ought to have heeded, reminding the viewers that this time last year Watford derailed QPR's challenge and turned a successful run of results into a lengthy blip with a 3-1 win. Whilst few expect QPR to falter as spectacularly as they did a year ago, dropping from the play-off places to just outside the relegation zone, and there will be no repeat of the arguments which saw midfielder Akos Buzsaky allegedly head-butted and manager Jim Magilton forced to leave the club, the result may yet be significant for the rest of the R's season. The pundits in the BBC studio had all agreed that QPR were the unquestioned favourites, and identified a home victory as the only likely result, yet Watford came to West London knowing exactly what they had to do to prevent Rangers playing and establishing control early on. Taarabt was nullified by Watford midfielder John Eustace, who achieved a feat Cardiff were unable to at Loftus Road a fortnight ago, and prevent the mercurial playmaker dictating the play. Graham's opener came after just 26 minutes, during which time Watford had firmly established their dominance. From an Andrew Taylor cross, Graham converted his ninth league goal of the season, having been left entirely unmarked in the first example of lax defending by the home side. Jordan Mutch doubled the visitor's advantage four minutes later, his looping cross evading both Martin Taylor and defender Matthew Connolly as they challenged for the ball, before evading a flat-footed Kenny.

The R's were punished further when, having failed to clear their lines, Graham punished the home side, firing past the stranded home 'keeper. Tommy Smith pulled a goal back for Rangers late on from a good Jamie Mackie lay-off, but in reality the game was over at 3-0, the controversial third too much to recover from on a night where the visitors were always in control. In reality Watford could have extended their lead, Kenny saving well from Graham on a number of occasions, and Derry heading Mutch's effort off the line. Mackie and Hill were also denied by the up-and-coming Scott Loach, whilst the home supporters were incensed after Mackie's reasonable penalty appeal was turned down, following a tangle with Martin Taylor. Hornets boss Malky Mackay enthused after the game: "I was delighted with the way we played against a team I think will be promoted personally." Despite this result, and the obvious potential for Rangers' form to dip, they still remain four points clear at the summit of the Championship table with a game in hand, following Cardiff's disappointing 1-0 defeat away to underperforming Middlesbrough. Watford, meanwhile, sit in eighth, three points outside the play-offs going into the busy Christmas period. Despite all the negatives, there was one bit of good news for QPR manager Neil Warnock; thanks to the premature end of his side's unbeaten run, the sight of the Yorkshireman freezing in shorts on the touchline will disappear; at least until the start of the R's next unbeaten run.

Today's Transfer Toilet, Monday 9th August - Don't We All Love A Little Alliteration

So today's most intriguing story appears to be Arsenal's hunt for a goalkeeper. Not that Manuel Almunia is useless or anything, far from it he is in fact still in all probability good enough to fill the huge, gaping void left by Paul Robinson's retirement from playing for the biggest underachievers in international football (three guesses as to who I'm referring to). However despite the Spaniard's strengths he is clearly not good enough for Arsene Wenger, who is apparantly set to spend, wait for it, £23 million to bring Pepe Reina to the Emirates and begin in earnest the Liverpool exodus many have been expecting since the departure of Rafael Benitez.

Given that Wenger is arguably the biggest skinflint in football today, spending an average of £38.26 on new players during the summer whilst constantly stating that Arsenal don't need reinforcements or a larger squad, before Robin van Persie picks up his annual injury and Arsenal's 'title challenge' fades by January, this appears to be hugely significant. However considering that said transfer rumour comes from the entirely accurate and journalistically measured pages of Britain's favourite and most reputable newspaper, The Sun, it is most probably rubbish. However according to another of my favourite papers, the Daily Mirror, it is not Reina but the 34-year old Shay Given whom Arsene is coveting and looking at as a long-term solution to one of Arsenal's problem areas.

Away from the Gunners, it seems we've all been misled, straight up the garden path by journalists, speculators, pundits, supporters and all the rest. Yes James Milner, the star of this summer's 'Will He Won't He' tedium will apparantly be poached from Aston Villa, but not by moneybags Manchester City. In fact it is, allegedly, the Sky Blues' bitter rivals Manchester United who are set to swoop in with the winning bid and give City fans yet another reason to hate their more illustrious rivals. Milner's transfer may just pave the way for Villa boss Martin O'Neill to make a move for Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, whilst Palermo are looking to inflict further damage upon David Moyes' stellar midfield by taking Leon Osman off his hands. In a final slice of Premier League speculation, Newcastle United boss Chris Houghton is looking to bring in Portsmouth star Kevin Prince Boateng, who impressed at the World Cup for Ghana, and should be capable of similar success in the shirtless footballing crucible that is St. James Park.

Queens Park Rangers are set for yet more controversy, but no it's not what most of you will be thinking. Neil Warnock hasn't been unceremoniously sacked, nay his job seems to be far safer than most of the 729 managers QPR have had over the past decade. In fact Warnock seems set on turning Loftus Road into a sort of borstal for footballers who have fallen foul of the law. Having recruited Paddy Kenny, banned from professional football for 9 months in September 2009 for failing a drugs test, and Bradley Orr, jailed three years earlier for assault, Marlon King is the latest miscreant to be linked to Warnock's rehab centre. King, whom Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan said should 'never play football again', is undoubtedly an excellent goalscorer at Championship level, but many will not take kindly to his return to the game, particularly given the nature of his crimes. Still, I'm sure the notoriously thorough and professional PR men at QPR will find a positive spin to put on his arrival should it go through. What next? Lee Hughes as the 'final piece' of Neil Warnock's attacking jigsaw? Watch this space.

World Cup Buzz, Day 32 - The World Cup Final: A day on which dreams come true, heroes emerge, and history is made

So here it is, the Final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa has finally arrived. Whilst the standard of football has at times been below what many would have expected, and a number of games have been rather boring and predictable, the organisers have put on an excellent tournament. Further to this millions of South Africans have been given a magnificent experience that they will never forget. Most importantly of all, the World Cup will have a new winner by this evening. When asked at the beginning of the tournament, I very much doubt that many pundits, fans, experts, former footballers or casual observers would have picked Holland as finalists, so it is a credit to those intelligent few who did. Yet more than this it is a tribute to the excellent job Coach Bert van Marwijk has done in forging a cohesive, committed, professional side with the right balance between physicality, strength, pace and flair. This is not his biggest achievement however. Dutch sides of the past always had the potential to collapse amidst internal disputes, with morale and team-spirit being irreparably damaged by critical fractures within the various talented groups of players the Netherlands has had over the past twenty or so years. The fact that van Marwijk's players have been able to steer clear of such problems is a huge testament to his managerial ability, and may well be his main legacy. For these Dutch players, to realise how far they have come by sticking together and avoiding often pointless arguments, the importance of maintaining team spirit is a lesson they should never forget.

To have reached the final is a huge achievement for these players, and this cannot be overstated. Whilst Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben are considered to be among the foremost players in Europe, this Dutch squad has been more than just a flamboyant outfit, able to thrash lesser opponents but likely to crumble in the face of more formidable opposition. Having conceded a sloppy goal early on against Brazil from a simple pass through the middle of defence, Holland demonstrated huge character to come back after half-time, although obviously the introduction of Rafael van der Vaart in midfield was pivotal to the final result. Defensively the Dutch haven't looked rock solid but van Marwijk's defence has still only conceded 5 goals in the six games they have played so far. Whilst this team is almost incomparable to Holland's 'total football' finalists of 1974 and 1978, perhaps van Marwijk has discovered a new 'third way' for the Dutch to approach major tournaments. Solid but unspectacular, they sailed through the group stages and at have yet to appear out of their depth against any opponent. Tonight's game will be very different however, with the Spanish posing a very different threat to any other side in world football. The form of Wesley Sneijder will be crucial in attempting to dominate the midfield, certainly the key battlefield in tonight's game, whilst Mark van Bommel will be looking to disrupt the play of Iniesta and Xavi through his robust tackling and playing style. Arjen Robben could well be the man to break through the Spanish ranks with his pace giving him a huge advantage over Pique and Puyol if Sneijder manages to thread through the inch-perfect passes Holland's legions of orange-clad fans will be desperately hoping he can.

