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Post by hughie on May 23, 2021 19:17:29 GMT
Looking forward to getting the wall chart. Which news paper produces the best?
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on May 24, 2021 10:44:50 GMT
Got my wallchart from my subscription to When Saturday Comes.
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Post by utb on May 25, 2021 1:37:07 GMT
England are going out in the last 16 again. No chance they are beating France, Portugal or Germany. I'm going for the Germans to do us on pens again. France Portugal final assuming they can't meet before then. If they can then the winner will go all the way. Shock group stage exits will be Netherlands and possibly Spain. Germany are crap. Holland and Spain wouldn’t be a shock at all, both also shite. Germany will be fine come major tournament time, unlike England it's in their blood to win at all costs. It also helps that Low has fallen on his sword and recalled Thomas Muller which is bad news for everyone else. Half their first team is now pretty much Bayern's first team with Kimmich and Goretzka arguably the best central midfield duo in the tournament, but Muller is still the lynchpin and a leader amongst men.
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Post by Lobster on Jun 1, 2021 16:51:55 GMT
Four right-backs in Southgate's squad. Not sure what the thinking is there!
We look a bit short in midfield, especially if Henderson doesn't pull through. I'd have liked to have seen Ward-Prowse in there myself.
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Post by noddy on Jun 1, 2021 18:00:38 GMT
Four right-backs in Southgate's squad. Not sure what the thinking is there! We look a bit short in midfield, especially if Henderson doesn't pull through. I'd have liked to have seen Ward-Prowse in there myself. Completely agree, comes across as gutless and not ruthless enough to make the big decisions. Again players in a squad carrying injuries, do we ever learn!
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Jun 1, 2021 19:15:56 GMT
Two of them are adept in a back three which is what he often likes to play. Good selection for me, the only disappointment is JWP’s exclusion.
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Post by midfieldgeneral on Jun 2, 2021 1:56:09 GMT
Two of them are adept in a back three which is what he often likes to play. Good selection for me, the only disappointment is JWP’s exclusion. I would have taken him too. If it were me I would play a 4-5-1 and go full xavi and iniesta and play a holding player and mount and foden, with grealish and Sancho, out wide ,in a high tempo passing game.
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Post by Wortleyblue on Jun 6, 2021 19:10:32 GMT
Well that was dire hope its not a sign of things to come
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Jun 6, 2021 19:11:21 GMT
Two 1-0 wins in a week?
Hope it is.
Bet Greece didn’t care in 2004 did they.
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Post by Lobster on Jun 6, 2021 19:36:00 GMT
England friendlies are never very exciting. I think we play too many at home myself. Maybe not in the current environment, but playing someone like Romania away seems a better idea to me, getting used to travelling and hostile crowds. In domestic friendlies it's usually the weaker side that plays at home.
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Post by Wortleyblue on Jun 6, 2021 19:55:25 GMT
Well if your happy with that ok but Italy brushed aside the Czech Republic 4-0 in their final Euro 2020 warm-up game for an eighth consecutive win without conceding a goal now thats the sort of performances that would inspire me.
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Post by Lobster on Jun 6, 2021 20:09:15 GMT
I just wouldn't read that much into it. These are games played in stifling heat, with way too many substitutions, where everyone's trying not to get injured.
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Jun 6, 2021 20:40:49 GMT
Would be interested to know whether WB thinks we should beat Elton Vale 10-0 in our pre-season friendly or whether, like 99.9% of people, he doesn’t overly care what happens in an exhibition match.
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Post by Wortleyblue on Jun 6, 2021 20:44:22 GMT
Would be interested to know whether WB thinks we should beat Elton Vale 10-0 in our pre-season friendly or whether, like 99.9% of people, he doesn’t overly care what happens in an exhibition match. To be honest I don't really care about the result as long as the performance gives me some confidence todays England performance didn't if your happy with that performance then fair enough
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Jun 6, 2021 20:53:52 GMT
If we play like that and win every game 1-0 then we’re still European champions 🤷🏻♂️
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Post by Wortleyblue on Jun 6, 2021 21:03:23 GMT
If we play like that and win every game 1-0 then we’re still European champions 🤷🏻♂️ Now that's true
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Post by Lobster on Jun 6, 2021 21:23:23 GMT
Got my wallchart from my subscription to When Saturday Comes. I like the WSC wallchart's sarcastic descriptions of the stadiums. Makes you realise how daft a lot of modern architure is!
