The Football Thread 2017-18

[Irene Demova]

This england 352 is genuinely bizzare to watch, Sterling spent the last 10 minutes basically playing the role de bruyne plays for city, doing loads of link up play around the halfway line

[Buffalo]

England’s final ball remains absolute drivel. Their goals record is lame, and no wonder.

[BOR]

VAR. It’s utterly rubbish.

[Irene Demova]

At least we aren't Argentina lol

[TigaSefi]

I was at the game and the final ball situation was ridiculous. So many times Sterling has a chance to make a killer pass and ended up taking on 2-3 defenders instead. Useless knob. Round of 16 for us at best.

[Tomous]

VAR is going to ruin the World Cup as a spectacle.

We’re going to be sick of talking about it by the end. I mean, I’m sure most people are already sick of it but I can’t see it going well, the way they’ve implemented it.

[BTB]

I for one can't wait for Russia to reach the semi-finals/final following a series of very contentious VAR decisions. With Putin winking/giving a thumbs up after each one.

[Drumstick]

Last night was the first time I've seen it and I thought it was fine. What are people on the fence about, specifically?

I've actually quite enjoyed the England matches this week. Refreshing line-ups, still clearly a work in progress but at least they look like they want to be out there and are engaging with the system that Southgate is trying to establish.

[Moggy]

I for one can't wait for Russia to reach the semi-finals/final following a series of very contentious VAR decisions. With Putin winking/giving a thumbs up after each one.

It will not be VAR that is suspicious, it will be the odd coincidence of every player coming down sick just before they play Russia.

[Preezy]

Didn't even check the England result before bed, such is my apathy

[Tomous]

Apparently yesterday Russian fans racially abused the black French players and made monkey noises.

This World Cup is going to be a mess, on the pitch because of VAR and off it because of all the trouble they're going to have with the fans.

[Lotus]

I haven't watched any of the recent England matches, but I did notice the media hyping us up after one game against a rubbish Dutch team. That and Lingard ( ) being our 'secret weapon' or some shite. Apart from Kane, I'm not sure we have anyone that other teams would really be concerned about.

Still, I'm looking forward to the World Cup as always. Shame there'll be so much gooseberry fool going on besides the football.

[Albert]

http://www.football365.com/news/does-messi-need-the-world-cup-to-be-great-does-he-balls

[Photek]

Mo.

twitter.com/22mosalah/status/978950738184302592

[Psychic]

Last night was the first time I've seen it and I thought it was fine. What are people on the fence about, specifically?

Last night it was a German officiating team who have been working with VAR domestically all season. It's been used sporadically in the English game and it hasn't been as smooth as it was last night. In the Liverpool West Brom game in the FA Cup there were stoppages of over seven minutes in the first half, which summed up the biggest negatives of using VAR and probably most peoples experiences of it.

[Photek]

They could solve most of this nonsense by following the NFL system. The managers get 1 'challenge' per half. If they're wrong the concede the challenge, if right they keep it.

[DML]

http://www.football365.com/news/does-messi-need-the-world-cup-to-be-great-does-he-balls

Who is saying he isn't great though? Literally no-one.

[Preezy]

Messi's just a poor man's Dion Dublin.

[abcd]

Messi's just a poor man's Dion Dublin.

I'm sure I've seen Messi on the Argentine version of "Homes under the hammer". It was on Netflix.

[Moggy]

Messi's just a short man's Peter Crouch.

FTFY