Spain are undoubtedly the favourites for this match, despite the fact that they have been distinctly unimpressive throughout this tournament. Having slumped to a 1-0 defeat in their opening game against Switzerland, Spain just about creeped through the group stages despite the fact that they accumulated six points and topped their group. Victories in the Round of 16 against Portugal and in the Quarter Final against Paraguay were rather fortuitous, both settled by goals from David Villa, who has essentially carried the Spanish to their first ever World Cup Final. It was against Germany that Spain really began to perform as fans and pundits alike know they are able to. A bullet header from the unmarked Carlos Puyol saw them through, and Del Bosque's side were deserved winners on the night. Having played so well against the Germans, few would expect Spain's level of performance to drop drastically, so the Dutch may well be hard pressed to hold back the Spanish tide. Whilst Spain have not been at their best for the majority of this World Cup, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta are two players the Dutch and Mark van Bommel will neither be able to play off the park nor foul out of the game. The primary question mark hanging over the Spanish side is whether or not Fernando Torres will be included. His below-par performances, almost certainly due to injury, have contributed to the rather unimpressive scorelines Spain have amassed throughout the tournament, and have put the goalscoring burden on his strike partner David Villa. Barcelona starlet Pedro, who deputised for the Liverpool forward against Paraguay and Germany, looks set to start just behind Villa, who will be tricky to stop as he bids to become the 2010 World Cup Golden Boot.

As with any final, predicting the result is an incredibly difficult and really rather pointless task, unless of course you are planning to to back one of the finalists with your hard-earned money. This year's game is no different, and we can take few things for granted. Yes the Spanish will dominate possession and play an attractive passing game. Yes the Dutch will be committed and passionate, and this will probably manifest itself in a number of bookings from referee Howard Webb, the first Englishman to officiate a final since Jack Taylor in 1974. Spain go into the match as favourites, and it would certainly take a herculean effort from the Dutch, matched in terms of skill and technique, plus no small degree of luck, for them to overcome Del Bosque's side. However Spain will not just be able to turn up, walk out onto the pitch and effortlessly play with Holland before finishing them off with an impeccably-crafted goal as an when they wish to. Holland will be looking to disrupt Spain's flow, whilst the Spanish will be hoping Iniesta's superior ability will tell in the many clashes the Barcelona playmaker will inevitably have with the robust, to put it kindly, Mark Van Bommel, who has incredibly been booked just once so far. Therefore my final score prediction of this tournament would be 1-0 to Spain, simply because of the superior quality of the Spanish midfield and my growing belief that Vicente Del Bosque's side was destined to win this tournament. Despite not playing particularly well, despite not being the most deserving finalists, Spain have reached the final and look to be finally recapturing the form that saw them triumph in the European Championships two years ago. With a Dutch side desperate to right past wrongs standing in their way, the Spanish are the bookies' favourites, many fans' favourites and judged simply on ability, I guess they have to be my favourites as well. Oh, and Paul the Octopus said they'd win, so it's bound to happen...

World Cup Buzz, Day 28 - Rampant Germany meets limp-wristed, lucky Spain: surely a foregone conclusion?

There may be little to choose between these teams on paper, but on current form they are poles apart. Saturday's Quarter-Final ties could not possibly have produced two more distinct results and performances. Whilst Spain dug deep and, with a sizeable amount of luck were able to overcome a stubborn Paraguay side by the narrowest of margins, Germany destroyed Diego Maradona's Argentina in the most ruthless manner through a devastating display of attacking football marked by clinical finishing. Logic would therefore dictate that the Germans will simply roll in and effortlessly play their Iberian opponents off the park before marching on triumphantly to the Final, where they will surely triumph. However football is immune to the stipulations of logic, and in Durban on Wednesday evening current form will count for absolutely nothing. Having demonstrated my confidence in this German side, although not to the extent I perhaps ought to have done, by placing my money on them to win the competition outright, I am not about to jump ship and join la fiesta Espana. However I still believe that tonight's game will be closer than any other in the tournament so far. Two score 8 goals in two games against sides ranked, rightly or wrongly in the case of England, in the Top Ten of the FIFA World Rankings, is no mean feat, and Joachim Low's side have proven themselves to be devastatingly effective on the counter-attack. Bastian Schweingsieger was the best player on the park by a country mile on Saturday, and even such consistently excellent players as Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas will struggle to replicate such a performance, even on a very good day.

The main saving grace for the Spanish has been the form of David Villa, whom I believe to be a one-in-a-generation goalscorer of the absolute highest standard. Ten years ago, it was Raul Gonzalez whom young Spaniards wanted to emulate. In the past few weeks it has been David Villa, hero of Spain's 2008 European Championship campaign, who has netted five times already at this tournament, and is just one goal away from becoming Spain's all-time top goalscorer. Whilst the mercurial midfield pairing of Iniesta and Xavi is probably Spain's main strength, and certainly gives the side its edge in terms of creativity, passing and maintaining possession, without Villa's contribution Spain would not be competing at the Semi-Final stage. Without his goals against Paraguay, Honduras and Portugal, who else would have stepped up to the plate, and shouldered Spain's goalscoring burden. Sadly Fernando Torres, another hero of Euro 2008, is clearly not at full fitness, and the fact that Del Bosque can only call on Pedro of Barcelona and Fernando Llorente of Athletic Bilbao, who can boast just four goals between them, would be a worry for most supporters of La Roja. In midfield Spain are almost in a class of their own, and to prove it, let me give you the following list of names. Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Francesc Fabregas, Juan Manuel Mata, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, Javi Martinez, David Silva, Jesus Navas. None of these would fail to get in England's starting line-up, and quite frankly such an exceptional collection of players puts Germany's midfield ranks firmly in the shade.

However it's form that counts, and I believe the performance of Schweingsteiger in the last game, Muller against England, and Ozil in the group stages give them an edge over their certainly more illustrious, and arguably more talented opponents. The weakest link in the German side has to be Manuel Neuer, who with just 10 caps is perhaps not ready to be facing a player of the calibre of David Villa. His opposite number Iker Casillas on the other hand has accumulated 109 caps during his years as the Spanish number one, and when called upon should produce the goods for his side. The most pressing concern surrounding Casillas would be his ability to claim the ball from corner-kicks, but frankly similar issues still surround Neuer. Therefore it would be reasonable to suggest that whichever team uses set-pieces more effectively may well triumph. My score prediction for this game is 1-1 in normal time, heading to extram-time and perhaps penalties. Unsurprisingly I see David Villa continuing his excellent form and cementing his position as 2010 Golden Boot, whilst Miroslav Klose could just be in the right place at the right time to start today's Semi-Final party off early on. The winner is more difficult to predict, but given that I saw fit to invest my hard-loaned money in a German victory, over the course of the past few weeks I've seen little that would make me change my mind. The Spanish of course pose a huge threat, but form-wise they are out-of-sorts, and the spriteliness and raw potential of players such as Muller, Ozil, Khedira and even the still relatively young Podolski and Schweinsteiger might just see the Germans progressing to the final at Soccer City on Saturday evening.

World Cup Buzz, Day 27 - Will it be an all-European final, or can South America salvage some pride through an unlikely hero?

Following the final round of Group Stage matches, it very much appeared as though the 2010 FIFA World Cup belonged to South America. With six sides from said continent still in the tournament, as opposed to two from Asia, Ghana as the sole African representative, and just six from Europe, traditional dominators of previous World Cups, some pundits were talking up the possibility of an all-South American final. Admittedly the two most likely sides to be involved in such a final were Brazil and Argentina, but having lost Italy and France in the Group Stages, and given how poorly England and Spain had been performing. Now though the situation is rather different. Three out of the four sides involved in this week's Semi-Final matches are from Europe, suggesting perhaps that towards the latter stages of any World Cup, the greater experience of the European players, and perhaps higher standard of coaches comes into play. I may be doing a disservice to the other sides in the World Cup, but certainly Argentina's failure to reach the last four cannot be blamed on any shortage of talent in their squad, whilst Ghana's defeat demonstrated a lack of experience in highly pressurised situations. Furthermore had Brazil been able to maintain their discipline and adapt themselves tactically and mentally to cope with the greater threat posed by Holland after half-time, the tournament would be guaranteed a non-European finalist. As it is Uruguay, the final South American side standing, face an uphill battle to reach the final for the first time since 1950, when they upset perennial champions Brazil to claim the Jules Rimet trophy.

