BERLIN - As I鈥檝e been at pains to point out throughout the tournament, the 大象传媒鈥檚 World Cup coverage from Germany isn鈥檛 being brought to you by a bunch of little Englanders.
Honestly.
However, I would be lying if I told you that the prevalent mood here at our HQ in Berlin this evening is one of 鈥淗ey-ho - you win some, you lose some.鈥
GELSENKIRCHEN - The scene at the hastily-installed second fan fest in Gelsenkirchen told the tale of the day.
Where not one hour previously around 30,000 England fans had urged Sven-Goran Eriksson's team on, there was now just a mass of discarded plastic glasses and the odd fan laid out on the ground - too much sun, too much beer and the pain of defeat having taken their toll.
Check out the video.
GELSENKIRCHEN - Terrible, just terrible. I am sick to the stomach.
on penalties induces not only a distressing feeling of deja vu but also a slight nausea.
Two years ago I wrote - change a few words and it is as relevant today as it was then.
It could have all been so different, certainly the day got off to an interesting start - read more about my trip to the ground in a limo belonging to a, as-then-unkown to me, famous German actor further down.
ARENAAUFSCHALKE GELSENKIRCHEN - England's travelling media have arrived at the magnificent Gelsenkirchen stadium riding a wave of optimism.
We have all expressed justifiable reservations about the way England have performed in this World Cup so far - you cannot portray low-key and lifeless displays as sporting works of art.
The 70,000 England fans predicted here have indeed arrived. They are streaming out of the main station and lining the roads into town.
In the square by the main station they are hanging out their flags enjoying a drink in the sunshine and singing "We're not going home".
It's incredibly hot here already - it's only 10am and I'm struggling carrying a laptop around in what must be 30 degrees at least. But the atmosphere is optimistic and expectant.
A SERVICE STATION - I drive until the (not so) early hours to get us within striking distance of Gelsenkirchen- and England's quarter-final tie with Portugal.
Ricco and I went to the match between Italy and Ukraine in Hamburg on Friday night.
MOTORING TOWARDS GELSENKIRCHEN 鈥 The moment Jens Lehmann saved Esteban Cambiasso鈥檚 penalty to send Germany into the World Cup semi-finals, Fletch and I immediately turned on our heels and walked away.
We had to get ourselves to Hamburg鈥檚 stadium for the Italy v Ukraine match, but any thoughts that we were leaving the party were soon quashed by the number of jubilant Germans who joined us on the train.
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