Holland of Hope And Glory

Three words: Yippee-ki-yay, Wesley Sneijder. After all the hype and dominance, Brazil are leaving the World Cup as suddenly and painfully as ol' Maggie left Downing Street: and with just as many tears and tantrums, might I add.

Of course, I am relatively pleased with the result: in the sense that, if Holland get two more wins, I'll somehow have found myself with nigh-on fifty quid. But sweepstakes aside, it is a shame that Brazil have gone: and gone so shockingly. One disastrous own goal (with cries of dodgy keeper all around), one badly defended corner, and one disgusting tackle combined to leave them with too much to do. They went out at the Quarter-Final stage last time too. It's just as well they're hosting it next time round, isn't it?

And then there were seven: Holland, Uruguay and Ghana (who play tonight), Spain and Paraguay, and Argentina and Germany.

Any preferences on who you want to win out of that lot? I'd like to see a Holland vs Spain final myself. That way, even if Holland do lose, it'll mean Spain finally win the World Cup. Then we can go back to a life without football.

For about four weeks.

Hmm...

The Evening Stanners

PS Felipe Melo had quite the game, didn't he? Sets up one, accidentally scores one, then gets sent off. Classic.

In light of recent football results, I feel obliged to say...

Tee hee hee.

Although, in truth, the result is a little annoying, as my sister and I have currently made a pact to support the underdog and the favourite respectively. So yesterday, thanks to Mexico and Greece, I lost 2-1. Just as well Argentina turned up, then, or I'd have been whitewashed: like certain extremist political parties. (Anyone heard about UKIP lately? No, didn't think so...)

It has most certainly not been a World Cup that has behaved itself: although at least it has now decided to get going after some appalling opening matches: Japan and Cameroon, I'm looking at you. France, under the guidance of the paranoid and eccentric Raymond Domenech, are not the side that won in '98, or even the side that came second four years ago, but you would expect them to get out of their group, wouldn't you? As it is, all that handball incident did was get Thierry and his mates to a tournament that, so far, they've yet to actually score in. Are the French engaged in some kind of cycle? Final, out at group stages, final, out at group stages, and so on? If so, you might want to put a few on them for Brazil 2014. But I'd wait for a bit, if I'm honest.

Anyhoo, today means I have to back, erm, Germany, the US, and England. And if any of those three lose... well, it will be a mild upset to say the least. Though I'm not sure what England will do if Slovenia win. THAT could make things interesting.

The Evening Stanners

Vuvuzeeeeeeeeela

I like to think this is how Eric Clapton views the current situation...

A Message to South Africa and Mexico

GET IT ON TARGET!

Muppets.

South Africa appear to have misunderstood the importance of being the hosts. Hosts! You are not allowed to be horrendous. So ideally, keep doing what you did for the last five minutes of the half, and keep firing it towards the Mexican goalie. Because, quite frankly, he's not quite tall enough to stop everything.

But yes, at the moment, the Labour Party leadership contest looks more interesting than this: and that, as I recently found out, is a contest between five people who ALL went to Oxbridge. Oxford and Cambridge are awesome, yes: but bizarrely, neither are Labour strongholds. Paradoxical stuff!

Ah, they've re-started. And when this match is over sirs, I shall be orf to Cambridge. Cheerio!

The Evening Stanners