Perhaps not everybody's favourite team right now, Uruguay's route to the Semi-Final stage had been relatively simple until last week's exhilirating match against Ghana, which ended with a penalty shoot-out, after a few minutes of high-drama at the end of the extra time period. Following an outrageous and unmistakable handball by star striker Luis Suarez, who was rightly sent-off and will miss today's game, Ghana's top scorer Asamoah Gyan smashed his shot against the bar, leading to a heart-breaking penalty shoot-out loss for the demoralised and devastated Ghanaians. The fact that Suarez was seen to have been heading down the tunnel in tears following his blatant act of cheating, only to break out in celebration as Gyan failed to convert from the spot has angered many, whilst in the unjust nature of Ghana's defeat has left their many supporters, both native and adopted, feeling extremely hard done by. Personally I am hoping for today's game to restore a sense of justice a decency to the competition, and I feel that Holland as a side that represent more than most the values of attractive, technically-sound, passing football, are best placed to do just that. On a purely footballing level meanwhile, I can't imagine there would be many able or willing to predict anything other than a Dutch victory. In Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben they have the players, but as they showed against Brazil, Holland also have the mental strength and self-belief to claw back victory from the jaws of defeat. Bert van Marwijk has done an exceptional job in forging a committed but most importantly unified Dutch squad, which has so far avoided petty-squabbles and infighting, and focused entirely on the job at hand.

Uruguay for their part have done very well to get this far, although it is fair to say that having been on the 'easier' side of the draw, games against South Korea and subsequently Ghana haven't been quite as difficult as the test Oscar Tabarez' side face today. It would also be reasonable to suggest that after friday's game Uruguay may well have tired themselves out to such an extent that they cannot maintain the level of performance they will be required to for at least 90 minutes in order to progress. The loss of Luis Suarez is a huge blow, but Uruguay can still rely on the prolific Diego Forlan and strike partner Edinson Cavani up front. However I still believe van Marwijk's to be superior to the Uruguayans in every way, and having come into this game off the back of a superb victory against five-time champions Brazil, one has to say they have the momentum to boot. My score prediction would be 2-1, for I believe Uruguay to be capable, almost certainly through Forlan, or breaking through the by no means watertight Dutch defence. If Uruguay can utilise the long-ball tactic, as Brazil did to great effect for Robinho's opener, they may well be able to expose the weaknesses of Heitinga and Mathijsen. However as they have proven throughout this tournament, Holland are capable of scoring crucial goals as an when required, and Arjen Robben could well prove to be the difference today.

World Cup Buzz, Day 23 - Surely there can be nothing better than watching your enemies fight to the death?

After last night's injustice, where lethal marksman Luis Suarez demonstrated his talent, not for goalscoring, but cheating in order to ensure his side's progression to the Semi-Finals, today's Germany vs. Argentina showdown should provide a bit of much needed relief. Despite showcasing some of the world's foremost players, it will also be a good opportunity to watch either German or Argentinean fans, players and coaches crying at full-time, a sight to savour for the millions of downhearted England fans across the country. On a purely footballing level the match is deeply intriguing, for it will almost certainly be the first time that the managerial credentials of Diego Maradona, as well as his tactical knowledge and understanding, have been tested at this tournament. No disrespect to the following sides, but games against Nigeria, South Korea, Greece and Mexico haven't been the most taxing, and generally Maradona has been able to dispatch his extremely talented charges and watch them overcome their opponents with ease. The test Joachim Low's Germany will almost certainly provide will not be easy in the slightest. Fresh from a convincing 4-1 victory over England, which I think a few news outlets in this country may well have covered, the Germans are a force to be reckoned with. Despite the innane and pointless comparisons with previous German sides, Low's players proved to the world that they are resilient, tactically sound, technically excellent and most of all extremely talented. On paper Argentina have more experience, and it is fair to say that Germany, like their opponents, have not been tested against opponents of the highest calibre as of yet.

Mesut Ozil will continue to attract the interest of commentators, fans and pundits alike, as I imagine will Lionel Messi's percieved underachievement at this tournament. It will be interesting to see whether Argentina's defence will be able to cope with Germany's lethal counter-attacking, especially when it's array of attacking stars are pushing forward hoping to break the deadlock, or in search of an equaliser. Having said that I doubt that even a manager as tactically dubious as Maradona will afford Low's side the amount of space that England's generous defence did on Sunday. The most intriguing battle could be in midfield, where I actually believe the Germans to be superior to their opponents. Schweingstieger was for me the man of the match in Germany's thrashing of England, and was able to dictate the play and control possession with ease. Up front the devastating combination of Messi, Higuain and Tevez constitutes Argentina's main threat, and I doubt it will go away from this game empty handed. My score prediction for the game is 2-1 to Germany, a result which may well only be achieved after extra time. Perhaps it's the disappointment of Sunday, perhaps it's my low opinion of Maradona, but something tells me it will be Deutschland Uber Argies tomorrow.

The second game of the day may appear to many a foregone conclusion, a match that Vicente del Bosque's Spain simply need to turn up to in order to win by a handsome margin. Whilst I do believe that Spain will ultimately progress, the relative difficulty they've had in progressing to this stage appears to suggest that tomorrow night's Quarter Final clash will be close, and by no means a classic. With Fernando Torres patently unfit and almost entirely ineffective as a result, the goalscoring burden has fallen on Spain's second most successful player in that regard, David Villa. The new Barcelona forward has been in vintage goalscoring form, and I would back him to be the difference against opponents Paraguay. The seemingly unbeatable midfield partnership of Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta should allow the Spanish to dictate the pattern of the game, but expect resolute, 'backs against the wall', to borrow yet another footballing cliche, defending at all times. Paraguay for their part will be hoping to steal a goal on the break, and in Roque Santa Cruz they have a forward well versed in playing up front on his own, and capable of scoring from set-piece situations, where the Paraguayans ought to be most successful.

Having disregarded Spain as contenders to lift the famous Jules Rimet trophy in my pre-tournament prediction piece, and betted accordingly, nothing would please me more than to see the Spanish knocked-out, in time honoured fashion, just as the competition hots up and the pressure is really put on them to succeed. However I simply cannot see it. After all, any side able to justify leaving Cesc Fabregas on the bench is undoubtedly rather well endowed. However the fact that Spain have just four strikers in their squad, and that two of these are Pedro and Fernando Llorente, who boast just four international goals between them, suggests that if Fernando Torres really is as unfit as I believe him to be, Spain will have trouble locating an adequate replacement. It is unlikely that Paraguay will reach this stage of a World Cup for a long time to come, no disrespect intended, but unfortunately it is even more unlikely that they will be able to progress tomorrow evening at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. Therefore I predict that Spain will triumph by two goals to nil, and carry a significant amount of hope that both will be scored by David Villa, my pre-tournament prediction for top scorer, who could earn me a handsome £6 if am proved right.

World Cup Buzz, Day 18 - England may be out, but can Holland and Brazil re-ignite our love for football?

So, after England's worst ever World Cup finals defeat we have two of the tournament favourites in action, hoping to put on a show to lift the gloom that has descended across the country. First to take to the stage are Holland, one of two sides to have emerged from the group stages with a 100% record, against Slovakia, slayers of reigning champions Italy. Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk has a fully-fit, suspension-free squad of players to choose from, and looks set to go with an attacking triumvirate of Dirk Kuyt, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben, making his first start of this World Cup in place of the injured Rafael Van Der Vaart. With playmaker Wesley Sneijder looking to dictate the play in midfield, and the experience of Mark Van Bommel alongside him, the Dutch look strong going forward. Robben, through virtue of his performances in the Champions League, has demonstrated himself to be capable of unlocking the vast majority of defences, and providing the spark of brilliance required to break the deadlock when it matters most. Robin van Persie, despite his plethora of injuries, has continually proven that he is a striker of the highest calibre, a team player, and magnificent in dead ball situations. Defensively Holland should be fairly solid, having conceded just one goal to their Group E opponents, and I personally wouldn't expect Slovakia to give the likes of Jonny Heitinga and Gregory Van der Wiel the sort of test they can expect against superior opposition should they progress to the Quarter Finals.

