ENG-SVN ALG-USA AUS-SRB GHA-GER

After a @$%#*£¥ of a left middle ear infection, I am struggling.

Spending 2 hours last night at the Austin hospital when I could have been sleeping was a larger waste of time than reading the memoirs of Bill O'Chee.

In any case I managed to watch the GRE-ARG game and the URG-MEX fixture. Skimmed through the rigor mortis of Les Bleus, who will need Hannibal Lecter's number for the supplier of his mask as they face the biggest catapult of rotten tomatoes this year outside of Valencia.

The trap for young players is to try and do the allnighter. While the effort is somewhat Herculean, it is also profoundly idiotic. Better to sleep from 9-2, watch the previously recorded midnight special and then the 430 Australia-Serbia match. The alternative is to sleep until 6 and watch the latter game as recorded. This requires both the presence of mind to switch off the mobile and have all computers off as well as the ability to convince oneself that you are a true fan watching it live as it happens. As George Costanza said, "it's not a lie if you believe it".

As long as you've watched it before people who self issue licences to speak such as Karl Stefanovic, it counts.

For what it's worth;

ENG 2 SVN 0

USA 1 ALG 1

AUS 2 SRB 1

GER 3 GHA 0

A goal away from greatness? Wait and see....

GP