22 hours ago, Darrenbot said:

England are classed as the Home team on all the wallcharts so i'm guessing it'll be white again same as first game.

Cheers. 

I also assume that as the 1 seed in the group England get first pick on kit.

I'm struggling to find out what strip are England wearing on Friday. Home or away? 

Anyone know?

On 19/11/2022 at 19:07, jim mk2 said:

Why do England fans post this sort of stuff when England's history is one of failures and disappointment? Iran have won 17 of their past 21 games, and Wales and the US will be difficult opponents. None of the games will be easy and if England don't play well they will lose

1 hour ago, jim mk2 said:

It was a training game

Ramsbottom United would give Iran a game

Make your mind up. Iran have gone from a good side to a pub side in 48 hours. 

What happened to move your opinion? Oh yeah; England gave them a right beating. 

Pure trolling. 

17 hours ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

Americans. 

I was hoping for a real answer. 

15 hours ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

Never said it wouldn't be massive there!! Just shit. 

Why would it be? Game times? Teams? 

43 minutes ago, matt83 said:

Yeah I wouldn’t consider any more than 24 teams for a World Cup and 16 for a euros. Make it more interesting than a string of fairly dull one sides games (much like the qualifiers)

I agree. The 32 team format pits seed 1 v. seed 4 in the first group game which offers up some iffy games.

Qatar-Ecuador to open the World Cup is hardly exciting. 

As @Silas said, starting next weekend it gets interesting. Kicked off with England v. USA on Friday which is essentially a bank holiday over here. 2pm kick off. It's going to be great.

4 hours ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

The only plus point about Mexico is that at least they are genuinely a football mad nation so at least on the footballing side it should be good in their 3rd of it, usa will be a crap circus like the last one they held and Canada is just a piss take. 

You'll be in for a surprise. World Cup 2026 will be massive in the USA. There are millions of football fans over here. MLS might not be the greatest standard but they draw big gates. Every stadium will be packed full for games. They'll do fan fests and the like. 

32 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

 I guess what I mean is all those players have grown up in a culture from the cradle where England are seen as someone to get one over due to the history.

If you are drawing a parallel to the east lancs derby, I don't think we actually played any of the proper local lads who were emotionally invested in turning over Burnley. So I don't think it will be the same thing really.

That said I've just been reading the Iranian players have refused to sing the national anthem recently due to the ongoing internal turmoil and repression and have a nascent revolution going on in their country, so maybe are not really going to be driven by patriotic ferver?

Notwithstanding the notion that any England game is a potential banana skin, Iran are playing in a World Cup match where the players won't need any extra motivation. It won't be easy, but Iran is not a good team.

Ex Man U coach Carlos Queiroz is their manager. He took them to Brazil and Russia. Left after 2018, then was reappointed a few months ago. He deployed a very boring form of defensive football in his previous tournaments so I expect Southgate is spending plenty of time on developing set pieces as Iran won't be strutting around like Brazil 1982 leaving space galore.

The majority of the squad play outside of Iran. I don't know how bristled they are by the recent protests. 

I have doubts that any of the boycotters will actually boycott. 

England have a winnable group. It's wall to wall football for the first 2 weeks starting in late November. Nobody will be able to get away from the coverage. The last 16 and quarter final games for England (if they get there) will be Fridays or Saturdays in December. Will there be that many competing Christmas do's?

As I've said before; it's a travesty that the World Cup is in Qatar, and not in the summer, but I will still watch as much as I can as once a referee blows his whistle at kick off all politics goes out of the window and every player on the pitch will be trying to win. 

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

I don't think Everton will get relegated anyway with Lampard in charge. Some very good quality players there. I would say will finish between 10th and 13th

You certainly have a soft spot for either Everton or Lampard. 

They will be bottom 6. Calvert-Lewin is out again for who knows how long. Without him they find goals hard to come by. Tarkowski and Coady at the back, with Pickford in goal will keep them safe.

3 hours ago, roverandout said:

Not understanding the negativity.  Hes picked maddison which I never thought he'd do. He's got an array of outstanding attacking talent.  We've got the potential of rice and Bellingham in midfield which is as good as most midfields In this tournament.  Fullbacks are very good. Trippier and Shaw. One of the best forwards in the world.  Centreback isn't great but as long as we have Kyle Walker's recovery pace in there we should be ok

It's the BRFCS way. On the whole this site is pessimistic toward the national football team. The oft cited reason I've been given over the years is that it's a Rovers forum first and foremost so why would people support the national team?

England have nothing to fear, yet fans are used to failure, so it's easier to naysay at every turn. 

4 hours ago, RoverDom said:

Wouldn't be against this line up for Iran. Let's be honest Maguire is starting so atleast Iran is a bit of game time in the legs for him. Hopefully we get to see Maddison and he's not just making up numbers.

