Not sure I can stomach another round of an ode to messi from the commentary box. Its nauseating

Holland need to go full Dave Bassett - lump it to the big lads

Which one could chain smoke at half time and still turn it on.

Agreed. That’s a penalty. Didn’t even need to be in the corner. No pissing about. Beaten by power

Croatia 0 Brazil 2 Netherlands 0 Argentina 1 Morocco 0 Portugal 2 England 1 France 3

I wouldn’t say this board is anti England just a fatalism about how things always end up (unless you’re in your 60s and can remember 1966). I said in the the last World Cup whilst leading 1-0 to Croatia if we can’t beat the likes of these in a World Cup semi final from this position then we’ll never win a World Cup semi again. I stand by that. In the euros final whilst beating Italy 1-0 I said if we can’t beat someone at home in a major final then we’ll not beat anyone. I’ll stand by that as well. In every World Cup there’s probably 3-8 teams better than England on paper so we should beat most teams but also will be punching above our weight to win a tournament. In this tournament we’ve played 4 crap sides and easily dispatched 3 of them, as we should, and drew with the other one playing very badly. The media have talked up every bit of shit we’ve played this tournament but no one but no one could possibly believe iran, usa, wales or Senegal should beat England. However, England always either get beaten by a better side or bottle it against a worst side in the business end of tournaments (or earlier). How many times have England upset the odds in a knockout stage in a World Cup? Never in 50 years but vs Germany in the euros. I wouldn’t say it’s pessimistic just the reality of what always happens. Every. Single. Time. .

If France score first and we have to open up to chase the game I shudder to think what they might do to us. But the winner of that tie must surely go in as favourites vs Spain/Portugal.

We like to build up nothing opposition in this country. The pundits talked up Iran as being a defensive bastion (when they actually talked about the match and not the armbands), talked up the USA as being the most exiting up and coming young team in world football, talked up Bale as being unstoppable and talked up this lot as being a serious threat (the African champions no less) but if we’re really honest 2 or 3-0 was par tonight. Although I did think we’d be negative and be taken into extra time. The first proper game and first decent opposition of this World Cup up next Saturday and it’s going to take something very very special indeed to beat France. Hopefully for once England will pull off a big upset rather than be the victims of one.

It wasn’t even the first 20 mins the first 35 were dire. The last 10 minutes of the first half were decent but would have to say the goal on 38 mins was totally against the run of play. Since then played some decent stuff but shouldn’t take 30 mins to wake up. Won’t get that privilege against a good side.

Bellingham is a serious player. Stones and Maguire were Senegal’s best playmakers.

But they might well do a Jadon Sancho on him.

I think France should look to beat this England side 4-0 but frankly we should brush aside Senegal. Not playing like this though.

“Senegal shouldn’t be discounted or dismissed, they’re African champions.” I wouldn’t expect any professional to dismiss any opponent. However, it’s bloody Senegal. If hand picked a realistic knockout opponent wouldn’t look much past the likes of Senegal. None of this lot would make an England 4th xi. That’s not to say they can’t win or won’t win, England can cock up any match. But should we fail to progress here it’ll be a national disgrace up there with Iceland, etc, etc

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.