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Has anyone seen anything over the past few days that's changed your initial thoughts about who will do well collectively and individually. Who impressed and who flopped in the opening days of the tournament?

Our panel - Seahorses general manager Lee Beauchamp, former national team coach Robert Calderon, Bermuda Sun sports journalist James Whittaker and Bermuda Sun Deputy Editor Don Burgess - gives their views.

JW: I was very disappointed with the England performance. It seems that Crouch is acting as a magnet for the long-ball - a false tactic in my view, because he's actually much better with the ball at his feet. He got some rough refereeing calls on Saturday but his twig-like physique was equally to blame. I don't think he won a single header. England will need to play a lot better than that and show more patience in their build-up to do well in the World Cup.

I was impressed with Australia. They played a more modern high-tempo style of English football.

The Czechs also looked good. If England had Jan Koller up front I could understand them kicking it long.

DB: I also was impressed with England. They were lucky to get one goal and their play was uninspiring. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open in the second half of that game with their dull play.

RC: Argentina, Italy, Holland and the Czechs have performed as expected. England will need to alter their tactics which is unlikely as Sven is wed to his beloved 4-4-2. The system works if Owen finds his lost pace and form and Rooney returns and plays at his very best. If not Lampard and Gerrard will be dominated by a team that plays with 3 midfield players ie, Holland & Italy. I do like the look of the Ivorians and can't wait to see them against the Dutch. If they contain Roben they have a chance as the Dutch look a little one dimensional.

DB: The Americans flopped. Typically over-hyped (Our best team ever!), they probably played the worst out of any team up through Monday's games.

LB: I can't really pass judgment on any of the games as I was in New York for the weekend and was unable to see any of them. (Does this allow me to remain the only optimistic Englishman on the planet?).

Having been in the States during their 3-0 drubbing by the Czechs, I will follow up on Don's point regarding the Americans.

I made a prediction before the tournament that the U.S. would not win a single game and although it's early days the prediction may prove to be justified. The surprising discovery for me was that it appears that the small numbers of U.S. fans that are even interested in the tournament seem to think the same thing.

There seemed to be very little interest and even less expectation.

The TV news coverage reported the defeat in a segment of less than 20 seconds before quickly moving on to more important sports such as women's basketball or little league baseball.

There is no "World Cup fever", no signs of U.S. fans sporting team colours or flags (though there were plenty of England and Brazil shirts in evidence) and I do feel that the future of the game in the States may face serious consequences if they cannot revitalize this World Cup in the next two games and qualify for the knockout stages, which is highly unlikely.

JW: The U.S. look like they are heading home and there are few in the football world who will be too aggrieved at that.

Hard to see what England can do to alter their tactics without dropping one of the big boys.

Owen doesn't have the physical presence to play up front on his own and England's midfielders are already getting in each other's way in the centre of the park.

Bringing in Aaron Lennon might give them more width, and introducing Carrick might bring more balance to the midfield, but that would mean Gerrard, Lampard or Beckham would have to go.

It's unlikely that Sven will deviate from his favoured midfield four, though, and it is more likely that he'll rely on Rooney with his superb vision and positional sense to being better performances out of his team-mates.

Never has a 20-year-old been so important to his country as Rooney is right now for England.

DB: England should get out of the first round, but they need Rooney to breathe some life into their style. One team that played with a lot of heart was Trinidad. Their goalkeeper, Hislop, saved them on several shots. That game showed how even the World Cup minnows can have their day in the sun.[[In-content Ad]]

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