Cup Crazy - 29 June

Day 21 was our second day without football during this World Cup. But fear not, because we're back in action tomorrow. Brian looks ahead...

Allez Les Bleus!
Apparently they are old men no more. It took them four games, but France has finally arrived at this World Cup, disposing of Spain 3-1 in the final Round of 16 game on Tuesday. I made no secret that I did not like France's chances in this World Cup. But over 90 minutes, and particularly in the second half when the dominated, France was the better team. On the flip side, I have been touting Spain's chances all month. I even had them going to the final. But playing in a game where the loser went home, Spain just couldn't cut it. The sad part is that Spain reverted to using a player who has never produced for them before - Raul. Why play Raul over David Villa? It really makes no sense. Spain will be left crying in its sangria. But the French can break open a bottle of Louis Roederer to celebrate its tremendous achievement. Things won't get any easier - Brazil is next.

Money Time
It's been said before that a tournament doesn't truly begin until we reach the quarterfinals. Well, the quarterfinals are upon us. And we have some tremendous match-ups. Germany vs. Argentina is a coin flip. Argentina has been the best team at this World Cup. But the hosts have been playing tremendous football and their attacking spirit has been a joy to watch. Italy will be heavily favored over Ukraine, but don't count out Sheva. He knows the Italian team better than anyone. England and Portugal will be a very physical battle. The first goal could be the only one we see. Brazil will be facing an inspired French side. Don't count out France. This is the last hurrah from the last of the 1998 team, and they want to keep the party going as long as possible. As for what I think will happen...

Tomorrow's Predictions
I hate to alarm our readers, but I will be viewing the quarterfinals in San Diego and might not make it to a computer afterwards. So, let's get in our predictions for all four games:

Argentina 2, Germany 1
Italy 2, Ukraine 0
England 1, Portugal 0
France 1, Brazil 1 (France wins on penalties)

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy yahoo.com and fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Join our very own Brian Thompson at the Princess Pub in San Diego, CA to view Italy vs Ukraine! Email us at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 27 June

Our faithful correspondent was moving to a new location today, which means we'll have to postpone "Cup Crazy" for today. But fear not - "Cup Crazy" will return soon. Unfortunately, this man and his Spanish compatriots will not be returning...


Pic courtesy yahoo.com Email us at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 26 June

Day 18 saw one of the favorites just squeak into the quarterfinals and our very first game decided on penalties. Brian, who always shoots low and right, shares his thoughts once again...

Tottigol!
Italy were fortunate to earn a spot in the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win today over Australia. The goal came off of a somewhat controversial penalty in the 93rd minute when Lucas Neill fell in the box and inadvertently tripped up Fabio Grosso. Totti, who did not start the game due in large part to his inconsistent form after returning from injury, confidently stepped up to the spot and slotted home the winner. It was a cruel way to lose for the Socceroos. Australia was not as attack-minded as they were in their previous three games, but they played smart football. With Italy a man down due to Marco Materazzi's red card early in the second half, Australia was in much better shape heading into extra time. But thanks to the penalty and the goal from Totti, extra time never happened. Italy struggled troughout, even with 11 men, to control the tempo of the game. The midfield seemed a bit lost without the talismanic Totti. Toni and Gilardino had a few good chances, but didn't get much service. Del Piero was largely anonymous. But at the end of the day, it's the Azzurri that will be going on to the quarterfinals. After years of not getting the breaks, Italy finally did and took full advantage.

4-5-1 + 4-5-1 = 0
Not a pretty contest, but still a hard fought one today with Ukraine battling Switzerland for the right to play Italy in the quarterfinals. Both teams cancelled each other out by playing 4-5-1 formations. The midfield was congested all game, and neither team was able to break out on the attack. Predictably (although I didn't predict it), this game was scoreless after 90 and still scoreless after 30 minutes of extra time. So, we went to penalties for the first time at World Cup 2006. Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine's golden boy, missed the first kick (not a good record from the spot in the last year or so, Sheva). But his teammates, and some terrible spot kicks from the Swiss, bailed Sheva out and Ukraine went on to win the shootout 3-0. While the shootout provided great drama for we casual observers, it was far too much for the Ukrainian manager to watch - he actually walked down to the tunnel because he couldn't bear to watch. Fortunately for him, Ukraine is now on to the quarterfinals in a successful maiden voyage at the World Cup.
Tomorrow's Predictions
I got the first blemish on my Round of 16 scorecard, as I picked the wrong winner between Ukraine and Switzerland (although I did say it would go to penalties). Let's see what we have tomorrow:

Brazil 3, Ghana 1
Spain 2, France 1

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy yahoo.com and fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Send your emails to bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 25 June

On Day 17 we saw a coach get it all wrong and get away with it and a referee get it all wrong and ruin a good football match. Brian tries to get it right, but we'll let you be the judge...

