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View Poll Results: Which England game will be best?

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  • vs. Wales

    0 0%
  • vs. Belgium

    1 16.67%
  • vs. Denmark

    0 0%
  • They'll all be great I can't just pick one!

    1 16.67%
  • IT'S COMING HOME

    2 33.33%
  • Three in a week? As if 2020 weren't bad enough...

    2 33.33%
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Thread: Oktoberballfest: Woops, forgot about this

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  1. #1
    Webly Ian's Avatar
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    Oktoberballfest: Woops, forgot about this

    The COVID malaise must be getting bad if I've forgotten all about my monthly opportunity to wax lyrical about my love of the beautiful game.

    Well, it's all happening anyway. The transfer window preparing to SLAM SHUT next week with Red Ed no doubt putting the final touches on another bid of £17.70 for Sancho, games getting called off because everybody's getting the Rona and most excitingly of all THREE ENGLAND GAMES IN UNDER A WEEK. I'm not sure I cope.

    I actually don't know what else is happening after that because the BBC fixtures page is having a wobbly. Do the various group stages of things also start this month?

  2. #2
    Won the Old Board Lewis's Avatar
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    It is mental having international friendlies (sorry, 'UEFA Nations League') in the current schedule, and clubs would be well within their rights to tell the national teams to fuck off.

  3. #3
    Webly Ian's Avatar
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    One of them IS a friendly. What's the fucking point of that?

  4. #4
    Senior Member Jimmy Floyd's Avatar
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    The national FAs are just as desperate for money as the clubs are. Less so England and whoever, but there's a big wide world out there.

  5. #5
    The Artist Formerly Known as Taz
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    Still another international break in November before we batten down the hatches till March for a nice uninterrupted spell.

  6. #6
    Now in technicolor Pen's Avatar
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    International football > Club football

  7. #7
    Senior Member niko_cee's Avatar
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    Nope.

  8. #8
    The Artist Formerly Known as Taz
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    For one month every 4 years, that used to hold tbf.

  9. #9
    ram it up your shitpipe Giggles's Avatar
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    Pen is correct.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Jimmy Floyd's Avatar
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    Autumn qualifiers are awful (except in the payout/playoff years) but let's not pretend the World Cup does not remain the very summit of the football-watching experience. If the PSG mercenary XI vs the Barcelona mercenary XI does it for you then whatever.

  11. #11
    Senior Member Disco's Avatar
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    I only bother with internationals now, club football is a big bowl of shite.

  12. #12
    Custom User Title phonics's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Disco View Post
    I only bother with internationals now, club football is a big bowl of shite.
    No offense, but when Exeter is the center of your football, it makes sense.

  13. #13
    ram it up your shitpipe Giggles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by phonics View Post
    No offense, but when Exeter is the center of your football, it makes sense.
    And there’s lucky you shacked up in north London.

  14. #14
    Senior Member Disco's Avatar
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    Yeah we don't get the other games here.

  15. #15
    Senior Member niko_cee's Avatar
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    Well, if we're being picky all football is shite at the moment.

    I have no issue with the camaraderie of a world cup or whatever, but let's not be taking football quality advice from some west country egg chasing enthusiast.

  16. #16
    Senior Member Offshore Toon's Avatar
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    A 9 bedroom mansion looking over Finsbury Park must be worth a few bob.

  17. #17
    Senior Member Disco's Avatar
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    As an addendum, I didn't mean the technical quality, club football has ceased to make me care in the same way it used to. Internationals I only barely care about so they win by default.

  18. #18
    Senior Member niko_cee's Avatar
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    Regardless of the merits of a 3 game international window after the clubs have been playing games every 3 days or whatever, the first games back after this are going to be an absolute clusterfuck when everyone from South America etc comes back with corona. Can I put money on the Merseyside Derby being postponed?

  19. #19
    Senior Member Disco's Avatar
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    If both sides can field an infected XI then they should be allowed to go ahead, provided a suitably ill ref can be found.

  20. #20
    Webly Ian's Avatar
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    Euros or World Cup knockouts are the best football.

  21. #21
    I used to be funny.
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    Yep. Group stage stuff has a novelty to it but the knockouts are all drama.

  22. #22
    Webly Ian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shindig View Post
    Yep. Group stage stuff has a novelty to it but the knockouts are all drama.
    This is what it's all about. Champions League is probably "better" but it's every fucking year so if you're an actual big club then y'know, yeah it's exciting if you're in it but I can't buy into it otherwise. The stakes in a World Cup semi though, gimme that shit all day.

  23. #23
    Senior Member Pleb's Avatar
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    All UEFA and FIFA tournaments should really be one offs.

