No Irish, No Yanks, No Clogs - FIFA World Cup 2018

more of an elbow really

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd38KUjmOho

Alli has definitely been more peripheral and probably less good all round than buzzing heart of the side Sterling tbf

god there's quite a few truth bombs in that Graun round-up

England have a great chance of winning the World Cup – in four years’ time. is the worst analysis in the article. How can England possibly have a better chance of winning the next World Cup than this one when they are already in the semi final? A better team, quite possibly, but by no means a better chance of winning.

Thank fuck the football's starting again if the last day's worth of posts are anything to go by.

Alli's also been injured and has missed half the games.

dying to see rom again, that last performance of his was something else

Fabian Delph went home for the Belgium game because his partner was giving birth; Andreas Granqvist played against England despite his partner giving birth

Sweden are going home, and they're going home because they DO NOT LOVE THEIR CHILDREN

Granqvist was also reportedly fined 50 grand for wearing non-regulation socks which may also have been a factor idk

Talk about a heel though jesus

anyone but france

dread to imagine how pompous manu would look in front of the crowds

There were several really towering Belgian performances in that Brazil game, really papered over how much Martinez shat it in the last 30

It's going to be France.

Every so often it occurs to me that the World Cup Final could be a duel betweeen Roberto Martinez and Gareth Southgate and it's just the most wtf thing.

Fabian Delph went home for the Belgium game because his partner was giving birth; Andreas Granqvist played against England despite his partner giving birth

tbftts ENG-BEL was like a friendly, not a QF. I was quite taken by Granqvists defense of "I've already seen my partner giving birth to our first child so no need to see it this second time 'round"

primogranqvisture

I am not aware of an appreciable difference between French boudin noir and Belgian boudin noir / bloedworst.

Is having the final kick off at 4pm gmt- meaning it'll definitely be done and dusted by 7 at the latest- another instance of the kremlin's non-linear warfare

i know no-one cares about it but the third place match kicks off earlier than that - 3pm on saturday

cron's gone to juve

And Daniel Sturridge? Seriously though, that's an interesting move!

he recently said he's going to play until he is51-ed 41.

can't believe mou couldn't bring football home

fuck

i mean i cant tell if this is ridiculous and if so from which end

jesus levy turn off the phone

4pm bst I meant upthread, not gmt. Anyway, all afternoon to marinate in alcohol, then plenty of hours to er, celebrate or, ahem, not.

who we got today?

I am taking Belgium (2-1, in extra time)

Same actually.

France, with at least 3 goals scored in the game

France 2-0. Also Giroud to get a shot on target, which he apparently hasn't managed yet in the entire tournament.

mbappe

France, also Giroud not to get a shot on target.

Belgium to go through, Mbappe and Lukaku to both score.

Pogba v fellaini could be an interesting battle

not if Fellaini's brother gets caught in traffic

That Belgium XI is pretty confusing.

France 3-1

this is where Martinez's 8D chess turns itself inside out and he ends up mating himself

ew

there's a Punnett square I never wanted to see

FIFA has belgium as a 3-5-2, BBC 3-1-4-2, 3-4-3 seems plausible to me

WM formation or gtfo

Bobby M's keepin' them guessing.

my 9-y-o has this 3-3 w France winning on pens

Damn you, Tracer Hand!

Dembele and Chadli as wingbacks? The Dembele thing might just work - stick the express train in to press and heavily disrupt play on the left and prevent the ball getting to Mbappe. Not sure it'll work with Chadli.

Basically it'll either be inspired or a complete disaster.

Bel 4-2 Fra because i'm allergic to being correct

Belgium 2-1

kev vs kante, probably the two best players left

Sad_luka.jpg

OK there's Macron, come on Belgium