Just watched a great documentary on BBC1 Scotland about the World Cup in Argentina in 1978 - toe-curlingly cringey knowing how it all ended up, but a really good watch. 78 was the first World Cup that I remember, and all the hype that Scotland truly thought they could win the competition - as we know, it ended in complete disaster, but with one of the best goals scored in that years competition. If you've not got the time to catch it on iPlayer, this article covers it pretty well. When you look at the squad and the medals that they won that season, they really should have done a lot better than they did. Scotland's fateful 1978 World Cup campaign still resonates - 40 years on - BBC Sport https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44363843
What do you mean over-optimistic?.............................. Double To Win England @16/1 Thu 16:00 - World Cup 2018 - Outright - Outright Open QPR @20/1 Sat 19:45 - English Championship - Promotion - Promotion Open Stake: £5.00 To return: £1785.00
My wife just said that if I want to watch the football, she'll go upstairs. I said she could come back down in about six weeks.
Just worked out that I will probably be on a plane for the plane for the Panama game and in an airport for a chunk of the Belgium game. So the company will be paying for Wi-fi, and I will be hoping that it works ok.
No one watching the game? Good goal by Rashford, who is looking very sharp. Terence Trent D'arby is looking ok too.
Good performance from England with a lot of squad players putting in good displays. Loftus Cheek staked a claim, with Delph also looking good. Rashford was superb and has possibly booked his place in the starting 11. Very good possession football from England. Like it!
Rashford has the end product that Sterling seems to lack at international level for some reason, and has similar pace to him too which fits in with Southgates tactics of attacking with speed. Only caught the last 20 minutes tonight, but Costa Rica didn't appear to offer much threat.
Rashford is just a more intelligent player than Sterling. It says a lot about the relative coaching abilities of Guardiola and Mourinho that Sterling is more effective for City than he is for England, whilst Rashford is almost a fringe player at United, but can put in a performance like he did for England tonight.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/yashin Never saw him play but a remarkable and rather sad story from a century which is feeling increasingly distant.
No Costa Rica didn't offer much. Good choice of opponents though, as they are similar to Panama. The first half was much better than the second from England, which is becoming a bit of a worry. They did look good though and Southgate has got them playing a progressive game with plenty of possession. Rashford is similar to Sterling in that he gets badly affected by confidence dips. Jose has a lot to answer for in that regard. It was great to see him back to his confident best last night and I would start him up front with Kane in the first game. England suddenly have a lot of competition for places and will have impact players on the bench. My concern is that when things go against them, the old fear of losing will take over again. Should be interesting to see how this young, inexperienced squad get on.
Yep, saw that on the beeb website Stan, thought it was a really interesting read and worthy of a wider audience. The problem is that a lot of those that follow football these days just wouldn't understand the concept of what happened before 1992............
Anyone have their preferred starting eleven now? Butland ---- Walker Cahill Jones Alexander-Arnold Rose ---- Henderson Loftus-Cheek Sterling ---- Rashford Welbeck
That's MY preferred starting eleven. I know there's no way that Southgate would leave his golden boy out, but on form and performances through the end of the PL season and the friendlies, that - for me - is our best team. Strong defensive players who rarely - if ever - make any howlers. Pace and delivery from the wing-backs. Strength and creativity in midfield with some pace breaking forward, and plenty of proven mobility up front. As for Kane - no. I just don't see what others do, and know that he needs perfect service of the kind he's been used to at Spurs. He won't get that for England, and I really don't see him contributing much, certainly not when we play against better nations.
I used to think that Kane wasn't good enough for International football too, but over the last 12 months he's won me over. I still question his overall ability at the highest level, but his clinical finishing could be worth its weight in gold imo. My team for the first game: ----------------------------------------Pickford---------------------------------- ---------------Walker-----------------Stones-------------Maguire---------- Alexander-Arnold-------------------------------------------------------Rose ---------------------------------------Henderson------------------------------- ---------------Loftus-Cheek-----------------------Delle---------------------- ---------------------------Rashford-----------Kane----------------------------
I'd always be worried with that line up because of Stones' liability at the centre of defence (he needs to re-learn the value of knowing when to put the ball in row Z, it's not always about trying to play out), Alli's temperament (one tackle away from a red card all the time) and Kane's lack of pace or awareness if he doesn't get pin-point service. Swap in Cahill, Sterling and Vardy / Wellback and I'd be happy.
Apparently World Cup linesmen have been told to keep their flags down for close offside decisions so that VAR can make the correct decision, if required. Bleeding ridiculous if you ask me.