Slovakia, for their part, were not particularly impressive during the group stages, and can perhaps thank themselves slightly lucky to have been in a position to profit from Italy's inadequacies. An opening 1-1 draw with New Zealand remains one of the tournament's biggest upsets, whilst a 2-0 defeat to Paraguay didn't exactly demonstrate Slovakia's footballing credentials. Rob Vittek has been in impressive form for Vladimir Weiss' side, scoring 3 goals including an excellent brace against Italy, whilst Marek Hamsik has long been a player worthy of higher regard across Europe. Appearing at their first World Cup since gaining independence following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, they are by no means easy opponents. Having defeated Russia to get to this stage, and demonstrated their ability mettle against Italy, turning on the style when it mattered, it would be wrong to suggest that Holland should be expecting to go through barely breaking sweat. Miroslav Stoch, formerly of Chelsea and Martin Skrtel of Liverpool are both players who may be familiar to football fans in this country, whilst young Vladimir Weiss, son of the Slovakian coach, spent last season on loan at Bolton. In terms of a score prediction, following the rather one-sided games of yesterday I would suggest that this trend may be set to continue. Holland are huge favourites to win, and I believe will do so by a margin of two goals, perhaps 2-0 or 3-1. However it is a World Cup, and anything can happen. Just ask Italy.

The evening kick-off features Brazil, who are burdened by a huge weight of expectation amongst their fans and pundits alike. Dunga's side has been described as being too workmanlike, industrious and not worthy of being considered alongside some of the great attacking sides Brazil has previously been fortunate enough to have. However it hasn't always been the magnificent attacking play of Ronaldo, Jairzinho, Pele and Romario amongst others that has won five World Cups for the Canarinhos. They have also been defensively strong, and despite having conceded two goals during the group stages, can call on the services of Julio Cesar between the sticks, arguably one of the best goalkeepers in world football. Flamboyance doesn't always win World Cups, as Germany have proven time after time. Organisation, defensive solidity, determination and team-work are often undervalued by fans and pundits desiring mesmerising attacking play. However even if Dunga's side isn't the most exciting Brazil team of recent tournaments, or even at this World Cup, this frankly doesn't matter. With Kaka returning to the side after his suspension, Brazil will be full of confidence going into today's game against Chile, recently dispatched by Spain but still highly-regarded and seen as worthy occupiers of a place in the last 16. Despite their talent, and the number of excellent players in their squad, Chile will definitely have their work cut out as they attempt to progress to the Quarter Final stage for the first time since they finished third in 1962. The talented Alexis Sanchez of Italian side Udinese, surprisingly subbed during Chile's 2-1 defeat to Spain, will provide his side's main attacking threat alongside Humberto Suazo, Chile's sixth highest all time goalscorer. My score prediction, rather boringly, would be 2-1, unless Chile manage to open the scoring. If Brazil score first they will almost certainly dominate and be in a position to exploit the space left by the Chileans as they search for an equaliser. Marcelo Bielsa has proven himself to be an excellent coach, but I believe Brazil will have slightly too much for their fellow South Americans, who may come to regret not taking advantage of their domination of play against Spain and having a slightly easier time of it facing Carlos Quieroz' Portugal.

World Cup Buzz, Day 17 - Enough of the war, enough of the jingoism, enough of the nationalist sentiment: England vs. Germany, let the best team win

70 years ago these two countries were at war, and today they do battle once again to decide who will progress to the Quarter Final stage of the 2010 World Cup. Whilst this is only a football match, the emotion and passion England vs. Germany games inspire amongst fans in both countries is almost unrivalled across Europe. Had England won their group, they would have been playing last night in Rustenberg against the final African side still standing, Ghana. However it wasn't to be, and fate has had it that England, who struggled through the group stages and flattered to decieve in their opening two games, should come up against the old enemy this early on. Whilst the media may be filled with meaningless talk of 'fighting on the beaches', 'beating the jerries once again' and past penalty shoot-outs that are almost entirely unrelated to today's game, genuine pundits and fans are merely anticipating an excellent game played in a highly-charged and competitive atmosphere. Not that it has been given too much consideration by many media outlets in this country, but the two teams are actually fairly well balanced, with Joachim Low's side possibly having the edge ever so slightly. Whilst the Germans are young, vibrant and certainly very talented, our boys have the experience, they've been here before, they've lost here before and they know what is required of them. For many England players this may well be their last ever chance to win a World Cup, and such a situation should spur them on to glory. Wayne Rooney, still England's star man despite his recent poor form and petulance after the Algeria game, needs to deliver and take the game by the scruff of the neck. Not since his two-goal salvo against Croatia in 2004 has Rooney performed to the level he is capable of for England in a major tournament, and without meaning to state the obvious, he will play on few bigger stages than this. As for England's selection choices, I would expect the same team that started and impressed against Slovenia to be picked for today's crunch clash. The pace of Matthew Upson and his superior fitness should lead Capello to prefer him against the more experienced Jamie Carragher, whilst Jermaine Defoe will surely keep his place after his crucial goal against Slovenia. In terms of England's strong and weak links, Steven Gerrard is a player England will look to for inspiration, whilst James Milner's excellent performance in the final Group C game means he will once again be expected to put in pin-point crosses from the right. Glen Johnson at right-back is certainly a worry, given his tendency to attack rather than defend and his not exceptional defensive ability. However besides him there are few obvious weak links in this England team.

On to the Germans then. Star of the tournament Mesut Ozil will pose a significant threat to England, and Gareth Barry will need to have the game of his life to shackle the lively midfielder. The incredible goal-scoring records of Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski lend the German attack a greater potency than most others at this tournament, whilst the young Thomas Muller impressed in the opening game. Defensively the Germans should be fairly strong, but Manuel Neuer appears to be a potential weak link for England to exploit, especially from corners where he struggles to claim the ball with the authoritativeness you would expect from a top international 'keeper. Philipp Lahm, in my opinion one of the best wing-backs in international football, is sound defensively and poses a huge threat going forward, whilst Bastian Schweingsteiger and Sami Khedira are also worth a mention. Overall Germany's side is very strong, but its inexperience could tell later on in the game, especially if it were to go to extra time. It seems to me that the German side is capable of flashes of brilliance, and extremely adept when the going is good, but when the tables turn do they have the mental resilience and experience of international football necessary to dig deep and produce a match-winning performance? Perhaps I am doing the Germans a disservice here, and they may well see off England with ease. However I don't think so. This game will be won by a single-goal margin, and the team that wins will be the one which is best able to handle the pressure, and control the game in midfield. England can do both of these things, and whereas in the last few games England were deeply impressive, they will have nowhere to hide after today. No more group games to rescue themselves, no excuses of injuries or fear. The pressure on them today will either inspire them to greatness, or lend to them a nervousness and a cautiousness that could cost Fabio Capello's boys. Whatever happens, there has never been a better time for England to come into form than this afternoon at 3pm.

The second game of the day may not be particularly important to many in this country, despite the excellent spectacle that it promises to be. England fans will either be drowning their sorrows or drinking pubs, bars and clubs dry across the country in a toast to their heroes. Yet in all the euphoria surrounding this afternoon's game, tonight's clash sees Argentina, arguably the side to have impressed the most during the group stages, take on Mexico, somewhat of a surprise package so far. Tonight's game at Soccer City will almost certainly see Diego Maradona's tactical naiviety and managerial credentials given a rigorous cross-examination. So far he has been able to get away with playing winger Jonas Gutierrez at right-back, but Mexico will provide a stern test of Maradona's credentials, and those of his side. Dos Santos, Torrado, Guardado and Vela are all very capable players, and the Mexicans appear to be adapt at keeping possession and dominating games on their terms. I would expect Lionel Messi, who has so far been hugely unlucky not to get on the scoresheet, to put in an excellent performance, but this game will not be a walk in the park for Argentina. Disregarding the problems currently afflicting the French, a 2-0 victory is certainly a credible advert for Mexico's right to occupy a place in the Round of 16. Lagging behind Argentina at 17th place in the FIFA rankings, Mexico are the underdogs. However Maradona hasn't been tested as yet, and may well need to make a number of big decisions to change the game. Whether he is capable of adapting to circumstance, and whether or not he is anything but merely a good friend to the Argentine players remains to be seen. Whatever happens, all we can hope is that Argentina are tested, Mexico play to their potential, and South America has another worthy side progressing to the Quarter Final stage of the 2010 World Cup.