Thanks, Sven
England, once again looking completely lost at times, were lucky to squeak by Ecuador today with a 1-0 victory in the Round of 16. What handicapped England more than anything was a bizarre switch to a 4-5-1 formation that saw the inclusion of Michael Carrick as a holding midfielder and Wayne Rooney as the lone striker. As I predicted yesterday, this is the worst way to use Rooney, who was completely neutralized save a good 5 minute spell late in the second half. Rooney is a marvelous footballer, but he is wasted as a lone forward. Rooney needs to get the ball early and have support up front. The answer would have been to drop either Gerrard or Lampard in favor of Carrick and keep two up top, but Sven hasn't the stones to drop one of his stars. So instead, England played 45 minutes of terrible football, followed by a half of hoping to get a set piece that it could convert on and get bailed out. That's what happened, when Beckham scored on a trademark bender in the 60th minute. So, Becks bailed out Sven this time. But that's not going to happen against better competition. There is no speed in the starting XI. There's no speed or skill down the right flank. Gerrard and Lampard can't dribble, so England can't create anything up the middle. It's all sad, really. The 4-5-1 can only work if you have two very fast and skillful wingers. Sven starts one on the left in Joe Cole, but the gentleman taking up space on the right flank doesn't fit the bill. Before the tournament, I said that with Sven in charge, the quarterfinals were as far as England could go. In the "Prediction Spectacular," my sentimentality led me to picking a semifinal finish. I hope that's the case. But due to Sven's cluelessness, it looks like my original prediction might come true.

Red Card the Ref
I love England, but they are terrible for me to watch. They always make me nervous, and the unpleasant football doesn't help things. So all day I was looking forward to watching Portugal and Holland lock horns so I could see a real football match. Unfortunately, my plans were ruined thanks to referee Valentin Ivanov, who decided that today would be the day that he made himself the center of attention by handing out 16 yellow cards and expelling four players. Ivanov's performance was disgraceful, particularly when you consider the importance of this game. Knockout round games between two powers like Portugal and Holland will always be combative. The ref needs to be strict, but not turn the game into a farce. Unfortunately, Ivanov lost the plot and the game was a shambles. It's too bad because the game started brightly, with Maniche scoring on a beautiful strike in the 23rd minute. Both teams would have their chances, but then Ivanov's power play ruined the second half. The Dutch had a lot of possession, particularly when they were up a man, but had few good scoring chances. Notable in this game was that Ruud van Nistelrooy did not start nor did he come on as a sub in a game that was crying out for his dominance in the six-yard box. Ruud had been criticized for his poor play in the group stage, but was this a time to make a point? Heavens no. Unless we find out he was mysteriously injured. Dutch coach Marco van Basten made a serious miscalculation in benching van Nistelrooy. The Portuguese will be moving on, but at a cost. Deco and Costinha will not be available in the quarterfinal against England due to the red cards they picked up today, and Cristiano Ronaldo is a doubt after coming off in the first half in with a thigh injury. Advantage: England? We shall see.

Tomorrow's Predictions
Two for two again today. Let's see if I can keep it up:

Italy 1, Australia 0
Switzerland 2, Ukraine 2 (Switzerland wins on penalties)

Goodnight now.

Pictures courtesy yahoo.com. Hop Suisse! Send us an email at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 24 June

Day 16 saw the beginning of the knockout rounds. Would we see any surprises? Brian will let us know!

Today's Action
So, due to some technical difficulties, we lost our lengthy "Cup Crazy" update today. Quite a shame, because we had some good stuff. You'll have to take my word on that one. But we were treated to an extremely exciting Argentina-Mexico match that many didn't think we'd get. We saw the goal of the tournament from Maxi Rodriguez. And we saw the Germans soundly defeat the Swedes to set up an epic quarterfinal in Berlin. Our sometimes-contributor Bryce Campbell will be in Berlin to soak up the action.

Swedish Fan of the Day
It would be quite a shame if we didn't pick our Swedish Fan of the Day for the final time. With Sweden's elimination today, our final recipient is Helga from Lund. There are a lot of disappointed Swedes out there today, but Helga is there to lend a bosom to cry on. We appreciate her compassionate spirit. Welcome, Helga!


Don't Screw This One Up, Sven
We can't help but be disturbed about lineup changes that our sources are telling us about heading into tomorrow's England-Ecuador game. It's rumored that Sven will switch to a 4-5-1, with Carrick in as a holding midfielder and Rooney alone up front. This is nothing short of absurd. England is a 4-4-2 team. Sven is clearly too afraid to drop any of his midfield quartet, so he's bringing in a holding midfielder at the expense of a striker. Using Rooney as a lone striker is a complete waste. Rooney is at his best as a half-striker where he can come back to midfield to get the ball early. He's not the Crouch type who waits up front for long balls all game long. This move has disaster written all over it. I hope I'm wrong, but we shall see

Tomorrow's Predictions
I was two-for-two today, but mixed up the scorelines. I probably won't get it right, but why not give it a go?

England 2, Ecuador 0
Portugal 1, Holland 1 (Portugal wins on penalties 5-4)

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy yahoo.com and fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Send in your thoughts to bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 23 June

It's Day 15, the official half-way point of World Cup 2006. By day's end, we'd know which 16 teams would be moving on, and which 16 would be going home. Brian looks at today's events and looks ahead to the Round of 16...

Today's Best
One spot in the Round of 16 was up for grabs in Group H today. Spain had already qualified and played an entirely changed team of reserves in its victory over Saudi Arabia today. But in the other contest, Ukraine and Tunisia both had a lot at stake. Tunisia needed a win, while the Ukrainians only needed a draw. The Ukrainians did one better, with a second half penalty winner from Andriy Shevchenko. After a poor start at this World Cup against Spain, Ukraine has rebounded (albeit against weaker opposition) and is looking increasingly dangerous heading into the next round. Over in Group G, there was a lot more at stake, with Switzerland, South Korea, and France all battling for two spots in the Round of 16. All France needed was a two goal victory over lowly Togo, which meant that both the Swiss and Koreans had to go for all three points in their battle. After a slow start, France finally did find the back of the net twice. Patrick Vieira, celebrating his 30th birthday, scored a goal and set the other one up. In the other contest, the Swiss took the initiative with a first half goal, and then added a fortuitous goal in the second to end up as Group G winners.

