Somewhere in the ancient mystic trinity...

Right, let’s get serious. It’s the first of the proper games where it all counts and we can safely assume that everyone will be going for it. Let's move on swiftly to tonights fixture :

Quarter-final: Portugal v Germany @ Basel

I’ve tried to compile up some stats to inform me a bit more where my cash should go, but it’s very hard to find them? Why can’t I find these figures anywhere – surely it’s of interest?
Anyway – those I couldn’t find I took a guess at... I wanted many more stats but it was too much work (while trying to do actual work).

I have tried to make some 'Top Trumps' style stats, check it out:

Referee: Peter Fröjdfeldt (SWE)
Linesmen: Stefan Wittberg (SWE), Henrik Andren (SWE)
Fourth Official: ???

Expected officiating style: Card happy

Portugal
Last Game Played: 15 June 2008
Last Game Physicality: Easy
Last Game % of 'First team' used: 33%
Yellow Cards: 5 (Jose Bosingwa, Paulo Ferreira, Fernando Meira, Miguel, Jorge Ribeiro)
Red Cards: N/A
Average Team Age: 26.03184524
Average Team Height: Not Lanky
Average Team Weight: Average

Germany
Last Game Played: 16 June 2008
Last Game Physicality: Hard
Last Game % of 'First team' used: High
Yellow Cards: 3 (Bastian Schweinsteiger, Michael Ballack, Jens Lehmann)
Red Cards: 1 (Bastian Schweinsteiger)
Average Team Age: 27.32529762
Average Team Height: 6'1
Average Team Weight: Big lads

So – as you can see Portugal look to have the edge here... add to that – the German manager has been banned from the touchline (I think, is he still?). I remember Basel not being a particularly fast pitch... in fact it was a fucking swamp the last time I saw it. But maybe they’ll ring it out and cut the grass a bit for this match. Anyone know what the weather will be doing?

Breaking news:

• Holding midfielder Frings is a major doubt with fractured ribs, while Podolski has a calf problem.
• The pitch in Basel for the game has been relaid after heavy rain and Germany have decided not to train on the St Jakob Park turf the day before the game.

I reckon Portugal will win as they have had an extra days rest and they didn’t even turn up to the last match they played. Germany will be giving away a couple of years and will start feeling it in the legs in the second half - especially if the pitch is heavy - so Portugal will have to attack, attack, attack - they won’t be able to mark them out of the game for the full 90 minutes if they do that. Germany will look for space around the area on the break and be belting them in... but I can’t see them actually pushing forward past the 20 minute mark.

My instinct says Germany... but the facts say Portugal - so Portugal by a goal.

My money is down... please let me be right or its back to that smegging, smart-arse dice again.

Good luck!

*ARSENAL NEWS*

We have semi-officially signed Nasri... but we already knew that. Also Barcelona are in semi-official talks over Hleb. They have also stated their intention of signing Adebayor for 24 million quid. Could Wenger be setting up some kind of deal with a player swap involved? I would probably think so... still – I would like to keep Ade as he is a proven EPL goal scorer, give him another season or two and he’ll be better than Drogba at his peak with a considerable age advantage – so, 24,000,000 don’t seem that much... worry, worry, worry.

:-S