20/11/22
So, all eyes will be on the games involving Qatar, playing in their own
government run tournament. A government that appear to think nothing of
throwing money at things to get what they want.
Qatar versus Ecuador. I have absolutely no desire to watch the opening
ceremony or any of the build-up shit so 4 pm it is for the opening game, which
is of course Qatar’s easiest game on paper against the South American minnows.
I’m actually looking forward to when Qatar play the Dutch because if there’s
anyone at this World Cup involved with any of the teams who is going to say it
as it is, it’s Louis van Gaal. Partly because of his age and the fact that he
has had health issues but mostly because, the man don’t give a fuck.
Anyway, the game was basically League 1 standard and it was pleasing to see
that Qatar were absolutely shit and got easily beaten 2-0. It was also amusing
to see banks of Qatar fans who had obviously all been given the same T-shirt to
wear and it was amazing to see the load of them fucked off as soon as they went
a couple of goals behind. In the second half they were massive gaps in the
crowds where the fanatical Qatari football fans should’ve been. It was
comforting to see that Qatar are not going to be around the tournament for very
long.
21/11/22
A potential last 16 game for England is against a team from a Group A. It
seemed likely on the face of it that the top two were playing in the next game
and oh my God it was shite. Senegal had no ambition beyond getting a point and
the Dutch didn’t seem to have the quality to do anything in the final third and
so it came to an 80th minute goal to break the deadlock from Cody Gakpo who,
before the goal had been fucking dreadful along with the rest of the Dutch
attacking players. Senegal woke up and went for it but got done with Davy Klaassen
scoring a second which almost certainly means that the Dutch will win the
group.
25/11/22
Qatar
got the second round of games under way with a match against Senegal which they
of course, really had to win and to the delight of everybody outside Qatar,
they lost 3-1. The first goal was hilarious as a Qatar defender controlled the
ball in the area and then sat on his arse. To be fair, Qatar probably should’ve
had a penalty which may well have levelled the game up for once it went 2-0 at
the start of the second half, they were dead in the water, or the desert.
Senegal of course gave themselves a really good chance of making the next round
especially with Netherlands and Ecuador playing out a 1-1 draw in the other
game in the group. Cody Gakpo once again found the net for the Netherlands and
it was the former West Ham straiker Enner Valencia who once again came to Ecuador‘s
rescue. All Ecuador need to do to reach the second round is of course avoid
defeat against Senegal. I would back the Dutch to record the biggest win of the
tournament so far against Qatar who are officially out of their own World Cup,
probably never to be seen again on the world football stage. It’ll be interesting to see how many of their
ultras turn up for it.
29/11/22
There was nothing much riding on the Netherlands v Qatar game as we all
knew that the Dutch would win and it was just a case of ‘how many’. Cody Gakpo scored for the third game in a row
and a Frenkie de Jong goal meant that Man United fans would have been going to
town on themselves over both goalscorers.
Senegal found themselves in front early against Ecuador but the game was
decided in 5 minutes in the second half as Ecuador equalised, thus putting themselves
through as it stood, but then conceded straight away, which ultimately knocked
them out. They won’t really be missed
and Senegal at this stage looked the most likely opponents for England in the
last 16. Their manager used to play for
Portsmouth you know…
Iran, USA, Wales
21/11/22
England against Iran is the 1 pm kick-off. England have been concentrating
mainly on virtue signalling since they got out to Qatar. A training session
with some migrant workers and the commitment for our captain to wear a One Love
armband. FIFA then said that Kane couldn’t wear it and so we completely caved
in like the pussies that we are.
To the game in Southgate picked what was for him and adventurous 4-3-3
formation which still found room for Harry Maguire and the major disappointment
for me was Mason Mount starting ahead of Phil Foden. Iran came into the World
Cup with the reputation of being hard to beat and hard to break down with a good
defence. I don’t know what teams they have been playing to build up that
reputation and to rise to 20th in the world in the FIFA world rankings but they
were absolutely fucking dire. Once England went ahead and the 35th minute
through Jude Bellingham, it was simply a case of how many England would get. In
the end it was six with Iran replying with one Maguire assist as he dozed off
and one penalty in the last minute which was absolutely hilarious. In the first
half, Maguire had been wrestle-thrown to the ground without VAR getting the
referee involved but in the last minute, the slightest shirt pulled by John
Stones saw the referee go to the pitch-side monitor and give the penalty.