So, How Did We Do?
We're down to our final 16. Before we look ahead to the games, let's see how Bryce and I did with our predictions:

Brian's Picks:
Sweden vs Poland
Argentina vs Mexico
England vs Germany
Portugal vs Holland
Italy vs Croatia
France vs Tunisia
Brazil vs US
Spain vs Switzerland

Bryce's Picks
Germany vs Sweden
Argentina vs Iran
England vs Ecuador
Ivory Coast vs Portugal
Italy vs Japan
France vs Ukraine
Brazil vs US
South Korea vs Spain

As far as predictions go, Bryce and are average at best. We both picked 12 of the 16 teams, but only correctly picked two of the match-ups. Not bad, but not great. This is our first time at doing it. We'll live up to the "expert" tag next time, I promise.

Looking Ahead
After a lot of surprise teams in the final 16 at World Cup 2002, I was of the thinking that normalcy would be restored at this World Cup and we'd see a lot of European and South American teams would do well. That ended up being the case. 10 of the 13 European teams made the Round of 16, and three of the four South American teams made it. From parts elsewhere, Mexico (CONCACAF), Australia (Oceania), and Ghana (Africa) were the only others to crash the party. Clearly, there's a difficult half of the draw, and an easier half of the draw. The tastiest games in the Round of 16 look to be Germany-Sweden, Portugal-Holland, and Spain-France. We could be in for some epic quarterfinals, with potential games between Germany-Argentina, England-Portugal/Holland, and Brazil-Spain. Italy has the easiest draw of any of the major contenders, with Australia in the Round of 16 and then the winner of Switzerland-Ukraine. But as we know, nothing is easy at the World Cup and we'll always see a few surprises. Good times ahead of us the next few weeks!

Tomorrow's Predictions
It's time to take a stab at predicting knockout games. Let's see what I can come up with:

Germany 2, Sweden 1
Argentina 2, Mexico 0

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy yahoo.com and fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. How with the knockout stages play out? Let us know at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 22 June

Day 14 was full of drama with spots in the Round of 16 up for grabs. Those who took the initiative and attacked were rewarded, while those who did not went home. Brian explains to our faithful readers...

We Have Lovely Parting Gifts for you Backstage...
We start, of course, with the Americans today, who really just weren't good enough at this World Cup. The United States and whine and moan all it wants about the phantom penalty called on Onyewu late in the first have that eventually put the game out of reach. But Ghana outplayed the Americans and belong in the Round of 16. The Ghanians have played excellent football throughout this World Cup, and congratulations to the Black Stars for their remarkable achievement. But we can't help but be disappointed with the manner in which the Americans are exiting this World Cup. Key players just didn't show up. Among them: Donovan, Beasley, Reyna, McBride, Pope, and Onyewu. The most disappointing of that lot was Donovan, who was completely out-classed in this World Cup. Landon, you might be the best in the MLS, but on the big stage you simply can't cut it. American coach Bruce Arena also deserves a lot of the blame. Arena's preparation for this tournament turned out to be disastrous. In three warm up matches, Arena played three different line-ups and three different formations. No one - including the team - knew who would start for which formation he'd use until the day before the first game against the Czech Republic. The 4-5-1 was disastrous. The US couldn't, or refused to use one of its best assets - it's speed. There was no penetration up the middle. And when the chips were down, there just wasn't the sense of desperation needed to win. There are some talented players in the US system. Now US Soccer has four years to try to get it right. I wish them luck, but don't have much faith after what I've seen the last two weeks.

Forza Italia
Excellent performance from the Italians today, who deservedly won 2-0 over the Czech Republic. The Czechs started well, but Italy scored in the 26th off a Materazzi (on for the injured Nesta) header against the run of play. After the goal, Italy played confidently and effectively, and the Czechs never seriously threatened despite eight shots on net. Italy killed off the game late with a Pippo Inzaghi goal, taking advantage of being a man up after Jan Polak was sent off just before halftime. For the Czechs, this turned out to be a disappointing World Cup after a bright start. But injuries, age, a suspect defense, and lack of depth did in the Czechs. The Italians, playing increasingly better football, now have a favorable draw in the Round of 16.

And in Group F...
After getting a bit of a scare in the first half, Brazil coasted to a 4-1 win over Japan today to wrap up the top spot in Group F. Brazil will face Ghana in the Round of 16. That made the other contest, Australia-Croatia, a battle for second place. Croatia needed a win, while the Aussies could settle for a draw. Croatia landed the first punch early with a beautifully taken free kick in the second minute. But what you have to love about the Socceroos is their tenacity and willingness to fight back. Australia came back from the early goal, and another goal early in the second half to get the tie and a first-ever trip to the Round of 16. The historic goal was scored by Harry Kewell, who of course was my pick as "Key Player" for the Aussies. Australia only knows how to play one way - attacking at full speed. That should make their Round of 16 battle with Italy one not to miss.

