World Cup 2018

[blueboy3333]

Just now, K-Hod said:

He’s a bit of a gimp on the Internet, but on the pitch he’s a proper professional and works very hard.

Chips in with vital goals and assists for club and country. A certain starter on current form for me.

He's looks a massive gimp on the pitch with his shyte goal celebrations.

Goal celebrations are the true test of a mans character. Garner and Shearer - simple arm (s) in the air. Lingard - skipping round playing an imaginary flute. Tw@t

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Thought you preferred Rashford to Sterling?

Look at Sterling last 2 performances for England just like Lingard been very good and on current form(for England under Southgate) both have to start over Rashford and Ali. Tough but its good competition for places. 

Kane is a starter for sure. 7 goals in 6 games under Southgate for England

[JAL]

I'd be trying Ashley Young in the centre of midfield can't see how Henderson or Dier give you anything from the centre mid.

[Rover_Shaun]

Ashley young is shit though. ?

[old darwen blue]

As much as it really pains me to say this but I thought that Tarkowski chap had a cracking game. 

[JAL]

2 hours ago, Rover_Shaun said:

Ashley young is shit though. ?

So are the other two mentioned, help do we have anyone else.

[old darwen blue]

If Young is still being considered for the national side and talked about being able to play in multiple positions, then how is he shit?

Edited March 29, 2018 by old darwen blue

[AllRoverAsia]

No British referees at World Cup 2018, the first time in 80 years that this has happened.

Not good enough? FIFA payback time? A Russian order to FIFA?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/mar/29/fifa-world-cup-no-british-referees-2018

Edited March 30, 2018 by AllRoverAsia

[philipl]

Just rubbish referees?

[philipl]

Or more probably, refs who cannot be relied upon to take a bung...

[arbitro]

47 minutes ago, philipl said:

Just rubbish referees?

Clattenburg was the original nomination but he took the cash on offer from Dubai. The FA tried to get a late nomination for Atkinson but it wasn't accepted.

Of more worry is the fact that England can't fill the ten places available to be FIFA referees. I think there are only seven referees for ten places and included in this are the likes of Atwell, Tierney and Madley. It's a real indictment on the FA and PGMO that this has happened since 2000 when the full time list came into being.

[Paul]

I've just been reading an article on the Which? website regarding secondary ticket sales. It's the usual content and warnings. What struck me was the article states the following:

"The price for purchasing two category 1 tickets to a group match such as the Tunisia vs England game legitimately from the FIFA website is listed as $420 (£296.35)."
 

I'm not clear what Category 1 tickets are but an official price of nearly £150 seems astonishing - I was going to say outrageous but astonishing is word. Is this really what fans are going to be paying per match? I can't imagine shelling out that amount.

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, Paul said:

I've just been reading an article on the Which? website regarding secondary ticket sales. It's the usual content and warnings. What struck me was the article states the following:

"The price for purchasing two category 1 tickets to a group match such as the Tunisia vs England game legitimately from the FIFA website is listed as $420 (£296.35)."
 

I'm not clear what Category 1 tickets are but an official price of nearly £150 seems astonishing - I was going to say outrageous but astonishing is word. Is this really what fans are going to be paying per match? I can't imagine shelling out that amount.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/index.html

Category 1 appear to be for the "best" seats in the house. All seem expensive to me.

The Fan ID requirement by Russia is intetesting.

https://www.fan-id.ru

Edited April 17, 2018 by AllRoverAsia

[Mike E]

Bump from wayyyy back on this mb. Can anyone recall a less hyped World Cup? Nobody cares about this one and there's no advertising around it.

Strange one.

[Mattyblue]

From an English point of view, France ‘98 until 2010 there was still hype around the England team (often massively overblown hype), that has rapidly waned since - with the final nadir of Iceland.

You’ve got a big unknown with Russia as the hosts and generally international football is now a distant third after domestic and European club football.

 

Edited May 2, 2018 by Mattyblue

[Norbert Rassragr]

On 5/2/2018 at 00:59, Mike E said:

Bump from wayyyy back on this mb. Can anyone recall a less hyped World Cup? Nobody cares about this one and there's no advertising around it.

Strange one.

Not really. South Africa 2010 was tedious as the games tended to be defensive bore fests but that was after the tournament started. Everyone seemed to be enthusiastic about Brazil 2014, and there some belting games even if England did their usual. This time round, you're right. I think people have realised that the host country are the international bad guys, led by a man who'd look appropriate as the owner of a fairground in Scooby Doo. Add to that all the distraction from a circus of inept and crazy world leaders and I think people have generally forgotten it's happening soon.

[Rover_Shaun]

Just been reading an interview with Sep Blabber and a 48 team world cup really rankles. 

16 groups of 3 where only one team in each is knocked out. It's adding a layer of pointlessness just so they can make more money from teams that are nowhere near good enough.

They should learn from past failures like the time when the champions league had two group stages and even the last Euros where it was so bloated with below average teams 3rd place got you out of a Group. It was no coincidence it was the worst euros ever.

Quality not quantity.

Edited May 9, 2018 by Rover_Shaun

[roversfan99]

England squad named next week, very early.

Think mine would be:

Pickford, Pope, Butland.

