ExiledAjax

******* banzai Unpleasant people

Probably because none of them have been caught sandpapering the football. I've just seen their goal. Really nice counter. Lovely dummy, then a nice weighted pass forward, patient finish.

Add one @Davefevs

Oh holy ******* drop bears Matilda.

Dion particularly likes the stairs that lead up to the boardroom.

Couldn't disagree more with paragraphs 1 & 2. Couldn't agree more with paragraphs 3 & 4.

@Ska Junkie as an aside, bar the French the route to the final (as it stands) is a quite possible one.

Do you think England have been at "full power" yet? I'm not sure we have. I think Southgate has been cautious, and we would probably play a 352 against France as well, so that would be something different. Possibly not better, but different. France also may well get a Last 16 game against Argentina, or failing that a fired up and well supported Saudi team. I think both are tougher than Senegal, and both are capable of dumping France out. Today's games are pretty intriguing.

Naturally it was deliberate. I also note that you've not praised my footballing analysis, so I know where I stand with that as well.

Apologies for the height sleight, that was beneath me. Yes we stand a chance imo. I think that actually England and France are more similar than most might admit. Both have their main assets in the front 6, with an occasionally suspect defence and a keeper prone to the occasional error or rush of blood. Would hopefully be a swashbuckling QF full of end to end technical attacks and more than one unbelievable save. France have won both games, but they've not been perfect for 90 minutes and are pretty focussed, although not reliant, on Mbappe. 2-1 to someone and the winner takes the trophy I reckon.

Robbo. Look at Gakpo, Haaland, Crouch. You can be a proper height for a grown man and still get striker money. Don't settle for GK. If we work together then Ajax Jr and Robbo III could be the two up top for the inaugural Team GB at WC 2042, naturally hosted by Mali probably.

Ha. My boy is an 18 month old blonde brick shithouse. If the DNA pulls through then he should comfortably hit 6'4" by the time he's 18. I'm already showing him videos of Haaland. Prepping the lad to break records in 2042.

Ah fair enough. Looking for players that stepped onto the pitch. Are you counting loanees? Danny Rose? Was in the 2018 squad but not sure if he got minutes. @Davefevs Saborio got a few minutes at '06. Again, only if you're counting loanees.

Jacki played in '86. Bailey Wright as well!

Getting Chesney Hawkes to perform was the clever move. Hopefully we can persuade him to do all our halftime shows.

Second highest in all xG stats as well, behind France. We're a good team.

I thought it was a really complete and controlled game from England last night. The first half was slow, but it was England dictating the pace. Maybe it's frustrating that we took 40 minutes to test and probe and feel the game out, but that's what it took. Then the shackles were let off in the second half and we went up a gear or two, at will and of our own volition. It was good.

Because we live in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, abbreviated to "UK". I just used that rather than GB. The Irish question would be tricky, but ultimately as you say probably solved by allowing NI footballers to choose between representing the UK/GB team or the RoI. @W-S-M Seagull likewise I love Wales, and share none of this animosity towards it as a place or its people for celebrating their language or culture. It is a stunning part of Britain and I've had many a wonderful holiday there. I do think though that insisting on each nation having it's own FA, its own leagues, its own national sides, is regressive and archaic. I'd rather Wales, England, Scotland, and NI (although appreciate the history there) could coalesce under one national banner so that we could be stronger together.

But it wouldn't be thought of like that. You'd just be drawing from the full pool of 70million British Citizens (plus others who qualify) rather than the pool of 60million "English", 5million "Scots" or 3million "Welsh". It would be no different to drawing players from Yorkshire, Kent or Warwickshire for the England team. Yes they're culturally distinct, but there's no need to "keep people happy". You'd also no longer have the Welsh FA sniffing around the best English players who happen to have a great aunt in Caernarfon, and you'd have the whole nation under one FA, with a restructured League system, and all with one goal. It might in time also help us to move away from the mediaeval notion of the four "countries" and towards a sensible, and properly United Kingdom. But that's for the politics forum, so I'll leave it there. Big day for Australia today. Hopefully the Mighty Socceroos can do the Danes and get through.

I appreciate the respect. But it is silly that we have four FAs and four teams for one sovereign state. Might as well let Spain enter a Spanish team, a Basque team and a Catalan team, or let Bavaria, Prussia, Hanover and Swabia all form an FA and get involved. I'll leave it there and let everyone enjoy the 3-0, but it's a stupid, divisive, archaic system.

UEFA is only getting 3 of those 16 new spots though. So could still be tricky for some lesser teams to qualify.

Wales shouldn't even be a team. Neither should England. It's mad that the UK gets to enter 4 teams just because of a quirk of history. On a separate point I reckon continental champions should automatically qualify for the WC.

The shackles are in absolute pieces

I dunno...seems fairly one sided.

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