World Cup Buzz, Day 16 - Will the knock-out stages remove the African continent's final hope for World Cup glory?

The Round of 16 stage begins today with two games bereft of any tournament favourites. However both are extremely close to call, and feature four teams that perhaps haven't been given the respect or attention they deserve. To emerge from the Group Stages of the World Cup is, although a minimum expectation for the top sides, still an excellent achievement. It ought not to be forgotten that France, Italy, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Nigeria and Serbia have all failed to do so, and despite the current problems afflicting a number of these teams, nobody would deny that they are still very capable sides. So to tomorrow's first game, and it sees South Korea, perhaps a little forgotten since their magnificent exploits in the 2002 World Cup, take on Uruguay, who were perhaps similarly overlooked at the start of the competition but have managed to establish themselves amongst the tournament favourites, at least to a certain extent. There appears to be little difference between the two sides in terms of quality, and if Diego Forlan is firing on all cylinders Uruguay have an excellent chance of opening the scoring in this game, which may be the key to victory.

However South Korea are an industrious and well-organised side, marshalled by the technically excellent and versatile Park Ji Sung, and aided by the quality of AS Monaco's Park Chu-Young, experienced striker Lee Dong-Gook and young Bolton winger Lee Chung-Young. Uruguay, for their part, and by no means bereft of talent, besides the considerable goal-scoring potential of Diego Forlan. Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani provide additional attacking impetus, whilst the talents of Walter Gargano and Ignacio Gonzalez could be crucial in winning the midfield battle. If I were to make a prediction, which would almost certainly be proved to be drastically incorrect by 5pm tomorrow, I would go with Uruguay to edge it, perhaps by a 2-1 scoreline. If Uruguay score first, and I believe they will, they should be able to control the game, dictate play and perhaps grab a second goal on the break. I cannot see South Korea failing to score, but I feel that as an all-round package the Uruguayans have the potential to go slightly further, and this should be evident during tomorrow's game.

The second game of the day, and the second knock-out tie of this Round of 16 teams, sees the United States, in the position of Group C winner that some England fans felt their side had been pre-destined to occupy, taking on second-placed Group D side Ghana. As the only African representative left in the tournament, the pressure is all on Ghana, who are without their talismanic leader Michael Essien, who has left a huge hole in the Black Stars' midfield. As for the rest of the Ghanaian side, Asamoah Gyan has been hugely impressive in the Group Stages, scoring twice to take his tally for Ghana to 21 goals in 42 games, a very healthy return indeed. Besides Gyan the Black Stars do look slightly light up front, and will need to rely on their impressive array of midfield players, including the vastly experienced Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari, to dominate possession and dictate the play. Defensively Ghana also look rather suspect, and could be vulnerable to the pace and athleticism of the United States attack.

The USA, deserved group winners, have been in good form so far, with their midfield particularly impressive. Players such as Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey have all shown themselves to be particularly adept at the game Americans irritatingly refer to as 'soccer', whilst Landon Donovan, capped 126 times by the United States, demonstrated on loan at Everton his ability to boss the midfield, and has continued to do so at this World Cup. As with the Ghanaians, the USA look rather toothless up front, with the pacy Jozy Altidore their only experienced striker, and primary goal threat amongst their attacking ranks. However, as they demonstrated against Slovenia, the United States are excellent from set pieces, and Ghana will have to ensure that they do not give away a multitude of free kicks in dangerous areas. My score prediction for this game is a rather unexciting 1-1 draw by the end of 90 minutes, heading to extra time and possibly penalties. Given the lack of goal-scoring potential amongst both sides' strikers, it may well be a game of limited chances. However, if it goes to extra time it will be equally difficult to call. Whilst I would expect the United States to be superior to Ghana in terms of fitness over 120 minutes of football, the Ghanaians may well have slightly more about them going forward against an American back four that hasn't been particularly impressive so far.

World Cup Buzz, Day 13 - Will it be an unlucky 13 for England, as anything but a win will see them join France as one of the tournament's big losers?

So this is it, D-Day. 70 years on from Winston Churchill's infamous words, 'never has so much been given to so many by so few', and it really is time for England to deliver for their legions of disappointed, disillusioned and taken-for-granted supporters. By 5pm a nation will either owe an eternal debt of gratitude to the gods of fate, or be bemoaning its footballing malaise and misfortune to be represented by such uninterested, over-paid and over-indulged players as make up the England squad. Having shown their attacking potential against the United States, and surprisingly having led 2-0 at half-time against Bob Bradley's side, Slovenia will not simply roll over and allow the all-conquering English to triumph. Fabio Capello's men will have to improve drastically on their lacklustre performance against Algeria, where they represented pub players tired and drowsy after a few pints rather than international-level footballers. With Capello likely to give James Milner and Jermaine Defoe starts, could we have an Italia '90 scenario, where having disappointed in their opening group games England finally turn on the style and progress to the Round of 16? Let's hope so. Wayne Rooney is another player needing a good performance to win back some favour with his loyal supporters after last week's disgraceful comments, and the time is ripe for him to inject some impetus into England's so-far weak attack. Slovenia ought not to be underestimated, but really and truly if England are inacapable of overcoming their opponents later today then they simply do not deserve to progress. A vastly improved performance is a requirement, but one would imagine that the legions of beleaguered and downhearted England fans would settle for a win, however it came. With Emile Heskey out of the side England fans will have to find a new scapegoat for any potential failure later today; let's just hope that Jermaine Defoe is able to deputise successfully for the much-maligned Aston Villa front-man, otherwise he may never be given a chance up front for England again, which would be a shame given that he is perhaps the only out-and-out goalscorer in the squad.

Whilst all the newspapers in this country will be focused entirely on England's vital clash with Slovenia, Group C's other game may perhaps be of equal significance to English hopes at this World Cup. For if the United States are able to find a way past Algeria, which one would imagine they ought to be capable of doing, England would need to beat Slovenia by at least a goal more than the USA wins over Algeria by, otherwise Joachim Low's Germany may be waiting in the wings, assuming England manage to triumph over Slovenia. It would be a crying shame if the United States fail to progress, given the abysmal refereeing decisions they have been subjected to already at this tournament; Maurice Edu's late 'winner' against Slovenia comes to mind. Algeria shouldn't prove too much of a challenge for the Americans, who have already acquitted themselves well at this tournament, far better than their supposedly more illustrious Group C opponents. With a team gaining confidence and self-belief despite the setback against Slovenia, the USA are favourites to progress to the knock-out stages, but whether or not they do so in first or second place depends on how well they manage to break down the stubborn Algerian defence. Two goals would almost certainly see the United States top Group C, but if England were able by some miracle to put three or four past Slovenia, the Americans may find themselves facing a very difficult tie against Joachim Low's Germany. If not it may well be Ghana for Bob Bradley's side, a far more attractive prospect for most American 'soccer' fans I'm sure.

As for the Germans they face a difficult challenge in the shape of Ghana, the only African side likely to progress to the Round of 16. Although Germany suffered defeat last time out against Serbia, they were rather unfortunate, given Lukas Podolski's missed penalty and Miroslav Klose's ridiculous sending-off. Although Germany are a young side, talents such as Mesut Ozil, Podolski and Klose should see them through as group winners. The 4-0 thrashing of Australia in the opening game is for me a better indication of the potential strength and likely performance level of Low's team than the defeat to Serbia. Ghana have performed fairly well so far without being hugely impressive, and will need to put on a strong performance to overcome the Germans. It is clear that the Black Stars are missing midfield general Michael Essien, and in his absence the form of Asamoah Gyan has been, and will continue to be, crucial. Germany's excellent goal difference also gives them the edge in the battle to win Group D, and even if Ghana manage to beat Germany, were Serbia able to put two or more goals past Australia they would squeeze the Black Stars out of second spot.