Brazilian Fan of the Day
Time once again to find our Brazilian Fan of the Day. Lots of strong candidates today, but only one winner. Actually, we're all winners. We don't know the name of this mystery lady, but we love that her underwear is peaking over the top of her pants. We don't know much about her besides that. That's enough for us:


Tomorrow's Predictions
The first round comes to a close tomorrow. Here's what's going to happen, in my expert opinion:

Ukraine 3, Tunisia 1
Spain 4, Saudi Arabia 0
Switzerland 1, South Korea 1
France 2, Togo 0

Goodnight now.

Photos courtesy yahoo.com and fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Send those emails to bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 21 June

Day 13 was a tad predictable, but we're just brimming with anticipation for tomorrow's action. Brian's excited, and you should be too...

A Bit of a Snooze
Not much drama today in either Group C or Group D. In Group C, we already knew that Argentina and the Netherlands were going through. It was just a matter of who would finish first and who would be the runner-up. Both teams rested key players, including Crespo and Saviola for the Argentines and Robben for the Dutch. The game finished scoreless, but it was certainly one of the more entertaining 0-0 games one could hope to see. Argentina was attacking throughout, and van der Sar had to make a few superb saves. The Dutch finally turned it on late in the game, but neither team found the back of the net. In Group D, there was a bit more drama. A Mexico loss and an Angola win by a three goal margin would have seen the Africans move into the Round of 16. Even without Deco, Pauleta, and Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal outplayed the stagnant Mexicans over 90 minutes. In the other game, Angola made things mighty interesting when they took a lead over Iran, but the Iranians equalized late in the second half. It then became clear that the Mexicans, despite looking just awful so far in this World Cup, would finish as group runners-up. So, all in all, not much excitement today.

As for Bryce...
Our very own Bryce Campbell attended the Angola-Iran game today. Tomorrow he'll be taking in USA-Ghana. Look forward to his first-hand accounts when his German computer cooperates or when he sobers up. If you are attending, keep your eyes open for the Bookable Offense California state flag!

Looking Ahead to the Round of 16
Today's results gave us two very intriguing match-ups in the Round of 16. Argentina, so far the best looking team in this World Cup, will play Mexico, who are quite lucky to be in the Round of 16 considering their uninspiring play. But Mexico has talented players and could prove to be a bit of a banana skin for the Argentines. Stranger things have happened. On the other side of the bracket, we'll have a Euro 2004 semifinal rematch with Portugal and Holland. This should be one of the best games in the Round of 16. Portugal hasn't been very exciting, but they've been extremely effective and Big Phil will have them well prepared. Holland is of the same ilk, playing effective, winning football. Whoever's stars show up for this game - Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco for Portugal, Robben and van Nistelrooy for Holland - will likely be the winner.

Tomorrow's Predictions
I got three out of the four results correct today - another respectable day. Tomorrow is a tough one for me. I have an obvious bias, which you'll see in one key selection. I don't even want to preview said game because I'm just too nervous about it. Anyways, here are the predictions:

Italy 2, Czech Republic 0
USA 2, Ghana 1
Croatia 1, Australia 0
Brazil 2, Japan 0

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy fifaworldcup.yahoo.com and california.form-a-corp.com. Email us at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

We Finally Found Bryce

When we decided to send Bryce to Germany, it was with the expectation that he'd get the most out of his World Cup experience and update us frequently here at Bookable Offense. Well the updates have been scarce, and now we know why. He really is getting the most of his World Cup experience. Well done, my friend. If only one of us gets to go to Euro 2008, it's my turn and I want to borrow your shirt.


Photo courtesy yahoo.com. Email: bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 20 June

It's Day 12 and we've moved on to the final games in the group stage. Not many surprises today, but still plenty of talking points. Brian likes to talk, so away he goes...

Hosts Prove Me Wrong - At Least So Far
No, I'm not talking about finally finding a very attractive German girl in the crowd, but rather the good play of the German team. Going into this World Cup, I wasn't shy about the fact that I didn't fancy Germany in this tournament. So far, I have been dead wrong. Granted, they were given an easy group. But they haven't just won their games, but they've played with an attacking flair we've rarely seen in a German side. The defense is still suspect, but they've improved since making a few giant blunders against Costa Rica. I didn't think Klose could duplicate his World Cup 2002 performance, but he's playing even better now than he did in Japan and Korea. What's most impressive about this team is the play of the midfield. The Germans are steady on the ball, pass well, and can attack down the middle or down the wing. Today, Ecuador never really threatened the Germans, and the hosts coasted to a comfortable 3-0 win. Well played, Germany. Now, can you make it count in the Round of 16?

Can Ecuador Bounce Back?
The Ecuadorians had been coasting in this tournament until they were soundly beaten today by Germany. The big question now is if Ecuador can bounce back against one of the favorites, England, in the Round of 16. Ecuador rested leading scorer Augustin Delgado today, and he'll be raring to go against the English. If Ecuador has one main weakness, it's in midfield, where they have trouble at times stringing passes together. The English are even worse at that, so don't write off Ecuador to make the quarterfinals.