Good point on Maguire and Iran. By all measures they aren't very good, the team hasn't been settled, and the country is currently in tumult. What's done is done, and I reckon it will be his last tournament for England.

I made 1 change from my prediction the other week Walker in for Dier;

                        Pickford

Trippier  Walker  Stones   Maguire   Shaw

                 Rice     Bellingham         

          Sterling       Kane      Foden

Southgate goes with what he knows.

Tomori misses out, I've no problem with it. Like it or not, Maguire will play.  

Wilson is a surprise. Rashford somewhat, although he is playing much better this season than last. Maddison in is a reward for his form. 

Gallagher is an interesting one. He is mobile than Ward-Prowse but he's not playing at the same level as he was last year.

Probably 5 at the back. 

I'm eternally optimistic at a good run. Argentina are unbeaten in over 30 games. Brazil, France, Holland look good, but anything can happen. 

Blatter also came out with this the other day; ESPN: Qatar World Cup "a mistake".

He's stating the obvious there. He knew at the time and went along with it for his own rea$ons.

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Joe Gomez is horrendous, see his back pass v Leeds as recent evidence, his career has partially due to injury horribly stagnated.

I don't have a clue how Mount gets in, he is so average. You have left out Saka who is a brilliant talent, moved Foden to the right and also left out Maddison who has been performing at a level miles higher than Mount over a sustained period of time.

That is even before you come onto the selection of Dier who is an accident waiting to happen and will be beside another in Maguire. Stones has barely played and when he does its at right back, White has started to excel only since being moved to right back, we look so weak there.

This is the beauty of football; we all have opinions. Gomez missed WC2018 and the Euros through injury. He will get back to his best. Klopp rates him, he signed a 5 year deal this summer. 

White and Tomori come up often on here. I haven't seen much of either. I did see Tomori for AC Milan last month against Cheslea. He was at fault for a goal and was sent off. White has been displaced in the middle at Arsenal by Saliba. Southgate has given both of them about 5 minutes of game time. If you ask me, they aren't getting in.  

Gone are the days of England having the ability to call on Terry, Ferdinand, King, Campbell, Woodgate.

Tripper, Walker, Stones, and Maguire will be playing in their 3rd tournament for Southgate. Shaw would have been but was injured in 2018 (and had been bullied mercilessly by Mourinho).  Southgate likes that familiarity.

4 hours ago, J*B said:

A lot depends on the formation for me Speedie.

If we’re doing the 5ATB thing that Southgate has done for so long, I think we can afford TAA’s defensive  vulnerabilities if Walker is fit to cover. 

For me Shaw isn’t great, I’d prefer Chilwell but injury dictates he’ll be starting. Again if it’s LWB… maybe Saka. 

If we’re playing 4ATB then I’d have Trippier ahead of Walker and TAA. 

I’ve seen enough of Maguire and Dier to make my decision, although I appreciate Southgate will probably pick both. Same with Pickford… I just can’t select a keeper that’s letting in goals every week. 

I think my squad would be:

GK: Pope, Ramsdale, Pickford

DEF: TAA, Walker, Trippier, Shaw, James, Tomori, Stones, Smalling

MID: Bellingham, Rice, Phillips, Mount, Maddison

ATK: Sterling, Kane, Foden, Grealish, Saka, Toney 

… fill in the blanks with almost whoever you like. 

 

I don't disagree with your premise at all. I'm trying to think what Southgate would do, rather than what my ideal squad would be. I'd have Joe Gomez in. He won't make it but I really rate him. 

TAA as a wing back would be an interesting choice. I have no idea if he can play there. Klopp doesn't care as much about his mistakes as he makes up for it with his goal output. Southgate is much more safety first but that position may help him.

I read a BBC article summarising Micah Richards' view on Sterling. He, like me, thinks that he'll start along with Kane and Saka. I'd have Foden in for Saka, although Foden is one who hasn't yet hit the heights for England.

Maddison has been superb for Leicester, but I don't know if Southgate trusts him. Rashford has picked it up lately but isn't the player Man U and England fans hoped he'd be. Ignoring his legal troubles I wonder what Mason Greenwood would have looked like if he had played the last 12 months?

I also think that Southgate will switch systems between 4 and 5 at the back.

@J*B Moving here to talk England players.

Your England 11 in the Prem thread looked like more of a wish list than a potential line up.

Ramsdale is flying for the current league leaders, but I seriously doubt that Southgate will drop Pickford. Southgate likes who he knows, Pickford has never let him down. 

Tomori and White will be lucky to make the squad. I think that TAA won't make it either. His defensive lapses have been far too numerous this season. Walker will be fit, it is looking likelier that James will be too, and Kalvin Phillips. However, none of them will have played any football so my money is on Trippier starting game 1 at right back. He is in fine form, and another who Southgate likes.

