Last night's game was very reassuring. In the unlikely event of England beating

[Burney]

Croatia, there is literally no chance of them beating that French team :cloud9:

Also, I've fallen even further in :love: with Mbappe and fantasise about him tearing England's lumbering centre halves an entirely new arsehole apiece.

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

Croatia, there is literally no chance of them beating that French team :cloud9:

Also, I've fallen even further in :love: with Mbappe and fantasise about him tearing that England's lumbering centre halves an entirely new arsehole apiece.

It's comin' home!

[Just Trent]

Croatia, there is literally no chance of them beating that French team :cloud9:

Also, I've fallen even further in :love: with Mbappe and fantasise about him tearing that England's lumbering centre halves an entirely new arsehole apiece.

It's a shame that so much of Mbappe's approach play lands at the feet of Giroud. At times last night it was like watching Henry and Jeffers again. Also, how can Giroud not have managed a shot on target during the entire World Cup? How is that even possible, playing in that team? Even when he was being **** at Arsenal, he always threw in the odd good moment.

[Burney]

It's comin' home!

No. It's not. :-D

[IUFG]

No. It's not. :-D

:nod: Glorious failure.

Mark my words.

[Burney]

:nod: Glorious failure.

Mark my words.

I'm hoping it could be abject rather than glorious, as England run headlong into the reality of their limitations.

[IUFG]

I'm hoping it could be abject rather than glorious, as England run headlong into the reality of their limitations.

Apparently "they are all heroes, whatever the outcome tonight" according to the bint on Radio 2 this morning.

[Peter]

Croatia, there is literally no chance of them beating that French team :cloud9:

Also, I've fallen even further in :love: with Mbappe and fantasise about him tearing England's lumbering centre halves an entirely new arsehole apiece.

Mbappe really is an incredible player to watch.

Still, at this stage you have to say England have a great chance here. They can and will beat Croatia tonight and I expect a tight final.

I honestly think England may well win this :)

[Burney]

Mbappe really is an incredible player to watch.

Still, at this stage you have to say England have a great chance here. They can and will beat Croatia tonight and I expect a tight final.

I honestly think England may well win this :)

I think if they go through to the final, they will lose by at least two clear goals and very possibly more.

[IUFG]

Mbappe really is an incredible player to watch.

:nod: one to watch for the future there, Clive.

[IUFG]

I think if they go through to the final, they will lose by at least two clear goals and very possibly more.

In Maguire we trust*


* to fúck it up

[Sir C]

Mbappe really is an incredible player to watch.

Still, at this stage you have to say England have a great chance here. They can and will beat Croatia tonight and I expect a tight final.

I honestly think England may well win this :)

Mbappe is fast, it's true. Almost as fast as Walcott in his pomp, I would say.

I confess, I was slightly surprised by the reaction to his little trick in the box; the commentary team, pundits and commenters on social media seemed to join as one in a sort of cosmic simultaneous orgasm, as if no footballer had ever rolled a ball backwards off his studs before.

A useful trick, efficently perfomed, certainly. Nice to watch, definitely. A reason to blow your muck into your dunghampers? No.

[Sir C]

In Maguire we trust*


* to fúck it up

There was a kid at my school who had a head like that. He gloried in the nickname 'Buckethead'.

We were quite the sophisticates.

[Burney]

Mbappe is fast, it's true. Almost as fast as Walcott in his pomp, I would say.

I confess, I was slightly surprised by the reaction to his little trick in the box; the commentary team, pundits and commenters on social media seemed to join as one in a sort of cosmic simultaneous orgasm, as if no footballer had ever rolled a ball backwards off his studs before.

A useful trick, efficently perfomed, certainly. Nice to watch, definitely. A reason to blow your muck into your dunghampers? No.

I agree about the trick, I must admit. There were much more exciting aspects of his game on display last night.

It's just a shame he plays for a towelhead's vanity project rather than a proper club. :-(

[Burney]

There was a kid at my school who had a head like that. He gloried in the nickname 'Buckethead'.

We were quite the sophisticates.

I usually associate heads like that with severe inbreeding. Has anyone checked to see if he's got webbed feet?

[Pat Vegas]

:nod: Glorious failure.

Mark my words.

not really a failure. they have done far better than anyone expected.

[Burney]

not really a failure. they have done far better than anyone expected.

Largely thanks to an extraordinarily lucky draw, tbf. :shrug:

[barrybueno]

Croatia, there is literally no chance of them beating that French team :cloud9:

Also, I've fallen even further in :love: with Mbappe and fantasise about him tearing England's lumbering centre halves an entirely new arsehole apiece.

Come on Berni, stop acting like a Scot, Irish or Welsher. And a Corbster :-(

[Ash]

I think if they go through to the final, they will lose by at least two clear goals and very possibly more.

I'd take that right now just to beat the Kravats tonight. I liked their 98 team, but not this one.

[Pokster]

Come on Berni, stop acting like a Scot, Irish or Welsher. And a Corbster :-(

or a ****.

[Pat Vegas]

Largely thanks to an extraordinarily lucky draw, tbf. :shrug:

I don't think any one team have been amazing. I thought perhaps Belgium looked the most dangerous but as expected they fall.

England are a bit one trick pony but it may very well work. like when Greece won the euros

If it goes to pens tonight should be interesting. Croatia to win 3 in a row?

[Peter]

I agree about the trick, I must admit. There were much more exciting aspects of his game on display last night.

It's just a shame he plays for a towelhead's vanity project rather than a proper club. :-(

Watching him in that Monaco side the season before was incredible. I think he was 18 then and the maturity in his decision making was amazing.

