Egypt are pretty dreadful, and Salah is their raison d'etre. Without him they're genuinely nowhere.
Egypt are pretty dreadful, and Salah is their raison d'etre. Without him they're genuinely nowhere.
Especially in international football, where systems have an inordinate advantage over beat individual talent.
Although one has to wonder if home refereeing might have an advantage over either.
Amazing opening game to kick this off. Both Russia and Saudi Arabia on paper are garbage and I wouldn't be surprised if everyone turned over to BBC 1 to watch Flog It and Pointless tomorrow.
I wouldn't mind Saudi Arabia nicking one at the death
Yeah, this must be the worst opening game ever.
They should never have scrapped the holders being in the first game, at least that guaranteed a decent team in the opener (and instant Jock disappointment).
Based on the ten minutes of Germany-Saudi Arabia I watched the other day I fancy them to nick something off the hosts.
Good job this is the first game as it is easily the worst on paper but I’m still looking forward to it.
I’m going to do it. I’m actually going to watch Russia vs Saudi Arabia. ON PURPOSE. What times we live in.
I'll catch the second half on the radio on the way home. I've worked out a plan to do that with the 4pm games, and watch the first half of the 1pm games on my phone. Tragic times.
Yeah I timed my two weeks off work really badly, considering I go back tomorrow.
I'm a twit
It'll be on in work I expect. Weird how the worst games imaginable become that bit more interesting purely for having Group _ in front of it.
Yeah. It's just a shame they start with just the one game.
That "aww yess, another game coming up soon" feeling you get in early stages of the WC is the best.
This guy gets it
I realised the other day that my (football ignorant) mate is getting married on the 7th July. If England win their group, their quarter final is the day before, if they don't, it's on the evening of the wedding.
If there was ever any doubt how the group is going to go, it's settled now.
I didn't realise until I saw him pop up on the news last night that the Russia manager is a cut out and keep caricature World Cup buffoon. This year's Jomo Sono / Ricardo LaVolpe.
Disappointed to see the Berezutskiy twats haven't made it, but somehow Ignashevich has.
At least there's an element of surprise with the Saudis but that Russia team is
There's a very definite trend around national teams being turd in countries where it's insular, few go abroad and there's more money around than there needs to be.
Russia. Turkey. Mexico. England. China. USA. Saudi. All utter shite.
The pretense that this Draw wasn't rigged by the Russians is ridiculous.
Not only is their group easy enough that they could manage to squeeze through, they also start the World Cup by facing Saudi Arabia on the very last day of Ramadan
Excitement level: 1%
The closer this gets the less I think I'm going to watch. I suppose you need your own team in it but the more I've focused on the domestic stuff, and the less I play FM, I just don't care any more about X Moroccan that plays for Getafe.
Nah fuck that, I'm Hyped!
I'm actually quite up for this now. Saturday could be immense.
Saturday is fucking glorious. I'm going to be so drunk by the third game
France's match at 4 am.
12.00 PM here. Perfect for the first Pint
World Cup!
ITV kicking off by asking Lee Dixon about political tensions lol.
World Cup fever is high now. Can’t wait.
Is there not some sort of ceremony here? Already bored of listening to former footballers talking nonsense.
My first disappointment is that the BBC's titles are dogshit. Use Tchaikovsky ffs. Are ITV's any better?
it's 2018 and they have Robbie Williams
Nothing says ‘Russia’ quite like Robbie Williams and glittery tracksuits.
I love that football is still so shit at with these ceremonies, it's actually got a bit of charm about it.
Glad to see they've got rid of the running track at the Luzhniki.
Fuck me, bring back Lee Dixon’s political assessment.
Welling up here.
That's so super cheesy.
This is endearingly shit. The default stock image footballs dotted everywhere. Ronaldo and a small child. Robbie Williams.
That was great.
He's flipped off the camera lmfaoooo legend.
Some washed up shit from 20 years ago? In Russia? Surely not.
This is amazing.
What a wankerfest.
Shit. You CAN get more corrupt.
If they lose the 2 not singing get disappeared.
Everything that is wrong with the world, this.
That Golovin lad not playing? Isn't he their only actual footballer? Besides Yuri Jerk-off, ofc
Thought that was Scolari lol.
Nvm he's playing