World Cup 2014

Shearer talking earlier on about how Gerrard could be England's Pirlo was prime 'do these fucks never learn' shit.

If England play like that they will probably get at least four points out of Uruguay and Costa Rica though. Short of introducing Wilshere in the starting XI there's not much they can do about that back six but the structure of that front four is a problem that won't go away.

so yeah that Rooney cross is great ammunition if Woy were to cut him off for Uruguay.

he'll never do it but we can only dream.

I've enough beer left for the next game. G'wan the World Cup

Better than anything they served up in South Africa or Poland. Still never going to be capable of anything other than an anarchic play. Will never steadily control a match. Whither Ashley Cole? Whole left side was a complete disaster.

Even if England go through they'll bomb out the next time they play another team who can play in midfield.

That quite good documentary about probability is on BBC Four now, btw, bridges nicely to the CIV-JPN kick-off.

if England cede that much possession to Uruguay and Costa Rica they could just as easy get nul point

how many times has g neville has said plenty of time on the clock.

Probably not as many as his brother?

SHINJI FREED IN ONE HOUR!!

So nervous. Family all in Japan jerseys.

If I were Daniel Sturridge I'd be genuinely furious about this punditry.

Withstanding this result I maintain that Italy and England the most likely to progress from this group

lol at this panel laying into Roo.

lets kill him Henry.

Nobody pulling for Ivory Coast? Really looking forward to Gervinho vs a dodgy Japan defence.

Though this is the best Japan side in a long time.

Im neutral, I'm just hoping for a cracker tbh

LvG won't show no mercy with this Rueney, me thinks tbh

That Pirlo free kick in super slow mo!

let's hope so LBI

lvg vs twp is without question the main event next season

Rooney and Stretford will be crushed. Hopefully.

Only thing that can improve this WC is if England call up the Chelsea physio to replace Lewin. Might even entice Klata back.

hilariously the RTE panel can't bring themselves to criticise Rooney. "Unfair" that he was played out of position

I truly believe Rooney will have to seek his fortune elsewhere NN. He's just not a Van Gaal player. Deems himself too important yet underperforms too many times and gets mopey and slacks when not in his favourite position. While understandable, Van Gaal will show no mercy I think for that, not with his football vision. And rightfully so.

Deems himself too important

harsh but fair

And I think for ManU to make a fresh start, it'd be best to get rid of Rooney, who forever seems tangled up in "but if we play player X, then where does Rooney have to play"? You shouldn't depend that much on one player, or let one player dictate your starting eleven like that.

Xp lol

I've said this before but Moyes' most enduring legacy will be giving Rooney that ridiculous contract

Otm.

Pirlo tonight: 108 passes in total, 102 successful passes. Bow to the master.

Just wait. There's a curse upon that mountain. LvG'll be coming in and giving it all that, but the nanosecond he walks into his office and sees That Desk with That Mousemat he'll feel his face contort into an uncontrollable nervous grin, and before you know it they're 12th by the end of August and he hasn't managed to buy anyone until putting a £73m panic bid for Theo Walcott on deadline day. And then he'll play Kagawa at left-back.

I'm thinking...five goals in this next one. No Drogba tho

Zokora can't be any good as a CB surely.

RTE boys reckon England should've got a peno, I don't agree

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqIaoWRCYAIwkwH.jpg

Just backed Ivory Coast by mistake :(

CIV: Barry, Boka, Zokora, Kalou, Tiote, Gervinho, Bony, Aurier, Toure (c), Serey, Bamba

Drogba not starting.

JPN: Kawashima, Uchida, Morishige, Yoshida, Nagatomo, Yamaguchi, Endo, Okazaki, Honda, Kagawa, Osako

No Bony either

Bony playing according to ITV

Bony v Yoshida. I perceptively know that it will not be nice.

Hasebe has the captain's armband, Endo starts on the bench.

I've spent today drinking a lot of ouzo in sympathy w/ the greek ppl & their terrible team, enjoyed costa rica, v pleased for joel campbell, italy looked totally comfortable, but now I'm settled down w/ a big bowl of pasta & believing this cld still be the best game of the day

ITV can't be bothered with a co-commentator for this. Gary Bloom doing the commentary solo probably from somewhere in Essex.

++realness imo

Serge Aurier the new Arsenal RB possibly. Unless they've going all in on Jenk.

1000% ELEPHANTS

no idea what it means but I like it

Elephants is the Ivory Coast nickname I think.

It's no 'Socceroos' obviously.

:(

First time I'm hearing a chugging, motorik rhythm from the crowd. Oddly hypnotic.