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Post by midfieldgeneral on Jun 7, 2021 4:36:28 GMT
I ve not seen anything yet ,that tells me that that they could get past any of the really top sides. They have some promising players, but they have 2 major problems. Not sure the manager is asute or experienced enough to get the best out of the squad and they look a bit suspect defensively. I dont think you can look past France, myself.
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Post by eyeswideopen on Jun 7, 2021 6:10:24 GMT
England will go out to Germany in the round of 16
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Jun 8, 2021 6:48:45 GMT
Looks like Spain’s tournament could be in doubt - the entire squad is having to isolate following a positive Covid test from captain Sergio Busquets. They’ve had to cancel their final warmup match and the next round of testing will be crucial.
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Post by The Angry Agenda on Jun 9, 2021 10:57:28 GMT
Any Blues got tickets for the 1st match at Wembley this Sunday?
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Post by jimianto on Jun 9, 2021 11:42:59 GMT
Will we take all of Foden, Mount, Grealish, will Henderson be included or will we learn our lesson and not take players who aren't 100% fit. Ward-Prowse should be in for Henderson
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Post by noddy on Jun 9, 2021 12:16:49 GMT
100% agree.
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Jun 9, 2021 12:40:40 GMT
Ditto.
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Post by Lobster on Jun 9, 2021 15:38:31 GMT
Only 8 teams will go out at the group stage. Anyone want to have a go at predicting them?
I will go for Wales, Finland, Russia, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and, as a surprise flop, Portugal.
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Post by eyeswideopen on Jun 10, 2021 6:57:22 GMT
Only 8 teams will go out at the group stage. Anyone want to have a go at predicting them? I will go for Wales, Finland, Russia, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and, as a surprise flop, Portugal. By that predication we can assume you think Scotland will finish above the Czechs? Are you Craig Brown Portugals group is a tough one, anyone's game in that group against Hungary might be entertaining as it well may come down to goal difference.
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Post by eyeswideopen on Jun 10, 2021 7:04:56 GMT
I have had a small wager on the finalists coming from: Spain Italy France Holland
Not very unpredictable i know, but with Spains chances decreasing with the Covid situation, i reckon the Dutch have a good chance, done them each way at 16/1 and a small punt on Italy at 7/1 England 5/1 second favourites is laughable
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Post by Neil Hunt Nonsense Potter on Jun 10, 2021 7:13:59 GMT
Can't see past France. Good mixture of World Cup winners and young talent.
We have some excellent players, just don't think our coaching staff are good enough.
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Post by Lobster on Jun 10, 2021 7:17:52 GMT
Only 8 teams will go out at the group stage. Anyone want to have a go at predicting them? I will go for Wales, Finland, Russia, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and, as a surprise flop, Portugal. By that predication we can assume you think Scotland will finish above the Czechs? Are you Craig Brown Portugals group is a tough one, anyone's game in that group against Hungary might be entertaining as it well may come down to goal difference. Czech Republic aren't that great. With home advantage in two of their games I think Scotland could make it out of the group. One win will probably be enough. Usually there is a big team that flops and with three of them in one group, maybe one of them will have a tournament to forget. I'd really like Hungary to get out of the group, I'm reading a book at the moment called "The Names Heard Long Ago" by Jonathan Wilson, about how Hungary dominated coaching in the 1930s and still had a great side in the 1950, but really the war destroyed everything for them. Very sad in parts and it makes me want to root for them.
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Jun 10, 2021 7:24:48 GMT
Can't see past France. Good mixture of World Cup winners and young talent. We have some excellent players, just don't think our coaching staff are good enough. The players France have left at home shows how frightening their quality is.
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