The group stage is over. Despite a good start the drama somewhat fizzled. Here are the teams who made it through; Group winners: Germany - Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund Italy – Juventus England - Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea Spain - Real Madrid France - Paris St-Germain Runners up: Germany - Borussia Monchengladbach, RB Leipzig Italy - Atalanta, Lazio Spain - Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla Portugal - Porto Teams cannot be drawn against another from the same country in the last 16.

The story of Mowbray's Rovers. A defence that leaks like a sieve. Halfway improve that will add enough points to have the team knocking on the playoff door.

Yep. They only started playing with 20 minutes to go. I've said from day 1 that Solskjaer isn't good enough to be a top level manager. Episodes like last night prove it. The PSG-Istanbul game was called off. According to my TV coverage the 4th official told the referee to speak to "that black lad over there" as he was irate over a decision and expressing his disgust. The officiating crew were all Romanian so spoke in their local tongue. Black in Romanian is "negru". Demba Ba heard this and went ballistic. Was it racist? I have no idea.

There's an awful lot happening that would not be occurring today. For a start I reckon that the ref would seriously look at calling the game off due to an unfit pitch.

Speaking of, did Newell break his leg in that tackle? I was at the game but have no memory of it at all. I do remember the FA Cup game the year after. They were top of the Championship or whatever division 2 was called back then and thought that they'd beat us. Cue a Roy Wegerle goal and a lot of mad Geordies. They charged down Nuttall St. after the game. The Darwen End was being done up too. It had no roof but still had the metal beams. One of their fans climbed up to the top of one.

10 group winners qualify automatically. All 10 runners up plus 2 who didn't finish second but did well in the Nations League will be drawn into 3 separate 4 team playoff pods constituting semi finals and a final. The 3 winners then qualify. As usual the BBC provides a good overview; Qatar 2022 summary - BBC Poland and England have met a lot in the past. I wasn't born in 1974 but remember Lineker's hat trick against them in a must win at Mexico '86.

The WC 2022 UEFA qualifying groups were drawn today; Group A: Portugal, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan Group B: Spain, Sweden, Greece, Georgia, Kosovo Group C: Italy, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Lithuania Group D France, Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia, Kazakhstan Group E: Belgium, Wales, Czech Republic, Belarus, Estonia Group F: Denmark, Austria, Scotland, Israel, Faroe Islands, Moldova Group G: Netherlands, Turkey, Norway, Montenegro, Latvia, Gibraltar Group H: Croatia, Slovakia, Russia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta Group I: England, Poland, Hungary, Albania, Andorra, San Marino Group J: Germany, Romania, Iceland, North Macedonia, Armenia, Liechtenstein

Some interesting comments in relation to Brereton's injury layoff. He has been written off on here again and again as a donkey, now he is the first name on the team sheet. Fair play to the lad for improving. The last time I saw him play was the FA Cup game against Birmingham in January. He wasn't with it that day.

One round of group games left to go. This BBC has a good summary of what teams are through and what is left to play for; Champs League scenarios Liverpool are through as winners, and as Atalanta play Ajax next week for the other qualifying spot he can play the u18's without upsetting anyone. It may keep him quiet about injuries for a week or 2. PSG are a good team but Man U gifted them the win yesterday putting their qualification hopes in jeopardy. They play Leipzig who they beat 5-0 at home, but this Man U team is Jekyll and Hyde so who knows what team will turn up. This ESPN article rips into the manager; Solskjaer not up to it - ESPN Anyone can progress in Group B. Real could go out.

I hope not but it's typically the way it goes. Rovers had a fantastic run around this time last year. In fact it wasn't too bad until after lockdown. 3 big games coming up.

I had a first looks at league tables yesterday. Accrington Stanley are doing well in League 1. Same spot as Rovers, with one more point and at least 2 games in hand on teams above them. Win those and they are in the top 6. John Coleman has worked wonders in his time there.

I remember them well. A good mate of mine was a PNE fan, I used to go and watch them now and again. As I said the football wasn't anything to write home about but the fans were able to entertain themselves. They were quite imaginative.

He did very well at Cambridge. He had his methods. Everything long. Ball boys with towels. Watering the corners so the ball stuck when it landed. He also had a lot of good players at his disposal. Dublin and Claridge to name two who played years in the Prem. He was at PNE for a while too. The football there was dire. The astroturf wasn't conducive to his tactics.