More Unimpressive Stuff from Group B
England and Sweden played to a 2-2 draw today that highlighted both teams' weaknesses than showed off their strengths. England played its best football of the World Cup in the first half, but that's not saying much. Owen Hargreaves did well for himself in the holding role, and having a holding midfielder seemed to stabilize the England midfield. Lampard again was dangerous, and Joe Cole once again was the best player in an England shirt. His goal in the first half was sublime. Once again, the attack down the right was non-existent, as Beckham was marginalized to just set piece duty. Rooney, in his first start, was ineffective, although he didn't get much service (he did throw one heck of a temper tantrum after being subbed out, however). Owen might be lost for the tournament with a knee injury, and his replacement Crouch didn't do much. Worryingly, England gave up two bad goals from set pieces. Becks forgot to mark Allback, who scored on a free header. Late in the game, Sweden equalized when Terry and company misplayed a throw in. So, lots of room for improvement for the Three Lions. Sven dropped the ball by not inserting Walcott or Lennon once Owen got hurt. But we've come to expect that from Sven. As for Sweden, they should be very tough for the Germans to break down. The one big question is if they can create enough scoring chances. Hopefully they'll have Ibrahimovich back - he was missed today.

Swedish Fan of the Day
Again, not many candidates today. But our winner today is Elsa from Malmo. While we're generally in favor of less clothing on our Fan of the Day, we like any gal who can take some guff from drunken English fans and smile through it. Welcome to Bookable Offense, Elsa!


Early Thoughts on the Round of 16
We've already got some intriguing matchups. England and Germany will be glad to avoid each other. The English have a potential banana-skin in front of them with Ecuador. Ecuador has been dangerous in front of goal, albeit against lesser opponents. England has yet to show that it can play a complete game. This one could be a nail-biter. Germany-Sweden should be an excellent affair. The Swedes are a very difficult team to beat, and will not be intimidated by the hosts. The key for the Swedes is being able to absorb the German attack and catch the German defense on the break. Predictions to come this weekend.

Tomorrow's Predictions
A so-so day for me today. I picked both of the games no one cared about, but missed on Germany-Ecuador and Sweden-England. Let's see if I can do better tomorrow:

Iran 1, Angola 1
Portugal 2, Mexico 0
Cote d'Ivoire 2, Serbia-Montenegro 1
Argentina 3, Netherlands 2

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy yahoo.com and fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Write us at bookableoffense@gmail.com. Don't forget to send in your questions for our mailbag!

Cup Crazy - 19 June

Day 11 saw the a new team take the lead in Group G, the Ukrainians show they are, in fact, not weak (Seinfeld reference, kids), and the Spanish take a punch but bounce back to win the fight. Brian explains...

Swiss Don't Miss
Switzerland and Togo surprisingly put on quite a show during the early game today. In a real up-and-down game that kept both keepers very busy, Switzerland made the better of their chances in front of net and beat the Togolese 2-0. With the win, Switzerland is now tied with Korea atop Group G with four points. However, the Swiss currently hold the tiebreaker advantage due to goal differential. This sets up an epic contest between the two group leaders on 23 June. With France only two points behind the leaders and heavily favored to beat Togo, both Switzerland and South Korea will really be going for it in order to come out group winners and avoid Spain in the Round of 16. If France wins by two goals, a tie won't be good enough for the Koreans. Expect a lot of drama on Friday.

Ukraine Puts it Together
Well played, Ukraine. Sure, you were playing the clearly inferior Saudis. But you beat them like you were supposed to. And now you have all the momentum going into your final group game against Tunisia. A win and the Ukrainians, despite being mauled in the opener against Spain, will make the Round of 16. Shevchenko rebounded from his quiet performance in against the Spanish and was the dominant force we all know he can be. Expect Ukraine to keep the good times rolling, beat Tunisia, and make the Round of 16 where they will have a great chance to beat whoever comes out of Group G.

Muy Bien
We don't have to like Luis Aragones. He's a pretty deplorable dude. But he's one hell of a coach. After getting 45 subpar minutes from his starters, Aragones made all the right moves in the second half in bringing on Fabregas, Raul, and Joaquin. The impressive thing about these moves is that Aragones made them very early in the second half. He took the initiative and didn't wait to see if his stuttering starters would figure it out. Raul and Fabregas came on to start the second half, and Joaquin came on soon after. It was apparent in the first half that Spain wasn't playing well in midfield. The attack down the wing was non-existent, save a few runs from fullback Sergio Ramos. And not much was being created in the middle of the park. Fabregas, at age 19, was absolutely superb, creating a chance for Raul when his shot was saved and bounced to the Real Madrid captain. And how about my boy Fernando Torres (Arsene Wenger, please spend whatever it takes to get this lad)? Torres is a breakout star in this tournament. Remember, if he wins the Golden Boot, you heard it here first.

Tomorrow's Predictions
Did I really say that Ukraine would draw with Saudi Arabia? What was I drinking last night? OK, so I missed there. But I got the other two, including a correct guess of the score in the Switzerland game. Here's what's gonna happen tomorrow:

Ecuador 2, Germany 2
Poland 2, Costa Rica 0
Paraguay 1, Trinidad and Tobago 0
England 2, Sweden 1

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy yahoo.com and fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Shout, shout, let it all out: bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Postcard from Berlin - 19 June

Willkommen zum Fußball

BERLIN - Well, actually, they call that game Tischkicker, but whatever. The Welt Meister 2006 is definitely off and running here in Germany and the place is football crazy. What the untrained eye might miss in this picture is a church advertizing that it will be showing all the Germany matches. I'm planning on checking it out tomorrow night for the showdown with Ecuador.

