[FOOTY] International Fortnight ft. Southgate's march to full time England manager

[Raoul Duke]

Ageing ex-Leicester managers are all the rage these days.

Pearson :drool:

[Lewis]

Paulo Sousa seems like the perfect Interim Manager sort.

[Shindig]

I'm shocked nobody's offering odds on Wayne Rooney.

[Kikó]

Or Ryan Giggs.

[John Arne]

Or Ryan Giggs.

Did you read the stuff about Gigg's interview with Swansea? Apparently when asked how he would change their fortunes (expecting a lengthy discussion on individual players and tactics), Gigg's basically responded with "more fight, more energy".

[Byron]

Then when he didn't get the job, he suggested that Swansea had already picked Bradley and it was pointless him being interviewed.

[John Arne]

It's all a bit Paul Ince.

[niko_cee]

If it was slick powerpoint presentations they wanted they should probably have interviewed Big Sam. Probably if they wanted to stay up as well.

Not to defend Giggs, but what is he supposed to say about players he doesn't know? The tactical thesis approach has landed them where they are. Perhaps he just comes across as a berk (highly likely) but I don't see the point in criticising him for not knowing Neil Taylor has 15 for passing and performs best with a small farrow and instructions to get to the byiine.

[John Arne]

Really? If you going for the job of Swansea manager, then I would expect some tactical insight as to who you expect to play and which players you highlight as particularly strong or weak. Surely the whole point of the interview is to get across your tactical approach to the game and impress onto the interviewers your ability to understand all of it.

[Reg]

If it was slick powerpoint presentations they wanted they should probably have interviewed Big Sam. Probably if they wanted to stay up as well.

Not to defend Giggs, but what is he supposed to say about players he doesn't know? The tactical thesis approach has landed them where they are. Perhaps he just comes across as a berk (highly likely) but I don't see the point in criticising him for not knowing Neil Taylor has 15 for passing and performs best with a small farrow and instructions to get to the byiine.
Landed them where they are? They're in one of their most successful periods of their history.

[niko_cee]

In need of replacing their manager, who has been in post for less than a year, after 7 games of the season. That's where they are.

5 year plans are all well and good, but they're not the only way to manage. Presumably Giggs' main managerial influence at this point in his career is still Fergie, who would probably have been nearer the PASSION! (read: mentality) end of the managerial spectrum than the tactics truck one.

With Giggs, like any novice/untested manager (high profile ex-player), you are buying into the man more than the philosophy. If that's not something you are prepared to do, then it is probably pointless to go down that avenue.

[Reg]

niko_cee I don't really see what you're getting at with the 'tactical thesis approach'. Has it been made invalid as an approach for some reason? It was good in the first four Premier League seasons (as well as being what got them there), and won them their first major trophy, but is suddenly now crap?

The above on Giggs is just conjecture. We don't know what he is like and neither did they. From the sounds of it, they met him to find out what he was like and didn't think he was suitable. Sounds reasonable enough.

[Max Power]

Giggs is a twat. Should have applied for the Newport County job.

[Lewis]

Given he has no connection with Swansea whatsoever, the entitlement with which he has approached the job is a bit out of place.

[Disco]

I've never understood the logic behind giving ex-players a managers job. Unless (as I've always suspected) it's all just a crapshoot then why on earth would you employ Ryan Giggs, he's done fuck all.

[niko_cee]

Because they KNOW FOOTBALL and are FOOTBALL MEN.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.thecomet.net/sport/football/the_arsenal_agree_to_send_a_team_to_historic_top_f ield_to_mark_the_launch_of_hitchin_town_fcs_new_fl oodlights_as_canaries_hail_magnificent_gesture_fro m_north_london_giants_1_4735728

We'll shit 'em.

Their fancy dan youth wankers won't know what hit them, especially with a pissed up Guillem Ballague in the stands chanting for the Canaries.

[Giggles]

More 'keepers than forwards :cool:

Nice to see a couple of token Dundalk's though, even though there's not a snowballs they make the 23.

GK: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Colin Doyle (Bradford City), Ian Lawlor (Manchester City), Danny Rogers (Falkirk)

DEF: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce (Derby County), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Paul McShane (Reading), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Andy Boyle (Dundalk), Stephen Ward (Burnley)

MID: Aiden McGeady (Preston North End), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), James McCarthy (Everton), Stephen Quinn (Reading), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Eunan O'Kane (Leeds United), David Meyler (Hull City), Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City), Conor Hourihane (Barnsley), Robbie Brady, Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen), Daryl Horgan (Dundalk)

FW: Jonathan Walters (Stoke City), Adam Rooney (Aberdeen), Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids), David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town)

[Raoul Duke]

Five keepers? WUT

[Giggles]

Haven't seen a squad yet, but jaysus it looks from this like they've actually made the 23.

