ponsaelius

Candreva has played really well since he came in

Digusting piece of goalhanging tbf.

So he scores.

Not sure why Astori is so highly rated. Always looks a like a total accident waiting to happen.

Apparently not.

Honda has agreed personal terms with Meelan according to Gazzetta

Better at winning maybe, not better to watch. IMO anyway. They have the advantage of having club standard efficiency and team mechanics (built up over years and years through youth and then club football) implanted straight into a national team against countries that don't have anywhere near that same understanding. The games where both sides have the imperfections of international football apparent are far better to watch (Brazil vs Italy, Italy vs Japan etc). They've been pretty much very effective, but also very dull since VdB took over IMO. It's attack vs defence training sessions, with one side dominating possession and strangling the game towards a marginal victory. Maybe it's just the Messi cutting edge factor, but I don't ever get the same feeling watching Barcelona apart from the odd CL game where they've been effectively countered by a strong defensive set up. Most of Barcelona's games I enjoy because they seem to have more runners, more players commited forward and more of a will to rack up as many goals as possible.

Boring as sin to watch IMO. I'm more bored by them winning tbh and even when somebody matches them all the way they still get through on penalties. I do think they're nowhere near as good to watch as Barca, even without the double-pivot this tournament.

Bored shitless of Spain now. Howay Brazil.

Getting a bit sick of the oldtype gifs now.

Aye I clicked eventually. I like it except that some of those 8 new teams might be pants.

Oh wait, I get your idea now. We still have qualifiers, but with an earlier round at the WC for the lower qualifiers.

I don't like the idea of anybody automatically making the World Cup on a ranking system, nevermind over half of them. Unless I've mistaken you. Surprised you didn't bite at my 2 year continental cycle jibe.

That thing was ruined completely for me by Derby doing it during the 3-0 in the Championship.

Holding it in a different country would be a start. USA own all the others ones, nee point.

Seems like it would make more sense to just make it every 4 years like all the cool continents do.

Confed cup clash innit. Plus US and Mex don't really care about this one since it doesn't get you into the Confed cup.

dat bitterness

Talking about players living in Russia always reminds me of Garry O'Connor who said he hated the comparatively cosmopolitan, modern Moscow because it was cold and there was no Sky TV - then 5 years later thought he'd give fucking Siberia a crack.

They all live and train in Moscow don't they? Fly in with armoured guards on match days. Sounds like a treat What, living in Moscow and being paid in blank cheques? Sounds good to me.

Brazil will put it all together man. It's Brazil at the World Cup in Brazil.

Brazil will win it next year. Some teams just get it done and they are one of them.

Who's genius idea was it to get Kevin Kilbane in?

I know we say it all the time but punditry really is mostly terrible.

Going to the Velodrome to see them in August Velodrome is pretty disgusting at the moment Building work? I'm not too bothered, as long as the atmosphere is good and I get to see some football.