Let's hope it livens up today cos apart from 1 or 2 games it's been pretty poor upto now!!!!

The first few games of the group stages are usually pretty dull - apart from the novelty value of watching teams from outside Europe.

Things should start to get more competitive from the last round of the group stage on - give or take the odd arranged draw (last round of group stage) or side playing for a penalty shoot out from 60 minutes to the end of extra time (knock-out rounds).

England car flags in place for the morning anybody ??

Nice to see Germany having an usually slow start. Don't think they played that bad when Heskey scored and we hammered them.

Thought ITV had done a BBC and falsely advertised women's footy as Brazil have started with Allison and Miranda. Don't fancy Switzerland's chances if Miranda's that funny as cot death 'comedian' off the telly, she's build like a shithouse.

I think it’s a cracking start in terms of interest, not one of the fancied teams apart from France have won and they were a bit jammy, sometimes the group stages are a formality, Germany, Spain, Argentina and Brazil have a bit of pressure on them already going forward.

The bookies must have had an unbelievable start! I doubt anyone has has a coupon up.

Some great games too. Spain v Portugal and Germany v Mexico were both great.

I'm 50/50. Been a few decent games and a few poor ones.

I was pretty surprised by yesterday's Brazil vs Switzerland result! Swiss team played a good game. Brazil was kind of helpless. And I didn't like Neymar's attitude. Hope to see much more from this team in following games.

Helen

Welcome to the board Helen. It's a bit unusual to have a link to a trading company in Mumbai as your signature - you aren't Gary Coxall's latest venture are you?

Up the Mumbai Poolies, say I. And I'm sure Brazil will play better as this tournament progresses.

Maybe she is Gary Coxall. Goldberg changed his name, maybe this is just one step further to avoid...err...stuff that Lick Noughlin advises never happened.

Pickford thinks international footie is a piece of piss.

That was Pickfords. Getting the training kit and comfy pillows etc over to Russia really was a piece of piss for a removal firm with so much international experience.

Argentina must be close to the worst team in the tournament. I was conned by their superstar attackers to pick them as my unlikely favourites to win but their big names have barely had a kick. This year has been plagued by horrendous goalkeeping errors in big games.
Also the Argentina manager is a better watch than his team, if they only showed a fraction of his passion they could be as good as Wales.

Well Modric ain't bad is he! Adiós Messi.

Is it me or is there a distinct lack of yellow cards for diving in this world cup? If the ref decides on second view that there wasn't enough contact for Neymar to go down then surely it's simulation and should be punished?

Neymar is such a petulant prick an an utter waste of talent. He's 26 now and it would seem impossible for him to be considered in the same bracket as C Ronaldo and Messi when you consider how much more they've achieved.

He should have stayed at Barcelona but waste of talent is surely pushing it a bit? I must admit he’s not my cup of tea as player I have never quite got him but his record for Brazil speaks for itself.

I’m pleased Brazil scored some of the play acting and time wasting from Costa Rica as the game got later was comical, especially the one when two of them went down like they’d been tasered at the same time about thirty seconds before the keeper did the same. It’s almost as if teams like this forget how they had held off superior opposition for the rest of the match when final whistle comes into view.

It seems like playing for a shitty wannabe club on superstar wages has fucked Ney's mind up.
At Barcelona he was one of the hardest working, most team oriented players on the pitch and shrugged off the dirty tackles in a hurry to start playing again.

He's not a patch on the player he was before his injury in the last world cup. Moving to Paris could be what prevents him becoming one of the greatest ever although I suspect his next move is already decided. Whether or not he can fill C Ronaldo's boots remains to be seen though.

I heard Neymar was either going back to Barcelona or to Real Madrid. PSG have to sell or risk being suspended from European competition due to whatsits financial rules.

Back to being positive, Nigeria have sorted themselves out after their first game, I'd back them to beat Argentina comfortably playing like that. Cracking couple of goals from a Premier League flop in that game and also for Serbia in Mitrovic.

Tomorrow will be interesting to see Belgium vs Tunisia and also if Germany's slip up was a one off.
I'm trying to curb my enthusiasm for Sunday but we surely have to put 4 or 5 goals past Panama.

They were cleared of wrongdoing earlier this month but don't be surprised if he spits his dummy out to get another big move.

His intention was always to go to Madrid, but Barcelona wouldn't sell him direct. Madrid will send Benzema to PSG as part of the deal I suspect.

Got a feeling we gunna win a penalty shoot out for a change in the quarter finals.

Is that based on how Germany played in their first game?

No.
Just a sycotic moment of faith n positivity.

Wow what a moment from Kroos, top players step up at times like that. Germany certainly aren’t the team of four years ago. Boatengs red improved them he’d been poor all game with both his defending and in possession.

Sweden’s game management was appalling though at the end played totally into Germany’s hands who had two defenders on. Good for the tournament because you’d rather see the best teams progress over organised yet limited teams like Sweden but bad for teams like England who wouldn’t mind a few of the big boys out of the way. Huge opportunity missed for the Swedes they should have taken Zlatan!

