Here's the word on World Cup Wanker street - England are shit at football. The Germans are laughing at them. They are calling us tedious. Disorganised, overbloated and boring - that's how we look to the world. But few people have noticed one of the most important elements in the unfolding of this epic.

England is the new Germany. In the Korean and Japanese World Cup, Germany got to the final by winning tight games against mediocre teams, while England played and foundered spectacularly against better and more professionally stripped down teams. This time, Germany is outplaying every team it's coming up against with aggression and flair, while England is kicking the ball around the park with extraordinarily inept habits.

England used to be good to watch - ugly men with eccentric habits and individual talents. Now they seem incapable of stringing any kind of momentum together. Everyone in the British media is grudging to admit that Germany are one of the favourites in the Cup. But such is the way of football - the Germans are surprised too.