795649605463576576

[-james-]

They deserve it. Horgan in particular is class.


Brown is back for Scotland and everything about this England side is going to be lol, I think Scotland are getting at least a point on Friday.

[Waffdon]

England will win with absolute ease.

[Giggles]

They deserve it. Horgan in particular is class.


He's had a brilliant end to the season, I'll be interested to see what he'll be like if he gets a move up the ladder in January.

Be also interesting if he gets on the pitch for the international side how he'll play in a team that plays shit football :henn0rz:


EDIT: It's 28, not 23. Pity there wasn't a striker that could have been called up too.


795717177148080128

[Raoul Duke]

I clocked that Rooney had been listed in the 'midfielders' section of the England squad announcement :moop:

[Yevrah]

I clocked that Rooney had been listed in the 'midfielders' section of the England squad announcement :moop:

I had a list of tell tale signs for Allardyce (and future managers I guess) that would let us know he/they would be crap.

As it happens, we only need one for now. If the incumbent is playing Rooney in midfield, that's it. Game over. They're shit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Southgate will have a four year contract by Christmas. No idea why, but he will. If I were a root and branch review professional I'd be clearing my diary for the next decade and parking myself outside Lancaster Gate.

[Raoul Duke]

I had a list of tell tale signs for Allardyce (and future managers I guess) that would let us know he/they would be crap.

As it happens, we only need one for now. If the incumbent is playing Rooney in midfield, that's it. Game over. They're shit.

Wilshere back too, after completing TWO WHOLE GAMES

[Magic]

Every time Wilshere completes a full 90 minutes, an angel loses it's wings.

[Yevrah]

Wilshere back too, after completing TWO WHOLE GAMES

It's fucking disgusting.

[Disco]

Does he have compromising pictures of someone?

[Yevrah]

Nope. He's just part of the 'looked fucking promising' brigade at one point when he was young, many moons ago.

Which is exactly the example of why I'd exercise caution over Rashford at this stage.

[Lewis]

Man of the Match in fifty of his last ten international games, and I think we're quick to forget that Barcelona...

[Jimmy Floyd]

I really don't understand what's wrong with say Mark Noble as a central midfield option. Knows his job, does it well, has done it for years. We constantly overlook people like that in favour of god only knows what.

[Lewis]

We've always had somebody crap and 'unglamorous' in there. Gareth Barry, the late Owen Hargreaves, Scott Parker for those six months people thought he was good, Jordan Henderson, Eric Dier... Meanwhile, Michael Carrick has less caps than Shaun Wright-Phillips.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Probably because he coincided with Frankie Lamps and Stevie G.

[Lewis]

So did the first three chumps.

[Shindig]

Some of my mackem workrate believe Defoe is being criminally overlooked for the squad. All of his goals for Sunderland since forever have been penalties.

[John Arne]

International football is shit. Another 1.5 weeks gap to watch England be shit.
Can we just fuck off qualifiers and friendlies and just invite every country to a tournament.

[phonics]

Not International football related but this is a cracking defense

http://i.imgur.com/j3o6Qjy.png

"I was just waving my arm at 'im guv" "I didn't know they were joos"

Another update:

796688919018487808

Totally inncoent, it's the Nazi version of

https://partridge.cloud/grabs/S02E03/gif/ITTu796q2sVS.gif

[John Arne]

Since when did doing the Nazi Salute become an offence? Incredibly stupid, but illegal??

[John Arne]

Or is this one of those blanket "inciting racial hatred"?

[Spikey M]

Since when did doing the Nazi Salute become an offence? Incredibly stupid, but illegal??

Around the same time shouting 'nigger' at a group of black people did.

[SvN]

It's political correctness gone mad.

[John Arne]

A 10 second google search suggests that it is still not illegal in the U.K.

[Kikó]

"I was saying hail because the weather looked like it was taking a turn"

[Disco]

A turn for the wurst.

[John Arne]

I just hope Lallana can hitler back of the net.

[Spikey M]

A 10 second google search suggests that it is still not illegal in the U.K.

