Germany too good, regardless of refereeing blunder

I don't think anyone saw that coming. Before the game I said that predictions were futile at this tournament, and limited myself to what I thought was the safe prediction that it would be a close game. Until the 66th minute it was just that, but England never looked like recovering from Thomas Mueller's quick fire double.

It proved a relief that Mueller scored those two goals, because otherwise we would never hear the end of Lampard's phantom goal. It was miles over the line, and England fans have every right to feel aggreived. We'll never know what would have happened if the second half had started at two all. Capello thinks England would not have had to commit as many forward and would not have conceded so easily at the other hand. On the other hand, they were only one goal down with 25 minutes to play - hardly time to throw all caution to the wind, and the ease with which the German's carved open the English defense suggests they would have found a winner anyway. The disallowed goal was a terrible decision, and a crucial moment in the game, but the far better side won on the day.

FIFA still won't react to this by introducing video replays, which is a shame. Football is the most popular sport in the world, but if it wants to win over remaining sceptics, such as half of Australia and most of the USA, it has to address a perception that referees decide games more often than not and that 'soccer' is more about fluke than skill. Sepp Blatter, the head of FIFA and the sole real decision maker, is against technology being introduced to the game as a matter of principle. Until he retires, there won't be a video replay.

The focus should be on the game though. England will go home into an inquisition as to why players like Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard and Terry, who have played dominant roles in the Champions League in recent years, couldn't produce as a team. It may be heavily disguised, but there is a blessing in disguise here for England. Most of those players, in particular the woeful midfield combo of Lampard and Gerrard, won't be back for another World Cup, and the England side can start to build a team around a functioning centre.

For Germany, questions remain. Italy have built much international success on the idea that once they score, they can absorb any form of attack (not this year, obviously). This German side looks like one that, once it scores, plays so freely that they are almost unstoppable. On two occassions in the tournament Germany have scored in the first 30 minutes, and both times they finished with four goals. Yet the defense still looks questionable. They conceded twice today, and while Lampard non-goal was an excellent strike, the first goal came from woeful defending rather than English excellence. If Argentina are the opponents in the next round, Messi, Millito and Tevez will like the look of the German defense. In fact, Argentina v Germany could be a very high scoring affair, because Argentina's weakness is also in defense, in particular Bayern Munich's own Martin Demichelis, who will face at least 4 of his club team mates.

My sympathy goes out to England fans. They were entitled to expect better from their side, and that frustration will be compounded by the appalling decision to disallow Lampard's goal. But the World Cup moves on, and with other favourites Spain and Brazil not looking impenetrable, the side already in the quarter finals will be daring to dream.