The A2K World Cup 2014 Striker Fantasy Game

Oh my.

This is crazy. Think Brazil is missing their captain?

There's no structure at all, Tico.
Even England could beat this side!

I think Germany should now take their stars off and rest them for the final.

Embarrassing or what?


The chances of a Euro final are getting better and better.

You think so, do you?

Well......no. Maybe force a draw.

Stat: Brazil haven't lost a competetive match at home for nearly 40 years!

42 minutes in and someone has said that Fred has shown slight signs that he may be awake.

Our English guests aren't sure about that.

Well, maybe if we brought back Bobby Charlton in place of Rooney.



Old Scolari has to make some changes, surely. Fred's got to go, and Maicon. Maybe David Luiz even.....

They need some speed and zip. Ramires?

I think Brazil will win the second half 2-1, making the final score 6 - 2.

I'm just home from City Hall and the grocery store, staring at the 5-0.

This, a photo in the Guardian:



That statue (well, similar), its placement, and studying about Brazil in 4th grade were a big part of what made me be interested in Brazil all these long years. Look, look, the statue moves..

I think a few of the Brazil players have been to the Robben School of Diving.
Several less than impressive ones in the first half, and now Maicon has just completed a double half turn and backflip in the penalty area.
So far the Mexican ref hasn't been fooled.


Somehow, Fred is still on. At least he has changed out of his pyjamas for the second half.

69th minute, Schuerrle scores.

6 - 0

Fred has been taken off. Apparently he wanted his breakfast.

It might have been a mistake for me to include Fred on my list.

79th minute, Schuerrle scores again.

7 - 0

"Death by a thousand side-foots", said this match's Guardian writer.

Earlier, Tico, he said -
62 min:I have a question: surely Luis Felipe Scolari could walk down to the Copacabana any time of the day, throw a stick and hit somebody who's a better striker than Fred? How does he get in this team? It's unfair to single him out on the basis of a performance in which almost all of his team-mates have been dreadful, but he's been consistently awful throughout this tournament but keeps getting picked.

Sometime later -

"Germany show no mercy, continuing to put the hurt on Brazil with their pass-and-move sorties into the Brazilian half. Brazil's players have had enough - their humiliation is presumably complete when their own fans begin a chorus of "olés" to accompany Germany's relentless passing."

Schuerrle really looks like he's going full pelt to get his hattrick.

His team mates keep feeding it his way, and I hope he gets it.....

Oscar has just scored.

7 - 1

Neuer has blown his chance of getting Man of the Match!

7 - 1 Final score.

Makes my 3 - 1 forecast look a bit tame.....

Ok, then, now I can put away my groceries.

Did you buy any mangos or papayas, Oss?

Phase 3 standings:

1. Pantalones 6
2. McGentrix 5
2. fbaezer 5
2. Lordyaswas 5
2. Timur 5
6. hingehead 4
6. George 4
8. ossobuco 3
8. Ticomaya 3
8. eurocelticyankee 3
11. lmur 0

General standings

1. fbaezer 61
2. eurocelticyankee 50
3. McGentrix 46
4. hingehead 44
5. Lordyasawas 43
6. Pantalones 42
7. Ticomaya 39
8. ossobuco 36
9. lmur 31
10. timur 24
11. George 20

Ditto. Glad Mueller didn't get a hatrick - that would have narrowed the field considerably.

Maybe a European cup final in Rio if Argentina doesn't rise to the occasion.