Abuse on the basis of race absolutely is illegal. Just doing a Nazi salute, probably not, but doing a Nazi salute in front of (people you perceive to be) Jews is.

[John Arne]

I would suggest that a Nazi salute isn't really anti-Semitic, more so just a fascist symbol. Hitler killed more Russian's than he did Jews - so by that reckoning the Nazi salute is anti-Russian.
Semantics perhaps - but I don't see how doing a Nazi salute should be a criminal offense - extremely stupid and pathetic, yes - illegal, not so sure.

Anyway, back to the footy - don't think I'm going to bother watching tomorrow.

[SvN]

You've already had this explained to you.

[John Arne]

Yeah, and that explanation I don't think is the correct interpretation of the law. Keep up.

[Spikey M]

If you can't see that doing a Nazi salute at a group of Jews is racist then I don't really know where we're meant to go from here.

[Adamski]

Some people on here really are slow-burner stupid eh?

Seem fine for ages and then BAM.

[Giggles]

I can't get my head around an English person doing Nazi salutes.

[Spikey M]

Unless they hate Russians, obvs.

[Dark Soldier]

Where is Bam these days?

[Bam]

:moop:

[-james-]

Coutinho has just done something rather good. He has turned into a hell of a player.

[-james-]

https://streamable.com/3d8t

The game has been a total shit show aside from that. Brazil's keeper is called Allison.

[Boydy]

That's pretty much his trademark goal these days.

[Dark Soldier]

The Argies look fucking horrific.

[ItalAussie]

If I were in charge, I'd put the fifth and sixth South American teams in a playoff with the fifth-ranked Asian team and the lowest-ranked Asian and North American team for two spots. It's crazy that one of the top six teams in South America at the moment is going to miss out.

Africa is a continent of 50 that gets five teams. I don't think it needs to be expanded, but I also think it'd be a bit harsh to take one off them. Asia and North America probably only need four and three respectively. I'd merge Oceania into Asia, but in the absence of that, maybe they could have a playoff against the best European second-ranked side and then the next eight can play each other, rather than eight playoffs and one team getting eliminated because they didn't score enough goals against Azerbaijan.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I reckon the current balance is almost bang on, which is why when it goes to 48 teams and six of the new 12 are in Asia (which has no depth), it'll be a total disaster.

[-james-]

Gordon Strachan is on some truly mind bending shit going by this Scotland selection. Southgate has probably got it right barring the obvious. Shame he's not dropped Hart as well.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxABxGkW8AEbv38.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxAGqIrXUAAtk7y.jpg

[Foe]

Gordon Strachan is on some truly mind bending shit going by this Scotland selection.

When Andy Robertson is back we can play three left backs and take out one of the centre backs too.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We could, and should, finish off Scottish football for good tonight. Any margin less than four would be very poor.

[Giggles]

This Armenia Montenegro game has been excellent and that's a nice way to cap it off.

[Yevrah]

We could, and should, finish off Scottish football for good tonight. Any margin less than four would be very poor.

No chance we score 4 tonight.

[Raoul Duke]

We could, and should, finish off Scottish football for good tonight. Any margin less than four would be very poor.

Nah - it'll have that 'cup game' aura and it'll be close I reckon.

I'm missing the game to go to a gig :moop:

[Jimmy Floyd]

No chance we score 4 tonight.

I know, but I've watched Scotland and they are fucking dire. Also elected not to field by far their most dangerous player.

[-james-]

I've been lining up a Scotland bet all week but I've gone the other way having seen line-ups. I think Southgate is out of his depth but that Scottish back four are even more so.

[-james-]

I think most Scotland fans are hoping for either a victory or a pasting. Can't remember a more commonly disliked manager.

[Lewis]

Nah - it'll have that 'cup game' aura and it'll be close I reckon.

I'm missing the game to go to a gig :moop:

We're the worst we've been for a generation and it's still their cup final. :cool:

[-james-]

Huge pre-game money on Slovenia. Malta need a ban if they're up to it again.

[Foe]

I know, but I've watched Scotland and they are fucking dire. Also elected not to field by far their most dangerous player.

Nah. Grant Hanley is playing.

[Yevrah]

We're the worst we've been for a generation and it's still their cup final. :cool:

On that note I found it staggering that we haven't lost for 32 qualifying games. Not that I couldn't believe it, but you have to question what the fuck teams are doing turning up to face us looking to shit out a 0-0 or a narrow loss.

