Silas

Would be quite amusing if Qatar took a pasting here. 5 or 6 nil please. Taken a hammering before the tournament, let’s follow it up with one on the pitch. 🤞

And this guy is due to be re-elected without opposition apparently. If this speech doesn't put a stop to that then nothing has changed at Fifa since Blatter. As much of a shambles as ever.

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ I'm genuinely speechless. The head of corrupt Fifa's defence of Qatar is basically a Catherine Tate ginger sketch. I don't think I've heard anything more tone deaf in my entire life.

I get your sentiment, but I've just got to be honest, and out of the games I can watch this week when not at work (barring our group), I'm left with: Qatar v Ecuador, France v Australia, Belgium v Canada, and Brazil v Serbia. Not really getting the juices flowing. And I'll be very surprised if any of the underdogs shine in those games. I think there's some very boring games there, and a couple whitewashes. Will be happy to be proved wrong and look foolish tho.

I hadn't really looked at the fixtures properly till today. What a load of crap. Very little to interest me there. Barring England's games, and I suppose the others in our group, the first games I actually want to watch don't start till next weekend when we have: Sat 26th: France v Denmark, Argentina v Mexico Sun 27th: Spain v Germany Mon 28th: Brazil v Switzerland, Portugal v Uruguay I was all excited for the start of the WC, and now realise I have to wait a week till any decent ties. Gutted.

My best wishes and thoughts to you and the family SC. Your folks certainly sound like a couple of gems. If only they'd put you in a blue and white baby grow, then we could all agree they'd absolutely nailed parenting. 😉

Hell of an anecdote that. Would take a certain calibre of person to put ego and hubris aside and follow that advice through. Particularly at that young age.

Was Leicester's title an achievement or a fluke?

Such a myth how much we spent in the glory years compared to other clubs. On transfermarkt.co.uk I've picked 90/91 season to 01/02 to cover the period we won the 2 major trophies. On total expenditure we're 7th: 1 Newcastle United €236.98m 190 €132.61m 174 €-104.36m 2 Liverpool FC €212.33m 138 €100.84m 133 €-111.49m 3 Manchester United €204.51m 163 €98.92m 152 €-105.59m 4 Chelsea FC €204.05m 164 €93.06m 156 €-110.99m 5 Leeds United €202.13m 153 €64.84m 151 €-137.29m 6 Arsenal FC €199.07m 150 €137.59m 145 €-61.48m 7 Blackburn Rovers €177.03m 194 €131.51m 187 €-45.53m On net spend we're even lower at 13th: 1 Leeds United €202.13m 153 €64.84m 151 €-137.29m 2 Liverpool FC €212.33m 138 €100.84m 133 €-111.49m 3 Chelsea FC €204.05m 164 €93.06m 156 €-110.99m 4 Manchester United €204.51m 163 €98.92m 152 €-105.59m 5 Newcastle United €236.98m 190 €132.61m 174 €-104.36m 6 Tottenham Hotspur €145.85m 180 €57.81m 184 €-88.04m 7 Fulham FC €90.26m 173 €7.70m 165 €-82.56m 8 Middlesbrough FC €137.19m 169 €72.36m 160 €-64.82m 9 Arsenal FC €199.07m 150 €137.59m 145 €-61.48m 10 Aston Villa €157.85m 147 €105.97m 141 €-51.88m 11 Manchester City €90.99m 215 €40.80m 208 €-50.19m 12 Sunderland AFC €86.02m 173 €38.17m 161 €-47.85m 13 Blackburn Rovers €177.03m 194 €131.51m 187 €-45.53m But people still talk like we were the big spenders of the 90's. Simply not true. Same goes for wages too.

Think there was a big concern that someone might break away into the 4.5 metres of pitch behind our back line.

Whether you believe in the stats game or not, the fact that the commentator said incredulously at HT: "And Blackburn's xG for this half is zero!", and our 'bad half' was yet to come, is terrifying. Really woeful.

In many sports nowadays asking for an opponent to be carded results in the person themselves getting carded. And we are very much a sport's themed forum. Food for thought.

He couldn't even time a simple header right. Basic stuff.

Ffs Garett. That was the best attacking opportunity we've had in terms of numbers. Dinked it into keeper's hands.

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ Just basics in GP extra time. Get the ball down the other end of the field and worry about the rest from there. They failed to use their brains not once, but twice. Unforgivable really. Hope the cricketers show more nous.

Can't speak for the other dictators, but you're a better human being than I'll ever be. Massive respect. 👏👏 Hope u have a great day today.....and tomorrow....well, good luck to all and may the best team win.

It's getting a lot of airtime on the various media platforms too. Being billed as the battle of the weekend by some. Nice to see as often the Championship gets ignored whilst they talk about the Prem Top 6 only. Don't get me wrong, I think the top 2 status is feeding that a lot. Not sure it would be getting as much attention if the teams were 8th and 16th in the league. Hopefully we can put on a good show as both teams are capable of playing some nice football.

We win or lose it? Carlisle United 2013/14ish is last I can remember. Lost that.

That deserves criticism too. He showed absolutely no strikers instinct there. Froze in the big moment. Worrying.

They're showing clips on Sky Sports News. That's all I think.

I thought this too. Bit like City did with Foden. Can't argue with it tbh. Hopefully he follows the same career trajectory.

This is a fun start to Sat afternoon. 😀 A simultaneous Rovers and England RL win to follow please.

Guess we'll know in exactly 8 days. But for me it's more are they beatable....by us....in an away match.....considering the recent history and current form. And my brain can't help but spit out a resounding no.

I'd be celebrating a draw pretty strongly. Isn't that a bit the same thing.

Congrats Mike, and shout out to Mrs E. You got a bad sleeper? If so, you have my sympathies.