CheshireTom

C'mon, Vic. Don't make things up to reinforce the fact that you haven't got a clue what you're talking about.

Looking like Spain at the moment.

Not wanting to get our American cousins counting their chickens or anything, but looking at the way the draw has worked out for the knock-out stages (play-offs for Confused in Rayong), the US is pretty well placed to possibly make it to the semi-finals (they are currently ranked above the other three teams (Ghana, Uruguay and S. Korea) in their quarter of the draw). Another plus is that they've got a decent referee in Viktor Kassai from Hungary for the game against Ghana. Any predictions?

Surely not .....

FFS! QANTAS.

You didn't ask that question. Do you think I'm a mindreader or what? I bet you didn't fly wherever it was on a 787.

FIFA incompetence? You mean they couldn't bribe the refs.

No need to search for anything. Your 'claim' was: "But unlike Australia's group,other teams from our group have actually qualified for the WC." Just pointing out that not only did Korea and Japan both qualify from Australia's group, but they are doing pretty well so far.

Ooops! There go those pesky Japanese joining Korea in the knockout stages.

Nothing about the Italians' accomplishments though.

From LHR to BKK it is 1.5% of the most expensive economy one-way fare per kg (for the initial 6 kg). If your clubs are over 15 kg, the difference is then included in your normal baggage allowance. If you are then overweight with your normal allowance, you'll also be charged per kg of the excess as above. You'll still have to call Eva to ascertain how much the most expensive economy ticket retails for. For Thai it is a flat 70 USD for a bag up to 15 kg over and above your normal baggage allowance. Again, if your clubs are over 15 kg, the difference is included in your normal baggage allowance.

Liar.

If they took it seriously, they would have been watching the match, not pissing around in some management meeting. Priorities and all that.

Long in the tooth? They are one of, if not the, youngest squads in the tournament.

Hub, You give me way too much credit. I only chose to support the US way back last September when it became obvious that Scotland wasn't going to be qualifying for the competition. Back then, the US seemed to me to have a much better team than their likely underdog tag would reflect. That they got drawn in the same group as England was only coincidence and I think that people still underestimate how good they are as a team. If they get to the quarter-finals, I'll rent in half a dozen cheerleaders for the night and send you the pics.

There's no hard and fast rule. They have to keep the officials in groups of three who speak the same language and then it depends on their performances in the group matches. There are loads of things to then take into account, the biggest matches will normally go to the 'big game' referees, but at the same time FIFA needs to ensure that the officials are as 'neutral' as possible for each game.

OK, Joe. Don't get carried away! One swallow (dive) doesn't make a summer and all that! If I recall the previous match correctly, Dempsey was very lucky to have been on the field in the first place. The actually have three refs (and one in reserve) - it's just that two of them are called linesmen. A good ref will position himself so that, as far as possible, he and one of the linesmen will be getting two angles on the play.

His departure has obviously been delayed. Typical.

And coming top hopefully means that they'll avoid Germany in the knock-out stages.

You're not the full fucking shilling, mate.

You couldn't have asked for it to be more exciting than that ..... mind you, there'll be some that still don't get it.

I like, and have a lot of respect for, both Hodgson and Redknapp (and McLaren for that matter). I'd like to think that they're both clever enough to realise that the grass isn't always greener. That said, at 6m quid a year they could be forgiven for not caring if it was pink. Anyway, hasn't Hodgson gone to Liverpool yet?

Or if 'Owen' nabs another couple of late strikes.

Why? Is he replacing Capello?

The CCCP had Lev Yashin in goal though.