Black Friday: Injuries claim Drogba, Rio from World Cup

One week out from the start of the 2010 World Cup, and we lose Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand in the same day. Black Friday has arrived.

Maybe the bigger question is: Why the f*&k are these guys playing in friendlies leading up to the real thing a week away? You telling me they're not in game condition after 50-plus domestic, cup and Champions League games? You telling me they're going to get some much-needed continuity playing Japan's scrubs in South Africa 4,000 miles away from anyone who gives a crap in either direction?

The U.S. plays Australia today and if Cliff Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Gooch or anyone else within a sniff of the U.S. Starting Eleven gets anywhere near the pitch, Bob Bradley should be fired on the spot. He's already got a balky Jozy Altidore and no Charlie Davies, we don't need no more anxiety. There's definitely some bad mojo in the air south of the equator-for sure.

As for the impact of today's dropping flies, Ferdinand and Drogba, well England got the better of that one. The English are in a much easier group and can get past the U.S., Algeria and Slovakia sans Rio. Beyond that, come see me in three weeks and we'll talk.

Drogba's injury, meanwhile, is a crusher. Ivory Coast needs a legit finisher in that group with Brazil and Portugal; boy you gotta figure there was a collective Yippee in the Queiroz house when it was learned Drogba had an owie in the elbow. Brazil and Portugal may have just gotten a free pass to the second round; now can Portugal win the group and avoid Spain in the second round? We'll see. Big difference between Spain and Switzerland, well at least that's what I hear.

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WAGs Won't Be Wagging England's Dogs Any Longer

WAGs, otherwise known as wives and girlfriends in football circles, gotta love 'em.

Well maybe not if you're Fabio Capello.

Rio Ferdinand said ahead of today's World Cup qualifier in Belarus that Capello has clamped down on the WAG culture surrounding the England team Ferdinand said the WAG scene, the fashion showdowns and see-and-be-seen atmosphere was particularly circus-like during the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

''We became a bit of a circus, if I'm honest, in terms of the whole WAG situation. 'It seems like there was a big show around the whole England squad. It was like watching a theatre unfolding and football almost became a secondary element to the main event. People were worrying more about what people were wearing and where they were going, rather than the England football team. That then transposed itself into the team."

England made the quarterfinals in Germany, but Ferdinand made it sound like WAGs were front-page news more than the players. No more under Capello.

"This regime is very water-tight. If I'm honest, it feels as if we're going in the right direction. I don't want to speak too soon, but you can see we're at the start of something and, hopefully, there'll be bigger rewards than what we've had in the past.''

Hard to argue with the results with England scoring 3, 4 and 5 goals a game in its qualifiers and leading its group. Today is a sturdy test for England, and if the come up short, they sure can't blame the WAGs.

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