Group D's other clash sees Serbia take on Australia, hammered 4-0 by Germany in the opening game and in need of a miracle if they are to reach the Round of 16. Serbia are possibly slight favourites, but perhaps they have already reached their peak in this tournament with the fortuitous 1-0 victory over Germany. Australia meanwhile have grossly underachieved and will be looking to leave the tournament on a high. Having missed the second group game through suspension, Tim Cahill could provide the neccessary spark for Australia, and inspire them to what would be an excellent victory. Whether or not it would be enough I don't know, given that going into tonight's matches the Aussies have a goal difference of -4, remains to be seen. Although a 2-0 victory for Germany, and a 3-0 defeat for Serbia would see Australia go through on goals scored. It would be a shame for Serbia not to reach the Round of 16, given that they have achieved the most impressive result of all the sides in the competition, but from the opposing point of view, their opening defeat to Ghana was acommpanied by a limp, cautious and wasteful performance. Given that their victory over Germany was slightly fortuitous to say the least, perhaps it would be fair for the Serbs not to reach the knock-out stages. With Germany huge favourites to claim top spot, the battle for second place is too close to call. Ghana have a slight advantage, but if the Germans put on a performance equal to that which they managed against the Aussies, and Australia knock a few past Serbia, anything is possible. Exactly how the World Cup should be.

World Cup Buzz, Day 8 - Can Deutschland remain "uber alles" at this World Cup, and will England stutter on or finally cough into life this evening?

My apologies for not posting any World Cup Buzz yesterday, but to be honest for once the coverage of the tournament, whether in newspapers, magazines, on television, radio or online, was overshadowed by a feast of goal-scoring and three very watchable Group Stage ties. How many would term last night's result a shock, given how poor France looked in the first game and the presence of Raymond Domenech in the dug-out, Mexico's 2-0 victory still can be said to have been an upset. Many would have expected France to at least improve on their lacklustre performance against Uruguay, but they were given a footballing lesson by a dynamic, quick, intelligent and inventive side. Recent Manchester United signing Javier Hernandez opened the scoring, cleverly beating the French offside trap, before rounding 'keeper Hugo Lloris to slot the ball home. Watching the game on television, it very much appeared that Hernandez had been offside when the ball was lofted through Les Blues' defence by Rafael Marquez. Indeed many of Domenech's players were quick to raise their arms in protest, but in fact Hernandez had timed his run to perfection, and the linesman's decision, to his credit, had been spot on. Mexico's second came through 37-year old Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who converted from the spot after Pablo Barrera had been clearly scythed down in the penalty area by Eric Abidal. The result leaves France needing a "miracle", according to Domenech, but whilst many in this country may already be revelling in the French failure, don't rule them out entirely just yet. Whilst it would be remarkable easy for Uruguay and Mexico to engineer a nice 1-1 which would send both teams through, it is unlikely that this would happen, as both sides still have their eyes on top spot in Group A.

Back to today's action, and the opening fixture sees Germany, arguably the only team in the first round of matches to really put on a show, take on Serbia, who if defeated would face a huge struggle to make it out of Group D. Whilst bookies, pundits and fans will be unanimously tipping Germany, and certainly they should be looking to win, this will not be an easy game. Joachim Low's side, unlike last week's 4-0 thrashing of hapless Australia, will actually have to turn up this afternoon. Serbia are a strong international side, with many players capable of causing problems. Zdravko Kuzmanovic, despite his bizarre handball against Ghana, is more used to causing problems at the other end of the pitch, and alongside him Serbia have an impressive array of European stars. Defenders Nemanja Vidic, Aleksandar Kolarov, Branislav Ivanovic, Nenad Milijas, Dejan Stankovic, Nikola Zigic and Marko Pantellic and Milan Jovanovic are all capable players who will not simply roll over in Port Elizabeth. Whilst the Germans will be riding high and full of confidence, they would be unwise to approach this fixture in the wrong manner, and simply assume they will be able to slice the Serbs open as they did to the Australians. Were I a betting man I would back Germany to come through this game, but only just. A 2-1 scoreline, despite not having the headline value of Germany's 4-0 victory last week, would to my mind be a far more credible result, and establish the Germans as true contenders to lift the trophy. As yet, they are a team with a good goal difference, which has ultimately been untested as yet. Today's game, and Germany's final group match against Ghana, could be very telling indeed.

In undoubtedly the least attractive match on paper of all today's ties is the United States against surprise, to the say least, Group C leaders Slovenia. Without meaning to detract anything from Slovenia's victory over Algeria, they were essentially gifted the win, which neither side had done enough to deserve, by an awful mistake from the Algerian 'keeper. Today's tie will require the Slovenes to up their game, and really put on a performance if they are to avoid defeat. Whilst I would expect the United States to begin the match cautiously, they have a sound team and a strong international record. They are also capable, despite some of the derisory comments made about the Americans by journalists from this great country of ours, of holding their own against supposedly superior opposition, as they demonstrated against England. Landon Donovan, as he showed during his successful loan spell at Everton, is an excellent playmaker and added to his vast experience and influential position in the American side, he could be the one to make the difference. Meanwhile the pace of Jozy Altidore, which troubled England in Rustenberg last Saturday, could be a factor today as well, and Slovenia will need to be alert to the threat he possesses from long balls over the top, or well placed, incisive passes through the middle. In terms of a prediction, I would be inclined to go for a tight 1-0 victory for the United States. I don't feel too many goals will be scored by the teams in Group C, and it may perhaps take another goalkeeping error or stroke of luck to break the deadlock.

In today's most high-profile match, although naturally only in this country, England take on Group C's bottom side Algeria in Cape Town. With 25,000 England fans descending on the resort, there should be no shortage of passion, commitment and dedication in the stands. However, are the players able or willing to demonstrate similar qualities on the pitch? The return of Barry should add some bite to the England midfield, and finally break the lacklustre and much-maligned, often fairly so, Gerrard-Lampard midfield combination. Furthermore Barry's comeback from injury will free up Steven Gerrard to play the more attacking role he is used to occupying for club side Liverpool, whilst possibly providing a bit of impetus for Frank Lampard to up his game, after a poor peformance in England's opener. The goalkeeper issue appears to be the one most England fans are concerned with, given that Fabio Capello has resisted calls to drop his policy of informing players that they are playing just two hours before the game is due to begin. However I don't see why it should be such a bone of contention; for if Robert Green was the Number One England goalkeeper prior to the game against the United States, that meant by implication that Fabio Capello and the England coaching staff deemed him to be the best goalkeeper out of the three. One mistake does not make Robert Green a bad goalkeeper. So Capello has no reason to drop him, unless he feels his all-round ability isn't as good as David James' or Joe Hart's, but if Capello does choose to demote Green, it will stand as a stain on his pre-tournament judgement. Heskey is likely to start, to the general annoyance of many England fans, who will promptly ignore the excellent contribution he makes to the team and the integral role he plays in the England attack, and make him into a scapegoat for the nation's footballing woes. The fact that the stats back up mine, and Fabio Capello's assessment of Heskey's importance is quite telling, and should be enough to justify his inclusion to the majority of England supporters. So, on to the game. England have to win, it's that simple. If we happen to be unable to defeat Algeria, then we quite simply do not deserve to progress past the group stages. England should be looking to triumph over Algeria, who are one of the tournament's outsiders, to put it kindly, by at least two goals to nil. Should Wayne Rooney be able to rediscover his goalscoring form, and should England finally get their act together and start performing, we could well be looking at a 3-0 or 4-0 victory. It's probably rather unlikely that such a scoreline could occur, but it would certainly be a perfect antidote for those England fans whose high expectations were brought crashing down to earth by the disappointing result against the USA.

World Cup Buzz, Day 6 - After New Zealand's shock last-minute draw yesterday, can another of the tournament's minnows spring a surprise?