I apologize if my absence has been a cause for concern for our readers. I assure you that I am safe and sound, and most hours of the day, sober. It has already been a wild ride these past ten days here in Berlin. So without further ado, here are some of the highlights.

What I've been Doing

The Fan Fest, or "Fan Mile" as they sometimes refer to it here in the German capital, is an outstanding place to take in a game as well as interact with other supporters. Teams which draw bigger crowds at stadiums obviously do the same thing at the public screenings, so the magnitude of the game and fan base go a long way towards determining the turnout.

My favorite match so far that I have taken in at the Fan Fest was definitely the Holland-Serbia and Montenegro match. There is just something to be said about watching football with large crowds of Dutch supporters. While Robben appeared to be the only player worth mentioning during the German broadcast, there were plenty of orange hats, shirts, pants, shoes, gloves, lion costumes, etc., worth a peek on what was a very hot afternoon.

I've been taking in most matches a bit closer to Bookable Offense World Cup Headquarters at local bars. My favorite bar had to be the Irish pub where I took in the England-T&T near-debacle with close to a hundred other Three Lions supporters. Ater that match, my biggest concern was that Sven would be encouraged by his substitution pattern by Crouch's goal. Why is Ashley Cole out there? I mean really. At least Carragher was involved in a positive way from time to time.

Other Match Notes

I don't care to speak about the events of 12 June 2006 ever again. I'm serious.

Another match I will discuss is the Germany-Poland match. While the Germans left it late to say the least, they certainly decided to party quite late into the next morning as well. As I mentioned after their opening victory over Costa Rica, the celebrations were timid and reserved at best. After Oli Neuville's late winner, the whole city seemed to erupt.

Cars were honking, people were screaming, graffiti was scrawled on walls, and no one but the heaviest sleeper was able to get some rest at a decent hour. Such was the country's joy in advancing to the next round, which shows how realistic most fans really are about the Germans lifting the trophy for the fourth time.

But really, is anyone not scared about playing Argentina at any point in this tournament? They just made a very good defensive team look like Malta.

Oh, and something has to be done about those Ukraine uniforms. I could have sworn there were ten men dressed as Wolverine out there against Spain last week. Didn't work too well for them either. Word has it that they are blaming the frogs near their hotel in Potsdam, but I would have a little chat with that equipment manager.

What's on tap

Now that it is almost time for the deciding matches of group play, my coverage will really begin to kick in. I will be in Leipzig on Wednesday to take in the Angola-Iran match. While my decision to pick the Iranians to advance now looks quite foolish, the Angolans can still do me a favor and knock Mexico out should both results go the right way.

Then, the next day I will be making the long and treacherous journey to Nuremberg to watch the US take on Ghana in a match to decide which team will continue forward in this tournament. I am hoping for an Italian victory over the Czechs (obviously tired from that thrashing handed out by their hardy opponents in their opening match) and a narrow victory for the Stars and Stripes. That being said, Eddie Pope will probably be in charge of driving the team bus that day and drive them off a cliff.

Lots of action coming up, and we'll bring it to you all.

Pics courtesy fifaworldcup.yahoo.com and Bryce himself. Keep your eyes open this week at the Iran-Angola and USA-Ghana games for Bryce and his flag. Email us at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 18 June

Can you believe that we're already 10 days into the World Cup? Today's highlights included another unimpressive, yet effective performance from the defending champs and the 1998 champs stutter once again. Brian pontificates from our world headquarters...

Not Exactly Joga Bonito
The scoreline might have been 2-0, but Brazil was far from dominant in its victory today over Australia. The Socceroos battled the favored Brazilians step for step in the first 45 minutes. Brazil had trouble breaking down the Aussie defense and were poor in possession. On 49, Australia's defense gave Ronaldo and Adriano too much room, and Adriano slotted home a low strike past keeper Mark Schwarzer. After Brazil took the lead, it was Australia that took the initiative and pressed for an equalizer. Dida made a couple of brilliant saves, including one on Harry Kewell. Brazil put the game away for good in stoppage time when the uniquely named Fred added a second goal. Brazil has a few reasons to be concerned. Ronaldinho, who is forced to come back to midfield much more with Brazil than he does with Barca, has not been able to take over games. The Brazilian defense is suspect and is perhaps only bailed out by the excellent defensive play of Emerson and Ze Roberto. And the biggest problem of the all - literally - is the ineffectiveness of Ronaldo. After two worthless performances, surely it's time to drop him in favor Robinho. But like England, Brazil has earned six points from two subpar performances. As for the brave Aussies, they will control their own destiny. A win against Croatia on 22 June will take the Socceroos to the Round of 16.

Brazilian Fan of the Day
Another Brazil game gives us another chance to find out Brazilian Fan of the Day! We didn't get as many quality entries today as we did after the Croatia game. But we still found a worthy winner with Ana from Salvador. Ana enjoys music, dancing all night, and partying in the sun. We love her energy! Welcome to Bookable Offense, Ana!


In Other Group F News...
Japan and Croatia tied 0-0 today in Nuremberg. That's all I have to say about that.