[Lewis]

Have we actually played anybody better than 'hard to beat' in those games?

[Yevrah]

Have we actually played anybody better than 'hard to beat' in those games?

We haven't, but FC Hard to Beat need to take a long hard look at themselves.

[Lewis]

Fucking hell those poppy t-shirts.

[Yevrah]

How in the name of fuck did that Scotland kit get signed off?

[Foe]

How in the name of fuck did that Scotland kit get signed off?

It's beautiful.

[Yevrah]

You can tell an immense amount of thought has gone into the selection of John Stones and the role he's meant to fulfill in this team.

[Spikey M]

John Stones is the embodiment of every lump that's too shit to play in midfield but also can't catch. £50m :drool:

[Ian]

Stones is pretty much guaranteed to give the ball away on the edge of his own 18 yard box trying to rabona it out to Danny Rose and give away a goal in a tournament game at some point.

[Reg]

On the subject of Rose, he's class. Best full back in the league I reckon.

[Foe]

On the subject of Rose, he's class. Best full back in the league I reckon.

Not very good at diving though. The flop wasn't fooling anyone.

[Magic]

Chris Sutton saying the best team are losing. Can anyone confirm he's been shooting up?

[Foe]

England looking shite but 2 up.

No wonder you lose to anyone with a half decent attack. We're pish and could've scored 3 or 4.

[Trancemeister]

OMG Sweden take the lead! What a freekick by Forsberg

[Bernanke]

Lloris. :lol:

[Trancemeister]

Ah fuck. France equalises

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Eat it Waff :harold:

[Spikey M]

Scotland are absolutely awful.

[Yevrah]

We are going to score 4, aren't we. :D

[Foe]

This might well be the end of Gordon Strachan.

Have England scored every shot they've had?

[Ian]

Imagine getting fucked by us. It'd be bad enough even if you didn't hate us.

[Trancemeister]

Well it was fun for as long as it lasted. 2-1 France. Olsen's 2nd half performance have not been good at all.

[John]

Funny to recall how desperately important this fixture was half a century and more ago - Scotland's once-a-year chance to assert its nationhood against its assimilating neighbour.

Nowadays, it doesn't matter. We'll probably lose, but it doesn't matter. We've got the SNP, and the final, most important victory of all is inevitable.

From some twonk in the comments under the last Football Weekly. I bet he's crying into his sporran.

[Reg]

So that's what we should have been doing all these years - practicing heading! Forget smaller pitches for kids.

[Magic]

From some twonk in the comments under the last Football Weekly. I bet he's crying into his sporran.

We've got the SNP. Yes what glorius consolation.

[Reg]

"He's beeehiiind you!"

Clive is dreadful.

[Waffdon]

Eat it Waff :harold:

What?

[John Arne]

Give Michael Keane 15 minutes...

[-james-]

It hurts my brain that Burke isn't getting a minute here.

[Magic]

On the BBC

"If Scotland play like this in all of the other games they still have a chance of getting second."

Pat Nevin.

No words.

Yeah these tits seem to think we're playing really well and don't deserve to be 3 down. Lol.

[John Arne]

On the BBC

"If Scotland play like this in all of the other games they still have a chance of getting second."

Pat Nevin.

No words.

Phil Neville is going on like they are Brazil. 3 nil, lads.

[Magic]

It hurts my brain that Burke isn't getting a minute here.

Indeed the guy is a star. Ripped us apart. To protect him? More like coz WGS is a clueless twat.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think it's because you'd ramp up your insufferable cunt act if you had got a win. #bantz #sesh

Because Cahill (Waff is right about him though) scored.

[Magic]

If Sterling wasn't such a cunt in an England shirt they'd be winning by about 5 or 6 and that would have seen Strachan sacked for sure.

He's cost us a chance at saving face in this group. Double cunt.

[Disco]

Glen Hoddle really should be killed.

'Hendy' :sick:

[Spikey M]

I know it's being shown in Scotland as well, but can we please stop pretending this has been anything but an easy win. PASHUN is worth fuck all if you can't score against a defence woth John Fucking Stones in it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I watched it on silent, and don't get the apparent consensus that Scotland were good. I thought they were abysmal and Strachan has to go tonight.

[Smiffy]

.....

