Quarterfinals Preview

Germany v Argentina

I'm hoping for a great game out of this one, and the first real test for Germany, who haven't convinced me yet that they're any better than any other host country on a roll. Personally I doubt that Germany's defenders are up to the task of handling Argentina, since they looked achingly slow against Costa Rica and nearly blew it against Poland. Ecuador and Sweden really looked like they were still sleeping off the pan of lasagna and a case of peppermint schnapps the Germans sent over the night before the game, so it's been smooth sailing for two games. Argentina on the other hand may have taken the foot off the gas against Holland, but they got a scare from Mexico to get them going full speed, and they look hungry (lasagna is being served after the final).

Italy v Ukraine

When Ukraine met a destructive, defensive team in Switzerland, that was a horrendously boring game that they only won by virtue of Switzerland's ineptitude at penalties. Italy has some attacking flair when they choose to use it, but "defense tighter than a duck's ass, rotten at penalties" is like the write-up of every Italian team but the team that won in Spain in '82. I would expect better from Italy than Switzerland, at least.

England v Portugal

No matter how the game ends, the losers are football fans everywhere with internet access, because apparently the biggest lunatics on the internet are all from Portugal or England, and they were already insufferable days before the game. England has played like shit but won, Portugal has had flashes of brilliance but looked really vulnerable and played dirty as hell, so really, if they could both lose and be replaced by a team of all-stars from the last place finishers from every group, that would be an improvement.

Brazil v France

I think this game is going to be epic. That's all I can say, epic. And if I go out of town for the 4th of July, Paul will ruin it by telling me the score.

Now that the whole second round is complete, here are the Golden Boot
contenders:

Klose (GER) 4
Crespo (ARG) 3
Rodriguez (ARG) 3
Ronaldo (BRA) 3
Podolski (GER) 3
6 with 2

(This list does not include anybody who can no longer pass Klose like
Fernando Torres and David Villa.)