Maguire, Jones, Stones, Tarkowski, 

Rose, Young, Walker, Trippier

Henderson, Wilshire, Milner, Dier, Lingard, Alli

Kane, Vardy, Sterling, Rashford

2 places left, a centre back and a midfielder, would probably go for Dunk and Lallana. That said, maybe with Walker and Dier in the squad, we can pick an extra midfielder, but bar maybe Delph whose not played there recently anyway, who do you pick?

Hoping that Livermore, Welbeck and Hart are nowhere near the squad. Need Milner to come back, as consistent as anyone, Henderson and him have to be miles ahead of the ineffectual Dier.

Pickford

Maguire Stones Jones

Walker Alli Henderson Wilshire Rose

Sterling Kane

Would be the team for the first game.

[K-Hod]

IMO (and this is purely me) I think Lallana is one of our most talented players. Proper shame he’s always injured. 

The front three of Rashford, Kane and Sterling are the first names on the team sheet for me. The rest of the team is up for debate IMO.

 

[matt83]

I’d go much the same with 23 of:

 

Pickford, butland, pope

Stones, maguire, Jones, tarkowski, Gomez

Bertrand, Rose, trippier, Walker

Ox, alli, llalana, Henderson, dier, lingard, wilshire,

Sterling, rashford, Kane, Vardy.

 

Few of those wouldn’t be disappointed to see miss out to be fair.

In general I’ve never known such an apathy towards a World Cup. Might change as gets closer but seems as though your average fan would much rather watch premier league drudgery over international drudgery. 

Not sure why the prem is all conquering considering once got through the small elite the teams on regular display are the likes of Burnley, Bournemouth, palace, wba, Huddersfield, Southampton, Stoke, Brighton, Leicester, Swansea, West Ham. Yawn. 

[AllRoverAsia]

Currently I am very happy that the English Cricket season will be in full swing during WC 2018 with loads of tv coverage that I can 'tap' into.

[Oldgregg86]

26 minutes ago, matt83 said:

Pickford, butland, pope

Stones, maguire, Jones, tarkowski, Gomez

Bertrand, Rose, trippier, Walker

Ox, alli, llalana, Henderson, dier, lingard, wilshire,

Sterling, rashford, Kane, Vardy.

 

Gomez and ox injured , think Wilshire is also struggling

[speeeeeeedie]

On 3/15/2018 at 11:05, speeeeeeedie said:

Well spotted. No wonder I think England can win. I'll drop Lallana and Wilshere then.

Here is Southgate's squad for next week's friendlies;

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland, Nick Pope

Defenders: Kyle Walker, Kieran Tripper, Ryan Bertrand, Danny Rose, John Stones, James Tarkowski, Alfie Mawson, Joe Gomez, Harry Maguire

Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jack Wilshere, Jordan Henderson, Jake Livermore, Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Dele Alli, Raheem Sterling, Ashley Young, Jesse Lingard, Lewis Cook

Attackers: Danny Welbeck, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford

My guess is that Pope, Mawson, Tarkowski, Cook are being rewarded for playing well but they'll struggle to make the WC 23. I reckon Southgate will take Hart for his "experience". Cahill too.

Loftus-Cheek and Kane to return therefore, marring injuries, there aren't many spots to play for,

 

I'm surprised that Southgate is announcing his World Cup squad next week. It seems early. I assumed that he'd name a provisional 28 or so then whittle it down. However, by naming only 23 he probably decided a while ago and sees no point in prolonging it.

My quote above was the squad from the last round of friendlies. So using that as the provisional squad with Ox and Gomez out, Kane and Loftus-Cheek back my guess for those missing out are; Joe Hart, Alfie Mawson, Lewis Cook, Ashley Young.

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland, Nick Pope

Defenders: Kyle Walker, Kieran Tripper, Ryan Bertrand, Danny Rose, John Stones, James Tarkowski, Harry Maguire

Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jack Wilshere, Jordan Henderson, Jake Livermore, Adam Lallana, Dele Alli, Raheem Sterling, Jesse Lingard, Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Attackers: Danny Welbeck, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane

As for a starting 11 Southgate has stated he is playing with a back 3. Kyle Walker played as one of the 3 last time out which has me stumped as to what he'll do.

Today's prediction;

                             Pickford

               Walker Stones Maguire

          Lingard Henderson Dier Rose

                         Sterling Alli

                               Kane

I'd like to see Loftus-Cheek ahead of Dier as he is a class act. Palace improved dramatically when he returned. I'd also not argue against Rashford for Alli, or Welbeck for Lingard. Despite his bang average club form Welbeck has always been excellent for England, which is rare.

 

 

[roverandout]

I would take the kids..sancho, sessignon and arnold..better chance with them

[joey_big_nose]

To be honest the fringe player I would take and has the potential to make the biggest impact is Shelvey. He's got genuine quality, and is the type of passing playmaker we need to tie the team together. 

Wilshire has hardly played all season, and while Loftus-Cheek is decent I don't think he has the all round quality of Shelvey nor an obvious place to fit into the team.

Squad for me

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland, Nick Pope

Defenders: Kyle Walker, Kieran Tripper, Ryan Bertrand, Danny Rose, John Stones, James Tarkowski, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones

Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jack Wilshere, Jordan Henderson, Jon Jo Shelvey, Adam Lallana, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Attackers: Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling

Team :

                             Pickford

               Walker Stones Maguire

      Trippier Henderson   Dier     Rose

                             Lingaard

                       Sterling     Kane