Toxic Web v4.0

…what am I gonna do for the final now.

Russia win the semi-final last night and Sunday’s final is easy, support the Guus Hiddink led Ruskies over the Germans. Though it would make it hard to know he could have been ours.

But no it wasn’t gonna be that easy as they put in their worst display since their opening group game against the same opposition when they were thumped 4-1 by Spain. Well this display was even worse than that game actually, the Russians were anaemic especially the missing in action - though still brilliantly named - Arshavin.

This was worse though, they looked a better outfit in the first game, just a bit dodgy at the back, this could rank as bad as losing 3-0 to McCLown’s England in qualifying. None of the verve of the games against Sweden or the Dutch, no crosses from the byline from the fullbacks and Arshavin that cause those opponents so much trouble and created the Russians goals. Though it has be said Sergio Ramos had an excellent game at rightback and didn’t really give the Ruskie leftback Zhirkov much chance.

So what to do on Sunday I don’t want that chimp faced scumbag Aragones to win, I don’t want that smug Woolwich Wanderers prat Fabregarse to win, or those stupid scouse kids on the BBC ads who had never heard of Torres a few months back to be crowing about it, along with all the red wearing media types.

And on the other hand at least the Spanish play good football, something you really can’t say about the Germans, who just play to their abilities and strengths and always get through. Hard to say if this final team is worse than the one that reached the 2002 World Cup final but it shows up the England players. We’re crap and don’t even get to the tournament they’re crap and are a gnats chuff away from picking up the trophy.

They were exceptionally crap against the Turks in the other semi, but just like them they won it when chances are in the same situation very few other sides wold have. If Mertesacker and Metzelder are the best Joachim Low can pick from the Bundesliga then it’s no wonder hat useless article Luca Toni scores so many goals over there. Not that I really wanted Turkey to win but the did play football on the night all the way through the game instead of only in the last few minutes as in their previous outings.

And who really wants to see that interminably smug duo of Ballack and Lehmann with winners medals round their necks? It’s like choosing which method you wan to be executed by, electrocution or lethal injection.

Maybe I shouldn’t have been wearing that old Soviet army red star hammer sickle hat badge I picked up in the 1980’s.

…antipodean antics.

Elliot’s run out in the ODI on Wednesday caused a hell of a lot of moralising and hand wringing so typical from down under.

Forget what that prat Nicholas says, Sidebottom doesn’t have to get out of anyone’s way but Elliot does (Law 37.1), he knows he’s not going to get to the other end and charges into Sidebottom, his fault he paid the price.

Did England whinge when Bell had to run out of his path to avoid a fielder and was run out in a previous game? No. But anything goes against those from darn sarf and it’s chuck the toys out of the pram time.

We’ve seen it so many times with the rugby side so why should the cricket team be any different. How long have we seen it with the 15 man game, a player conveniently trapped in a ruck blocking quick ball or a lazy runner slowly “trying” to get back onside with his hands in the air somehow getting in the path of a quick pass, or the targeting of the opponents danger player with a sly shoulder charge or spearing (Brian O’Driscoll).

But anything similar that goes against them and the crying, whinging and general spoilt brat childish antics are very quick to follow.

Because they would never go against the spirit of the game, such as say running a player out who thought the ball was dead and was going to congratulate his team mate on a ton with no interest on nicking a run.

Collingwood shouldn’t have apologised, even more so after they closed the door on him.

Come the Stanford 20/20 tournament and there’s $20 million riding on a such a decision will be interesting to see what Vettori et al would do then.

Would also be interesting to see what a fielder would do in Swann’s position and a useless throw at the stumps could cost him and his mates a hell of a lot of money, Swann said if he had his time again he’d do the exact same thing. Well as we’ve previously been told so many times it’s only the positives they take from losing and there’s no evidence of them actually “learning from this”.