Yes, I said it here!

Since this is primarily a football blog, I thought I ought to post something from the World Cup feast of the past few days, before I kena gasak by more folks.

I thoroughly enjoyed the opening match and Germany looked very good against an equally impressive Costa Rica. With the Ecuadorians beating Poland, this group is still somewhat open, but only in a sense that the other three will be likely be fighting for the 2nd spot.

Germany shouldn't have a worry in the remaining two matches, central defenders notwithstanding. And they didn't even have Ballack on!

I will save my *dish* *bish* on England for later. But let me say that Trinidad & Tobago look to have bigger ambitions – and capabilities – in Germany than the English press seem to make of them. A slip up on Friday morning and Owen, Beckham et al may just find themselves doing the early shopping in Frankfurt.

Sweden need to buck up, and soon. Ibrahimovic seemed to be fighting a lone battle out front, as Larsson inexplicably had a poor game. Ljungberg kept going for personal glory with 90% of the chances that came his way. Either that or he thought his team-mates weren't good enough. Arsenal-ish show-boating no doubt. And then some...

My pick Argentina had a solid performance all round, as I thought they would, and Pekermen fielded the right team, as I thought he would. They still have plenty on the bench. Not even a sniff (yet!) of Messi and Tevez. Aimar only had about 3 minutes. Many capable flers on the bench, and they’re all pretty hungry. Crespo and Saviola were incisive in attack. Riquelme, Mascherano and Heinze flexed their muscles big-time. It's all going to plan, and looking bloody good.

Didier enjoyed the zero-gravity ride in Hamburg

I caught the Holland v S&M game with a Dutch friend (thanks Matt Belanda!) and even he thought the boys in Orange seriously need to step up their game (and Matt Belanda is a big-time Holland sympathizer, even when times are not too good for them). Good personnel all round bar the hapless van Nistelrooy, and Robben was dynamite, but they seriously lack a mid-field lynchpin. Could Clarence Seedorf have done it?

The Mexicans were very, very good against Iran (another surprisingly sound performance, btw), hustling, bustling, and totally bossing the 2nd half. Portugal need to improve beyond their 1-0 victory against Angola if they're looking to pip these hombres to top spot in Group C.

Now to England. What the *#&@ is Ericsson's problem? I seriously think this Swede is out to sabotage England's plans – what else could you make of his team selection and substitutions? Is this man as stupid as he seems?

And his ideas of Rooney "having a part in the T&T game" is having a profoundly worrying effect on Man Utd fans. Better watch it Sven... or we’ll be remembering Nuremburg for something else.

I said it here that his preference for automatic starters like Beckham and Owen were going to be England's undoing, and that capitulation looks all the more impending. Expect it to happen against Sweden.

I also said his not fielding a holding midfielder was going to stretch Lampard and Gerrard. Both wilted in the German heat as they spread themselves too thin.

And what the fifi is he thinking with Owen Hargreaves???

Plus England do not look to have the same depth of resources on the bench as say Argentina, Brazil, Germany or even Holland.

I have never been an England fan, but you can't help but feel that for a team boasting the talents of Lampard, Gerrard, Joe Cole, Terry, Lennon and Carrick (both unused – tsk tsk), Rooney (soon to be used – tsk tsk) and friends, they ought to be doing better.

As it is, they would have been troubled against a team slightly better than Paraguay. And Owen was the only player thus far to have a worse game than van Nistelrooy.

It's a laugh, amigos! Remember: look to that 2nd round exit against Germany. You read it here first.