h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

" two, he can't be that bad a player if he's an integral part of one of the most successful teams in Europe."

You seem to be forgetting that Nicky Butt has a Champions' League Medal.

B

But that's the same Nicky Butt who Pele said was one of the best players at the 2002 World Cup, isn't it?

I think I had Beckham with 12 winners medals and Neville with 14 (Man U having won 2 trophies, I think, since Beckham left... I don't think Real have won anything since Beckham joined, have they?). I would guess Hargreaves has about 10 (from a list of Bayern trophies I just looked at, 4xBundesliga, 3xGerman cup, 1xChampions League, 1xIntercontinental Cup... and then that German league cup GD mentioned earlier) ... so he's not far behind, and he's about 5 years younger than Beckham & Neville so he'll probably overtake them in the future.

"You seem to be forgetting that Nicky Butt has a Champions' League Medal."

Oh, and there are better examples than Nicky Butt. Djimi Traore, for one.

Can I just say I'd have booed Paul Ince if he'd come on for Chuckles the Clown.

In fact I'd boo Paul Ince if I saw him in a shopping centre.

Psycorp: France scoring two may not be that far fetched.

not farfetched at all since they actually did it!

i know a world cup means teams from all over, even saudi and t&t... but for the love of god, NO MORE REFS from mexico, egypt or nauru! a season officiating guadalajara vs. cruz azul just doesn't qualify you for the big time. i'm not saying the ref in france vs. s. korea was bought, but he couldn't have stabbed us in the back any worse if he was!

Oh, and there are better examples than Nicky Butt. Djimi Traore, for one.

herry kewell for two!

I think Australia have more occasion to moan about the refs - and USA. (Though I must confess I've missed both of France's games.)

well, i only saw oz-brazil, but i don't know what they had to beef about there.

as for the states, we were just turdawful against the czechs.

against italy the first red card was just at the limit but not hotly debatable, the second was just stupidity. pope has a yellow and the ref warns him about his (clumsy, not really vicious) fouls several times before giving him his walking papers. arena was the biggest idiot: he really didn't see that pope had NO CHANCE of finishing the game at the rate he was going?

as for the disallowed goal, mcbride's offsides, no ifs ands or buts. if he doesn't try to play the ball he MIGHT slide, but he does try. i'm not even sure he didn't touch the ball.

as for the french, i don't understand the caterwauling about the russian who didd the switz match, i thought he was OK. but the mexican last night was just atrocious, and the price we paid, losing 2 points on a goal that far behind the line, and having to play togo without zizou or abidal... it's steep.

I've started working on contract at a PCT in Worthing today; I have a house to clean before tomorrow; I have a blocked drain that needs rodding out and my mother is about to turn up and demand entertaining. Therefore there will be no marking of results done before Friday evening!

I'll be away Thursday Friday Saturday, so if you put any fixtures out then, I may need a pools pick. Just to let you know.

If only I had known just how well I'd done in this round of the game. Then I'd have posted the results up a darn sight sooner. Heck, eff-that. If I'd known that early I'd have been down the bookies laying my shirt on the event.

Five correct results and not a penny laid by me for those odds

And in other news the French contingent strikes a mighty blow whilst I'm weeping into my blank betting slip and steals a march on everyone else. And is now leading by a five point cushion.

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The Results:

Germany 1-0 Poland (NEUVILLE)

England 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago (CROUCH, Gerrard)

Argentina 6-0 Serbia & Montenegro (MAXI. Cambiasso, Crespo, Terez, Messi)

Italy 1-1 USA (GILARDINO, Zaccardo)

France 1-1 South Korea (HENRY, Park)

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The Points:

GreyDesk - 16 points (Germany result & score; England result; Argentina result & scorer; Italy result & score; France full house )

riotact - 14 points (Germany result; England full house ; Argentina result & scorer; Italy scorer & 1st scorer; France scorer & 1st scorer)

Master B - 12 points (Germany result, scorer & 1st scorer; England result; Argentina result & scorer; France result & score)

Psycorp - 11 points (England full house ; Argentina result; France result, scorer & 1st scorer)

Yakusmaximus - 11 points (Germany result; England result, score & scorer; Argentina result & scorer; France result)

Ormondroyd - 9 points (Germany result; England result; Argentina result & scorer; France scorer & 1st scorer)

summerbayexile - 9 points (Germany result; England result; Argentina result & scorer; France scorer & 1st scorer)

Bottletop - 8 points (England result & score; Argentina result & scorer; France scorer & 1st scorer)

bubba-fretts - 8 points (Germany result; England result; Argentina result; France scorer & 1st scorer)

Owlatron - 8 points (Germany result; England result; Argentina result; France scorer & 1st scorer)

Demon Drawer - 7 points (Germany result; England result; Argentina result; France scorer)

McKay The Disorganised - 5 points (Germany result; Argentina result & scorer)

me[Andy]g - 5 points (Argentina result; France result & score)

The Nitpicker - 5 points (Germany result; Argentina result & scorer)

Egon - 4 points (Argentina result & scorer; France scorer)