In certainly the least attractive game on paper, but arguably one of the most intriguing, Honduras, featuring a squad containing 14 semi-professionals, take on Marcelo Bielsa's Chile, who finished second in their qualifying group behind tournament heavyweights Brazil. On paper, despite the presence of the influential and tireless Spurs midfielder Wilson Palacios, and Wigan's Luciano Figueroa, Honduras are widely expected to be easily dispatched by their South American group rivals. However after New Zealand were able to salvage a point yesterday quite literally against all the odds, who would bet against a similar occurrence today? Whilst I have almost no idea what the outcome of the game will be, if this World Cup does not start providing viewers with a slightly less meagre helping of goals, they may simply decide to switch off, or turn over to Coronation Street. Furthermore the half-empty stands at some of the less attractive games, admittedly not necessarily due to the scant number of goals scored, is not a sight anybody wants to see at the pinnacle of world football. As for a solution, besides inviting all the unofficial beer companies in the world to fill up the empty stands, as I'm sure Robbie Earle would be only to happy to do. Anyway I digress, back to the game and on paper Chile should expect to win this game by at least two goals, although as every football fan has learnt over the years, results are not decided on paper. However even without the prolific Humberto Suazo, Honduras will be hard pressed to claim even a point, and will need to remain resilient, determined and committed to the last, as New Zealand did yesterday.

The second game of the day sees tournament favourites Spain, who have emerged as the only side capable, apart from the rather more dour Germans, of igniting this rather staid, goal-barren World Cup. Spain, not that it makes a huge amount of difference given the quality of their squad, have been given the luxury of a far easier group than even that enjoyed by England. Vicente del Bosque's side face Switzerland this afternoon, with the fit-again but not quite ready Fernando Torres set to be on the bench, and David Villa likely to be leading the line in a 4-5-1 formation. To be honest it matters little what formation La Roja employ; if the Spanish play to anywhere near their potential they should be able to dispatch Switzerland without breaking sweat. After all, any side able to leave Cesc Fabregas on the bench in favour of players considered to be better is certainly very special indeed. As for David Villa, he is an excellent bet to open the scoring this afternoon, and to finish the tournament as the Golden Boot, at an enticing 6/1. If he is unable to produce the goods then Spain will have to look to some of the squad players to deliver. This could potentially be an issue, given the lack of experience possessed by striking understudies Pedro Rodriguez and Fernando Llorente, who have just 10 caps and four goals between them. However wingers Jesus Navas and Juan Manuel Mata, not to mention Spain's extremely impressive midfield, almost certainly have a few goals in them, enough to emerge from the group unscathed at the very least. As for Switzerland, their man goal threats Alexander Frei and Hakan Yakin shouldn't pose an inordinate threat to the Spanish defence, and with a combined age of 63, are perhaps looking at their last appearance at a World Cup finals. Whilst the Swiss will not beat del Bosque's side, if Honduras and Chile were to share the spoils in the earlier game, who's to say that Switzerland couldn't place themselves in the driving seat with a victory in one of their remaining games? We will have to wait and see.

The late kick-off features our esteemed hosts, who will be hoping that amidst external turmoil, threats of strike action, a lack of security staff and poor weather conditions, they can provide some much needed relief. Their opponents are Uruguay, who played their part in one of the worst games of football I, and most of the footballing world not familiar with Middlesborough FC, have ever had the misfortune to witness. This game appears to be too close to call, with Uruguay certainly the better team on paper facing a South Africa side with a never-say-die attitude, and a passionate crowd acting as their proverbial 12th man. Whatever happens it will be narrow, perhaps a score draw or a 2-1 victory, or simply a 0-0, 1-1 or 1-0 as has been the depressing pattern so far. South Africa will be buoyed by their draw, but with the initial euphoria possibly having slightly diminished, will the increased expectations and hope accross South Africa act as an additional pressure on the team? If they are due to collapse at any point, it will likely be tonight, and Uruguay are not a side the South Africans ought to take likely, especially with a final group game against a France side that will by then have an awful lot to prove, and be desperate to progress. As with most games in this tournament, an early goal is essential, preferably for South Africa, as it will force the Uruguyans to attack and bring the game to the hosts. Should this happen, and indeed even if it doesn't, expect Diego Forlan to produce the goods he was unable to against France. With odds of 9/5 for him to score at any point tonight, a couple of quid looks like a very shrewd investment, and a nice way to give the game an excitement for those of us not following Bafana Bafana. However, as a neutral I would be delighted were South Africa to make it through, simply for the atmosphere they bring, and because this is their World Cup. So tonight I will be backing Bafana Bafana, possibly more in hope than in expectation, and desperately hoping for some goals and praying that another 1-1 draw is not on the cards. Although sadly, I feel it may well be.

World Cup Buzz, Day 5 - How 'ronery' will the North Koreans be after they are predictably annihilated by a rampant Brazil?

With the Italians having rescued a draw and almost grabbed an entirely undeserved three points last night, thanks to Daniele De Rossi's fortuitous equaliser, today's games look set to be equally intriguing and unpredictable. With the exception of the opening match, which sees minnows and surprise qualifiers New Zealand up against a talented and perhaps slightly under-rated Slovakia side. Admittedly their pre-tournament form has been patchy, but with players of the calibre of Marek Hamsik, and the raw potential and pace of Vladimir Weiss, Slovakia should be capable of easily dispatching New Zealand, and in all likelihood going head-to-head with Paraguay, who looked impressive in yesterday's encounter, for second place. Meanwhile this afternoon's match pits Cristiano Ronaldo FC, Oh sorry I mean Portugal, against Didier Drogba FC, otherwise known as Cote d'Ivoire, or the Ivory Coast in Anglophone nations. In reality to describe these two teams as such to do each a disservice, as Portugal in reality have a number of very capable players in their squad, even with the absence of Manchester United winger Nani. Simao Sabrosa, vice-captain of the 2010 squad, Miguel Veloso, Raul Meireles, Hugo Almeida and Bruno Alves are certainly worth mentioning.

However the fact remains that despite the presence of the world's most expensive footballer and star of the recent FIFA World Cup advert, Cristiano Ronaldo, in their ranks, Portugal are not a side capable of scoring a large number of goals. Having mercifully ditched Nuno Gomes, a striker despite his goal record renowned for posing very little threat to the opposition goal, Portugal still do not look likely to pose a significant threat to any of the tournament favourites, unless Ronaldo performs at his optimum level, which is by no means guaranteed. Cote d'Ivoire meanwhile, despite the relatively uninspiring presence of Sven 'Pay-off' Goran Eriksson in the dugout, have an excellent chance of progressing from this group if Portugal's attacking problems prove to be as severe as I have suggested they might be. With Sven and the rest of the Ivory Coast still sweating over the fitness of the talismanic enigma that is Didier Drogba, who may well play later today if he is permitted by FIFA to wear a protective cast, the fact remains that the Cote d'Ivoire squad is extremely impressive. Players such as Arouna Dindane, Salomon Kalou, Yaya Toure, Dider Zokora, Emannuel Eboue and Kolo Toure will be familiar to followers of the Premier League and Champions League, but others such as Arthur Boka, Abdul Kader Keita, Romaric and Gervinho also have the chance to place themselves in the 'shop window' if they can inspire Cote d'Ivoire's progression to the knock-out stages.

Today's final game sees perennial tournament favourites and Samba Kings Brazil go head-to-head with the team, New Zealand besides, very few people know anything about. For those who cannot approach any game without identifying a superstar in the team they are watching, then the Lionel Messi, or Wayne Rooney of North Korea is almost certainly striker Jong Tae-Se, scorer of 15 goals in just 22 internationals. Other than Jong, North Korea, or more accurately the national football team of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea, the squad is almost entirely unknown, and whilst nobody knows what to expect, perhaps a nuclear attack at half-time if the side is losing or executions for any players missing clear-cut chances or being sent-off, tonight's game should be rather easier to predict. Expect Brazil to come out of the blocks flying, with Luis Fabiano, Kaka and Robinho almost certain to introduce the North Koreans to the harsh reality of international football, just as they have been subjected to the US-dominated nature of international politics in the past few years. Given that Germany have firmly stolen the World Cup limelight, expect the international media to have found a new team to cheer by tomorrow morning. Whilst it is not often that a side is able to win 4-0 at a major championship, Brazil should expect nothing less tonight if they are to establish themselves as firm favourites to lift the trophy for a sixth time.