Les Vieux Hommes Stumble Again
After a rather dull 0-0 draw with Switzerland last week, France stumbled again today with a 1-1 draw against the plucky Koreans. Les Bleus did their best Italian impersonation, going into a defensive shell after scoring an early goal. Once again, the French midfield was poor. Zidane, who will not play in the group finale due to yellow card accumulation, was marginalized. Vieira and Makelele showed again that they are too similar to play together. Give South Korea full credit for battling to get an equalizer late in the game. This game was not without controversy, as what appeared to be a Vieira goal was ruled to have not crossed the goal line midway through the first half. Despite the questionable decision, the French have no one to blame but themselves for their cautious, unimaginative play. Coach Raymond Domenech deserves blame for not introducing game-changers like Saha or Trezuguet into the proceedings. France very well may need help to make the Round of 16 now. The group-leading Koreans are now in excellent shape, only needing a draw against the Swiss to make the knockout stages.

How Does This Happen?
Bryce and I first noticed this at Euro 2004. We saw it again today. The question begs to be asked: How in the world does one sneak a live rooster into a football match? The French may not be showing much creativity on the pitch, but they are in the stands!


Tomorrow's Predictions
Not a great day. I got the Brazil result, but missed on the other two. Tommorrow's games aren't necessarily crowd pleasers for we neutrals, but we'll still get in on the predictions:

Switzerland 2, Togo 0
Ukraine 1, Saudi Arabia 1
Spain 3, Tunisia 0

Goodnight now.

Photos courtesy fifaworldcup.yahoo.com and yahoo.com. Drop it like it's hot at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 17 June

Day 9 saw Group E turn into utter chaos and the Portuguese look more and more like a contender. Brian continues his yeoman's work with another fabulous edition of "Cup Crazy"...

Italy Drops the Ball
Saturday's bizarre 1-1 draw between Italy and the United States obviously generated a number of talking points. I could easily focus on the impressive underdog performance from the shorthanded US team. But it's hard to give too much credit to a team that didn't have a single shot on goal and still has not had one of its own players score a goal. The Azzurri could have taken a stranglehold on this group with a win over the nine-man American team. But now there's a chance that Italy could be on the outside looking in if the results don't go their way. But what a crazy game. The US received two very harsh red cards. The Americans did a great job of frustrating the mighty Italians. In fact, the American midfield outplayed Italy's for long stretches before they went a man down. If not for an over-zealous referee, who knows what could have happened. But the red cards - one of which Italy's Daniele De Rossi rightly received in addition to the two questionable ones the US received - were all part of the drama in what many are calling the most exciting game to date at this World Cup. Both goals were suspect. Eddie Pope, who didn't have one of his better games, was clearly at fault on the Gilardino goal. And Zaccardo's own goal was bizarre. Give the Americans credit - they did not lay down for the Italians and put up a fight they can be proud of (in contrast to their feeble performance last Monday).

Black Stars are the Stars of the Day
What a day for Ghana! The debutantes scored a shocking win over the Czech Republic. After looking like world beaters last week against the Americans, the Czechs looked like the old, shorthanded, overrated team that I suspected they'd be today against the Black Stars. Once again, a very early goal turned the tide of a match. The Czechs looked desperate for the entire match after a second-minute stunner from Asamoah Gyan. The Czech Republic's offense was in trouble, as we suspected, without injured stars Jan Koller and Milan Baros. The defense, untested against the US, looked vulnerable. And the midfield, so dominant a week ago, was outplayed for most of the game. With Vratislav Lokvenc picking up a yellow card, the Czechs will be without their top three forwards for their game against Italy. But the bigger story today is the inspired play of Ghana. What a midfield the Black Stars have! The nation of Ghana should be very proud of its football team tonight. And what a day we'll have in store for us next Thursday. With all four teams needing wins, expect some serious fireworks. Good stuff, kids. Good stuff.

Making Sense of Group C
Today's results made a mess of Group C. There are far too many scenarios of how things could play out. But we'll try to make it simple. If Italy wins, they'll win the group. If Ghana or the Czech Republic win their games, they're in the Round of 16. For the USA to make it, they'll need to beat Ghana and get Italy to beat the Czech Republic. If there are draws, a number of circumstances can play out that are just too confusing for our simple minds. Regardless, next Thursday will be mighty interesting!

Yay, Port-u-gal-la-le!
While they weren't dominant, the Portuguese were certainly effective with a respectable 2-0 victory over Iran today. With the win, Portugal needs only a draw with Mexico on 21 June to win Group D. What remains to be seen is if winning the group is actually beneficial, since the Group D teams will match up with the Group C teams - Argentina and Holland - in the Round of 16. The Portuguese benefited today from the return of the mercurial Deco and inspired play from Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo. What's gone largely unnoticed is the excellent play by Portugal's back line, which has yet to surrender a goal in two games. A convincing performance against the stuttering Mexicans will go a long way in preparing the Portuguese for a tempestuous showdown with either the Argentines or the Dutch.

Tomorrow's Predictions
So, not a great day as far as predictions go. After correctly predicting a 2-0 Portugal win over Iran, I missed on the Ghana-Czech Republic game and the USA-Italy game. Let's see if I can do better tomorrow:

Croatia 2, Japan 1
Brazil 2, Australia 0
France 1, Korea 0

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy of fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Send your emails to bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 16 June

Day 8 saw the cream rise to the top in the "Group of Death" and an African first-timer bravely pick up a point. Brian shares his thoughts...