I think it is fair to say he is probably better at this age than Henry was. Henry, however, just got better and better. A lot of players dont.

[WES]

I'm hoping it could be abject rather than glorious, as England run headlong into the reality of their limitations.

I appreciate that this is all a bit of a wind up, Burney.

But even with that context, you are making the point that a team consisting of Frenchmen would be incapable of capitulating at an important moment.

For a chap that knows his history, that surprises me. :-)

[Rich]

I think if they go through to the final, they will lose by at least two clear goals and very possibly more.

Everyone agrees that France are the best team left in the competition (and probably have been the best all tournament anyway). However, England are rather competent when it comes to set pieces & Sir Harry Kane knows how to draw a foul.

Should we make the final, I give us a 30% chance of glory - especially as France have a habit of bottling it.

I am prepared to wipe your slate clean, B. Get behind Gareth & the boys tonight (I really do love Southgate. Why didn't we appoint him instead of this Spick?).

[Rich]

Watching him in that Monaco side the season before was incredible. I think he was 18 then and the maturity in his decision making was amazing.

I think it is fair to say he is probably better at this age than Henry was. Henry, however, just got better and better. A lot of players dont.

I couldn't help but get angry when Mbappe explained how close he was to joining Arsenal. :-(

[Burney]

Everyone agrees that France are the best team left in the competition (and probably have been the best all tournament anyway). However, England are rather competent when it comes to set pieces & Sir Harry Kane knows how to draw a foul.

Should we make the final, I give us a 30% chance of glory - especially as France have a habit of bottling it.

I am prepared to wipe your slate clean, B. Get behind Gareth & the boys tonight (I really do love Southgate. Why didn't we appoint him instead of this Spick?).

I must admit that, despite my undimmed contempt for Tottengland, I have come to rather like Mr Southgate. He demonstrates that speaking and behaving like a gentleman can get you a long way.

[Pokster]

I must admit that, despite my undimmed contempt for Tottengland, I have come to rather like Mr Southgate. He demonstrates that speaking and behaving like a gentleman can get you a long way.

Because he lives near Harrogate, so knows what is expected of an Englishman

[Sir C]

I must admit that, despite my undimmed contempt for Tottengland, I have come to rather like Mr Southgate. He demonstrates that speaking and behaving like a gentleman can get you a long way.

Where were you when I was touting for him to take over from Arsene, eh? Agentleman, I said. Ideal man for the job, I said.

[7sisters]

When Wenger was in his pomp, he would have almost certainly captured his signature and built upon those glorious acquisitions, Anelka, Henry, Jeffers and so forth..

[Burney]

Because he lives near Harrogate, so knows what is expected of an Englishman

I think it was more that he spent his formative years in Croydon, p.

[Sir C]

I think it was more that he spent his formative years in Croydon, p.

You'll do well to find an Englishman in Croydon these days b.

[Burney]

Where were you when I was touting for him to take over from Arsene, eh? Agentleman, I said. Ideal man for the job, I said.

I said he spoke and behaved like a gentleman. I didn't say he was a gentleman.

He wears M&S suits. And he's been seen with his bottom weskit button done up. :nono:

[Sir C]

I said he spoke and behaved like a gentleman. I didn't say he was a gentleman.

He wears M&S suits. And he's been seen with his bottom weskit button done up. :nono:

I read the other day that 'he leaves his bottom button jauntily undone..' as if he were setting some sort of trend.

I'd have understood if it was from a Guardian guttersnipe, but this was in The Times, for the love of God.

[Burney]

You'll do well to find an Englishman in Croydon these days b.

Yes, I know. Bad business. Had a chum who was in charge of the security for the Whitgift Centre. A few years ago, he was asked what measures - given a completely free hand - he would introduce to ensure Croydon's long-term prosperity as a retail venue. He had had a few drinks and recommended blowing up Lunar House and erecting a wall and machine gun nests along a north-south line at West Croydon station.

He was called racist, of course. He was right, though.

[AFC East]

No. It's not. :-D

Yes it is, but like many of us, football has moved home. Currently residing in Saint Denis, venue for our saddest hour.

[Sir C]

Yes it is, but like many of us, football has moved home. Currently residing in Saint Denis, venue for our saddest hour.

Wait, afce, are you saying you're a froganese? You don't seem like a froganese.

[Burney]

Wait, afce, are you saying you're a froganese? You don't seem like a froganese.

That's a bit racist of you, Sir C. Who are you to say what a frog is or isn't like?

[AFC East]

Wait, afce, are you saying you're a froganese? You don't seem like a froganese.

I could be worse things. In fact in many ways I am a worse thing, but I am not 'froganese'!. Unlike football (since 1996).

[Ash]

I could be worse things. In fact in many ways I am a worse thing, but I am not 'froganese'!. Unlike football (since 1996).

Not Scotch? :-(

[Sir C]

That's a bit racist of you, Sir C. Who are you to say what a frog is or isn't like?

I just mean that he's usually so wise and reasoned. Not like a garlic-muncher at all.

[Sir C]

I could be worse things. In fact in many ways I am a worse thing, but I am not 'froganese'!. Unlike football (since 1996).

There are fewer things in life finer than a cheese-eating surrender monkey. I count several amongst my dearest friends.

You're not, Belgian, are you? :-(

[AFC East]

There are fewer things in life finer than a cheese-eating surrender monkey. I count several amongst my dearest friends.

You're not, Belgian, are you? :-(

You go too far Sir. As did that Ash chap with the Scotch comment!

[Viva Prat Vegas]

Canadian ?
Cornish ? :-(