Largely, its been ok in terms of the big decisions. I know we suffered a bit and a few would question a couple of sending offs, but it's been alright on the whole - even if it is vaguely amazing that it took until last night for Van Bommel to get carded.

The thing I want to talk about is the stop-start, niggly nature of modern football. I don't think it's really anything new for those of us who endured Gazetta Italia or whatever it was called in the 90s, but it seems that football played outside of England is slow, played in tight areas and highly dependent on the ref blowing up every 20 feet or so for a fairly innocuous challenge.

I've never seen so many people go to ground when brushed by a shirt or when they're blatantly about to run the ball out of play. It's as if all modern football is built around winning free kicks.

So, is it something we have to accept, alongside play acting and diving for some reason not being punishable after the final whistle? Is it something we should tighten up on here in England too to have more joy at these tournaments? Is it up to the referee's to be stronger and let games full a bit more, and how do we stop the disparaging gap between the attitudes of refs from say Western Europe to South America?

Few teams have played with much dignity thus far I'd argue. Maybe Japan, Ghana and Germany. And even fewer have been allowed to string more than 7 passes together in the opponents half.

I lost my love of the international game several years ago really, but I now can't wait for this all to end and some good, feisty English League fare to kick off again*.

* Hopefully involving Southend United but I ain't holding my breath...