Squeaky Bum time for EnGerLand & Sayanora Japan & Mexico

Yesterday in the preview I slated the Japanese for poor behaviour in their game against Poland. Their performance in the defeat to Belgium has absolved them of any stain on their honour. That they fought to the last was no surprise and I suppose the way they went forward for a corner in the 94th minute in Kamikaze fashion should also have been expected.

They should have been playing it safe and getting to extra time, which would have been the prudent course but Banzai and all that.
A glorious death utterly beyond comprehension to the Western mind.

The Belgium Japan game was undoubtedly one of the most epic in world cup history, the first time in forty eight years that a side has come back, in a knock out game, when two goals down to win.

It was last done by the Ze Shermans, who else, in 1970 against EnGerLand, admittedly after someone and I am not implying it was Ze Shermans poisoned the English goalkeeper forcing a young Peter Bonetti to play in the game he will always be remembered for.

I really do not know why it took the sprouts so long to realize that they had a tremendous height advantage over the Nippy Nips, maybe their heads were in the clouds. Once they reverted to hoofing the ball into the box looking for tree trunk Fellaini, you knew it meant trouble for the rising sun.

In the early game, Brasil again did not do more than necessary to see off a gallant but in the end inadequate Mexican side. There was one thing that stood out however, that perhaps only France, Colombia and now Belgium have shown so far apart from Brasil and that is a sudden injection of pace into an attack which rips the defense to shreds.

Yesterday the second Brasilian goal had it, the third goal for Colombia against Poland. The new wonder kid on the block with a spring in his step worthy of a frog, Kylian Mbappe showed blistering pace to win a penalty against the Argies, and of course the winning goal from Belgium, penalty box to penalty box in less time than it takes to say Belgian waffles.

Defense splitting pass

Grease Lightning

What a quarter final we have in store between the two B's, it promises to be a classic.

If we compare that to the pace the Siesta loving Spanish played at, one can see why the four teams above are still involved and Spain have gone home, if of course they woke up in time for their flight which I very much doubt.

The early game today features IKEA against ROLEX, in the battle of the neutral nations. They are  similar sides in style, well organised, very defensive by nature, which probably means we are in for the most exciting game of the tournament to date, not.

When it comes to attacking play the advantage and it is a small one lies with the wrist band merchants as their imported Balkan talent is better than the Gravlax guzzlers especially since Zlatan Ibrahimovic retired.

They have both scored five goals, but the root vegetables have two penalties and an own goal among their five as they are a bit impotent in front of goal while the bankers have scored a couple of nice ones including this one by the Granit man.

Do not call him neutral

Two to watch

Xhaka & Shaqiri new dance craze ?

Granqvist, his wife is due to give birth today

The late game features an excellent Colombian side up against EnGerLand. It is not easy playing for Colombia, as players, they are under intense pressure and scrutiny from back home. We can not mention Colombia and a world cup in the same breath without remembering Andres Escobar the Colombian defender murdered after scoring an own goal in the 1994 world cup.

I can not imagine what Carlos Sanchez the current Colombian centre back was thinking as he gave away a penalty and received a red card in the defeat to Japan.  The Colombians are still sweating on the fitness of their best player James Rodriguez, they are a different side when he is not playing, expect him to start but he may struggle to last the full game.

Colombia last faced EnGerLand in the world cup in 1998 when they lost to two good goals from Darren "sick-note" Anderton and Becks.

They will settle for that

The EnGerLand juggernaut was brought to a shuddering halt against the Sprouts, but we probably should not read too much into that game as it was basically a reserve team outing.

All the big guns will be back and to quote Admiral Lord Nelson before the decisive battle of Trafalgar, "EnGerLand expects that every man will do his duty". The nation will be hoping that the Dickens reference to the quote will not be what is spoken about at the end of the evening, that being and I paraphrase it here, EnGerLand is a nation that will find itself continually disappointed.


Two to watch

Quintero will be vital if James can't play

The Provider

As I can't sit on the fence so as to avoid being called a coward, I say that Switzerland will face EnGerLand on Saturday afternoon in the last eight.