Shaw will play at left back/wing back, who will back him up now that Chilwell is out? Southgate may opt to take only 1 left footer with Trippier providing cover.

This was Southgate's last squad. 28 players. 26 are allowed in Qatar.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben Chilwell, Conor Coady, Eric Dier, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Fikayo Tomori, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse

Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Jarrod Bowen, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Ivan Toney

Other players not listed who have featured for Southgate are Gallagher (Chelsea). Rashford. Sancho. Calvert-Lewin. Of those 4 I'd say only Calvert-Lewin has a chance. 

I said thast the team that drew with Germany would be Southgate' 11 for Iran with Pickford in for Pope. 

With wing backs I'll go;

                        Pickford

Trippier Stones Dier Maguire Shaw

                 Rice   Bellingham

  Sterling             Kane              Foden

4 at the back;

                        Pickford

       Trippier  Stones Maguire Shaw

                 Rice   Bellingham

                        Mount

Sterling             Kane              Foden

18 hours ago, J*B said:

Easier to be the big fish in a little pond. Grealish over him for me. I’d be going… 

Ramsdale

TAA Walker White Tomori Chilwell 

Bellingham Rice 

Grealish Kane Foden 

Of that 11 I reckon only 4 will play: Bellingham, Rice, Foden, Kane. Pickford is ahead of Ramsdale. White, TAA, and Tomori will be lucky to make the squad. Chilwell is injured. Grealish will come on as sub. 

Anyway, there is an England thread.

Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0. Potter has a job to do. Would he be willing to bring back Lukaku? It will mean changing the way they play but Chelsea need something.

Newcastle hammered Southampton. Man U were well beaten by Villa. 

A day later I'm still wondering how City were awarded that penalty. 

Elon Musk finally bought Twitter last week and it's garnering plenty of news stories over here. His first actions were to fire the CEO and other top positions. Reports out yesterday say that he's going to get rid of 50% of the workplace today.

I have no idea what he will do with the company. From what I've read Twitter isn't a big money maker, so has be bought it for other reasons?

17 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Todays was David stockdale the Fulham and Birmingham keeper. He has an attitude like Christie, you just know he was a good lad and what he says is true . If you enjoyed the Malcom Christie one this one’s for you to. Talks a lot about how badly treated he was at Birmingham and it’s pretty appalling tbh the things the club did to him

I'll give it a listen. 

I finished Malcolm Christie yesterday. It was the best one I've listened to. I recommend it. A complete contrast from Ben Marshall and his nonchalance.

It's a 2 parter, but worth the time to listen to. He's wellspoken and has a good story to tell.

Recurring themes I've noticed whilst listening the podcasts are the unscrupulous nature of agents, the ruthless sometimes petty nature of clubs, and the selfishness of football managers.*

I'll give the Owen Coyle one a miss. I'm not interested in what he has to say, regardless of the terrible job he did at BRFC.

*after reading that sentence it is very pro player; not unexpected for a podcast interviewing former players. For some balance the podcast also illustrates that a good portion of footballers - especially during their playing years - are extremely immature, make bad decisions, listen to the wrong people, and have no idea that there is a world out there.

1 hour ago, JacknOry said:

Grab a Stanley and say get to Pl in 5 years - if you achieve that, take 10 mil of PL money.

I said plenty of times that when Mouronho was in his pomp he could have proven that he was the best in the world by taking Stanley to the Prem.

Imagine Pep trying to work on intricate tactical plans with league 1 and 2 cloggers. 

11 hours ago, Nuttall is lost said:

When Pep took over Citeh I said it was like shooting fish in a barrell.  Why doesnt a manager of his ability not fancy a challenge like say taking Aston Villa from mid table mediocrity to Champiosn LEague contenders?   I know he's a great a coach but can he do it on a  wet Tuesday night in Stoke? 

 

P.S. I'm slightly pissed as I type

During Mourinho's pomp I'd tell mates that if he really is the best manager in the world he should try his hand at Accrington Stanley, a team with one of the lowest budgets in the football league. In fantasy land if either Klopp or Guardiola was willing who would do the better job there?

Guardiola and Klopp are both superb managers who undertook different journey's getting to where they are now.

Guardiola has had 3 jobs; Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Man City. Each one was the best team in the country when he took over. He did and continues to do a marvellous job.

Klopp started in the German second division with Mainz. Moved to Dortmund, then Liverpool. None of those teams had or continue to have the resources Guardiola has enjoyed.

I don't think 1 is better than the other. Klopp is more charismatic but has won fewer trophies than the more precise Guardiola. 

All these can be true;

• The bidding process for Qatar was corrupt. It should never have been given the World Cup.
• They have exploited workers building the facilities.
• The timing is odd and domestic leagues will see ripple effects from it once the season starts again.
• However, I'm looking forward to it. I love the World Cup.

Brazil and Argentina look to be favourites.