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Whatever else you say about him, Southgate has a knack for getting good draws in major tournaments and their qualifiers! Avoided all the big guns again. Not easy (it's never going to be in the Euros) but should top that group. And then we'd get one of the third place sides Scotland could have...

Sooooo......anyone getting excited? Less than 24 hours to go now! The structure of this year's competition is the very definition of a marathon, not a sprint (the group stage starts tomorrow, has one or two games on every single day, and still doesn't end until November 12th, 45 matches later)...

So a question for my fellow stattos....... We've now gone eleven games without a win and taken 2 points from a possible 33. I was trying to work out the last time we went on a run this bad.....and I'm struggling to find anything in the last 30 years...... The legendarily awful squad that...

Looks like FIFA have seen sense, and abandoned the ludicrous three-team group structure. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64952428 It's going to last forever (104 matches over 39 days, compared to 64 matches over 28 days in Qatar), and the groups are going to be more reminiscent of 1986-1994...

I've just seen that FIFA are going to go ahead with the World Cup draw this Friday, despite the fact that they still won't know who three of the teams are going to be (the Ukraine invasion has obviously postponed finding out who the last European team will be out of Ukraine/Scotland/Wales, and...

So watching a rare Premier League game today. And it got me thinking.... .....I know the top sides now have big teams studying analytics and optimizing tactics - but every time I watch the PL, everyone is taking crazy risks at the back in the name of keeping possession. But although I have no...

https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0258-0e2bb3490b69-0abf5d9bc2fa-1000--2022-world-cup-qualifying/ For the most part, seems like England have continued their run of easy groups. The teams from pots 3-6 (Hungry, Albania, Andorra, San Marino) shouldn't cause any bother at all.....and...

This is not me lacking ambition, or saying I don't want to get promotion this season. I do - I think it would be great to take a crack at the Championship...... ......but I do think that right now, League One is an excellent league and a lot of fun to play in. There's this unique mix of...

Not an easy decision picking 11 from the squad of 14: Joe Root (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes. Assuming that Stokes is going to bowl a bit...

Going to Man U, and apparently worth 50m - including 45m up front. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48770843 Dear Lord. I remember Kyle Walker moving for about the same a couple of years ago, and thinking 'that's a hell of a lot for a right back'. But he at least had about 200 Premier League...

…...the group stage, at least. For me: India look the best team. Top order are in great form; they've got hitters in the middle order, a good pace attack and good spinners. Can't see them failing to make the semis, and they'll be a tough out there. New Zealand top the table, and have...

.....look pretty straightforward on paper. 16th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 10th, 12th, 18th, 24th. If we can string together a few battling performances like yesterday and/or some quality performances like we've seen from time to time this season, then I don't think it's out of the question that we...

Anyone else getting just a little hopeful? That's two pre-WC friendlies, and two very comfortable wins. Nigeria are at least as good as Tunisia, and Costa Rica are significantly better than Panama. Have to think we'll at least finish second in the group, and then have a chance to beat anyone...

.....now that we are are mathematically safe, and there's no danger of jinxing things - who do we want to play next year? Guaranteed coming down - Sunderland To be joined by - two from Burton, Bolton, Barnsley, Birmingham & Reading. Guaranteed coming up from League Two - Accrington, Luton...

Man, this forum has changed. A few years ago, if I'd come on here several hours after Arsene Wenger departed, I'd have found a 17 page thread (with 16 and a half of the pages being Baldy, Junior and Boogaloo going back and forth.....). Now, I'm starting one myself. But, thoughts people? Seems...