  24. #24
    ram it up your shitpipe Giggles's Avatar
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  25. #25
    Custom User Title phonics's Avatar
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    Sadio Mane getting popped for COVID the same week as an international break? Strange that.

  26. #26
    The Artist Formerly Known as Taz
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    He's out of the weekend game now though, it's hardly beneficial. Is it 2 weeks isolation? If so, returns just in time for Everton.

  27. #27
    Senior Member niko_cee's Avatar
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    FIFA rules probably mandate that he still be released to travel to wherever so the Senegal doctor can confirm he has covid.

  28. #28
    Senior Member Trancemeister's Avatar
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    Chelsea — Mendy, Chilwell, Zouma, Silva, Azpilicueta(C), Jorginho, Kanté, Werner, Havertz, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham.

    Crystal Palace — Guaita, Mitchell, Sakho, Kouyaté, Ward, Eze, McArthur, McCarthy, Townsend, Zaha(C), Ayew.

  29. #29
    Bookie Sir Andy Mahowry's Avatar
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    Cutting to a miserable Kepa on the bench and then telling us it's his birthday is quality.

  30. #30
    Senior Member Jimmy Floyd's Avatar
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    The 5 Live commentators sounded crestfallen at that goal. The desperation for Chelsea and more specifically Lampard to fail is class (he/they won't fail).

  31. #31
    Senior Member Waffdon's Avatar
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    Some leap from Big Zouma

  32. #32
    Senior Member Jimmy Floyd's Avatar
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    '...into the back of the net. Is it deserved? I don't know.'


  33. #33
    Won the Old Board Lewis's Avatar
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    'Frank' has already succeeded if, after fifteen years, he's finally given Chelsea something to feel bitter and persecuted about. And the worse he does the more he succeeds. Brilliant.

  34. #34
    Senior Member Jimmy Floyd's Avatar
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    It's probably my fault for listening to Football Weekly and reading other left wing football outlets (football has its own political system outside the wider one, and Frank is a One Nation Tory), but the hipsters properly hate him.

  35. #35
    Bookie Sir Andy Mahowry's Avatar
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    That's a lovely leap from Calvert-Lewin.

    I admit I was wrong about him last year.

  36. #36
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    Pretty sure I called Calvert-Lewin being awesome about 18 months ago.

  37. #37
    ram it up your shitpipe Giggles's Avatar
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    He seems to never stop scoring. See his name the whole time.

  38. #38
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    9 this season, already.

  39. #39
    ram it up your shitpipe Giggles's Avatar
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    Never knew drunken Duncan was there. Is he assistant?

  40. #40
    Senior Member niko_cee's Avatar
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    Yeah, he was the assistant to the last one as well and took temporary charge whilst Ancelotti was courted.

  41. #41
    The Artist Formerly Known as Taz
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    DCL was useless, as was Keane. Carlo turning them into England starters is testament to the man's coaching ability.

  42. #42
    Bookie Sir Andy Mahowry's Avatar
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    How does Pickford still start games?

  43. #43
    ram it up your shitpipe Giggles's Avatar
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    Fuck that’s terrible goalkeeping.

  44. #44
    The Artist Formerly Known as Taz
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    Not even Carlo can cure downs.

  45. #45
    Webly Ian's Avatar
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    He's going to end up with the Hart trajectory isn't he.

    Or was Hart decent longer than Pickford has managed?

  46. #46
    Senior Member Jimmy Floyd's Avatar
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    We're up at 3.57 goals a game in the PL and there have only been two draws so far in 29 games. Is this just random variation/small sample or are the empty stadiums making it a sweepstakes?

  47. #47
    The Artist Formerly Known as Taz
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd View Post
    We're up at 3.57 goals a game in the PL and there have only been two draws so far in 29 games. Is this just random variation/small sample or are the empty stadiums making it a sweepstakes?
    My theory would be decreased home advantage leading to more expansive away sides and better games as a result.

    That average will be taking one hell of a boost in about 2 hours time.

  48. #48
    Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuno Reg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd View Post
    We're up at 3.57 goals a game in the PL and there have only been two draws so far in 29 games. Is this just random variation/small sample or are the empty stadiums making it a sweepstakes?
    Defending is less valued, penalties galore and I'd wager concentration is lower without crowds.

    And presumably lack of (/no) pre-season means less defensive drilling?

    That was a frustrating game. We're going to have plenty more goalfests. I hope Potter works on set pieces both defending and attacking in the break.

  49. #49
    Bookie Sir Andy Mahowry's Avatar
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    Sidwell blaming Pickford's error purely on the rain

  50. #50
    Won the Old Board Lewis's Avatar
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    My theory was less pressure leading to better finishing, but I think there might also be something in defending (or at least individual defensive efforts) becoming worse without that same pressure.

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