The Argentines Make Their Case
Absolutely breathtaking stuff from the Argentines today, who demolished Serbia and Montenegro 6-0. They are making a mockery of Group C, the so-called "Group of Death," with their solid display against Cote d'Ivoire and now this massacre of Serbia-Montenegro. Five different goalscorers beat the "Fantastic Four" - the much heralded Serbian defense that only gave up one goal in 10 qualifying games. While no one was writing them off, Argentina certainly was not one of the main recipients of all of the pre-World Cup buzz. Well now they are making us stand up and take notice. If anyone thinks this team isn't capable of winning the title, they are sadly mistaken.

Van Persie and Company Keep the Pace
While they've done it without the same amount of fanfare as Argentina, the Netherlands is also making a case to come out of Group C as the group winners. The Dutch put together a solid performance to beat Cote d'Ivoire 2-1 today. Robin van Persie hit a perfect free kick on 23, and Ruud van Nistelrooy added a second four minutes later. The Ivorians made a game of it with a goal shortly before the interval. But the Dutch were always firmly in control and Edwin van der Sar was rarely tested. The Elephants are going home, but they played gallantly in this World Cup and would have challenged for a spot in the Round of 16 if they were in any other group. As for the Dutch, they now have an epic contest on 21 June against Argentina to determine the Group C winner (and likely avoid Brazil's half of the draw).

Didn't See This One Coming
It was very surprising today to see Mexico and Angola finished scoreless. Mexico attacked throughout, but couldn't put one past Angola keeper Joao Ricardo. Things got a little dicey after Angola's Andre was sent off with about 10 minutes left. But Mexico, who clearly missed their target man Jared Borgetti, couldn't come up with a response. Portugal can put a strangle-hold on this group with a win tomorrow against Iran.

Tomorrow's Predictions
I missed on the Mexico-Angola game today, but picked the other two results. Here's what's coming up tomorrow:

Portugal 2, Iran 0
Czech Republic 1, Ghana 0
Italy 3, USA 1

Goodnight now.

Sorry for the abridged version tonight, friends. Pics courtesy fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Give me a shout at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Cup Crazy - 15 June

Day 7 saw a South American team not named Brazil or Argentina make some noise, another lackluster display from one of the favorites, and a potential elimination-saving goal from a certain underwear model. Brian explains...

Not Pretty
Let's not mince words - England was very, very lucky to survive today's game with Trinidad and Tobago and come out with a 2-0 victory. For the first sixty minutes, England once again was dull, boring, and out of ideas. Michael Owen is so bad right now it's painful to watch. The midfield was not linking up well. No one was running. Gerrard was invisible. But with a half hour to go, Sven made the two best substitutions of his England career. He brought on Wayne Rooney and Aaron Lennon. Rooney didn't do much while on the pitch, but the impact he had on those around him was evident. England suddenly had its confidence back. Short passes were being played from midfield instead of the usual long ball misery. Lennon, on the other hand, was superb. He was dangerous and fast down the wing. Beckham, dropping to a right fullback role, could sneak in behind Lennon and make crosses without much pressure. In fact, Crouch's goal came from just this type of play, with Lennon beautifully heading back a tough pass to an open Beckham, who crossed perfectly to Crouch. So far, the only dynamic play England could create was with the Cole brothers down the left. With Lennon, the Three Lions were dangerous down the right. I like what I saw. Football is about new ideas and new tactics. Long balls won't win you a World Cup. Quick, dynamic wingers, however, can.

Go Freddie Go
Sweden, like England, is counting its lucky stars tonight after winning it late against Paraguay. The Paraguayans battled tough throughout. The Swedes weren't nearly as dominant in attack as they were against Trinidad and Tobago, perhaps due to the injury and subsequent removal of Zlatan Ibrahimovich. But in the end, it was who else, but Freddie Ljungberg, who rose to the occasion, heading home the winner in the 89th minute. Say what you want about Freddie and his dip in production the last two seasons. But the guy is a battler and a big game player who comes up with big plays when it matters most. We're all set now for the winner-take-all game to decide Group B between Sweden and England on 20 June.

Swedish Fans of the Day
One of our new favorite features is our "Brazilian Fan of the Day," which we will bring to you after every Brazil game. Along those same lines, I think it's time we find the "Swedish Fan of the Game" after every Sweden game. We had a number of finalists, and there were just too many to choose between. So today, they are all winners. Enjoy.

Here are my new friends Greta, Inga, and Matilda posing for the camera.

Here's my pal Kerstin. We met a few years back at Ikea.

Frida and Charlotta sure are crazy! Watch out for those two.

Making It Count
Ecuador made Bryce come out smelling like roses once again by validating their 2-0 victory over Poland with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica today. The win moves Ecuador into first place in Group A on goal differential and sets up a showdown with Germany to decide the group winner on 20 June. Ecuador is quickly getting the distinction of being the team no one wants to face (hey, didn't some people think the US would be that team?). All three Ecuadorian forwards scored today in their decisive win over the Ticos. For the Ticos, it's another disappointing early exit in a World Cup. One can only wonder if they'll ever get over the hump and get back to the Round of 16, which they last did in 1990.

Tomorrow's Predictions
No gloating this time, I promise - but I was 3-for-3 today, and correctly guessed the scores of the England-T&T game and the Sweden-Paraguay game. Not bad. On to tomorrow:

Argentina 2, Serbia-Montenegro 0
Holland 1, Cote d'Ivoire 0
Mexico 2, Angola 1

Goodnight now.

Pics courtesy yahoo.com and fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. Get in on the fun at bookableoffense@gmail.com.