Media folk were going overboard about England being potential winners a problem
for England has never been against the shite teams as we’ve always been able to
beat them. Will Southgate maintain his bottle and his bravery when we play
someone decent and will the defensive side of our game stand up? Jude
Bellingham was the star of the show today and to have a 19-year-old with that
all round game and the amount of composure playing in the centre midfield is an
amazing thing. Purely in terms of putting on a performance in the first game of
the tournament and beating who is in front of you, it was an excellent start
for the Three Lions with the other goals by Saka (2), Sterling, Rashford and
Grealish.
Next up was Wales, 1958 and all that and a game in England’s group against the
USA, who are always ranked highly but are never anything much more than a very
functional team who are relatively difficult to beat. USA actually play pretty well
in the first half and thoroughly deserve their 1-0 lead, given to them by
Timothy Weah, son of George, second cousin therefore of Ali Dia, Southampton
legend. Wales pressed the ‘big man’
button at halftime with Kiefer Moore coming on at front and his presence
rattled the Americans so much that they gave away an absolutely brain-dead
penalty with 10 to go, which Gareth Bale comfortably converted. It was more or
less the only time that Bale kicked the ball in the right direction all game
but he was hailed as a genius by the commentators in a moment of ridiculous
over exaggeration. If you were going to mark Bale out of 10 for the game that
you would be struggling to award more than 5 for his overall performance.
However, it does give Wales a great chance for making the last 16 because you
would like to think that Wales should comfortably see off Iran but stranger
things have happened…. And they did…
25/11/22
Wales played Iran, no doubt buoyed by the fact that England had thrashed
them so easily but this was a different Iran that showed up. Not that different
however… it’s just that Wales were all kinds of shite. The big change to their
game plan against the States was to play Moore from the start but if they
thought Iran’s defence was going to buckle as easily as it did against England,
and they were sadly mistaken and aided by some somewhat lenient refereeing, Iran
got stuck in from the first whistle. It was 0-0 with 10 minutes to go until
Wayne Hennessey came donkeying out of his goal like a twat and carted over to Taremi,
the Iranian centre forward, and after VAR check, it was decided that wellying a
forward in the head when you are last man and 40 yards from goal is a red card
offence. In the 90th minute, Iran scored
after Joe Allen had given the ball away with a shit clearance and it was Allen
again with the assist as he gave the ball away up the pitch which allowed Iran
to break free to seal the win in the 98th minute.
The main take away from this game was that Gareth Bale is absolutely done as a
top-level footballer. He can’t run anymore and that was what his game was all
about. He’ll probably put on a masterclass against England in the third game
but you would have to say the odds are against it. I do hope that when Wales go
out of the tournament that no one from England is tempted to make a tinpot
arrogant celebration video. That would never do.
Southgate picked an unchanged team and England were expected to beat the USA
but England didn’t turn up and we are slightly fortunate to go in at half-time
at 0-0 with Christian Pulisic having hit the bar. The second half was turgid in
what turned out to be a really crap substandard game. For all of the USA’s huff
and puff, they didn’t threaten Pickford’s goal at all in the second half and
England didn’t do a thing either. It was a spot of redemption for Harry Maguire
he was by far and away England’s best player. Luke Shaw wasn’t bad, but
Southgate needs to have a good old look at the rest of them. England never got going with the forwards
players that sparkled so much against Iran, being nowhere to be seen. Saka,
Sterling, Kane, Bellingham and particular Mason Mount – all shit.
There was some hope from the bench in the shape of Jack Grealish but Mason
Mount stayed on the pitch for 90 minutes whilst Phil Foden watched on. I can
understand Southgate picking the same team that played against Iran but there
was nothing in this performance, so he has to change it against the Welsh. He
said himself that those 11 players who played so well, deserve to start and
there’s a case for that, but likewise, the same 11 do not deserve to start
against Wales, having stunk the place out today. Mason Mount will probably
still start the fucking game.
I don’t feel that there is much tolerance of Southgate anymore. Despite our last two tournament performances
(semi-finals and runners-up) there is a feeling that he’s held us back in some
way because we’ve limped out of both tournaments with a whimper, just sitting
back and waiting to get beat. A point
today isn’t a bad result in the context of the group but performances like that
won’t do him any favours. We’ve played an
organized hard-working team and done nothing really.
29/11/22
political shit fest that it was always going to. There was one particularly
aggressive interview by an Iranian journalist of Tyler Adams, the USA midfielder
but he handled it exceptionally well. I know this has nothing to do with Qatar
but it seems to be a theme of this World Cup that very young footballers are
having to be politicians whilst the politicians don’t say or do much at all.
