That would involve them a) having some in depth Worldwide knowledge to begin with or b ) doing some actual research in-between matches, instead of sightseeing and jollies. Neither of which seems to be a thing. We probably expect too much for hundreds of thousands they get paid for a month's work.

Maybe I missed out then. I look forward to seeing them in more competitive games in the the quarters and semi.

I turned on to see them 2-0 up after 15 mins or whatever and switched right off. No competitive match to be had after that. Don't know if that makes me a crap football fan. Was far more fun the bits of the Croatia Japan game I caught earlier.

😀. 11 mins. You're answering your own frustrations. Let everyone underestimate England and play down our chances. Tbh, it's probably the only chance we have of winning a trophy. Other teams taking us lightly. I say embrace it.

Yep, it's a crazy rule but I'm fairly confident of it for the Premier League at least. Maybe WC has slightly different VAR rules. Stems back to a PL league game where there was an innocuous handball on the halfway line, ball then passed to attacker who did a brilliant trick and smashed in a great goal. Was ruled out, and the consensus was nobody wanted such a good piece of skill cancelled out for what happened before. So rule then changed to handball having to be from the actual goalscorer.

Not sure that's correct. The rule was changed where VAR can only overrule for handball if it's the person scoring the goal that does it. Because the guy handballed and then passed the ball to the person that took the shot, goal would have stood. Pretty sure I've got that right.

It's a mindset though, just like Rovers. Quite often we have the better team on paper, but go a goal down, and they don't seem to believe anymore. The French have the winning mentality, been there before and done it. Just had someone quote our QF as 60/40 to France. Seems fair, but tbh I'm feeling more 65/35. Just on past history alone. We've still got a good chunk of the pie though. If we could get past them I truly believe it's on.

By learning how to get past the middling teams, we're finally putting ourselves in positions regularly for a crack at the top sides. Law of averages we should get the big scalps eventually. Was very close with Italy. I don't fancy our chances against France, but you never know. Mbappe limps off injured after 15 mins and I'd make us favourites.

Only one dampner to the night: Scumbags.

He can sit in a bit more for Liverpool though. Time the odd forward run. Seems to be flying up and down the wing here. Impressive for a guy his age.

Get in. Henderson busting his hump all over the pitch. I wonder if he's been told he's only playing 60 mins regardless. Looks like he's emptying the tank to me.

I like the bloke, and want him to do well. His distribution when given time and space is excellent. But the rest of it, i.e. when under pressure, make my heart jump 20 bpm. Can't help it, it's an involuntary biological reaction now.

C'mon Maguire, prove me and all your other doubters wrong. Have a stormer. Less of the scary bad touches at the back please.

He needs a hug. 🤣🤣 It's unreal how much he loves him. I think he's probably best player ever, but Danny's close to getting on one knee.

That was a pen for Cavani imo, so I understand the anger. But you cannot verbally, and pretty much physically, attack the referee and linesmen like they did at the end. They should get decent bans for that, and I'd think the same if England players did it. Also, Suarez's tears are always fun to witness.

Poland had a back 6 there and still got one smashed past them.

You don't think Messi was playing for a pen? But why give that recommendation? - is the question lots are asking. They seem desperate to call refs to monitor to over analyse things. We were always told that wasn't the point of VAR. Leave that to the NFL.

And a reasonable reaction is to roll 6 times and stay on the floor for about 40 seconds clutching a face like it's bleeding from the eyeballs.

Good that the whole BBC panel calling that penalty out as a farce. Messi seems to be getting away with no-one calling out his antics mind. How does that HT chat go if Ronaldo had done the same. 🤔

Let's be honest, you mean Maguire.

We're going through top of the group with goals of 9-2. Doesn't seem that average to me. Enjoy the good times, the bad ones are just round the corner, I.e. France.

😀😀😀

No I saw today's one TS, I meant the one where a ref has stood/gone against VAR. Interestingly, apparently today's one is literally listed in the rule book:

I've missed that, was it an obvious one/easy to dismiss?

Imagine if Wales get a penalty against us tomorrow for something like that. 😱😱 Wish a ref would stand up to VAR and walk away from screen saying no, that's clearly an accident and not an unnatural position. Have some bottle.