From an article about Capello'a poor managerial performance.

Priceless.

A survey before the World Cup started, showing that only 7% of Russians thought the team would fail to make it out of the group (and an extraordinary 18% thought Russia would win the tournament), was more likely a sign of ignorance about the tournament than a sign of feverish expectation. Vladimir Putin, who likes to back a winner, said he did not even watch Russia’s game with Belgium.

One final thought.

Having now seen all of the teams three immediately stand out for me in terms of entertainment value, technical ability and work ethic. They are Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

What these three teams have in common is their lack of any (or minimal) connection with the PL.

I think that speaks volumes. 

TBH I don't think they'll ever come up with a method of deciding games that need a winner that will satisfy everyone. For Euro '96 they introduced the "Golden Goal" which seemed to work OK for a few years, although that said I was never in favour of it as it was too "sudden" a way of ending games IMO.  They then tried the "Silver Goal" at Euro 2004 whereby if a team finished the 1st half of extra-time with more goals than their opponents, extra-time would end after the first 15 minutes instead of after 30. I thought it was a better method than the Golden Goal, but presumably the powers-that-be weren't that enamoured with it.

The only thing I would do is go back to what they did up until the early 70's and have a replay if there is no winner at the first time of asking (like they used to do in the likes of the FA Cup Final for years), and only have penalties at the end of that should normal and then extra-time fail to produce a winner.

This probably sounds odd coming from a Scot, but I was really wanting England to hammer Uruguay when they played them 10 days ago. Never mind the Suarez incident, I still haven't forgiven Uruguay for what they tried to do to Scotland in the final group game back in 1986.

I'd rather see a player taken off every 5 minutes until a goal has been scored, very entertaining and that way the defeat won't be pinned onto one individual.

Glad Brazil won...Can wear the Tee shirt and yellow socks again...

HUP HUP Holland time again...

A rather understated commentary from Columbian TV

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28075946

Haha! I think he'd explode if Columbia won the World Cup.

Malcolm
Wakefield & Gothenburg, SWE

38.8c reached in the first half

Maybe thats why there are empty seats

Penalties anyone?

BBC Radio 5 live confirms this. They had said spectators have retreated to the shade to get out of the sun. 

Another great save from the Mexican goalkeeper and he is out of contract with his present club...

Cant believe how many teams concede goals at corners ater failing to have a man on each post

Mexico being another now

1-1

Typical Dutch persistence certainly paid off. How many corners did they have? lol...... but great golakeeping from the Mexican keeper - their loss could have been even more if it weren't for him.

or not at all if the ref would hae been brave enough to give a first half penalty after the Mexican had his head kicked off his shoulders in the penalty box

Come on this is a great advert for how qatar is going to be.but hotter !!!!

True but the Dutch had a penalty appeal stopped that was also quite obviously a penalty, and then they got a later penalty appeal given but Robben used his usual theatrics to get it that time!

That's nothing new in a World Cup. Apparently it was almost as hot as that when Scotland played Brazil in the group stage in 1982 in Seville. Only thing was, that was an 8pm or 9pm kick-off! Makes you wonder how hot it must have been during the daytime!

Hope the England players have been watching Holland and Greece today. They could learn a lot about pride and persistence.

The last one that was as good as this one (so far) was USA '94 for me. Mexico '86 is my all-time favourite World Cup.

What's with the constant negatives about this world cup? It's like having another wife sometimes on here. It was widely commentated that the crowds were all at the back of the stands in the shade as the heat was too oppressive?

 A lot of the matches I've seen have been excellent. 

Yes, and I haven't seen a lot of empty seats either at the games I've watched.