The World Cup kicked off yesterday at last and on the first day we got to see quite a few Arsenal players in action. Vela started for Mexico and despite having a goal disallowed he didn't
really do very much at all in their come from behind 1-1 draw with hosts South Africa. He was substituted after 69 minutes when Blanco came on for him. I heard a pundit on the radio last night
say that Blanco looked like Quinten Tarantino in "From Dusk Til Dawn" after he had changed into a vampire and it was a very good comparison.
In the evening game three Arsenal players started for France in a 0-0 draw with Uruguay as Sagna, Gallas and Diaby were all chosen but Clichy will do well to play with Evra ahead of him for the
left back slot. Domenech showed his expertise as a manager by leaving out the player who probably could have made a difference for France as Malouda was only used as a late sub. It wasn't a
great game but it leaves the group very evenly balanced after the first round of games. For me no team stands out in this group and any team that can win a game will probably go through.
Today we start off with South Korea against Greece in group B at 12.30 pm Irish time and that is followed by Argentina against Nigeria at 3pm. I don't know how the first game will go but I
think if Argentina are as good as some people think they will need to show it against Nigeria. A win for them in that game would almost ensure qualification from the group and take some
pressure off the players and their "laid back" manager.
The big game of the day in my opinion though is the England one against the USA and it kicks off at 7.30 pm Irish time. It's an awkward time for me tonight as I have to go to a pub a few miles
away for a big night that includes a draw for €60,000 worth of prizes that I have a €100 ticket in. My father in law is on the club committee so I have no choice but I think I will try to drive
there at half time and collect the car tomorrow. I can't see past an England victory tonight but I shouldn't write off the Americans.
The Arsenal news is thin on the ground as you would expect with the World Cup underway but Phil Jagielka's name is linked with us yet again. He's a player who could possibly do very well at
Arsenal and from what I saw when he was an emergency goalkeeper against us or Sheffield United a few years ago he's probably a better keeper than Almunia. I can't see Everton wanting to sell
him though and without their say so there will be no deal.
The boss spoke about always wanting to win silverware and not working to finish second or third and I'm sure he does but he also has to know that we need to strengthen certain areas of the team
or all of his work with the players will be in vain. As I've said before we cannot win the league with Almunia in goals or with Silvestre as a backup to our centre backs.
Before I go congratulations to Bradley08 who got both of his predictions right in the first two games of the World Cup and heads my predictor league. There are
still 62 games left though and I won't be writing myself off just yet. In the fantasy World Cup game I would imagine that not too many teams have actually had players playing yet and teams will
only start to pick up points today with Argentina and England playing. That's the lot just in time for today's games to start.
Here's a look at how Bendtner's season went for Arsenal.
And to finish today's title track from Damian Marley. The World Cup is a little like 32 tribes going to war in a football sense.
See You Tomorrow.
South Korea 2-0 Greece