Lucas

Brazil should have won that. Croatia probably bore their way to another final at this rate.

You could have 8 groups of 6. But you'd either have just the top 2 going through, or the group winners going through, and getting a bye to the R16 where 2nd and 3rd place teams play off in an extra round.

Not good. Genuinely thought he was good enough to start myself, but if he's not got the right attitude then it's only right he was asked to leave. Rest of the team seem to have a good togetherness from what I can see (more so than non-Southgate sides).

Hope he gives them all a Vale shirt.

Gonna miss his weird press comments

12 Groups of 4 = 48 12 Group Winners + second placed teams = 24 Best 3 of 6 in each half of the draw of third placed teams = 32 32 team knockouts. Would be 8 games to play through, instead of 7.

Portugal much better without him on current evidence but he still has a part to play if his head is screwed on. He seems unwilling to be a team player though, came straight on and was taking free kicks still when its been forever since he was any good at those with consistency. If Portugal were heading into ET and he was coming on to play through that, is still a threat. On the other hand if he was starting they'd be looking to pull him off. Just no way he can play 3 games of upto 120 minutes each in 8 days (assuming they reach the final). Against England or France I think their chances are much better without him starting but he is a circus / celeb act now. Coming on as a sub like he were a seasoned ex pro playing for a semi pro side.

I'd rather France worry about us on the counter and Jude tearing them a new one down the middle tbh.

Quarter-Finals Friday 9th December Croatia 1-3 Brazil 15:00 Netherlands 1-1 Argentina 19:00, Argentina 4-3 on penalties Saturday 10th December Morocco 2-2 Portugal 15:00, Morocco 5-4 on penalties England 2-1 France 19:00, AET Bonuses The total number of goals across all the games - 100 points: 13 The total number of goals scored in the first half - 50 points - 5 The total number of goals scored in the second half - 50 points - 7 The number of games going to extra time - 100 points - 3 Correctly predicting all the specific games going to extra time - 500 points The number of games going to penalties - 50 points - 2 The total number of penalties scored (including those in normal game play) - 100 points - 17 The team which scores the fastest goal - 50 points - England The team which scores the last goal - 50 points - England The time of the first goal - 200 points for the exact time, 10 points for five minutes each side - 12 mins The time of the last goal - 200 points for the exact time, 10 points for five minutes either side - 115 mins The total number of yellow cards - 100 points - 7 The total number of red cards - 50 points - 1 The total number of substitutions across all games - 200 points - 37

Went for Brazil, Argentina and Morocco but Argentina's game is the closest to call for me. Either winner there is a nice narrative (Messi vs LVG's last tournament). I've gone for Morocco for selfish reasons, Portugal have more than enough to turn them inside out, but I love an underdog.

Panellists for BARB are used to represent household figures in the UK. I would assume that some weighting is then used to project the viewing figures across the country outside of households too (ie. in pubs), much like they will use the demographics of the panelists to work out the ratings in households across the country. Its not going to be a completely accurate figure by any means, but this is basically just how polling works (political polls usually ask about half the figure of the amount of BARB panellists, most of the time).

Good to know your priorities are in order.

BBC got first SF pick so went for that, while ITV got the R16 and QF. SF will be a record breaker for ratings so that's probably why BBC have gone for that. Saturday's game on ITV will draw pretty huge.

Yeah probably not too far wrong there. And yet with the way the team is set up to play we are very capable to be the first ones to score quite early into a game given our set piece game. Timing and mentality is everything. I think we struggle to retain possession against bigger sides but do well when countering. If the time in the game is right that works in our favour. I'm still curious if we see 3 at the back at some point during the tournament or not still, particularly if we are trying to protect a lead late into a game. Love that you basically managed to mention practically every tournament here in the last 20 years England way I suppose.

Might need some tie breakers for bonuses in the final if this keeps up.

Not a fan either but definitely things about ITV's coverage I'd change before Aluko as a pundit. You couldn't really have a more irrelevant punditry line up than those three for the games on at the World Cup.

Don’t really have a problem with it myself, think it’s good man management to give players time. Not sure what the point is to take players just for bodies on the bench. Was a bit more weird he was dancing though in celebration. That could have waited until they won.

Brazil look exploitable. Free scoring sure but not totally convinced they’ll roll over the rest yet. Best thing they’ve done is get confidence and rotate.

Probably a cousin called Wranmere

Real shame Korea not finished one of these chances. Maybe now with Weverton they get another.

Great strike.

Almost another

I put a 5er on Uruguay to shithouse their way to final Honestly thought they’d get second and would have been ideal opponents for Brazil.

I thought Darren’s pun was excellent. Bit annoyed second half is a formality. Might have to find something else to do.