I can't imagine a World Cup without Italy. So I expect a 92nd minute equaliser. Why's this being played at the San Siro and not the Olympic Stadium in Rome?
They are very poor, Conte got way more than the sum of the parts from the players and the old bloke in charge now could never follow it. It’s a shame though because they are usually a great tournament team. Certainly would prefer them in Russia than Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, New Zealand or Peru. Not many goals being scored in these play offs are there? 2 in 6 games between the teams above.
That's what I thought. The last three games have all been 0-0 and a lot of anti-football, although I didn't see the Eire game as I was at a wedding. I was just going by the comments I read on here. At that wedding I got talking to some old boy named David Hutchinson who used to be a referee. I asked him if he reffed in the top flight? He said he did ref quite a big game in 1989, the Liverpool v Arsenal final match of the season. I asked him later on which team he followed ... wait for it ... Arsenal !
Play-Offs basically ruined by the fear of losing, negative tactics and some poor form doesn't make for good viewing. Tonight's Irish match likely to be the worst of the lot...
Think it’s a bit different at the WC itself where you need to make the top two. The opening games may be dull as they usually are. More by luck than judgement, the format of the Euros made for more exciting group stages where every **** team still had a chance going into the last game.
Would rather have NI there than Eire especially with all the nauseating best fans in the world bollocks it brings. Still hope they do it as the line-up for this WC is looking pretty awful.
The last few tournaments have given us some great group games. I just hope England play their most exciting players and, if possible (it’s a big ask), without fear. Can’t say I’m excited about a tournament in Russia, but hopefully the groundless fears we had about the Poland/Ukraine Euros will prove the same. I suppose the kick offs will be quite early, UK time.
Last 6 World Cup play-off games ... Honduras 0-0 Australia, New Zealand 0-0 Peru, Denmark 0-0 Ireland, Switzerland 0-0 N Ireland, Greece 0-0 Croatia, Italy 0-0 Sweden. It's now 569 mins (9.5 hours) since the last goal when Sweden scored on Friday.
They’ve gone with Murphy up front again so expect more of the same. Still always worth watching these games with so much on the line.