England played Wales with Wales needing a win of any kind and hoping that USA
and Iran ended in a draw. The first part
of the equation of course was Wales beating England. England didn’t really have
anything to fear with regards to qualification for the next round, in fact they
would’ve had to have lost by 4 to give themselves a chance of being knocked
out. I don’t know what the odds were but there’s never been more of a certainty
than England not losing by 4 to this Wales team. Southgate changed the team a bit with Trippier,
Mount, Saka and Sterling all left out having been crap against the States and
being replaced with Walker, Henderson, Foden and Rashford.
The first half saw endless England possession with Wales barely getting out of
their half and it got even worse for Wales at half-time when Gareth Bale failed
to emerge for the second half. Apparently, he had a tight hamstring, I mean,
what is he saving himself for?
Frightened of getting injured for golf? This is Wales in the first World
Cup since 1958. Not exactly going out on his shield, is he?
In the other game, the USA were winning 1-0 courtesy of a goal by the
cringingly nicknamed Captain America Christian Pulisic so as it stood, they are
going through in second place.
Whilst the first half was frustrating from an England point of view, with
Rashford missing the one good chance of the half, he more than made up for it
in the second half when England were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box
and Rashford superbly conned Danny Ward in the Welsh goal into taking one step
to his right as the ball flew past him to his left. Great strike, poor
goalkeeping.
giving the ball away at left back when Ben Davies was tackled by Rashford. The
ball broke to Kane and he hit a superb first time cross along the ground which
Foden rammed into the net on the back post. Game over. England scored a third
with Rashford cutting from the right wing before smashing the ball through an
embarrassing attempt to stop it by Danny Ward and the rest of the game is
extremely comfortable as England brought all the fringe players on to give them
some minutes and rested the likes of Kane, Rice and Shaw.
Meanwhile in the World War 3 game, despite nine minutes of injury time which
must’ve given everyone the shits a little bit, USA managed to hold on to their
1-0 lead and therefore qualify in second place. The USA go onto play the
Netherlands whilst England face Senegal.
Once more, there is a euphoria around England but the note of caution is that
we have once more comprehensively put away a very poor team and England can
always do that. Senegal will be a tougher test because they are a decent side,
they play with a hell of a lot of spirit and knockout games always raise the
levels because it’s do or die. It was a
good night for the manager though and Gareth Southgate got everything right
from the selection at the start right on through. England are a better side without Mount and Sterling
so let’s keep it that way.
As for Wales, well ultimately it was all rather disappointing, and they
finished deservedly bottom of the group without a win. This was a knockout game
for them and given the ‘Do-or-Die’ options, they chose to just curl up and die.
I was amazed that they didn’t even have
a go. At 2-0 they could’ve got the next goal and then who knows, but they just
sat back, let in a third and then settled for getting beat 3-0.
There will surely be some players heading into international retirement and a
bit of a rebuild. Gareth Bale indicated after the game that he wanted to carry
on but seriously, he can’t carry on as a forward because it just looks like he
simply can’t run anymore and that his legs are gone, which of course happens to
everyone at some point. With his game at his prime all being about his strong
running, maybe he has to reinvent himself as a defensive midfielder or
something so he can still be on the pitch, still be an influence in games and
to younger players and still be there for those big moments that he’s still
good at – free kicks and penalties. It’s a shame when great players can’t do
what they used to do but it happens to everybody but it looks like a
combination of getting older, not playing for Real Madrid for the best part of
three years and then playing in America, has caught up with him and in fact,
he’s gone a hell of a lot further downhill since his spell Tottenham a couple
years ago.
22/11/22
Messi, Argentina, tournament favourites up against Saudi Arabia. The major first-half
surprise was Argentina only being one up
due to having a couple of goals disallowed for very tight offsides. The goal
they did get was courtesy of a very dubiously awarded Messi penalty when it
looked like Palacios grabbed a defender and then threw himself to the floor.
Having barely set foot in the Argentinian half in the first half, it was
therefore amazing and bloody funny to see the Saudis be 2-1 up after the hour mark.
From now on it was a case of whether Argentina could break down the massed
ranks of Saudi defenders and they did fuck all really and fell to one of the
most embarrassing defeats imaginable. This wasn’t funny at all. Argentina may well recover because it’s a
poor group but I’m not having some of their players when you’re talking in
terms of winning the tournament.
Otamendi, Tagliafico, Di Maria to name but three.
There are certain players in the world that the media always big up as being a
real top level talent but I look at them and just think they are shit. Angel
DiMaria is one that I have seen play several times and though he’s played for
some unbelievable clubs in Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris
Saint-Germain, I’ve only ever seen him be one footed shite and he did it again
today when his country most needed him. You always in a feeling sorry for Messi
because of the lesser players that he has to play with in the national team.
