WORLD CUP DAY!
Get in people. Beers in the sun. Hype for the lads. All day sessions. Chanting in the streets. Tears. Disappointment. Maybe a 22 man brawl in an All Bar One. Penalties. Germans. Ronaldo tears for sure.
Shame I’m in the US and I’ll miss all of this.
I don’t mean to denigrate the country I pay taxes in, but you have to find the real nerds to get a football experience (thankfully, I found them) over here. Mostly, it’s people politely asking what the fuck is going on over your shoulder.
‘SHUT UP BRENDAN I’M TRYING TO ENJOY THIS SAUDI GAME’
Anyway, it’ll be fun.
For once, I don’t have a lot of opinions about what’s going to happen. I’m hoping the ball works properly. I want the big teams to play their absolute best. I’m praying for all the elite players, no one wants to see Salah ping a hamstring after 10 minutes. I’m also looking for Nigeria to take their play to the same levels as their kit. Also, I’d love to see Southgate have a cracker… and I’d love to see Sterling destroy the critics.
Should be a fun tournament. We’ll get to see Torriera play tomorrow at 8am (EST). All the rumblings are that he’s basically a done deal. We’ve signed Kantzorla for our midfield next year. Bring in Bernd Leno and a Caglar, and shit me, we’ll be rolling.
Sven M, Raul and Emery will have made all the changes we’ve been begging for 10 years, inside 6 months.
Careful what you wish for? Get fuuuuuucked…
That doesn’t mean things won’t go wrong, there’s still a huge amount of uncertainty when it comes to how we’ll play when the season starts. That’s obviously not been helped by the fixture list. I could swear when United have started with new managers, they’ve been utterly blessed with easy games?
Arsenal have to roll out the new era against City (H) and Chelsea (A). As Matt quipped earlier, I’ll be happy if we’re unbeaten. Unfortunately, the ideas Emery is bringing will be in incubation stages, our World Cup players won’t be fit and may not be available, and we’ll be playing against a well oiled billion $ machine. As fans, we just have to keep the faith and not lose our shit if the worst happens. That said, we’ll have a very strong squad, and hopefully being at home will carry the same value as it did last season. Top 3 baby! Also worth noting that City won’t be as strong in season two, and Chelsea, as it stands, are in a right fucking mess.
If we can take two points from those games, we have a very comfortable run of 6 games heading into the international break. If we can finish that period with 18 points, we’ll be very much in the mixer, and really, that’s what our season has to be about. We need to be in striking distance of the top 4 come what March.
Coming back from the first international break to Liverpool isn’t helpful, but at least it’s at home, and they’ll be just as fatigued as our boys. One thing to consider here is Arsenal players will have the luxury of a midweek break, unless Unai thinks he needs to play the first team for the group stages of the Europa. We’ll be more physically prepared than them. They also won’t have the luxury of planning. Their players will be back on a coach as soon as they land. We’ll have a little bit more time, and our players will be a little more comfortable.
We also get fucked after the next international break, welcoming Spurs to The Emirates as the first game. Not ideal, but again, they’ll be more fatigued than our boys, and hopefully that new stadium is bad to them and their form is in pieces. Playing United 3 days later is also shite. The manager is going to have to hope he can take 4 points from those games, and then he’s going to have to do something Wenger never did… rotate the fuck out of his players for the four games after (Huddersfield, Southampton, Burnley, Brighton), because we play Liverpool at the end of that run. The great thing about the December crunch is the shite teams generally don’t have squads that can cope with three games a week. If we’re strong, they might rest their legs for easier points opps.
January has one tough game against Chelsea, Feb has us start the month against City away, then a pivotal start to March where we’ll play Spurs (A) and United (H) back to back. You’d like to think those games will have some meaning. Take 4 points there and then we have a real chance at top 4. Our final 8 games are a cake walk, we just have to hope we haven’t burnt down the bakery before we get there.
Right, I’m off to watch the World Cup,
приходите на тебя, шлаки!
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Leeds wins the prize.
Arsenal need a GK. Icelandic keeper saves penalty. 1+1 = bingo!!!
He’d cost a pint of vodka. Get him.
Lol he’s only turned 26 in Feb and he’s already a multiple league champion/CL champion.
55 goals for Brazil, equal with Romario and only 7 off Ronaldo now and he’s not even a striker.
I’m really fucked off if we keep that wanker Granit and sell our jack. I don’t want to get into comparing the two but come on we keep some swiss twat who has just turned up and is yet to put in a decent season for us but sell an English player who has been at the club since 9. He hasn’t even had a chance under Emery, We’ve got to stop selling good English players.
We have a new GK already
Victorious
You know I’m right.
Can you really smoke a cigar at a football game? Lol
Qna
Are you mental? Legacy in the game of course no question.
