Fear prevents the World Cup from catching fire

Let's talk about the lack of quality at South Africa 2010.

So far we have seen eight games and a paltry 13 goals. For me, only Germany have looked like a good team, with Argentina coming up behind as a fair team. The rest have been weak and uninspiring. Why is this?

Well, it could be exactly as it seems. From the FIFA rankings we have not yet seen the top five in the World (Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Holland and Italy) - they're all in the second half of the group draw. Germany (6) and Argentina (7) are the next best. England are eighth.

There could be some of the traditional 'fear' of losing your first match in a World Cup and being almost out straight away. If so, this is terrbly negative thinking, and it often blights England's campaigns. Look at the Germans. No fear, go for goals, win 4-0 - and THEY are now virtually qualified for the second round, and can coast through their remaining two group games, arriving fit, ready and in a good frame of mind for the knock-out challenge.

Contrast that with England who took the lead against the USA, but could not sustain it. Blaming Robert Green for the draw disguises the real problems. What if England were to go 1-0 up against a Germany or a Holland in the knock-out stages, and they equalise? What do England do: sit back, let them equalise and draw 1-1? We know what happens after that! Why didn't England, at 1-1, go forward and try and get a winner? Now, they're under pressure to secure a vital three points in the next game.

The same goes for all those others who have settled for draws in their opening games because 'it keeps them in the competition'. Yes, but it keeps them under pressure too.

Let's see if the real big guns in the tournament can set it alight in the next few days.