tmonkey

Could well be the only time we ever get to see Messi face Xavi and Iniesta in a competitive game. Wonder if they bother trying to tackle him in training, as I imagine them thinking "fuck it, we're never going to face him".

Semi final. Think the team played pretty well against the US, and having pace on at least one wing could add a different dimension compared to previous tournaments (Beckham and Joe Cole are/were slow). Though with Green, Carragher, an off form Terry, Heskey, and possibly Milner/SWP in the team, there's ample scope to be knocked out easily.

Should only be allowed for games involving South Africa - if it's tradition for South African fans to use it, then using it when their own team is playing is fine. There's no need for it to be present in the other games where noone gives a shit about a repetitive droning sound.

Hooray.

Bradley > Veron.

Green is lucky. Butterfingers yet again. That shot was straight at his gloves, yet again almost went through him.

Based on today's games, that'll be Jonas.

Behind the two forwards, nowhere near the midfielders towards the edge of the box. It's a poor ball. Still at least he's fast though. It's a cut-back. Someone should have anticipated it. A "good ball" wasn't on, as there were 3-4 defenders in a line waiting to intercept it if he had played it in front of, or straight towards, an England player.

Quality play by Lennon. Unlucky.

Oh my. Carragher.

Surrounded by dross.

Hope so. We need Gerrard out of central midfield. Good goal, but he's given the ball away too frequently in central midfield.

Should've taken Steve Harper ffs. Absolute amateur Green.

Green is fucking shit. I mean, he plays for West Ham ffs.

Fucking idiot.

Was just as useless against Mexico in central midfield too. In a friendly as well. He's not an international player, which is what some of us "haters" have been saying for a long while. At least not for now.

Yellow card? No. He's been shit.

Milner has done absolutely nothing on the ball.

Acrobatic overhead attempt by Lampard. Acrobatic for an OAP that is.

Let the spanking commence.

Because the Yanks know they're about to be spanked. They've come to accept the inevitable.

Andres Iniesta lining up for the Americans.

2-0 sloppy win.

I'll be happy if we simply get through the match without anyone dying. Al-Qeida must be dreaming of blowing the US Vice President up (along with some US/UK players) whilst the entire footballing world is watching.

He's the defensive midfielder for the team that has just won the Champions League, I don't think he's overrated at all. And even if he is, it's moot because he's still way better, and more effective than Veron. Re the CL, that's partly why he's overrated. Being part of a CL winning team doesn't mean you're a great footballer. Take Nicky Butt for example. Can't agree that it's a mute point, given that Mascherano is a far better defensive midfielder and Veron is easily better at distributing the ball and creating chances than Cambiasso. Maybe you could argue that he should at least be in the squad, but then it depends on how Maradona wants Argentina to play. Cambiasso in the past few years isn't the same one that was part of the Argentina 2006 team imo, he sits back too much nowadays with mediocre movement and looks awkward whenever Inter are in possession. That's just based on what I've seen, which admittedly isn't a great deal outside of CL and a few big Serie A games, but I can see why Maradona doesn't fancy him at all.