Today, yer Keith Telly Topping arrived home from work to find that his beloved Gallifrey Base was Jacob's Cream Crackered. (It's been down with a server problem of some description for the last few hours and, as I write this, it's still not back up.) It just shows how utterly empty and pathetic my life had become that my inability to get onto an Internet Message Forum to talk to several other sad bastards like myself about football and TV ratings actually matters to me. I am worthless and wretched. It's farcical, isn't it? We're grown adults - Stephen Fry (and Steven Moffat) take note - we should be better than this! Ah well, Argentina v South Korea was on the telly, at least.
Well, it would seem that England isn't the only country in which WAGS cause more trouble than they're worth.
Oh, and, this blog completely supports the campaign to free Oranjeboom the two! Girls, listen, if you need a place to stay after you get out of pokey, my gaff might be small but it's comfortable and has a very big widescreen telly. That is all.
Don't Cry For Me Marge & Tina v Careful in Korea.
As noted, travelling in from work occasioned this blogger to miss his first significant chunk of the World Cup so far. Which, was a pity as, by the little bit I caught of it, the first-half of this game looked rather excellent. The Bargies scored twice early on through a Park Chu-Young own-goal and a second from Higuain. They looked, frankly, just as good as they looked against Serbia and Montenegro four years ago in their second match - like exiled Gods, descended to walk the Earth. Really ugly (though, talented) exiled Gods in the case of Tevez, but still ... And then, as you kind of suspected they might, they switched off for a few minutes just before the break and Korea, completely against the run of play, pulled one back (though Lee Chung-Yong) after the Argentine defence went into slapstick comedy mode.
Gutierrez got a yellow card for a bit of outrageous stroppiness (and will, therefore, miss Argentina's next match). Macherano got one for something of a shin-crusher and, as the Argentine passes went to waste, Yeom Ki-Hun missed a golden opportunity to put the Tigers back on level terms after a fine four-man move.
But, you always sensed Argentina had another gear (or two, or three) to go up and, ten minutes from the end Higuain got his second and his country's third with a tap-in after Messi had hit the post. And, two minutes later, he completed his hat-trick. Just before the end Jim Beglin did a very significant little riff on how Argentina are beautiful going forward but aren't, perhaps, the best defenders in the world and that, somewhere, wait for them is a test yet to come. (When the highlights were shown on the BBC later, Hansen and Dixon picked up on the same vibe.) And, it has to be asked, is this another case - as with that Serbia game four years ago - of one team capitulating and making the other one look just that inch or two more brilliant than they actually are?
Slowly I Turned, Nigeria Falls v Grecian 2010
You could just tell how seriously the BBC were taking this one. They gave Lineker the half-day off and replaced him with Colin Murray. There was a look on Adebayor's face that seemed to ask 'who the Hell is this bloke? And, what is he talking about?' I don't know whether it's just that we've already have seventeen games - and a lot of them really haven't been very good - that caused a singular lack of interest in the opening exchanges of this one. All that changed, of course, when Kalu Uche scored after fifteen minutes with free-kick from distance that, somehow, the Greek keeper managed to dive out of the way of. Thereafter, it was all Nigeria - clever passing, good movement off the ball. They looked good, they were in control. And Greece looked, frankly, like a rabble. There were arguing among themselves even before the goal but, after it, Socrates and Plato couldn't have debated this lot towards unity. If there was one thing that was certain, it was that Nigeria were coasting. Then, inexplicably, Sanu Kaita disputed a throw-in with Vassilis Torosidis and, for some reason, kicked out at his opponent. He didn't connect all that hard, to be fair but, of course, Torosidis made the most of it and went down like a sack of shite.
The referee, Oscar Ruiz, had no choice but to send Kiata off. After that, of course, it was all Greece, with Otto Rehhagel sending on big Giorgos Samaras in place of midfielder Socratis Papastathopoulos the man with, undoubtedly, the Greekest name in the history of Greece. The only way he could be any more Greek would be if he opened a Kebab shop in Stoke Newington. Only the - very impressive - Nigerian keeper, Vincent Enyeama, thwarted them (well, him and a goal-line clearance from Lukman). But, he could do nothing about the equaliser a minute before half-time, Salpingidis' shot deflecting off a defender giving poor Vincent no chance. That livened things up and led to something of a spirited half-time discussion between Dixon and Hansen. About something.
