leffe186

Yeah, that's me too. Plus I have obligatory support of England and Australia. I kinda think the US should back England this time round. We now have a legit royal hook-up, plus our team is full of mediocre cloggers too.

I need to work out where to watch games for maximum entertainment. Mexico and Italy will be easy, and I will be trying to get into the Hofbrauhaus in Cleveland for at least one Germany game. There are a couple of Japanese restaurants nearby, but I'm not convinced they will be interested. What is the Mexican-American attitude to the Spanish football team? I'd love it if they hated them as the local restaurant would be perfect, but I presume that's not the case.

I am still English, however much I love Ossie and Ricky . Our last war was rather more recent than the Mexican-American. Also, and I realize this is out-dated and petty, I have never felt comfortable with the HGH. Also also, there isn't even Lamela to support, slightly surprisingly. There is usually a middling South American side that I get behind. I also always get Mexico in the sweepstake. I'm a citizen of Australia, the UK/England, and the US now, and so there's always two or three teams I have to support. Also Russia have the best anthem, although I usually root for the home team to get embarrassed. You never know who you're going to get a soft spot for until the whole things starts. My money's on Iran or Morocco from Group B, or Colombia/Senegal from Group H.

Help me spite-support Mexico. I can't do it. I love hating Mexico in a playful I don't have a red hat kind of way, it'd be a disaster if they won it. Might support Iceland or some shit. I always kinda liked Mexico, plus there is a good Mexican restaurant near me where I intend to watch as many of their games as possible. Also, their group is ace.

We've been doing OK in the friendlies, tbf. Goalkeepers OK, but there weren't many options. Fullbacks fine. Centre of defence awful. Midfield so mediocre, particularly in the middle, but like I say, it worked pretty well in the friendlies. Forwards OK. We might do all right if Southgate gets us playing well as a team, as Vardy, Kane and Alli are capable of scoring goals from not much, and Sterling might be effective and have one of those games where he kicks the ball properly. It will only be a matter of time in any given game before somebody completely fucks us through the middle of our defence.

If you believe the rumours on their forums he's honour-bound to join them as he verbally agreed to join them a couple seasons ago but then Madrid came in for him and that was the end of that. Even if that's the case, you'd think the same sense of honor would preclude him breaking another contract to do so, though. There is no way football works like this. For some people I think it does, and Rafa is one.

Me too, for obvious reasons. yeah they were lovely shirts btw Helps that that 1986 team might have been my favourite of all time. Danny Thomas, Richard Gough, Gary Mabbutt, Mitchell Thomas, Paul Allen, Hoddle, Waddle, Ardiles, Steve Hodge, Clive Allen/Nico Claesen (Plus John Chiedozie, Vinny Sideways, Hughton and Galvin still there etc etc). But yeah, that kit was mint. Criminal that we didn't win anything.

Me too, for obvious reasons.

I was going to say. Fucking hell.

I think Villa have something about them, whenever I’ve seen them they never seem to play well, but somehow get a win or a point. On paper it’s Fulham’s all day, but I would actually fancy Villa to turn them over. Yeah, I get that feeling too. My wife's Villa though, so maybe it's just me hoping for a good year - happy wife, happy life etc etc. I don’t mind Villa despite their weird seemingly hatred of us or pleasure in seeing us do badly. If it makes your good lady happy that’s got to be a bonus . I don't think it's weird at all. Similar-sized clubs with significant football histories, big fanbases, recent success - of sorts. It's really no surprise that they would see you as a big rival, and so took pleasure in your downfall. You've got a handful of tiers in football now. Man City/Man U/Chelsea with silly money, Arsenal and Liverpool not far behind, with us trying to bridge the gap. Then a few clubs with potential to do what Spurs have done due to various factors including fanbase and grounds - Everton, Newcastle, Villa, maybe West Ham thanks to the free stadium. Leicester just bubbling under that group. Then a whole host of clubs who rely on skillful managers to make the step up - Burnley, Stoke, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Watford, West Brom, etc etc - for whom it only takes a couple of transfer mistakes and the wrong management appointment for it all to come crashing down. Even though Villa have been down for a couple of years, they generate enough money to expect to come back up without needing a sugar daddy like, say, Wolves.

I think Villa have something about them, whenever I’ve seen them they never seem to play well, but somehow get a win or a point. On paper it’s Fulham’s all day, but I would actually fancy Villa to turn them over. Yeah, I get that feeling too. My wife's Villa though, so maybe it's just me hoping for a good year - happy wife, happy life etc etc.

Here's my guess: Man City - Pep Man U - Mourinho Spurs - Poch Liverpool - Klopp Chelsea - Luis Enrique Arsenal - Emery Newcastle - Rafa Everton - Marco Silva West Ham - Fonseca Sunderland - Mick McCarthy

According to Sky...oh yeah. But wait, it's also the Sun...oh yeah. Not just them though, it's Talksport...oh yeah. Meh. Can't wait for the England squad to be announced so they can chunter on about that instead for a while. We should probably consider a prediction league though - managers for: Man City Man U Spurs Liverpool Chelsea Arsenal Newcastle Everton Man U Sunderland

Oh God damn it, that's awful.

Obviously Salah out of the big boys, although he did cost 40M so wasn't exactly peanuts. Like others have said, you's probably say VVD but again, he's now the most expensive defender of all time, so, yeah. Jack Cork for 8M has been a terrific buy for Burnley. Didn't Brighton get Gross for basically nothing? I've not seen enough of Huddersfield to say who made the most difference there, but Mounie didn't cost much, did he? Mind you, Huddersfield bought almost an entirely new team, so it would be difficult to pick one out. As for the worst, well pretty much everybody for Everton I suppose, although as far as I could tell Pickford was good. Lindelof didn't do much for 30M. You'd be tempted to say Lacazette on price and expectations. Same for Morata, although 40M for Bakayoko and 30M for Drinkwater have been terrible deals so far. Iheanacho has shown signs of life. Even Stoke fans laugh about the fact they paid us 18M for Wimmer.

Minhosa wins my Spurswatch award for having us miss out on the top six . I think the most impressive statistic was that out of 57 predicted relegation places, only six were correct. GavMcEl wins for getting both Swansea and Stoke. I think it says something for Manager of the Year that nearly everyone predicted Burnley to go down, and nobody predicted Newcastle to go down. Stifler probably closest for breakout year (Nobody).

Dammit, was sure I'd put something down for this.

"So much space to move around in" FFFS .

Also Gazza was dancing just now and will shortly be on a tweet near you.

No midfield at all now on either side.

Our game is nuts. So glad I don't really give a fuck.

Vertonghen injured in the warm-up FFS

FFS, transferred Lingard in yesterday Transferred in De Gea, Smalling, and Lingard with the WC last week . At least he gave us a heads-up.

He is aswell lol Great use of C On 177 now because he has Adrian on his bench .

Quite nice to finally not really give a fuck.