Thursday's Transfer Chimney sees Benitez' Anfield career go up in smoke

Liverpool Football Club are on the brink of a return to the 1980s, in the manner of Alex Drake in the hit BBC series Ashes to Ashes, due to the imminent departure of sullen Spaniard Rafael Benitez. Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett were deeply disappointed with Benitez' failure to propel the Merseyside club into their usual fourth place finish, which apparantly constitutes success for a club that has tasted league glory 18 times, and may be forced to offer Benitez up to £16 million to sever his Anfield contract. Whilst it is understandable to want to part company with a manager who has failed to meet his owners' expectations, surely a club with the reputation and huge fan expectations of Liverpool would have already lined up a replacement? To bring back Kenny Dalglish, even if it is only a temporary move, will surely result in Liverpool falling further behind the rich young guns of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and perhaps even Aston Villa and Everton if Gerrard and Torres were to jump ship. Time will tell what sort of Liverpool team will be lining up for the first game of the season, but if Torres were to leave for the sunny shores of his native Spain, could we expect Ian Rush and John Barnes to take his place, standing side by side with Dalglish, leg raised on the bonnet of a red Audi Quattro. After all David Cameron and the Tories are apparantly taking us back to the 1980s, so why not Liverpool?

In other news, Queens Park Rangers, serial victims of journalistic inaccuracy, look set to complete the signing of Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, after agreeing a fee understood to be in the region of £750,000. The 32-year old Irish international has already undergone a medical and agreed personal terms, and according to the Fulham Chronicle Kenny will be unveiled by his former mentor Neil Warnock this afternoon. Despite having already reached and passed the magic 30 mark, Kenny will likely replace 36-year old stopper Radek Cerny as Rangers' number-one, and provide a fresh, young (at least by comparison), breath of fresh air to the R's back four. Whether said addition will be enough to resolve QPR's chronic defensive weaknesses remains to be seen, and with the proposed £500,000 move for Bristol City's Bradley Orr seemingly having fallen through, the R's are still in desperate need of a pair of wing backs to complement Warnock's impressive array of central defenders.

Meanwhile for those hoping for confirmation of Darren Ambrose's £750,000 switch from South-East to West London, you are once again set for disappointment. Despite having agreed personal terms, undergone a medical, and a fee having been in place for what seems like forever, new Crystal Palace owners CPFC 2010 have set about stonewalling the deal in an effort to hang onto their best players, having recently saved the club from liquidation. Now I am not for one moment suggesting that Crystal Palace ought to simply allow their best players to leave if they can avoid it, but it would certainly be extremely unfair both on the purchasing club and the player himself were Ambrose denied a move he has over the past few days come to anticipate as inevitable. To renege on an agreement put in place by a previous regime and attempt to cancel a deal at this stage is extremely poor form by Palace, a club I have huge respect for and was delighted to see remain in the Championship and saved from liquidation. I personally hope the issue will be resolved quickly so that the deal which has already been signed, sealed but not yet delivered will be so by monday morning at the latest.

Finally in a slice of transfer news some of you may not yet have seen, UAE giants Al Ahli have completed the marquee signing of former World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, who has agreed a two year contract after departing from Juventus at the end of last season. Cannavaro said of the transfer, "I always thought of moving to live in Dubai as I love it and I have achieved my dream by moving to Dubai and play for one of its big clubs like Al Ahli." So there you have it; Napoli, Parma, Inter Milan, Juventus, Real Madrid, Al Ahli. Well why not, after all as a recipient of the prestigious Ballon d'Or, winner of league titles in Spain and Italy, and of the biggest prize in international football, the FIFA World Cup, one could say Fabio has seen all that European football has to offer. After all, as one of the greatest footballers of the modern era, you'd always want to play for the big clubs wouldn't you?

Bluebirds fly on towards the Premier League after lucky win in West London

Cardiff City guaranteed their place in the end-of-season lottery that is the Championship play-offs following a fortuitous 1-0 victory at Loftus Road against strugglers Queens Park Rangers. Local boy Joe Ledley netted the winner in the 80th minute, City capitalising on Alejandro Faurlin's misplaced pass to score with only their second effort on target throughout the entire game. Warnock was left ruing the obvious lack of striking reinforcements at Rangers, who could have taken the lead themselves had Adel Taarabt's shot not cannoned off the post to safety in the first-half. The R's boss lamented his side's inability to break the deadlock on the day, saying "You need goals to win games and we don't look like scoring goals. It's frustrating." Dave Jones meanwhile was understandably pleased as his side banished memories of last year's collapse by ensuring a top six finish, and a possible showdown with fierce rivals Swansea City. "The pressure now begins because we've got there, we wanted to do it our way, we didn't want to rely on anybody else so it meant to come here and we set up to get the win" said Jones, who will be hoping his Cardiff side are able to keep up the momentum going into the two, or perhaps three most important games they have faced all season. It was a game of few chances, and one from which both sides appeared set to take a share of the spoils, but City's winner means QPR still face the mathematical possibility of relegation, although it would take an extraordinary sequence of results to see the R's fall through the trapdoor. The R's frontline has been particularly threadbare this season, with only Adel Taarabt, possibly the Championship's most heavily marked and frequently fouled player, and the much-maligned Tamas Priskin, as well as the young, fresh yet inexperienced pairing of Antonio German and Angelo Balanta at Neil Warnock's disposal. Cardiff however were far better furnished, with Jones able to leave 19-goal man Michael Chopra on the bench for over an hour. How Warnock would love the luxury of such choice, but with rumours, albeit it probably exaggerated ones, of a £10 million summer war chest, perhaps it may be Queens Park Rangers chasing the play-offs come next April. In the meantime Dave Jones and Cardiff City are set to battle to return to the pinnacle of English football for the first time since 1962, and become the first Welsh side since Swansea City to play in the top flight in more than 25 years.

Mickey’s blue eyes shine at Augusta as Woods’ return is overshadowed

Phil Mickelson claimed his third Masters Green Jacket following an exhilarating final round at Augusta yesterday. The 39 year old managed to pass Third Round leader Lee Westwood, who was aiming to win his first major title, following a final round of 67 to finish 16 under par. Mickelson finished three points ahead of Westwood, who has now finished second, third and third in his last three major tournaments. Fred Couples, champion in 1992, was a favourite with the Augusta crowd, but he was only able to finish in sixth place having been two shots of the lead. Mickelson had been one shot adrift of Westwood at the start of the final round, but he moved in front of the leader following a birdie on the 12th, before moving three ahead at the 15th. Westwood was able to narrow the gap to two courtesy of a birdie at the 17th, but he could only par the final hole as Mickelson finished with a birdie to claim victory. Mickelson joins Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Nick Faldo and Gary Player on three Masters titles, behind only Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer on four and Jack Nicklaus, winner of an unprecedented six Masters tournaments. Mickelson was understandably delighted with his triumph, having endured a difficult year, with both his mother and wife Amy having contracted breast cancer. He dedicated the victory to the both of them, hailing it as “one of the best things we’ve gone through”. Mickelson admitted that he had worried about whether or not his wife would be able to make it to the course, but his pleasure at seeing Amy was evident. "It's been a difficult year, and to come out on top in this tournament is very emotional”, said Mickelson, who added “to come out the other end and feel the jubilation is incredible”. Lee Westwood meanwhile set his sights firmly on securing a major triumph, commenting “one of these days the door's going to open for me. I just need to keep doing what I'm doing”. Tiger Woods, on his return to golf after a period of five months out following various revelations about his private life, was disappointed with his final placing, saying “I finished fourth. It's not what I wanted. I wanted to win and as this week went on I played worse.” Woods looks set to take another break from golf, stating his desire to re-evaluate the future direction of his career. For Lee Westwood, the supportive claims of his fellow professionals that it will be only a matter of time until the Englishman claims his first major title will provide scant consolation, and despite his positivity, yesterday’s runner-up would be excused for asking if his time will ever come.