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?