The official 2018 World Cup thread

[Beercules]

So 5 hours?

[TheBigLug]

That’s a great point about the ball in the garden.

The other day I was at my mums and there was my nieces frozen plastic wind shifter type ball maybe about size 4 and she had a little basketball hoop. My bro in law and a mate were there.

We were doing a bbq and within 10 mins the game was to keep it up the frozen ball for at least 3 transitions between players and then head the ball into the hoop. We’re all in our 30’s now and haven’t played anything more than 5 a side for ages but we actually did quite well, lol. None of us are even good but I suppose we’ve all been kicking balls since we were 4.

And England are traditionally the weakest technically out of the established footie nations.

I reckon the true barometer of average footy talent is probably not the actual talent that makes it but pissed up men in their 30’s messing around with a ball at a bbq.

I’m imagining what we did with a ball our Brazilian equivalent would do with an orange and our American cousins couldn’t do with a balloon.

There's definitely a lot of truth to this.

I do think English players are getting technically better with the ball. My theory was that the new generation of players are probably the first players that have been coming through academies and youth teams in the times of so many foreign players, managers, coaches, backroom staff etc..

If you think of the last era, the likes of Lampard for example. Very good player of course but would've been coming through in the 90s at West Ham. There was a few foreign players in the Premier League then and the odd foreign manger but it was still very much an English league, so to speak.

I think young English players now are starting to have some level of comfort on the ball that we only used to see from some foreign sides.

[Beercules]

There's definitely a lot of truth to this.

I do think English players are getting technically better with the ball. My theory was that the new generation of players are probably the first players that have been coming through academies and youth teams in the times of so many foreign players, managers, coaches, backroom staff etc..

If you think of the last era, the likes of Lampard for example. Very good player of course but would've been coming through in the 90s at West Ham. There was a few foreign players in the Premier League then and the odd foreign manger but it was still very much an English league, so to speak.

I think young English players now are starting to have some level of comfort on the ball that we only used to see from some foreign sides.

What is the best club the UK lad? Chelsea?

[DuckAdonis]

Brazil and Uruguay lets go !

[MOTHERDUCKER]

What is the best club the UK lad? Chelsea?

Manchester United ofc

[El Fenomeno]

The country is officially loopy with World Cup fever. I work in social media and this week has been unprecedented, nothing else matters.

Not quite old enough to remember Euro 96 really, but this is the most swept up I've since England get over footy in my lifetime. The way the oldies talk about Italia 90 and Gazza, it feel like this is our generation's version of that.

Even if we go out tomorrow, I've had more of a laugh and more ***** to talk about with my mates and more big moments to celebrate than any other tournament. If you'd have offered me that 4 weeks ago I'd have snapped your hand off.

But If we actually BEAT Sweden tomorrow and move to the semis.....

I feel pissed already just thinking about it.

[Sparked_26]

The country is officially loopy with World Cup fever. I work in social media and this week has been unprecedented, nothing else matters.

Not quite old enough to remember Euro 96 really, but this is the most swept up I've since England get over footy in my lifetime. The way the oldies talk about Italia 90 and Gazza, it feel like this is our generation's version of that.

Even if we go out tomorrow, I've had more of a laugh and more ***** to talk about with my mates and more big moments to celebrate than any other tournament. If you'd have offered me that 4 weeks ago I'd have snapped your hand off.

But If we actually BEAT Sweden tomorrow and move to the semis.....

I feel pissed already just thinking about it.

It’s been brilliant!!

Actually have a new born and a bereavement in the last few weeks and I’ve only watched one game out but even watching it with my wife it’s been unreal. Just from the WhatsApp group chats with my pals and all the other social media.

I’m on it tomorrow though. 100%

[mlac]

I saw Maradonna saying the Columbia got robbed by the ref and the guy should not be allowed to ref big games like this because he's from the United States.

Maradonna.. probably the most notorious cheat in footballing history

[Sparked_26]

What is the best club the UK lad? Chelsea?

I support Chelsea as does Flicker.

It depends what your characteristics are. Chelsea come from an insanely expensive part of the world and have always been a bit trendy even when they were hopeless. However, they also had links to some pretty right wing factions and fans of rival clubs will often call Chelsea fans racists as a dig as there have been incidents and they used to have a very active hooligan element.

But they’re very metropolitan now and probably one of the ‘friendlier’ clubs they pay all their staff the London living wage for example, freeze ticket prices and have done for years, will even sell unhappy players to rivals. And unlike other clubs the fans actually own the pitch they play on. No mean feat when that land is probably worth more than the whole of Liverpool.

We’re also wildly successful and have been since our Russian owner bought us in 2003

[Sparked_26]

Since moving up north I have a lot of respect for Everton.

They’re probably the nicest club in the country. From dementia groups, to running education academies for kids that have fallen out of the education system. They’re extremely community focussed.

Just thought I’d stick that in as I just slagged off the City of Liverpool again