I was split between wanting Germany to fail and also struggling to imagine a World Cup without them.

Still have it all to do and hope Sweden dont better their result against an all but qualified Mexico. Anyone know what happens if 3 teams end the group stage on same points and goal difference?

FIFA documentation https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Do ... WNLOAD.pdf

5. The ranking of each team in each group shall be determined as follows:
a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
b) goal difference in all group matches;
c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their
rankings shall be determined as follows:
d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the
teams concerned;
e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams
concerned;
f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams
concerned;
g) greater number of points obtained in the fair play conduct of the teams
based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches as follows:

The thing is Mexico aren’t through after that game last night I see no plausible scenario were Germany win and go out. Sweden win and better Germany’s score and Mexico will go out as it will result in worse goal difference than both of the other teams. Say Germany won 1-0 and Sweden 2-0 then Sweden are on +2 Germany +1 and Mexico 0. If Sweden better any German win then it’s Mexico gone.

South Korea might cause Germanys slightly ponderous defence a few problems but I can see them scoring three or four at the other end. That goal from Kroos was the difference between Germany going home and progressing as if it had it finished 1-1 I’d have quite fancied a Swindon v Pools hatchet job style draw in the Mexico v Sweden match!

I think Germany would still need to improve to beat South Korea as it took a scrappy goal and a wonder strike for them to beat Sweden, ok they had a few that went just wide and a few saved. Although Son hasn't really shown it so far he's better than any striker Germany have faced so far. I'd say a lot depends on whether he can perform and pressure a very dodgy Germany defence who will be missing their main centre back.

Honda has just kick started Japans attempt at beating Senegal.

monkeybutt's alter ego has been exposed.

I disagree only because I think that the one thing that Germany has and SK doesnt, and most teams dont, is winner's mentality. That's why they were able to score in the last 15 seconds. It takes more than ability, it's also about being calm, confident and focused until the very last second. Germany can do it, that's why they keep on winning in the end.

Goodbye.

Feeling pissed off at having missed the Germany match I'm watching Brazil Serbia. Seems very obvious from this and other matches that Coutinhio is way better player to have in your team than Neymar. What the duck is Brazil's manager thinking of?

Result to nite means jackshit.
Gunna have to beat Brazil in quarters or semis anyway.
Hope that's not the kiss of death for the last 16 game.

Neymar is a decent player but wouldn’t be hyped as a superstar if he wasn’t Brazilian.

He was fantastic 4 years ago but has took a backwards step, as many predicted, by moving to France. Not knocking their league but to be the best you have to play against the best on a regular basis. It wasn't about the money though!

He'd walk into any other national team but his antics would irritate me more than Sterling does for England.

PS well done England for making it appear like you're trying to win/draw this game!

Impressed with Loftus-Cheek, reminds me of Dembele in a way but much younger.

Columbia is a tougher game than Japan but I think going forward this is an incredible opportunity to get to at least the Semi Final.

My major concern is the keeper, he’s nowhere near good enough.

All 3 aren't are they ? Definitely our weakest position...

First time I've seen him play.... (Couldn't tell you his league team)....and I think he's quite good!!!!

I'd say our weakest position is depth up front, without Harry Kane we're average. Belgium have several top class players and we really only have one. Rashford is incredibly gifted but a little inconsistent, his progress has stalled under Mourinho. Sterling could be very good but need 10 chances to score 1 goal and Vardy requires the team to change it's entire way of playing to be effective.

Pickford is a good keeper, in fact all 3 goalkeepers are good. I wouldn't say they're anywhere near the level of De Gea but not many nations will have a better 3 to choose from.

I wouldn’t say the forward positions are a major issue we don’t really have an option similar to Kane but both Vardy and Sterling scored 20+ Premier League goals last season so that’s better better than a lot of nations. The problem at times last night is they both wanted make runs off the last defender and neither was willing to come short and show for the ball meaning we went a bit longer more often than the previous games.

But compare the depth up front to the goalkeepers who have Jack Butland as the most experience with 8 cape! Pickford is one of those modern keepers with good distribution so he suits us playing three at the back and playing out from it, as thentournament progresses though he has to be good first and foremost at making saves and commanding his area, both of those things looked a little questionable last night and did at Everton all season.

None of the players last nite should be getting any grief.
They did exactly what they were told to do. Lose the game without making it to obvious.
Anyway the 1st team will beat Colombia then we can be confident of beating Sweden or Switzerland with over 10000 of our fans behind the team.
Onwards n Upwards.

They weren’t trying to lose that suggestion is nonsense both teams tried to win it was just more friendly pace than competitive match and England didn’t really go for it sub wise late on.

It’s a World Cup all of the changes on both sides will have been desperate to play well and keep the shirt for the next match. Only maybe Rose did that for England but he was questionable for the goal.

England B team v Belgium B team.......keeping powder dry i would say.
Boring.
No footie today what are we going to do?