The Three Dads World Cup Wonderland

So Hodgson has gone with the "Peru team"; leading many to think this is his first eleven. Certainly the accepted belief is that it is 9+ of the starting team for next week. Certainly I am hoping that Barkley finds a way in, or Sterling - I think we are one pacy player short of what we need. The match, after a scrappy start, started to look more positive once England settled. Then we've had this thunderstorm and 30 minute delay. The delay has enabled me to do my full tournament predictions. I've noted them all down (on a fairly giant excel sheet) so that I can be suitably smug or apologetic throughout the tournament. What it has done is enable me to predict the shocks and outcomes of the tournament. According to my predictions the following headlines occur: 1) Brazil suffer a surprise exit in the round of 16 2) Argentina win, triumphing over Germany in the final - having only scaped past Portugal in a QF penalty shootout 3) England surprising reach the semis,...

So, a really entertaining game against Ecuador, even if the result is a reminder that England are capable of "not beating" almost anyone on their day. Frustratingly excellent performances from many of the squad who probably won't be lining up against Italy, but without doubt the most entertaining England game for some time. The inevitable injury came - with Oxlade-Chamberlain doing grim things to his medial ligaments and surely forfeiting all but a cameo appearance in the group stages as a result. With John Stones his potential replacement I fully understand Hodgson's stance of sticking with the Ox in the hope he recovers. Nothing against Stones (for he has an awesome surname) - but he just isn't a like for like replacement and so would not offer anything to the squad. And whilst England acclimitise to the heat by playing in Miami - I do the same from the sofa, dipping into the first taste of slightly late night football - with the 9.45pm kickoff. I'll bl...

So the other night England secured a fairly uneventful 3-0 win vs Peru. After the belter from Sturridge we scored 2 further goals from set pieces (proving the worth of having Baines in the side) - but the concern I think was that Peru had a few very dangerous attacks that would surely have seen us conceding against a better striker line-up. We did however avoid the pre-tournament injury nightmare, perhaps saving that for the friendlies immediately prior to the big kick off. Tonight it is Ecuador against England, from Miami - in front of what looks like a bumper crowd of at least 15 people! Obviously the side has been completely rotated, but the most interesting thing from my point of view is to see Milner lined up as a right back. Having watch Glen Johnson looking generally immobile and out of position against Peru, I wondered whether we might explore Milner as an option. As a Villa fan I've seen a bit of him play, and know he is very versatile and hard working and could definite...