Greece started the second-half like they meant it but they were caught on the break at one point and Obasi missed an absolute sitter. Big hard Martin Keown, meanwhile, was whinging again - this time about how cold it is at nights ('I had to have a continental quilt on') Ah, poor lamb. Then, we had Vincent's first mistake, just seconds after he'd made another brilliant save, spilling a shot from distance straight to the feet of Torosidis, who scored. A moment of madness had, perhaps, ultimately doomed Nigeria to an early exit. Always beware of Greeks healing rifts.
Lost In France v Mexican Waves
The BBC introduced a new panellist tonight, Roy Hodgson. Unsurprisingly, because he's a very good manager, he talked an awful lot of sense in that kind of laid-back minimalist style of his. Although, twice, he did seem to think France were playing Algeria. No, Roy, that's us, tomorrow. Then we got possibly the most soulless version of 'La Marseilles' I think I've ever heard. It set the tone for what followed. It sounded not unlike a ropey live recording of the Beatles circa 1966, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
Steve Wilson was impressed by the Mexican supporters. 'How nice to hear singing instead of ... blaring!' I was pretty impressed with the Mexican team, personally, and so was Steve. Mark Bright, on the other hand, wasn't impressed by anything expect the verbals that dribbled on and on from his own ringpiece.
Oh God, it was trite and monotone and utterly, utterly worthless in any way shape or form. Unlike the match itself, which was really rather good. Wilson further compared William Gallas to a new-born Gazelle which was a novel, if slightly bizarre, image. By half-time, Mr Hodgson had, seemingly, sorted out who was actually playing and made some very good points. Mexico were bright, neat and quick on the break but didn't have much cutting edge up-front. Shearer noted that if they could sort that out, the match was there for the taking. France, on the other hand, were a hundred times better than they'd been against Uruguay. But still a thousand times short of anything even approaching 'good.' In fact, they looked like a disjointed shower. And they looked worse in the second half, all sulky 'pah' and no 'va-va-voom.' Then, Hernandez beat a rubbishy attempt to play offside and put Mexico into the lead. The goalscorer and his young striker partner, Dos Santos, were in fact the best players on the pitch whilst, as Wilson noted, 'the longer the game has gone on, the worse France have got.' It promptly got even worse for them, Abidal bringing down Barrera and old man Blanco scoring from the resulting penalty. Send for Harry Grout. Domenech looked for all the world like a man waiting to be led to the guillotine. Couldn't, possibly, happened to a nicer team. The World Cup, ladies and gentlemen, everybody smiles when the French get beat.
Goals: 38
Red Cards: 6
Well, it would seem that England isn't the only country in which WAGS cause more trouble than they're worth.
Oh, and, this blog completely supports the campaign to free Oranjeboom the two! Girls, listen, if you need a place to stay after you get out of pokey, my gaff might be small but it's comfortable and has a very big widescreen telly. That is all.Don't Cry For Me Marge & Tina v Careful in Korea.
As noted, travelling in from work occasioned this blogger to miss his first significant chunk of the World Cup so far. Which, was a pity as, by the little bit I caught of it, the first-half of this game looked rather excellent. The Bargies scored twice early on through a Park Chu-Young own-goal and a second from Higuain. They looked, frankly, just as good as they looked against Serbia and Montenegro four years ago in their second match - like exiled Gods, descended to walk the Earth. Really ugly (though, talented) exiled Gods in the case of Tevez, but still ... And then, as you kind of suspected they might, they switched off for a few minutes just before the break and Korea, completely against the run of play, pulled one back (though Lee Chung-Yong) after the Argentine defence went into slapstick comedy mode.
Gutierrez got a yellow card for a bit of outrageous stroppiness (and will, therefore, miss Argentina's next match). Macherano got one for something of a shin-crusher and, as the Argentine passes went to waste, Yeom Ki-Hun missed a golden opportunity to put the Tigers back on level terms after a fine four-man move.
