The Round Ball Game - II

[Lat-Literal]

Hiya Lat-Literal,

You are dead right about the amount of defenders and defensive minded midfield players. All smacks of fear to me!

I can almost visualise all the square and backward passes by Eric Dier and Jordon Henderson.

With Rashford, Vardy and Lingard, England must have the some of the quickest, if not the quickest, forwards in the competition.

Hi Stanfordian,

Thank you and yes I agree.

Two things that worry me are Vardy's age and Welbeck's inconsistency which could lead to over-reliance on two or three players upfront in a long campaign. And perhaps the fact that Rashford and Lingard have not been consistently selected at club level to build up momentum with a high tally of goals. Alli, I think, could be brilliant if in form and disappointing if not.

Probably I suggested earlier in this thread that North Korea had qualified when it is South Korea. However, Mr Trump will probably have ensured it is the Island of Korea within days.

Iceland. Just follow Iceland. They're all attackers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ_fh_Ks9QY

Euro 2016 was no fluke....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZzaAMaEYyA

It's essentially drug enhanced.

Several weeks training on the Isle of Grimsey and their dopamine removes all their melatonin.

[Stanfordian]

Hi Stanford,

Thank you and yes I agree.

Two things that worry me are Vardy's age and Welbeck's inconsistency which could lead to over-reliance on two or three players upfront in a long campaign. And perhaps the fact that Rashford and Lingard have not been consistently selected at club level to build up momentum with a high tally of goals. Alli, I think, could be brilliant if in form and disappointing if not.

Probably I suggested earlier in this thread that North Korea had qualified when it is South Korea. However, Mr Trump will probably have ensured it is the Island of Korea within days.


It's essentially drug enhanced.

Several weeks training on the Isle of Grimsey and their dopamine removes all their melatonin.

In my list of speedy England attackers Rashford, Vardy and Lingard I missed out Raheem Sterling. All speed merchants!

Welbeck isn't brave and is injury prone, however, Vardy is as fit as men half his age.

[Lat-Literal]

In my list of speedy England attackers Rashford, Vardy and Lingard I missed out Raheem Sterling. All speed merchants!

Welbeck isn't brave and is injury prone, however, Vardy is as fit as men half his age.

Well, yes, Sterling only really sat behind Salah in terms of points in fantasy football's "Midfielders" and goals were a-plenty.

I just lament the fall in different ways of Sturridge and Berahino, neither of whom people talk about much now.

Because there was that one year in each case when it looked as if, with some of the others that have now come good, we could win it.

(I've just checked the stats - Sturridge : 21 goals in 29 for Liverpool in 2013-14; Berahino : 14 goals in 38 in 2014-15 but bearing in mind Berahino was with West Brom)

[EdgeleyRob]

So, only just over a week to go. Any of you England fans just a little bit excited ? I mean, we can't do any worse this time , surely ?
Done your sweepstakes ? Got your wall chart up ? Had a sneaky punt on England at 16/1 ? Beer chilling nicely ?

Anyway, England must have a decent chance of making the last 8 after a favourable draw. I'd be happy just to see them play some decent football for a few games. The strike force has a few goals in them, and the defence and midfield should be good enough to cope with most of the early opponents , if not the big guns later on. Shouldn't they ?

I've had a tiny punt on England but won't be bothering with a wall chart for the first time ever,usually ends up being binned before the end of the tournament anyway.

[teamsaint]

I've had a tiny punt on England but won't be bothering with a wall chart for the first time ever,usually ends up being binned before the end of the tournament anyway.

Sad times......there's no real replacement for a proper wallchart.

Well remember the one on the classroom wall for Mexico 70, proper enlightened education that.

[Lat-Literal]

Sad times......there's no real replacement for a proper wallchart.

Well remember the one on the classroom wall for Mexico 70, proper enlightened education that.

I still have mine.

Thought they did well tonight.

I'm just so pleased that the phasing out of the brash era started by Hodgson when he rightly took them to Auschwitz has been improved on by Southgate.

Rashford interviewed well and Kane is the first player since 1966 who in manner was born in the 1930s.

[johncorrigan]

Sturridge : 21 goals in 29 for Liverpool in 2013-14;

Ah yes, Lat. The wonder that is Suarez was the making of Sturridge that season! Apart from Henrik Larsson when he played with Celtic, Suarez was the finest non-UK player that I saw play in Britain. Geniuses!

[LMcD]

With the World Cup scheduled to be held in 3 different countries, and assuming England qualify, their fans had better start saving their pennies as they plan the cheapest way to see group matches in, say, Vancouver, New York and Tijuana. And how will they decide who gets to host the final?

[Stanfordian]

Let's hope that Kane doesn't take the corners this time like he did under Hodgson. What on earth was Hodgosaurus playing act? I was also thinking it was a shame that Wilfried Zaha chose not to play again for England and switched to Ivory Coast.

[Stanfordian]

Ah yes, Lat. The wonder that is Suarez was the making of Sturridge that season! Apart from Henrik Larsson when he played with Celtic, Suarez was the finest non-UK player that I saw play in Britain. Geniuses!

Sturridge and Berahino. How soon players can fall from fame!

[cloughie]

To give me an extra incentive to support the England boys I have just drawn them in the Radio Cornwall sweep!

[johncorrigan]

To give me an extra incentive to support the England boys I have just drawn them in the Radio Cornwall sweep!

I drew Colombia in the Alyth Primary School sweep today, which gave me extra incentive to go and listen to a spot of Cumbia, cloughie!

[teamsaint]

I drew Colombia in the Alyth Primary School sweep today, which gave me extra incentive to go and listen to a spot of Cumbia, cloughie!

Looked at the Brazil squad.
5/1 looks a giveaway. Scary.

The rest of the world may have made up the skills gap over the years, but that is some squad they have there. Hope they do well, can't be doing with mediocre Brazil teams.

[jayne lee wilson]

Looked at the Brazil squad.
5/1 looks a giveaway. Scary.

The rest of the world may have made up the skills gap over the years, but that is some squad they have there. Hope they do well, can't be doing with mediocre Brazil teams.

Unless they go all 1982 again... staggeringly gifted team that was... still, there's (sadly) no Italy waiting for them this time...

[Stanfordian]

Looked at the Brazil squad.
5/1 looks a giveaway. Scary.

The rest of the world may have made up the skills gap over the years, but that is some squad they have there. Hope they do well, can't be doing with mediocre Brazil teams.

The Brazil team look very good especially going forward but I don't know much about its defenders. However, in qualifying it scored 41 goals conceding only 11 so the defence must be secure.

I've just looked at the World Cup Odds for Outright Winner Betting. Brazil are now 4/1 with most bookies. Bet Victor has them as low as 7/2.