qwertyell

Don't do the lottery this week.

Tuchel absolutely fucked it. Southgate would've been buried for that tactical disaster class. His entire reputation has been built on parking the bus to an unlikely champions league win with Chelsea. He was shite at PSG, and is about the only Bayern Munich manager in 15 years to not win a the one team Bundesliga. Aimlessly throwing on more defenders - none of whom could block crosses or mark shorter players in the box - was amateur hour. Just handed all the momentum to Argentina. Another Harry Kane no show, by the way, at the business end of a tournament. Total passenger out there. Happens every time: fills his boots in the groups, then disappears as the stakes rise. Got what we deserved, unfortunately.

Unlike the clueless Argentina manager, who has (checks notes) won the World Cup.

We're definitely the 4th best team of the 4 semi finalists. You can't keep scraping by and saying "we can play better" - at some point you actually do have to play better, or conclude that, in fact, the performance level was the best you can do. Expectations are pretty low for tonight, but you never know. Argentina aren't too amazing either.

Yeah, I'm less worried about strikers who miss chances than strikers who are nowhere to be seen when the chances arrive. I think it's probably easier to improve the former than the latter.

No-one going to make an Ivan the Terrible quip? I guess I'll have to step up, then. (Seems a decent hold up player and physical presence - which is what we need - and with a season of Championship football under his belt, should be well-adjusted to the league. Not the worst link.)

I'd take Ashley Phillips at CB whether anyone leaves or not. He's a unit and a half, and unlike Quarshie doesn't look like he's got clown shoes on the wrong feet whenever he's got the ball.

England's last five major tournaments: World Cup semi finals, Euros runner up, World Cup quarter finals, Euros runner up, World Cup semi finals*. Must be the best run of form we've ever had, and yet I can't really remember us playing well at any point. Funny old game.

Jander was there, learning the Macarena.

Bobby Martin and Jude Daniels have a bit of hype around them. Let's see if they stick around long enough to make a first team appearance, or fuck off to Chelsea or Man City at the nearest opportunity.

This lad's gone to Preston permanently, BTW.

And fire him there.

France are such big favourites that it just feels inevitable that they'll stuff it up somewhere, somehow. Morocco did for Spain on penalties at the last WC. You never know...

Is it one of Ralph Krueger's mythical pledges that the club must re-sign an over-the-hill splitter every season? Hard to make progress when you keep looking (and passing) backwards.

Because they're all worn out from spending every day chasing after Speedy Gonzalez? What a completely baseless assertion. Mexico aren't some footballing backwater who've just gotten up off the couch to discover the game for the first time. They've got good players, they're well organised, and they'd be tough opponents in any conditions.