But as for current ability, he’s absolutely right there with them.
Ronaldos a great goalscorer but doesn’t actually do much in terms of play outside the box at this stage.
WE
Neymar is today’s fall guy. We’re all about the Granit man.
“We’ve got to stop selling good English players.”
Oh dear
Wilshere couldn’t even secure a starting spot for Bournemouth.
Neymar couldn’t score 100
Goals in France. Ergo, he must be rubbish.
That league is weeeeeaaakkkkk.
55 goals against El Salvador is bullshit. Let’s see him after this WC.
qna,
“Can you really smoke a cigar at a football game? Lol”
Maradona has earned the right to smoke anything he wants to smoke …In Russia.
Well done Iceland!!!
“Iceland beat Argentina 1-1”
That’s what the commentator said on US tv
This is not a surprise
What about this Iceland keeper? He’s sharp and his concentration is superb!!!
please stop. you sound like liverpool. good for a game, let’s shortlist him and get him asap…
in Mother Russia, you do what you want.. or is Russia not as lenient as back in the Soviet days ??
oh yeah,nice result,superbly poised for a Nigeria victory to top the group
WengerEagle. You don’t get put on the same level as two of the all time great footballers for ability. Last I checked there is no award given at all for ability. Neymar was the sideshow to the main event at Barca. There is no question about that. He had gone out to make a name on his own and has pretty much failed so far. He is a great player, don’t try to change my words please. I have enough that dealing with the balding guy on here. How good Messi and Ronaldo are is a debatable topic in itself.… Read more »
“Wilshere couldn’t even secure a starting spot for Bournemouth.”
but probably in our top 3 players between January and April this season.
Messi should start taking drugs a la Maradona, the guy seems overburdened by expectations.
Dissenter. Lol. In that case when I earlier made a joke about him wiping off traces of a line off his face I might have been on to something 😉
QNA
“No serious person has Neymar at the level of Messi and Ronaldo.”
Well, WengerEagle says he would take Neymar over Messi right now in this tournament, so I feel like he sort of does.
Also, when I suggested that Neymar hadn’t yet demonstrated that he can be the decisive player in the biggest of big matches — a la Messi, Ronaldo, Zidane — a couple of people here nearly had aneurysms.
Are you saying Neymar has not yet demonstrated that he is at that level?
Ronaldo to retain his world best crown,deservedly so.
““Wilshere couldn’t even secure a starting spot for Bournemouth.”
but probably in our top 3 players between January and April this season.’
In a shitty season that we are all trying to forget.
A season where we finished 37 points behind the winners and 12 points behind 4th place.
Sorry Neymar not even in Zidane and Ronaldo Lima level discussion for me. Zidane among the 10 greatest footballers ever for me whereas Ronaldo won World cup and best player awards unlike Neymar.
Fuck me I thought Clattenburg was irritating before I heard his voice.
Croati will piss all over Nigeria.
‘Is he in the Zidane, Ronaldo Lima conversation? Yes.’
lol,get some sleep
Your Comment Here
He’s just about kept out everything Messi and co have thrown at him… I don’t think what I suggested is that ridiculous… or reactionary.
“Well, WengerEagle says he would take Neymar over Messi right now in this tournament, so I feel like he sort of does.”
I thought he meant for Arsenal. I would take him too, given his age. But for this tournament, no I wouldn’t. I would take Ronaldo. Internationals the entire teams quality is mixed. WC is more like UCL than it is like a 38 game league competition. Ronaldo is the king of the UCL at the moment. Nobody better right now in that competition. He will take Portugal far in my opinion.
You’re not grasping this qna, current ability not legacy in the game.
If I was currently managing a side in this WC and you were to offer me any player I would take Neymar.
Croati will piss all over Nigeria.
sticking your neck out there eh,Red
I hope you r made to eat back your word later on
“Fuck me I thought Clattenburg was irritating before I heard his voice.”
LOL just what I thought.
Amazed that nobody else thinks that was a penalty on Pavon .
Thought he did very well when he came on looked bright and threatening. Did more in his cameo than Meza and Di Maria combined.
“lol,get some sleep”
Victorious I have no respect for anything you post. Jog on. Neymar is 26. His best football will come in the next 5 years. He is in the conversation, but it depends on what he does in the next 5 years. I am calling it now that he doesn’t replicate what Messi and Ronaldo managed. But he is quite capable of performing in a away that he will end up being comparable to Zidane and Ronaldo Lima.
leeds
I never Said he didn’t have a good game. to suggest buying him for saving a penalty would be more insane…
Go Super Eagles!!!
