There has been some bad news today, not only is Andre Santos out for around three months as he requires surgery for his ankle injury, but it has been announced that the fat blind walrus who also goes by the name of Phil Dowd is to officiate our game away to Manchester City this weekend.The above video sums up how many of us felt as Dowd threw our game away to Newcastle last season.

Just as Del Bosque refuses to make changes to his squad selection, Spain refuses to make changes to the script of all its competitive matches since the World Cup: tidy, if uninspired, wins against the Czech Republic and Scotland sealed a perfect qualifying round for the Euro 2012.

[caption id="attachment_1657" align="aligncenter" width="458" caption="Is it something about the name 'David'?

It is highly likely that the media focus on this game will centre upon Gary Cahill. No doubt he is a good player (though he was crap against MU) but the interest has little to do with his playing ability and more to do with the conflict between the clubs off pitch. Should we be surprised that Gartside decided to go public with the transfer negotiation and made a prat of himself?

It is highly likely that the media focus on this game will centre upon Gary Cahill. No doubt he is a good player (though he was crap against MU) but the interest has little to do with his playing ability and more to do with the conflict between the clubs off pitch. Should we be surprised that Gartside decided to go public with the transfer negotiation and made a prat of himself?

Not that I was expecting much of a lazy international friendly just before the start of the season, with a call-up list plagued with absences and injured (Sergio Ramos and Xavi had to abandon the team before they left Spain and Nacho Monreal, called up instead of Ramos, got injured during the last training session), but I did expect better than this.

Our Wise Walrus has spoken again, and what he has said is, "I'm going to do the same thing I always do, but I'm going to sneak in a newbie so you lot have something to talk about"...

[caption id="attachment_1630" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="I'll give you a small clue..."][/caption]

For the friendly against Italy that will be played next Wednesday (August 10) at Bari, Del Bosque has called up: [read more]

The final day of the Twohundredpercent summer holidays kicks off with a look back at the history of the FA Amateur Cup.

In a modern age of sponsors' names, play-offs and the occasional feeling that we have reached a point in football at which change is the only constant, The FA Amateur Cup is a name that is absolutely reeks of a different age.

A friendly to put a brooch on a season in which Spain has done everything well, except friendlies.

[caption id="attachment_1575" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Usually it's seals doing this trick, but Our Wise Walrus can do anything..."][/caption]

Oh well, it could be worse. I'm sure the players could do with a relaxing friendly match with no huge expectations, no drama and no more responsibility than to put on a good show and give a chance to some new players.

I said on the preview that I wasn't expecting much of this match, but even I expected something better than what we got. While the scoreline points to an easy superiority, in reality the match was a stumbling affair full of fouls, missed passes and an overall sense of 'let's just kick the ball about for a bit and hope we don't die of heat-stroke'.

A trip up to the north west beckons our weary team and our magnificent travelling support.

Some would say we're a team traumatised by recent setbacks in the league: the loss of a two goal lead last time out, the late, late penalty equaliser against the ‘dippers last weekend and the pair of home nil-nils against Blackburn and Sunderland.

Unlike Roger Federer, Tiger Woods is not finished. Tiger showed at the most recent Masters that he will be able to hang around leader boards of Majors for at least another few years. Hanging around enough will mean at least a couple more wins.
Prior to his documented downfall and divorce from late 2009 through 2010, it would have been inconceivable to imagine Woods becoming a more riveting sports figure than what he already had achieved by dominating with 14 Majors and doing it as one of the first minority figures in a homogenous sport.

Here we are, on the eve of the match, and the big question is... will we play, or not?

[caption id="attachment_1506" align="aligncenter" width="630" caption="The Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas Stadium at Kaunas, yesterday (image from Marca.com)"][/caption]

That sandpit up there is where our precious, fragile players are supposed to play tomorrow.

While everybody was distracted by the shiny UEFA Champions League draw, our Wise Walrus, Vicente del Bosque, gave the squad that will face the Czech Republic (at Granada, March 25th) and Lithuania (at Kaunas, March 29th).

[caption id="attachment_1470" align="aligncenter" width="652" caption="While everyone is distracted, I'll do what I always do.

Another day, another friendly, another possibility for embarrassment.

[caption id="attachment_1446" align="aligncenter" width="412" caption="And we've got posters and everything, how exciting..."][/caption]

World Champions Spain will face Colombia today (Wednesday 9th of February at 21:30 CET) for the first friendly of 2011 at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid.

Rejoice! Like a walrus bear slowly and ponderously awaking from hibernation, the Spain World Cup Blog returns to the world of the living with the news of Vicente Del Bosque's call-up for a friendly!

[caption id="attachment_1427" align="aligncenter" width="612" caption="I swear on Villa's soul patch that the picture is related to this post.

The results are in, and Lionel Messi is the winner of the 2010 FIFA Ballon D'Or Award, over Spaniards and World Cup winners Andrés Iniesta and Xavi (with, apparently, 22%, 17% and 16% of the votes, respectively.).

[caption id="attachment_1408" align="aligncenter" width="610" caption="Still, so many Spaniards.