[mugbull]

Whenever any football game is on TTH turns into a cesspool of negativity and everybody tries to find a better metaphor to explain how shit the game/the players/the world is. It's hilarious

[Pleb]

Apparently we (Engerloland) haven't lost a competitive qualifier since we had that meltdown with Steve McClaren at Wembley against Croatia in 2008.

Fucking lol if true.

[Yevrah]

We lost in Ukraine in the last 2010 qualifier.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can't remember anyone even attempting to take it to us at Wembley since said Croatia game.

[Browning]

We lost in Ukraine in the last 2010 qualifier.

I'm guessing that doesn't count because we had already won the group.

[Bernanke]

Lloris. :lol:

Actually, I was wrong here, it's a stunning free-kick looking at the replay.

https://streamable.com/ui7v

Just look at how it moves in the first angle. Pretty much switches direction half-way.

[Mellberg]

He's broken the laws of science there tbf.

[Spikey M]

That's what Ronaldo is trying to do every time he hits the wall/crowd.

[Shindig]

It was England vs Scotland. It defines "cesspool of negativity".

Last night wasn't bad. Both sides went for it til England got the upper hand. I have, and will continue to see worse international performances. Stones needs to be dropped, though. He looks a danger to himself.

[Reg]

What's the point of ratings from 10-1 when people only use numbers 5-8? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37958354?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

Thought I'd watch Austria v Ireland in a bit. Any Austrians to look out for? I only know Alaba, Fuchs, Wimmer and Arnautovic.

[ItalAussie]

Actually, I was wrong here, it's a stunning free-kick looking at the replay.

https://streamable.com/ui7v

Just look at how it moves in the first angle. Pretty much switches direction half-way.

What is even happening there? That's unsaveable.

[John]

It's like he's somehow exerting force from two directions at once.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a free kick go over the wall and then bounce before crossing the line either.

[Reg]

Yeah that freekick is nuts. It's when they kick into the hole for pumping up the ball isn't it?

[niko_cee]

Weird as the movement of the ball is, Lloris had no real need to be stepping to his right there (it was never actually going that way), and if he hadn't he'd have saved it easily. His move accentuates the deviation of the ball.

[Ian]

Yeah that freekick is nuts. It's when they kick into the hole for pumping up the ball isn't it?

Think so. When Ronaldo was scoring a few for United with weird movement they reckoned he was putting his foot through the valve.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What's the point of ratings from 10-1 when people only use numbers 5-8? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37958354?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

Thought I'd watch Austria v Ireland in a bit. Any Austrians to look out for? I only know Alaba, Fuchs, Wimmer and Arnautovic.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-player-ratings-smalling-12066784

It happens.

[Lewis]

Weird as the movement of the ball is, Lloris had no real need to be stepping to his right there (it was never actually going that way), and if he hadn't he'd have saved it easily. His move accentuates the deviation of the ball.

I thought that. Dodgy 'keeper.

[Ian]

After Liverpool vs. United was called RED MONDAY by Sky next Saturday's Arsenal vs. United game is being advertised as Wenger and Mourinho being............... Re-United. Fuck off.

[Reg]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-player-ratings-smalling-12066784

It happens.
Oh I know, all the papers do it.

Some album reviewers etc do it as well. It's just silly.

Edit- sorry, ha, didn't actually click the link. Fair play. Never seen a 0 rating.

[Giggles]

After finally starts. That's about as good a team as could be selected from what's available.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh I know, all the papers do it.

Some album reviewers etc do it as well. It's just silly.

Edit- sorry, ha, didn't actually click the link. Fair play. Never seen a 0 rating.
He deserved it tbf.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This rather sexy Algeria team:

23 R. M'Bolhi
12 C. Medjani
22 M. Ziti
2 A. Mandi
3 F. Ghoulam
5 H. Belkaroui
8 S. Taïder
14 N. Bentaleb
11 Y. Brahimi
13 I. Slimani
7 R. Mahrez

is going down with all souls in Nigeria. Moses and Mikel on the scoresheet :drool:

[Reg]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMsUBUcj2iA/ :D

[Smiffy]

.....

[Giggles]

I don't know whether it's O'Neill or just because they all play in British leagues but the first reaction when a ball falls to an Irish player is always clear it rather than control it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Deserved opener for Ireland. Austria are very, very bad.

[Serj]

Yeah, we've been back to being our usual selves since shortly before the Euros.

[Max Power]

Alaba looks like a pub player. Ireland good though, get Horgan on to seal it.