WE. Got it. Answered in my response to Bamford. I would take Ronaldo, then Messi, then Neymar. Based on today I expect you will have a good chance to gloat and dig me once Brazil plays. But there is a long way to go, I will hold firm. Dont forget Brazil is a better team in general than Portugal and Argentina. So if they basically perform equally, I am calling the win for myself 😉
Leeds
clink to you mate!..thats the spirit
Read my original comment again, I didn’t say buy him… I said he was good. You filled in the blanks and made that inference.
I expect Nigeria to lose all three games.
Iceland are too determined and organized.
Argentina and Croatia will find 1-2 moment s of quality to squeeze victories.
qna
Zidane and Ronaldo are legends,Neymar doesn’t get mentioned in same sentence for because of his ‘potentials’ or ‘abilities’..when he earns that right come back to me.. until then stick to PlayStation.
leeds
apologies. when you asked “what about this Icelandic keeper?” I assumed you were asking if we were interested in wanting him in the arsenal squad… didn’t know you were just highlighting his influence on the game…
Dissenter where are you from?
Victorious
Waiting for you to ask
Why do you want to know?
I’ve followed Nigeria longer than you can imagine, that should give you a clue.
Along with ability, you have to have passion and the desire to take the game and lift it to another level to bring your team the victory. When viewed in this light Ronaldo demonstrated he has that grit and determination over Messi.
Big occasions make Ronaldo come out more and lift his game, club and country. Messi does for his club, but for his country, he often looks like he’s forcing the issue and trying to hard… imo.
gonssterous
No worries!
Following the trajectory of a nations football doesn’t make you a citizen,its a simple question mate..
are you one of those ashamed of their country of birth?
*too hard
Chicken neck Ronaldo can only dream of playing in a World Cup Final.
Chicken neck Red? Have you seen seen the size of CR7’s neck?
Victorious You’re an idiot to even come up with the “ashamed of the country of birth” line. I saw you coming dude. You’re too much of a simpleton to banter with. I’m watching the game with extended family in Lagos chatting on whatsup app You have no clue who I am or about. You do have to be a child the way you think. Where am I from? The country of my birth? The country I grew up in? The countries I studied in? The country I’ve lived in for 2.5 decades? Surely it’s not black and white, not enough… Read more »
All I can say is Nigeria occupies a very special place in my heart and in daily life.
No shame to say that.
Even then I still say that Nigeria will be lucky not to lose all three games.
It has nothing to do with patriotism or a lack thereof, just plain opinion based on facts as I see it.
Messi is a liability and can only bang in goals against Champions league fodder.
lol why lose your shit just because of a simple question? you don’t have to be so insecure mate, I meant no harm
blabbering on about being a child?humourless of your banters etc? and you’re the one flinging your toys out the pram because a question is directed to you, grow up u whopper
so apparently you’re Nigerian,but just a vile,aggressive and worringly pessimistic one,anyway cheers!
Looks like the world cup has been an outstanding success so far for Russia. Massive numbers off foreign fans are in the country. You don’t even need in a visa for the most part.
Nothing like the power of football to unite.
I’m a Nigerian…and a lot of other things, including another nationality that I cherish a lot.
Victorious the simpleton cannot understand that.
‘Where are you from? ” doesn’t always get a you a simple answer.
WE “If I was currently managing a side in this WC and you were to offer me any player, I would take Neymar.” This is a fairly bold statement. I mean, I can sort of see the logic in it, in that at 26, Neymar should probably be quicker, livelier and more energetic than a 33-year-old Ronaldo or a 30-year-old Messi. But is he as determined as either of these two are? Does he have their hunger or desire? Does he have the kind of grit they have, the kind of grit required to win a World Cup trophy? See,… Read more »
Another Guinness
Another match
The Red Sash still looking classy
This Peru vs Denmark game is going to be a cracker.
Africa hot, I like it so
I know what to wear, but my friends don’t know
Him put him socks, him put him shoe
Him put him trouser, him put him shirt
I no be gentleman at all oh
I be Africa man original.
__
Tell ’em, Fela. 😉
Victorious has obviously never left his home town or country for a prolonged period. Culture yourself, brother.
There are more travelled Peruvian fans than Danes in the stadium
Bamford
Are you watching the Peru vs Denmark game?
Bam on the beat,yea that’s it basically..Legendary Fela with that stunner Afro back in the day
The Peruvians look good, really good.
Dissenter
I am now. Why?
The Peruvians haven’t lost in 15 games.
From what you’ve seen of them so far , do you rate them?
Dissenter
I have seen too little of them. As always, I like their kit.
Denmark seem to be dominating at moment, though.
Denmark playing much better now, they have settled a bit. Peru dominated first 15 minutes.
It’s equally matched.
The perfect European style vs South American styles
Bamford
This game typifies the clash of cultures that you’ve talked about.
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