It's been refreshing so far to see refs generally letting the game flow instead of blowing up every time a player goes down.when tackled...

Some passages of play have left players on the deck with the game continuing regardless.

14 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

The best part of this world cup so far is that the football is flowing, even with the annoying drinks break. It's nothing like the Premier League where the corners, throw ins and free kicks take an age. They have even been lenient on fouls for the most part. The refs in this country won't learn from this though and I expect the usual mistakes to happen on game day 1 of the new season.

Totally agree Scott, I just made the same point, refs aren't stopping the game everytime a player throws himself down when tackled, it would be great if our refs were instructed to follow suit, it's what every fan wants to see .

Cool. Newcastle wondering where that’s been all season.

5 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

It's been refreshing so far to see refs generally letting the game flow instead of blowing up every time a player goes down.when tackled...

Some passages of play have left players on the deck with the game continuing regardless.

Couldn’t agree more.

England game going to be a .......

0-0 draw.

4 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

England game going to be a .......

0-0 draw.

We need to win this game and take control of the group.

Modric 40 Perisic 37 and Kova 32 ageing players should be exposed especially with the heat.

Bellingham and co should aim to drive a coach and horses through their midfield.

Edited Wednesday at 18:062 days by OTL

8 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

England game going to be a .......

0-0 draw.

Just seen Carvalho run down the tunnel. Didn't realise that he is part of the Portuguese coaching setup.

A great player.

29 minutes ago, OTL said:

We need to win this game and take control of the group.

Modric 40 Perisic 37 and Kova 32 ageing players should be exposed especially with the heat.

Bellingham and co should aim to drive a coach and horses through their midfield.

Feels like it’s the same Croatia team that beat us in the 2018 semi final.

Charles Pickel great name. Looks like he’s pickled his head.

Predictable England XI:

Pickford, James, Stones, Konsa, O’Reilly, Anderson, Rice, Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane

Think it's time for Ronaldo to be shipped off to the glue factory

Portugal have been pants, Ronaldo strutting around like a rooster with no home. I’m not sure whether it’s the players or the manager. Martinez had the best Belgium team in a generation and won nuffink ….same with Portugal….

12 minutes ago, dermott said:

Predictable England XI:

Pickford, James, Stones, Konsa, O’Reilly, Anderson, Rice, Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane

Probably a predictable result…a bore draw.

1 minute ago, CFCCAN said:

Portugal have been pants, Ronaldo strutting around like a rooster with no home. I’m not sure whether it’s the players or the manager. Martinez had the best Belgium team in a generation and won nuffink ….same with Portugal….

Martinez destroyed Belgiums golden generation and now Portugals. In that time Spain have won 1 tournament, conspiracy?

I daresay that was a better World Cup opener for the DRC than the last time they (as Zaïre) qualified.

So no one regrets selling Renato Vega then?

7 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

Think it's time for Ronaldo to be shipped off to the glue factory

Thought that in the last World Cup

Just now, DarkMata said:

Thought that in the last World Cup

It was apparent at the Euros, but then Portugal went on to win the Nations League, a competition some players/managers said they don't give a sh*t about, and apparently all is good again.

Martinez is so thick. They were f**king awful.

4 minutes ago, DarkMata said:

So no one regrets selling Renato Vega then?

Was too busy feeling wistful after seeing Gaël Kakuta on the DRC bench

2 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

Was too busy feeling wistful after seeing Gaël Kakuta on the DRC bench

Wow didn’t spot that. He’s 34, tempus fugit.

Credit to Declan Rice for wearing earphones with cables rather than those weird-looking pods that all the children have.

1 hour ago, OTL said:

We need to win this game and take control of the group.

Modric 40 Perisic 37 and Kova 32 ageing players should be exposed especially with the heat.

Bellingham and co should aim to drive a coach and horses through their midfield.

Yeah you're probably right mate. They were a very good team in the past, went far in tournaments especially for a nation with a population of under 4 million.

I thought they were robbed in the World cup final against France in Russia too.

24 minutes ago, CFCCAN said:

Portugal have been pants, Ronaldo strutting around like a rooster with no home. I’m not sure whether it’s the players or the manager. Martinez had the best Belgium team in a generation and won nuffink ….same with Portugal….

I will never be able to watch Ronaldo ever again without seeing him as you described him !

😂