Almost there: Semifinal #2, Germany v. Italy

As I might have predicted about my prediction yesterday, it wound up being wrong, but only just. A single Portugal chance converted would have had me looking like a footballing Nostradamus, but alas, it wasn't to be.

Moving ahead, I'm a bit pressed on time to offer much analysis for Germany v. Italy, so I'll keep it short and to the point. Balotelli could be rather troublesome for the likes of Badstuber and Hummels, but the right-back woes for Italy could be even more problematic for Italy.

With that said, Italy will probably do their best to keep things tight and organized as they are so known for, and it just might work for much of the game...whether it's 90 minutes or 120 minutes. I have a feeling that it will just barely not suffice.

Prediction: 2-1 Germany, ET

Almost there: Semifinal #1, Portugal v. Spain

It's perhaps too bad for the neutral fan that we've reached this stage of the competition without a true Cinderella story on offer, but in lieu of that unifying underdog, we've at least been graced with a couple of semifinal matches between the heavy hitters that are rife with their own storylines indeed. In this vein, I certainly have a thought or two about today's matchup, and, against my better judgement, there's even a prediction on offer, even though predictions from pundits and fans alike have a tendency to stray well off the mark after ninety minutes.

Di Matteo FINALLY confirmed as Chelsea manager

What took so long? No, I'm not talking about my blogging hiatus, but rather the protracted and well overdue appointment of Roberto Di Matteo on a permanent basis. As logic would suggest based upon the renaissance Chelsea enjoyed under his stewardship and the eventual haul of two massive trophies in the form of the FA Cup and their Champions League triumph, and as many fans have so clamored, there was honestly no reason to not hand the reigns over to Di Matteo. Alas, as things so often go with Roman Abramovich at the helm, reason doesn't always prevail, but this time it has--even if such sound decision making may have only been borne out of a rumored failed dalliance with Pep Guardiola.

This was the unquestionably the right decision, but it won't necessarily mean that the period of transition that Villas-Boas faced rather unsuccessfully is suddenly no more...