Dandy Man

Was facts not stats but point stands

You can prove anything with stats

Some of those Iranian shenanigans at end were farcical, have they scrapped yellow cards for simulation?

That defending

The concept of Kane as a sweeper striker is an interesting one. England will surely win but they don't give themselves much margin for error.

I'd take five games a day, throw one in at 7am

Least Ronaldo be fuming he's not on to take it

Feel like VAR has destroyed the possibility of any proper nasty off the ball stuff in matches like this with players knowing they have no chance of getting away with it, just all snide niggly stuff instead

Portugal so impotent for a side full of very good footballers, it's probably a lot to do with CR but their tactics are dreadful too

Most entertaining match so far for me, feels like Cameroon deserve more than a must win against Brazil after that comeback

Spain should do the decent thing and throw the match against Japan if they win this, be top on goal difference anyway

This thing of defenders intentionally standing in front of set pieces to prevent them being taken quickly should be cracked down on tbh

Shame the wrong team won but more of this please

I am no Japanese football judge but their team selection does seem weird, Tomiyasu is surely deserving of a place too

Least there was only one minute added on

Possibly not the most spectacular Argentina team of recent times but they hadn't lost in ages prior to Saudi match, they're plenty good enough

If Pickford had let that in there'd be a lot of arm length comments (I thought it was a great finish and Pickford does have T Rex arms)

Wonder how much the pressure of achieving something at World Cup while Messi is playing is a factor, different team in SAM qualies and Copa America

This game will definitely produce some form of drama anyway, ref has ensured there's going to be some mayhem before the end with the precedent he has set so far

Portugal/Ghana was great entertainment in the end but even then the first half was brutal

Another day, another dreadful first half

Mexico making the bed for Argentina to shit in

Italy were not really a shock in 2006, pretty sure they went off favs in the final against France and were probably shorter than 10/1 before the tournament started, since then winners have all been in top few in the outright betting. Don't think there has ever been a shock winner to rival likes of Denmark or Greece in Euros, not in my lifetime anyway.

Surprised no VAR there, be fuming if it was against us

USA setup was akin to us under Howe, well drilled, aggressive and everyone knew the system. England were more akin to us under Bruce.