[Serj]

That was impressively uninspired. A well deserved win for Ireland.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think this is the best Ireland have been for 10-15 years as well. Arter is a massive addition for them.

[Foe]

Did Austria try and pidgeon hole alaba in as a cm again?

It's like what Togo used to do with Adebayor. shit. We only have one really good player and we can't get him in the game...

Plays him cm.

**Plays terrible as a cm**

[Serj]

To be fair, Alaba used to be really good in that box-to-box position during the Euro qualifiers, until he just.. wasn't anymore, but ever since he started performing terribly, Koller has refused to put him anywhere else (as far as I know Alaba himself also wants to play in midfield, not sure how much he's insisting on it though).

We'd really need someone competent at left back though, now that Fuchs has retired and we still always play with a tall lone striker but without proper wingers.

[Giggles]

Had to leave at half time to get to this concert. Did Horgan get on?

[Max Power]

Nah he didn't but Ireland saw the game out very comfortably. McClean excellent.

[Giggles]

Nah he didn't but Ireland saw the game out very comfortably. McClean excellent.

Most underrated player we have. No technical ability but always goes for every single thing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I reckon that we should have a silence and a croaky rendition of the Last Post at every match, regardless of the time of year.

[Giggles]

That was some hit by Michael Smith.

[Max Power]

The Dutch are truly dreadful these days. I know that had a shocking qualification last time out but they are currently drawing 1-1 with Luxembourg in the second half.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Dutch are Scotland writ large. Historically known for producing technical players at a handful of famous clubs, money for middling players in world football shifts away from western Europe and towards oil leagues, country gets left behind.

[Max Power]

The production line doesn't seem to be what it was. There's a reason this Klaasen mug is still at Ajax and Bas Dost is no Patrick Kluivert.

But still, "lads, it's Luxembourg"

[Jimmy Floyd]

DRC 2-1 up in the Guinea, if they can hold onto that it would be a huge result in their unlikely bid to defenestrate Tunisia.

Egypt beat Ghana earlier, they will probably finally make it to the finals this time. Ghana not the force they were.

Oddly the best of the north African sides, Algeria are now hugely up against it after a poor start.

[-james-]

Uzbekistan winning in Seoul. Koreans fairly up against if if they can't peg this back.

Massive lol at how bad China are as well.

[John Arne]

Thailand have just equalised against the Aussies, too.
South Korea were awful in the first half.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Tradition dictates that Uzbekistan get bummed in the playoffs, although it looks like Saudi might end up being their opponents in said playoffs in which case I hope tradition is broken.

[Pleb]

Reina you muppet :D

[niko_cee]

Jurgen Klopp has clearly developed some kind of footballing T1000 and trialed it on Lallana. I'm not having this through-balling, free-wheeling, goal-scoring, penalty-taking maestro as being legit.

[Yevrah]

I missed the start, who's in the team and what formation are we playing?

[Browning]

I missed the start, who's in the team and what formation are we playing?

If I remember the Scotland line up correctly, I think it's just Clyne, Lingard and Vardy in for Walker, Rooney and Sturridge.

[Yevrah]

Cheers Browning.

Nice to see that absolute waster Rooney binned, Vardy for Sturridge makes sense too I guess, but Lingard gets a :sick:

[niko_cee]

(Fucking) typical.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We want Rashford.

[Shindig]

Did anybody put down a ludicrous sure bet on this one?

[phonics]

As a creative type, that advert for the Surface Pro by a Marvel Executive Producer saying she touches every frame might be one of the most insulting things I've ever seen and would actively put me off buying one.

edit: Just realised I'm watching on Fox and this post makes zero sense to anyone. I wondered why there were so many KFC ads.

[Max Power]

Vardy looking sharper than he has done since August. A rare instance of an international break helping a club out perhaps? Two weeks working with the master Southgate have refreshed him.

[Kikó]

Sareth Gouthgate is taking us all the way.

[Raoul Duke]

Doing pretty well in a meaningless friendly against Spain B :drool:

[niko_cee]

Aspas.

:cool:

Somebody sign him up.

[John Arne]

Stones getting skinned by Aspas :face:

[niko_cee]

Spain have been properly dirty bastards in this game.

[niko_cee]

Spain C are a lot better than England B.

[Kikó]

Garet Hsouthgate showing why he's out of his depth.

[Waffdon]

Isco :wub:

[Jimmy Floyd]

What would it have taken in these four games for Southgate not to be given the job, I wonder? Two absolute home gimmes against minnow nations, a ghastly 0-0 draw in Slovenia, and a home friendly against Spain 3rd XI in which a 2-0 lead was bottled.

