That time is almost here again. The shop windows are draped with St.George flags, the pubs are packed with goal related promotions and one of our best players is injured prior to the tournament. It can only be the World Cup!

I would love for England to lift the seemingly illusive prize (I'm not Brazilian so illusive is the word) in a month or so time, but I can't help feeling world piece will be achieved far sooner than my eyes seeing such a sight.

Why? Why can't we relive the scenes of 66'? Many a pundit has thrown his hat into this debate but I think it comes down to the fact that England never play as a unit.

England always look like 11 individuals to me. The standouts shine individually and the rest of the millionaires who shouldn't be playing at this level flounder individually. This always leaves England susceptible to defeat against any side that plays as a team, and seeing as football is a team sport, they will undoubtedly come up against a team. When the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Italy and Spain come knocking, England usually come up short (those are my four picks to win it by the way).

Why when so many of our stars are supposedly top of the tree? Because we don't play like a team in a team game is my answer. Capello doesn't have us playing like a team; I don't see real unity, real understanding, real heart... Well except from Mr. Rooney, but one man doesn't make a team. Steve McClaren had us planning like a team! A team of spanners, so I commend Mr. Capello on the transformation that we've seen, but we don't look anything like the semi-final side of 1990. That team had stars similar to the side of today, but they had unity that only two other England sides have had (66' and 70').

My prediction for England in this tournament is pain, heartache, annoyance, a red card and a scapegoat. A scapegoat you ask... Well I've noticed in several previous tournaments after England's early exits the media like to blame someone, rather than the teams piss poor performance. For example, 2006 world cup the scapegoat duties fell to Mr. Winking Ronaldo, in 1998 Mr. Saviour turned most hated man in the country David Beckham, 1994 where we didn't even get on the plane to America Graham Taylor was ridiculed to resignation. 86 Maradona's hand of God knocked us out, not our own lack of ability... The list goes on and on.

England will win or draw their games until they come up against a strong nation and then the mandatory process will follow ending in a scapegoat being named and abused to ease our own pain!

Hey on a plus side, this tournament has seen the rebirth of England's 1990 world cup anthem. John Barnes' silky vocals worked wonders back then, who knows a repeat effect may be just around the corner.