OK, I’ll admit it, my quarter final predictions were a disaster. Brazil and Argentina lost, Spain scraped through and Uruguay needed a handball, a penalty miss and penalties! Oh dear. Well, I must be due for a little form, so my predictions for the semi finals are… the Netherlands and Germany to win. Both winning 2-1. Yes, I’m putting my heart and soul in to this… (more…)

Let’s be honest, the World Cup isn’t really particularly serious whilst England are still in it. Once England have been knocked out, you know the wheat has been separated from the chaff. I was, I have to say, quite please to see England get stuffed, since I’d packed my World Cup Fantasy Football team with, err, German strikers. Mueller and Podolski did me proud, and I finished comfortably top of my league for the round. Nice one. I should also point out, I scored 5/8 on my Round of 16 predictions. Not bad, I’d say. The three I got wrong were the USA, who I had down to beat Ghana, Spain, who I picked to lost against Portugal, and Japan, who I had to win against Paraguay. However, in fairness, I did pick that game as a dull 0-0 that Japan would go to penalties, which I got spot on – just not the winners of the shootout. C’est la vie. (more…)

Unfortunately, the World Cup comes around at a rather busy time of year, so it’s been hard to keep up, but I figures that the end of the group stages was a good time to reflect upon the tournament so far – and what a strange tournament it’s been! Firstly, a few notable facts: (more…)

The world slowly creeps up on you sometimes. It doesn’t feel like very long ago that Lewis Hamilton took his second win of the season in Montreal, but it’s F1 time again. This week, the Grand Prix comes from Valencia – it’s the Grand Prix of Europe. Ferrari are bringing a major upgrade to their exhaust system, whilst Red Bull will simply be trying to put some more points on the board after a couple of problematic races. McLaren will be happy, having won comfortably last time out, and taking pole, whilst Mercedes will be hoping Michael Schumacher can put in a better performance than in Canada. Before going on to my predictions for this weekend, I should just lament Alonso’s fantastic performance in Canada, taking third place. Had it not been for that, I would have taken a clean sweep of first, second and third, in the correct order. Never mind, it’ll come… but still, it was a fantastic performance for Ferrari as they had looked to have slipped back significantly in the last few races. So, in a slight break with tradition, I shall name my top three and then explain why… (more…)

So, the World Cup is finally here! The opening matches were yesterday, when the World Cup hosts, South Africa, drew 1-1 with Mexico in an encounter dominated early on by the Mexicans, but nearly ended up losing at the death. This was then followed by a dire 0-0 draw between France and Uruguay. I’ve seen a few bad games in my time, but that really was an awful game, possibly on a par with the time I saw Watford draw 0-0 with Peterborough United at Vicarage Road. Believe me, that was an awful match. (more…)

I am beginning to sense a pattern in this year’s races. I make a prediction. The prediction is, on the whole, bang on the money. Then, with about a third of the race left to go, it falls apart. Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, I’m looking squarely at you. (more…)

Since I am away in Oslo this weekend, I shall get my Grand Prix preview out of the way nice and early. The season is hotting up nicely, though it is also looking ominous for anyone not driving a Red Bull. So far this season, Red Bull have taken pole position in all six races (three voles each for Vettel and Webber), have taken the fastest lap in three races (two to one in Webber’s favour) and have won three races too (also two to one in Webber’s favour). Although neither driver has taken the hat-trick of pole, fastest lap and race win in the same race, the team have taken the hat-trick twice, including at the last race in Monaco, and Mark Webber has won both the last two races – Spain and Monaco – which happen to represent the most diametrically opposed circuit types on the Formula One circuit. So, if you’re not in a Red Bull, the message is clear – pray it breaks down. (more…)

Whilst most of the football world focused their attention last weekend on the FA Cup final at Wembley between Portsmouth and Chelsea, the focus north of the border in Scotland was very much on the Active Nation Scottish Cup Final between Ross County and Dundee United – and Noelinho couldn’t resist but go along to Hampden and see the game out. (more…)

Unfortunately, with the General Election held in the same week as the Spanish Grand Prix, I forgot to preview the Grand Prix. However, with the Monaco Grand Prix this week, you can now sit down to the treat of a dual review and preview. (more…)