For years It was Gonzalo Higuain who was very average and today, the much-hyped
Lautaro Martinez didn’t look much good either.
The other two teams in the group served up a turd of a game – fucking awful.
Mexico and Poland was notable only for Robert Lewandowski missing a penalty. Two dull sides and that is why Argentina will
probably still make it through.
26/11/22
Argentina had a must win game against Mexico and couldn’t have had more suitable
opponents. Even with that, the game was
still shite until Messi speared in a shot from the edge of the box to give
Argentina the lead. He really is all
they’ve got still. Mexico didn’t get
near the Argentina goal and Fernandez made it 2-0 in the last few minutes with
a superb curling effort into the top corner.
Argentina will still win the group.
tournament. It wasn’t plain sailing
after a very dodgy penalty was awarded against them but Al-Dawsari, the hero of
their win against Argentina, saw Woijczecjieczzjk Szezczzxczzezceny save it and
then the rebound, which paved the way for Robert Lewandowski to tee up
Zielinski to put the Poles 1-0 up.
Poland’s main man had never scored at a World Cup so he will have been
delighted when the Saudi centre back let a ball roll under his foot in Steven
Gerrard style, which gave him a clear run on goal. He didn’t miss. I’m a huge fan of Lewandowski. No bullshit about him and a real team
player. He does all the dirty work
chasing back when Poland haven’t got the ball and is a real leader of what is
basically a very average team. They’ll need a point against Argentina to go
through which I can’t see them getting so anyone winning the other game will be
well placed to overtake them.
30/11/22
Poland are a team who have a history of always fucking it up when it really
matters and so it proved again as they were comfortably beaten 2-0 by
Argentina. They weren’t helped by a scandalous referee decision to award a
penalty against them (and for Messi) after a VAR check but justice was done
because Messi’s was expertly turned aside by Woijczecjieczzjk Szezczzxczzezceny.
With the unmistakeable stench of corruption
around this tournament, it does make you wonder if the sponsors want Messi to
stay in the tournament a while longer.
All the save did was delay the inevitable though as Brighton’s Alexis MacAllister
bobbled one into the net off his standing leg and Manchester City’s Julian
Alvarez scored a goal that he properly intended, smashing it into the top
corner.
All eyes we’re on the other game where Mexico were leading Saudi Arabia 2-0
courtesy of a tap-in and one of the best free kick goals you will ever see. As
we approached the 95th minute, Mexico we’re going out to Poland courtesy of
having more yellow cards and they went for it, throwing bodies forward and
Saudi Arabia broke away, a quick 1-2 and pulled a goal back which basically
meant that Poland squeaked through.
22/11/22
Denmark and Tunisia was just fucking boring and was remarkable only for the
fact that Christian Eriksen was playing in a major tournament again. Denmark
looked solid as you’d expect but no cutting edge at all. 0-0
France went behind to
a really well worked goal by Australia but when the French got into their
stride they looked really good with goals by Rabiot, two from Giroud,
deputising for the injured Benzema and one for the ridiculously talented Mbappé,
making a nice easy win in the end. I hear lots of stories about Mbappé in the
way behaves at PSG but the guy is a ridiculous footballer and based on what
I’ve seen so far, looks the most accomplished individual player in the world at
the moment. The thought of him coming up against England’s defence in the
quarter-finals is not an appetising one.
It’s annoying how good France are, even without three of their biggest
players in Kante, Pogba and Benzema.
Imagine England without Kane, Rice and Bellingham.
26/11/22
I have a theory with this group that France are potential winners of the World
Cup and everyone else in the group is average as shite. There was no change
needed to this theory in the second round of games as Australia beat Tunisia 1-0
and then France only needed to play in fits and starts to beat Denmark 2–1. It
was Mbappé again who made the difference with another two goals, again showing
that he is the best individual player in this tournament. I’m sure the diving
fucker Ronaldo would disagree. The question is really, who comes second of this
group and with Denmark left to play, my money would actually be on Australia.
30/11/22
France and three shit teams finished off the group with France putting out
reserve side and losing 1-0 to Tunisia with a goal scored by Wahbi Khazri, who
I remember playing for Sunderland about 10 years ago and being a complete dick.
France thought they’d equalised in the last second through Antoine Griezmann
but it was ruled out for offside. Basically the winners of the other game were
always going to go through and Denmark, complete with their kit that “didn’t
want to be noticed“, lost 1-0 to bloody Australia and finished bottom of the
group and therefore, weren’t noticed themselves in this tournament.
Australia’s reward is the game against Argentina in the next round whilst
Poland have to play France. I think we can safely predict how those two games
are going to turn out.
League 1 Minus 10 
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