He is absolutely immense and also very arrogant even for a Frenchman. I believe he more or less single handedly ousted the then PSG technical director Leonardo. Now he’s a quasi PSG director as well as being the star striker. That’s what persuaded him to turn down Real.

Netherlands 2-1 USA Argentina 3-0 Australia France 3-1 Poland England 1-1 Senegal Japan 0-2 Croatia Brazil 2-0 South Korea Morocco 0-1 Spain Portugal 2-1 Switzerland

1400 runs for last 14 wickets in this game and the last one.

This is a complete waste of time. A pitch that isn’t fit for purpose. One thing about OT particularly, and most English test pitches is there’s a fair contest between bat and ball. This is a joke.

In or out. He could have played a 1-2 with the advertising boards for all I care. About time the Germans got a taste of their own medicine.

Apparently they don’t have the key camera angle of that goal - Infantino had stacked a pile of yen in front of it

sweet.

If the Spanish are smart about this they could play keep ball. Suck up the defeat knock the Germans out then they don’t have to worry about them in the knock outs. If they score and put the Germans through could come back to haunt them.

Also in at no 8 are they suggesting he’s going to have a bowl as well. It’ll spin for sure but Christ livi a test bowler/all-rounder. Massive difference bowling in a test match and killing a couple of middle overs in a t20. Best of luck to the lad.

I see Livingstone in the test xi. Absolute disgrace to even consider livi for a test match. He has barely played a red ball game for years. Pre IPL he had a first class average of well above 40, since and in not so many games it’s down to 38 which says a lot. Plus he’s done naff all with the white ball for a bit now. What did he produce in the t20 World Cup a couple of 1*s, 4 and a couple of 20s. It shows what a shocking state cricket is in the fact he’s even considered let alone in a starting xi. I must admit I’d forgotten this series was taking place. Sandwich something else in. Should be one winter overseas tours, 2 home series maximum each of at least 4 matches and less if there’s a World Cup on.

Wales are appalling and to think they’ve made it to the World Cup with 32 teams, as the next one is 48 teams it’s going to be a bloody circus.

England 2-1 wales.

About as crap a draw as could get.

I’d still say it was very lucky to get those teams in a World Cup knock out stage. France beat Argentina (tough ask), an Uruguay team who beat the hosts 3-0 and Portugal, a Belgium side who beat us twice and Brazil, then routed Croatia. I’d say we’d have probably lost against every team France played in the knockouts with the possible exception of Uruguay

He’s a very lucky manager. He’s managing a crop of exiting young players who seem to want to play for their country. Which hasn’t always been the case for other managers. No other England manager at a World Cup has managed to avoid any top draw opposition in the knockout phase and still fail to get to a final. He’s not had to put up with talented players who hated each others guts and frankly couldn’t give a toss about the national side like Eriksson had during the so called golden generation era. He’s not had injuries to the best player(s) like had over the years with Rooney, Beckham, etc. He’s largely escaped press scrutiny which is unique in my lifetime. Can’t knock a major semi final and a major final it technically makes him Englands 2nd most “successful” manager but I really think it’s been a case of doing well in spite of him and most importantly luck.

Shame Muisala chose Germany over England.

“I love Blackpool. We’re very similar. We both look better in the dark!” - Ian Holloway. “They’re the 2nd best team in the world, and there’s no higher praise than that.” - Kevin Keegan. “A football team is like a piano. You need 8 men to carry it and 3 who can play the thing.” - Bill Shankly. “ I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just wasted.” - George Best. “ If Everton were playing down the bottom of my garden, I’d draw the curtains” - Bill Shankly. And of course “It’s a Lada vs a Ferrari.” - Stan Ternent 😉

If the japs had got a point against Costa Rica they’d be a midges dick off being out. I still wouldn’t rule them out winning the thing.

Belgium are another team who have subscribed to pointless possession walking football. If there’s a country out there who goes rogue and proudly embraces the long ball I’ll support them all day long as a neutral.

It’s a curious phenomenon that teams, like England, with atrocious defences are more concerned with focusing on defending. England should look to play to the strengths we have and that means attacking and includes Foden starting. Wales will have to go all out to beat England and in theory with our vast superiority in quality that should mean there will be gaps galore and we should pick them off at will. But I really fear the instructions coming from the manager will be keep it tight and cagey and it’ll be a shit show. Frankly anything other than at least a 3-0 win vs wales will be below par. That said they say it’s better to be a lucky manager than a good manager and Southgate is certainly the luckiest manager I’ve ever seen.

Wales being bang up for it is the only reason the Welsh have a chance and it’s irritating to think it’ll count for a lot. Bale aside the rest of their squad wouldn’t make an England 3rd squad. In fact thinking about it England very very rarely upset the odds through sheer desire in any game, particularly in tournaments. In the last 30 years (just what I can’t remember) how many teams have England beaten being the underdog. Hardly ever. I appreciate we go into most games as favourites but it can’t be more than 3 competitive matches. Maybe argies 02 in the group. Germany in 2000. Holland in 96 but were at home. A very poor Germany 2018. Not many. Lost plenty of times to teams we went in as favourites - Croatia 2018, Iceland 2016, Uruguay 2014, Romania 2002, Sweden 1992. Then lost to teams were either underdogs ourselves or marginal - Italy 2020, Belgium x2 2018, Italy 2014, Italy 2012, Germany 2010, Portugal 2008, 2004 and 2000, Germany 1996 and 1990. Then probably well into double figures drawing against teams should have beaten usa x2, Algeria, Costa Rica, Nigeria, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden x a million, Denmark with comparatively few results against the big dogs. That’s just the major tournaments and not including disappointments in the qualifiers such as that Wembley debacle vs Croatia, etc.

Calling a spade a spade in truth it happened in 95.

You say you wouldn’t class them as underdogs but how many of their squad would get into ours? Adams maybe Pulisic probably no one else and yet in spite of that they deserved all 3 points. In the grand scheme of things I highly doubt drawing with the usa will affect qualification (as top) one iota. But not to beat the usa, who admittedly aren’t as shit as usual, is still embarrassing in the same way not beating Scotland was embarrassing.

Mount robbed a 3/10 on those ratings.