I'll put this here; Diego Maradona has died. Maradona dead at 60 He was a genius, a joy to watch, and a cheat. Like many geniuses he had flaws. His post football life was colourful. Looks like booze got him.

Nailed on PNE win then. It's the Rovers way. I hope not but history tells me otherwise.

I read that article too, it was pretty good. Ruddock and Shearer were (still are?) good pals. They lived close to each other during Shearer's time at Ewood. Dwight Yorke complained of the same regarding Souness. Yorke accused him of trying to break his leg during a 5-a-side game. It's a shallow comparison but Gerrard is the closest there has been to Souness. He had it all, and a nasty streak too. Anyway, back on topic. I had to watch Boys from the Blackstuff at school. Looking at it through my teenage eyes the grittiness of it stood out. A similar style was used by Alan Clarke. He did a few cracking films. Scum. Made in Britain. Rita, Sue and Bob too. All brilliant.

There's a bit in the article I posted saying that Southgate played not to lose in the awful 0-0 against Denmark as he didn't want a loss to add negative fuel to the Greenwood/Foden situation. WC 2018 results were built upon set pieces. The exciting 4-3-3 is riskier. Euro 2021 is anybody's. There is usually a clear favourite (whether they ended up winning it is a different story), but not this time.

I like this article on Southgate; Trials and tribulations of being England manager In my football watching lifetime the FA has tried every idea around to try and win something to no avail. Southgate has brought some pride back to the job. I do wonder how either Venables or Hoddle would have done if given more time. Venables left due to the ghost of off field issues, and although Hoddle wasn't everybody's cup of tea he had was a very good coach at the time.

There has always been an anti-England sentiment on here. It's a Rovers board so I understand that the national team isn't topic number 1. I am an eternal optimist when it comes to England, which never works out as the one consistency is that they always disappoint. Which is why I don't understand the negativity. Comparing team from different times is nigh on impossible but post WWII England teams are remarkably similar. Cases of arrogance, bad luck, and stupidity reign. 1950's - little Englanders at the FA thought that they were the best team in the world. They weren't. 1960's - winners in 1966. Caveats; the tournament was played at home. Pele got kicked to pieces and limped out of the tournament early. 1970's - unlucky at Mexico '70 but it signaled the end of an era. Failed to qualify for '74 and '78 despite a strong Division 1 (Leeds, Liverpool, Derby, Forest) all won in Europe). 1980's - mediocre. Odd knockout rules cost the Spain '82 team. Maradona's genius/cheating ended Mexico '86. 1990's - Up and down. Unlucky at Italia '90. Missed out on USA '94. Cut off at the knees at France '98. 2000's - the "golden generation" had a chance and blew it. Losing to 10 man Brazil in '02, and Rooney's daft sending off in '06. 2010's - Awful start, good end. 2020's - Looks promising but need to be able to beat the big boys.

Not strictly football league but it looks like Wrexham are on the verge of being taken over, by 2 actors no less. Seems like a strange one to me, but it's real; Hollywood to Wrexham

I agree with you. Grealish is a very talented player, but is he right for what England currently have? I said yesterday that it looks like Southgate's preferred plan is to use pace to beat teams. Grealish doesn't have that, but he does have a wonderful ability to keep possession.

The switch back to 3-4-3 is baffling. More so that Kyle Walker is now back at the right side of the 3. He is a good player, but he looks lost playing further inside. 4-3-3 is much more suitable for the payers that Southgate has available. I assume that Southgate's preferred front 3 is be Kane partnered by 2 from either Sterling, Rashford, or Sancho. Grealish is a talent but playing him means a shift in tactics. Maybe use him as a sub, he comes on if England up to keep possession and get free kicks. I've not seen much of Rice so can't really judge. He looks OK, but nothing special. Although plenty like him. He is still young, is captain of West Ham, and Chelsea are rumoured to be willing to spend big money to sign him. As to the game. Whilst acknowledging England's lack of shots on target and sometime pedestrian play Belgium's first goal was a deflected effort and the second was a great free kick - which should never have been given. I thought that the referee was poor too. Plenty for Southgate to ponder. Kane is yet to get is annual injury too.

I listened but thought that it was going to be a 10 parter. There is enough material for one. Nothing new for me that I haven't read on here. Maybe it helps the wider world understand as the press never really reported any of what was discussed, which has all turned out to be true. Good that it was done, a follow up episode would be nice.

The 8 group world cup is good but the expanded Euros has diluted competition. The international breaks are also annoying. It seems that there are too many and they last too long.