...*blinks* Who wants to bet that Andres Iniesta will, once again, be responsible for a spike in the birth rate in Spain?

Well, that was an absolute rubbish game, but oh well. VAMOS ESPANA, MOTHERFUCKERS. And even more than that, ANDRES FUCKING INIESTA, thank you very much. If either he or Xavi don't get the Ballon d'Or after this, it will be a travesty.

And it looks like I'm going to write for cornerflag after all. Who needs a plot when you have post-winning the World Cup

Here we go.

ANDREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sick and tired of people calling this final a clash between two proponents of Total Football.

That's not because Holland aren't playing Total Football. It's because no one is playing Total Football. Not Holland, certainly, but not Spain or Barcelona, either. Total Football hasn't been played since 1978, and arguably, not since 1974. Total ( Read more... )

1) Jonothan Wilson -- tactical mastermind of the Guardian's sportblog -- has written a nice little summary of the Spain-Germany match here

The goal, when it did come, was most un-Spanish in nature: a left-wing corner taken by Xavi and met by a thumping header from an unmarked Carles Puyol. Bastian Schweinsteiger howled at the sky and little wonder ( Read more... )

OH MY GOD WE DID IT. WE DID IT. WE DID IT. WE'RE IN THE FUCKING FINAL.

Many, many props to Germany, who were a brilliant side throughout the entire tournament, and played a good, if somewhat subdued game today. I'm sorry we had to knock you out -- but I promise we'll try to beat Holland for you.

Eru Iluvatar, I'm already a wreck ( Read more... )

As long as Spain makes it past Paraguay, and as long as everyone is on form, the semi-final is going to be epic. Likely the game of the tournament.

IF everyone is on form. I'm looking at you, Spain.

YES HOLLAND. It's not that I actually like Holland, mind, but that I think they'll be much, much easier to beat than Brazil, should they and Spain actually get to the final. That and I don't actually like Brazil very much -- nothing personal, I just don't like teams that are expected to win. Me and my underdog fetish ( Read more... )

STOP PASSING AND SCORE, SPAIN. What are you, Arsenal ( Read more... )