2010 World Cup: England v Slovenia

It says much for the dearth of excitement that England have offered at this World Cup that even their implosion has been overshadowed by a French effort that has been truly magnificent.

To get one over on Domenech, Anelka, Evra et al John Terry would have had to repeatedly stick the heid on Ray Clemence whilst hollering "and yer ma" at Fabio Capello. It says much about Terry that such a scenario doesn't seem impossible.

Alas not. Instead he gave a press conference that, rather than rallying the troops, seems to have got little more than an embarrassed silence and some feet shuffling from his comrades in arms.

It was enough to get Capello irked but that seems to be all. If a clear the air session was needed then Terry's intervention didn't deliver the desired result.

England reached this sorry mess thanks to a mind blowingly bad performance against Algeria. It was awful. For a team with England's ambitions to perform in their second World Cup match like a group of reluctant strangers cajoled into a kickabout by an over eager Butlins redcoat suggests there is a problem somewhere.

Whatever friction may exist in the squad they should all be aware that more of the same will mean an early trip home. It's unlikely that the welcoming committee will be in a party mood.

So they must improve. But can they?

England should beat Slovenia. They should also have beaten Algeria.

The problem for the players is how to deliver a performance that is a more fitting reflection of their talent. And I don't say that as someone who subscribes to the view that this England team is full of world class players who ply their trade in the greatest league on earth. That is clearly a nonsense.

But they should still be capable of offering more than they did against Algeria. Even if they were at their wits end with the manager by last Friday they should have done more. Professional pride should kick in. National pride should kick in. What do they think they are? French?

It was the media's chosen angle that this England squad carried the weight of 44 years of hurt on their shoulders, all the way back to that rarely mentioned day in 1966.

Somehow the players now find themselves fighting 52 years of history.1958 was the last time an English team went to the World Cup and crashed out in Round 1.

Obviously this predicament had caused no little celebration north of the border.

Fair enough.

But I'm genuinely perplexed at how a good manager and a solid, if not world beating, squad have managed to be so poor. Theories abound, of course, but if England lose today might people come to the conclusion that player power in the English Premier League makes the national team all but unmanageable?

Maybe we're all too influenced by the hysterical, contradictory, schizophrenic English media. Lest we forget England have been here before. In 1990 when another manager was being written off, stories of unrest were spreading like the winter vomiting bug and all seemed doomed.

That squad reached the semi finals and Bobby Robson became a national treasure.

So, whether Scotland likes it or not, England are not yet dead and buried. I think they'll secure the win they need today and go through to the last 16.

I expect them to have improved, to at least give a display of some strength and defiance against the World Cup's smallest nation.

England expects. Too much as it turns out. But, today at least, they should deliver.

USA v Algeria

Group C's other game today. I suspect the United States will be able to get past Algeria to ensure qualification. The Bleacher Report slideshow has details on what each country needs to do. Basically a win will make England's life a lot easier in a number of different ways. England and USA to go through I think.

2010 World Cup: Halfway there

Half way through. 32 games played.

Some excitement, some dross, some off field drama, some amusement.

Switzerland beating Spain and New Zealand getting a draw with Italy have probably been the stand out results.

France have added a certain Gallic flair to a remarkable implosion. I can’t wait to see what form the post World Cup inquest takes in Paris. The guillotine might be pressed into action.

It’s difficult to comment on England after the Algeria. Mainly because I fall asleep whenever I think of the game. Wayne Rooney has given me narcolepsy.

The fluidity of some of Brazil’s passing on Sunday evening and Spain’s 2-0 demolition job on Honduras last night suggest that the next 32 games might offer more sustained quality than we’ve seen over the course of the first 32.

What teams are going to progress to the second round? A number of groups remain in the balance, a number of big teams face an anxious third game.

If nothing else the South Africa has made World Cup betting hugely exciting. Unfortunately it’s played havoc with my powers of prediction.

Bleacher Report has an interesting couple of slideshows showing what the teams in Group A and Group B need to do qualify. I presume they’ll be doing this throughout the week so it will be worth checking back.

In the meantime, here’s my thoughts on who will live to fight another day:

Group A: Uruguay and Mexico. I’d love South Africa to get through and I think they’ll beat France but I don’t think it will be enough.

Group B: Argentina and South Korea. Argentina should beat Greece and I expect South Korea to do enough against Nigeria.

Group C: England and USA. Close one this. I think England will beat Slovenia and I fancy the US to sneak past Algeria.

Group D: Germany and Serbia. Another close one. The German will get past Ghana and I expect Serbia will have just enough to dispatch Australia.

Group E: Netherlands and Denmark. The Dutch are already through and I think Denmark will beat Japan to join them.

Group F: Paraguay and Italy. Paraguay will top the group with a win over New Zealand, Italy will beat Slovakia although a draw would be enough.

Group G: Brazil and Portugal. Portugal’s demolition of North Korea has all but finished this group. I’d love both Brazil and Portugal to really go for it when they meet in the final game though.

Group H: Spain and Switzerland. Another tight one. Spain will beat Chile and Switzerland will beat Honduras. Then it’s down to goal difference. Almost too close to call but I’m backing the European double.

History suggests that I’m unlikely to have called many of these right. It does strike me that after a topsy-turvy opening my predictions don’t throw up many shocks. An unpredictable World Cup but, in the shakedown, probably not a World Cup that’s going to be remembered for a massacre of the usual suspects in the opening round.