World Cup 2006: watching ITV1 at the BBC
The talk in the Sunday papers is of Sven putting Rooney on in place of Crouch on Tuesday against Sweden. That would surely be preferable, at least aesthetically, although it relinquishes the shot-in-the-arm effect of putting the boy on midway through the second half, when we're flagging because Fifa have made the games 90 minutes long. Sven's also considering taking either Gerrard or Lampard out of the midfield mix, to avoid having them booked and suspended in a match we don't need to win. (He secretly wants Sweden to win, of course.)

Japan 0 Croatia 0
Well, I was reading the Sunday papers in preparation for my show. The Japanese keeper saved a penalty early on, which must have been exciting.
Brazil 2 Australia 0
I actually watched the first half in the vacant studio 4B at 6 Music, being unable to get the telly in the tumbleweed-strewn office to come on. (I was meeting Julie in Wimbledon for a Thai at 6.45, so had an hour in hand after the show.) It was quite strange, sitting in the DJ's chair in a radio studio, behind the desk with my bottle of water and a banana, alone, watching a wall-mounted "HD-ready" flat-screen telly, better than the one at home. "There's money and there's hope for football in Australia," said an ITV1 commentator I didn't recognise, having informed us the Aussies had only been in one previous World Cup, in 1974, when they were semi-professional. Whoever won this was assured a place in the next 16. Australia blocked well. Ronaldo got himself a card to go with his yellow strip in the 30th by stupidly kicking the ball out of play when caught offside. No, it hasn't been a great World Cup for the chipmunk-faced tubbo; his place in the fabled "Fab Four" may be in doubt. "A degree of style and a great deal of efficiency," was the unknown commentator's summation of the Aussies. (I don't think it was Peter Drury.) At least it looked as if the Brazilians were actually trying this time, but even Kaka couldn't cut through the defence. At half-time, when I had to leave it, Australia seemed the stronger side. Who'd have thought it? Ronaldo was quick to get down the tunnel. Missed the second half due to tube journey south for fabulous Thai meal of Gai Pak Prik, Pad Pak Namman Hoi and brown rice. Clearly, Brazil rediscovered their fire while I was underground.
France 1 South Korea 1
Missed the first half, including Henry's early goal and Vieira's disallowed one, but home in time for the second half. I quickly gathered that an unsatisfactory stalemate had been reached, with France hanging on to their lead but doing nothing with it, while Korea battled back but couldn't convert. Even though I have no vested interest in France not sailing through (I like the fact that they are the Dad's Army of the competition), it was terrific when Park Ji-Sung popped one over Barthez in an 83rd-minute goalmouth muddle and equalised. I like an upset. After this amazing flashpoint, it seemed as if all of the star French players took turns to miss a goal, or contribute to a missed goal: Henry, Vieira and Zidane, who's retiring after this World Cup and, thanks to a booking for a daft barge, missing the next match - which means, if France really do "blow it", in the words of commentator Steve Wilson, we may never see his bald head in action, or inaction, again. They had the points in the palm of their hand and pissed them up the wall. Franck Ribery was interesting to see when he came on, to much cheering, as he is called Scarface due to a facial injury suffered as a kid and seems to have skin-grafting on one side of his head. It's the scars on the inside that will be hurting coach Raymond Domenech; he'll be "vilified and castigated" by the French press, according to the hysterical Steve Wilson. And he looks like Paul O'Grady from the side.

Strip notes: Angola's strip is my favourite; it's like a licorice allsort, dark orange, yellow and black. It's great to see the Mexicans using the same typeface as the Mexico 70 logo. Holland's is a classic, uncluttered strip, despite the "futuristic" numbers; likewise either the white or yellow version of Ghana - so clean-looking. USA's assymetric stripe is stylish. At the other end of the scale, France's second-strip shirt is way too fiddly, with that stupid, affected half-collar arrangement. (Like they need any more criticism!) Any thoughts, fashion police?