[niko_cee]

A tabloid sting.

Bull Boy shoes favoured by ISIS militants.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That bloke Martin Glenn who appears to be in charge of the FA now is the biggest buffoon I've ever seen in all of sport by the way, and that includes both Giles Clarke and Lord Sebastian, the Lord Sebastian 'Seb' Coe. Look out for Glenn.

[John Arne]

I turned off at the 93rd minute and went to bed. Thought we had won 2-1.

Southgate OUT.

[Kikó]

This could be the end.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxVjwBmW8AA2R8C.jpg

[Jimmy Floyd]

Just seen USA lost 4-0 in Costa Rica to make it two losses from two, I've always been fascinated to see what would happen if they ever looked like not qualifying. FIFA would surely have to bend the referees or bribe the opposition.

http://i.imgur.com/4nRg9ZI.png

No easy way back from there, they still have to go to Mexico which you'd think would be another loss, and then Honduras/Panama away will be tough as fuck too, with Costa Rica at home no gimme either. Panama have cleared one of their Mexico games as well.

[phonics]

I can't believe they actually interviewed Klinsmann for the England job before deciding against it. The man is a joke.

[phonics]

Southgate's been offered a 4 year deal putting him in the top 25 best paid managers in the world.

And we wonder why we're a fucking joke.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's not often I either laud the work of Sir Henry Winter or agree with the Rooney Rule, but he pointed out last night that the FA's supposed commitment to such a rule cannot be taken seriously if they are going to appoint the England manager without any interview process at all.

We will never do anything at a tournament again, by the way, because the Premier League (as a whole) is now bigger than England. I don't think that applies in any other country.

[Lewis]

I wonder whether he would have turned a hundred grand a year down.

[Yevrah]

The money is obviously a joke, but 4 years. For fuck's sake. Do we never learn?

[ItalAussie]

Just seen USA lost 4-0 in Costa Rica to make it two losses from two, I've always been fascinated to see what would happen if they ever looked like not qualifying. FIFA would surely have to bend the referees or bribe the opposition.

http://i.imgur.com/4nRg9ZI.png

No easy way back from there, they still have to go to Mexico which you'd think would be another loss, and then Honduras/Panama away will be tough as fuck too, with Costa Rica at home no gimme either. Panama have cleared one of their Mexico games as well.

I think CONCACAF has an easyish playoff?

EDIT: Yep. Could be us, actually.

[Offshore Toon]

Southgate knows all too well how much shit he's going to get when he fucks it up. This is just compensation in advance.

[John Arne]

Thread title called it. Touch me.

[John Arne]

I think CONCACAF has an easyish playoff?

EDIT: Yep. Could be us, actually.

I'd be worried, if I were you (not really). You should beat Iraq away, then it's two home games against UAE and Saudi, 7-9 points from those 3 games should see you top 2, 5 or 6 points will have you in the play-off. It's a lot tighter than I thought thanks to Saudi's pulling it out of the bag. Here's hoping they don't bribe Thailand too much to roll over and die next game.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Japan have still got to go to Saudi and UAE, bent refs galore in those, also don't the Russians hate Japan? Wouldn't be surprised if they were bunged out of it.

South America have still got to find a way of getting rid of Ecuador as well.

[Danny]

Future England manager Steven Gerrard is in talks with MK Dons about their manager job.

He's going to end up picking himself isn't he?

[Spikey M]

A hollywood shot from his own 'technical area' :drool:

[Lewis]

MK Dons have always struck me as being a very sensible, well-run club (at least by lower league football standards). What is happening?

[Max Power]

They sort of have form for left field appointments. Gave Di Matteo his first job in football, Paul Ince from Macclesfield. Even Robinson was a 28 year old youth coach.

Surely it's just a bit of publicity and they'll make a more sensible appointment. Like Frank Lampard.

[ItalAussie]

I'd be worried, if I were you (not really). You should beat Iraq away, then it's two home games against UAE and Saudi, 7-9 points from those 3 games should see you top 2, 5 or 6 points will have you in the play-off. It's a lot tighter than I thought thanks to Saudi's pulling it out of the bag. Here's hoping they don't bribe Thailand too much to roll over and die next game.

I'm fairly convinced that we're going to finish third in the group and playoff against Uzbekistan.