But, you always sensed Argentina had another gear (or two, or three) to go up and, ten minutes from the end Higuain got his second and his country's third with a tap-in after Messi had hit the post. And, two minutes later, he completed his hat-trick. Just before the end Jim Beglin did a very significant little riff on how Argentina are beautiful going forward but aren't, perhaps, the best defenders in the world and that, somewhere, wait for them is a test yet to come. (When the highlights were shown on the BBC later, Hansen and Dixon picked up on the same vibe.) And, it has to be asked, is this another case - as with that Serbia game four years ago - of one team capitulating and making the other one look just that inch or two more brilliant than they actually are?Slowly I Turned, Nigeria Falls v Grecian 2010
You could just tell how seriously the BBC were taking this one. They gave Lineker the half-day off and replaced him with Colin Murray. There was a look on Adebayor's face that seemed to ask 'who the Hell is this bloke? And, what is he talking about?' I don't know whether it's just that we've already have seventeen games - and a lot of them really haven't been very good - that caused a singular lack of interest in the opening exchanges of this one. All that changed, of course, when Kalu Uche scored after fifteen minutes with free-kick from distance that, somehow, the Greek keeper managed to dive out of the way of. Thereafter, it was all Nigeria - clever passing, good movement off the ball. They looked good, they were in control. And Greece looked, frankly, like a rabble. There were arguing among themselves even before the goal but, after it, Socrates and Plato couldn't have debated this lot towards unity. If there was one thing that was certain, it was that Nigeria were coasting. Then, inexplicably, Sanu Kaita disputed a throw-in with Vassilis Torosidis and, for some reason, kicked out at his opponent. He didn't connect all that hard, to be fair but, of course, Torosidis made the most of it and went down like a sack of shite.
The referee, Oscar Ruiz, had no choice but to send Kiata off. After that, of course, it was all Greece, with Otto Rehhagel sending on big Giorgos Samaras in place of midfielder Socratis Papastathopoulos the man with, undoubtedly, the Greekest name in the history of Greece. The only way he could be any more Greek would be if he opened a Kebab shop in Stoke Newington. Only the - very impressive - Nigerian keeper, Vincent Enyeama, thwarted them (well, him and a goal-line clearance from Lukman). But, he could do nothing about the equaliser a minute before half-time, Salpingidis' shot deflecting off a defender giving poor Vincent no chance. That livened things up and led to something of a spirited half-time discussion between Dixon and Hansen. About something.Greece started the second-half like they meant it but they were caught on the break at one point and Obasi missed an absolute sitter. Big hard Martin Keown, meanwhile, was whinging again - this time about how cold it is at nights ('I had to have a continental quilt on') Ah, poor lamb. Then, we had Vincent's first mistake, just seconds after he'd made another brilliant save, spilling a shot from distance straight to the feet of Torosidis, who scored. A moment of madness had, perhaps, ultimately doomed Nigeria to an early exit. Always beware of Greeks healing rifts.
Lost In France v Mexican Waves
The BBC introduced a new panellist tonight, Roy Hodgson. Unsurprisingly, because he's a very good manager, he talked an awful lot of sense in that kind of laid-back minimalist style of his. Although, twice, he did seem to think France were playing Algeria. No, Roy, that's us, tomorrow. Then we got possibly the most soulless version of 'La Marseilles' I think I've ever heard. It set the tone for what followed. It sounded not unlike a ropey live recording of the Beatles circa 1966, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
Steve Wilson was impressed by the Mexican supporters. 'How nice to hear singing instead of ... blaring!' I was pretty impressed with the Mexican team, personally, and so was Steve. Mark Bright, on the other hand, wasn't impressed by anything expect the verbals that dribbled on and on from his own ringpiece.
Oh God, it was trite and monotone and utterly, utterly worthless in any way shape or form. Unlike the match itself, which was really rather good. Wilson further compared William Gallas to a new-born Gazelle which was a novel, if slightly bizarre, image. By half-time, Mr Hodgson had, seemingly, sorted out who was actually playing and made some very good points. Mexico were bright, neat and quick on the break but didn't have much cutting edge up-front. Shearer noted that if they could sort that out, the match was there for the taking. France, on the other hand, were a hundred times better than they'd been against Uruguay. But still a thousand times short of anything even approaching 'good.' In fact, they looked like a disjointed shower. And they looked worse in the second half, all sulky 'pah' and no 'va-va-voom.' Then, Hernandez beat a rubbishy attempt to play offside and put Mexico into the lead. The goalscorer and his young striker partner, Dos Santos, were in fact the best players on the pitch whilst, as Wilson noted, 'the longer the game has gone on, the worse France have got.' It promptly got even worse for them, Abidal bringing down Barrera and old man Blanco scoring from the resulting penalty. Send for Harry Grout. Domenech looked for all the world like a man waiting to be led to the guillotine. Couldn't, possibly, happened to a nicer team. The World Cup, ladies and gentlemen, everybody smiles when the French get beat.Goals: 38
Red Cards: 6
