With the nation gathering in its collective front room for the Algeria game, I chronicled the unique torture that is England at the World Cup by keeping a running diary.

18.00: After a week of hysterical gnashing of teeth after the draw against the USA, it seems nothing short of a demolition job will mollify the critics.

Personally, this is my five-point wish list for tonight, which we'll revisit after the game:

1- A win. Obviously. But I don't care by how many. What I really need is to see improvements in four aspects of England's play:

2- Wayne Rooney needs to see more of the ball further up

After Argentina sparkled and France flopped, England take to the field again as they face Algeria.

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Thursday's action

Argentina 4-1 South Korea - Group B - Soccer City

Two wins out of two now for Diego Maradona's side, who played with real swagger and togetherness, and have been installed as co-favourites along with Spain and Brazil. Park Chu-Young deflected a free-kick into his own net early on, before Gonzalo Higuain headed the second just after the half-hour mark. Bolton's Lee Chung-Yong pulled one back against the run of play just before the break. Higuain tapped in from close range

The World Cup is a marketing man's dream. No creativity required - just align yourself with something that already exists and is extremely popular, and bingo!

I ventured a full quarter of a mile from my house to a local supermarket to check out the best and worst World Cup related (official or unofficial) products.

While there was nothing to beat the limited edition Cross of St George wheelbarrow on sale in B&Q, World Cup tie-ins were in abundant supply.

Walkers Flavour Cup

In the old days, if they were feeling bold, Walker's might release a new flavour for the World Cup (impala and onion,

This morning I sat,
sullen-faced, in the reception area of a major automotive parts replacement
specialist in Slough, surrounded by fellow mugs waiting to be told the grim
truth about the shabby state of their cars.

As I flicked through
a 16-month-old copy of Good Housekeeping, scanning the page for top tips on
uses for left-over asparagus, 12.30 could not come soon enough.

Fifteen hours might
not be a long time to develop withdrawal symptoms, but I was desperate for
World Cup football. Give me anything, I thought, even an absolute clunker.
Uruguay-France, Slovenia-Algeria, I don't care. I'll

Like it or not, the people presenting the World Cup on TV are as much a part of the tournament as the players themselves.

So let's have a look at the team sheets for rival broadcasters BBC and ITV.

The BBC have shown customary restraint in spending the licence-payers' money, sending a team of just 295 to South Africa - 15 per cent fewer than they had in Germany four years ago but still absurdly bloated.

The TV talent is led by Gary Lineker, with regular studio honchos Alan Hansen, Alan Shearer and Lee Dixon.

Special guests include Emmanuel Adebayor, Harry Redknapp (who until recently refused

First match, first psychological trauma for England. And that second-round meeting with Germany appears ever-more likely. Here's today's essential information.

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Saturday's action

South Korea 2-0 Greece - Group B - Port Elizabeth

If there were any justice in the world, Greece would be expelled from the tournament after this abomination of a performance, and FIFA would invite Ireland to play the Greeks' remaining games against Argentina and Nigeria. Woeful marking allowed Lee Jung-Soo to notch the opener from close range, before a shocking blunder by Loukas Vintra sent Park Ji-Sung on his

In case you haven't heard, the World Cup starts today, and it is hard not to leap out of bed with the enthusiasm of a six-year-old on Christmas morning.

The cars are decked out in flimsy England flags and the supermarket shelves are stacked with Crouchy-endorsed Pringoooooaaallls - everything is ready for a month-long sporting feast.

Even if you are not a World Cup junkie who would leave his wife's bedside during childbirth to catch the second half of Honduras v Switzerland, it is hard not to get caught up in the excitement and drama of the tournament.

Yes, it's overhyped. Yes, it's irritating

Well, we've got a World Cup.

The opening goal by Siphiwe Tshabalala (a spelling minefield right up there with Eyjafjallajokull) was brilliant, uplifting, and although Mexico snaffled an equaliser they probably deserved, it gave South Africa genuine hope of progress in the tournament.

Tshabalala culminated a superb counter-attack by lashing a left-foot shot into the top-fight corner, then celebrated with a convoluted Macarena-style dance that was just a little too rehearsed to be truly enjoyable.

If you were picking nits, you might say there is something deeply patronising about the way