Welcome. This site is an archived version of the previous UpTheSaddlers forum (December 2004 to May 2018). To visit the new UTS website, please click here.

World Cup 2018.

The place for all general topics not related to the Saddlers, plus the ever-popular Prediction League. Keep it fun.
Forum rules
Be nice. Play fair.
User avatar
Kevlar
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 474
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 10:19 pm

World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 2:38 am

Well someone is gonna start it off , so it may as well be me.

Where we gonna finish ? Ko'd by Brazil for me.

Whom have we left out who should have gone ? Jonjo Shelvey for me .

Anyone who says "I ain't interested or bothered , or they get paid too much "........... I just don't believe you. You must be a United fan , or Villa fan getting over losing to Fulham.

User avatar
SaigonSaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10825
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: In Bonser's Grotto

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 6:24 am

Can't say I'm overly thrilled at the moment, both because Russia acquired it through nefarious means and because England are utter cack.

I kind of gave up on them after the German thrashing, when it was clear they couldn't really be that arsed. Iceland was simply hilarious.

We'll see. Walsall and England, definitely in that order. :|

User avatar
derbysaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 5282
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:02 pm
Location: Amber Valley sticks

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 8:23 am

I'll be happy if England progress and do well obviously. But its more that I have a problem with the world cup itself. FIFA just whore it out to any shady nation with stacks of resource wealth funds hidden behind the sofa. The world cup is supposed to be about nations from the world coming together in the name of sport without the burden of race, religion or politics.

Hosting the thing in places like Russia and Qatar pisses all over that.

User avatar
chunkster
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3612
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 10:14 am

I saw a program last week about Russia and hosting the World Cup, and racism is rife, I can see black or mixed race players walking off showing it up to be the farce that is :| as to how well we will do, I don’t think we will get passed the group stage.

User avatar
Manchester Saddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 5510
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 11:19 am

chunkster wrote:I saw a program last week about Russia and hosting the World Cup, and racism is rife, I can see black or mixed race players walking off showing it up to be the farce that is :| as to how well we will do, I don’t think we will get passed the group stage.


I think we'll get past the group stage - but that's it.

User avatar
tinned
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10023
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:49 pm
Location: Same poo, different day!

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 12:14 pm

I've had a premonition. Come New Years Eve we will hear the news of the Queen bestowing the title of "Sir" onto Gareth Southgate.

You heard it here first :-)

swampysaddler
Glitterati
 
Posts: 1106
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 11:19 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 12:35 pm

tinned wrote:I've had a premonition. Come New Years Eve we will hear the news of the Queen bestowing the title of "Sir" onto Gareth Southgate.

You heard it here first :-)



Keep taking that medication.

User avatar
tinned
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10023
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:49 pm
Location: Same poo, different day!

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 12:36 pm

swampysaddler wrote:
tinned wrote:I've had a premonition. Come New Years Eve we will hear the news of the Queen bestowing the title of "Sir" onto Gareth Southgate.

You heard it here first :-)



Keep taking that medication.


I think it's all my medication that is to blame for these predictions :wink:

User avatar
yoda
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3092
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:06 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 1:54 pm

Kevlar wrote:
Anyone who says "I ain't interested or bothered , "........... I just don't believe you. .


Unfortunate because I really don't. I think the last World Cup game I watched was when Zidane headbutted that Italian.

I think its partly because I'm not very patriotic anyway, partly because I don't like the idea that crude individuals like Wayne Rooney and prima donnas like Steven Gerrard somehow 'represent' me and partly because the players themselves don't really seem interested in international football these days. I think their apathy comes across.

Cully
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4310
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:55 pm
Location: Rugeley.........pronounced RUDGELEE apparently

Re: World Cup 2018.

Thu May 17, 2018 3:49 pm

Whilst I understand the general malaise, for want of a better word, around every England appearance in major tournaments and accept that there has been a predictable cycle of boorish players, over hyped media nonsense and the inevitable Sun type headlines which appear at these times, I sense a real change in attitude with this squad and with the manager himself.
I wasn’t overly optimistic when he was appointed but I’ve welcomed the open and cavalier attitude shown in a number of games. Defensively we still look a bit rubbish but there have been occasions in most of the matches played under Southgate where we look positevly dangerous.
For anyone who went to any of the games in France it was all hope and no glory, the game in StEtienne contained a total of 90 seconds excitement ie after Rashford came on at the end, the rest was pure Walsall, a dirge of entertainment and aimless tactics.

Perhaps this time, with so many peoples expectations at an all time low, we may actually surprise a few teams. I’m putting money on our progress as far as the semi finals 8)

For everybody who continue to be upset at FIFAs shenanigans then let me be the first to inform you that they are investigating holding the tournament on the moon, package prices for transport, accommodation and tickets for the games start at around £5million Nb oxygen is an extra by the way.

User avatar
The Red Prince
Site Addict
 
Posts: 2798
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:48 pm
Location: Summat abaht Winter, it's reet grand

Re: World Cup 2018.

Fri May 18, 2018 7:05 pm

Notice both Wilshere and Hart are sounding off about what they could have brought to the team, which is precisely why it's a good idea they didn't go, arrogant twerps!

I see Platini is now saying they rigged the 98 World Cup so it'd be a France-Brazil final!

User avatar
Super Gabor
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 2345
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:26 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Fri May 18, 2018 8:02 pm

Not got that pre-World Cup buzz yet. Maybe I'm lacking the Panini sticker book or wall chart to get me in the spirit. It will seem very strange without the Dutch and Italians there.

User avatar
Cowshed
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:25 pm
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: World Cup 2018.

Fri May 18, 2018 8:21 pm

Looking at the squad you realise that Kane apart none of our players would get into the b teams of Germany,France Spain Argentina or Brazil

Hope the youngsters play with no fear or pressure there certainly isn’t any expectation back home to concern them

You never know

swampysaddler
Glitterati
 
Posts: 1106
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 11:19 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: World Cup 2018.

Sat May 19, 2018 10:33 am

Cowshed wrote:Looking at the squad you realise that Kane apart none of our players would get into the b teams of Germany,France Spain Argentina or Brazil

Hope the youngsters play with no fear or pressure there certainly isn’t any expectation back home to concern them

You never know


So Deli Ali, John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Trent Alexander Arnold, Jamie Vardy have all become cack players overnight ?
If you want to reel of the entire squad I will.

Cully
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4310
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:55 pm
Location: Rugeley.........pronounced RUDGELEE apparently

Re: World Cup 2018.

Sat May 19, 2018 12:11 pm

Cowshed wrote:Looking at the squad you realise that Kane apart none of our players would get into the b teams of Germany,France Spain Argentina or Brazil

Hope the youngsters play with no fear or pressure there certainly isn’t any expectation back home to concern them

You never know


Harsh words Mr. Shed, and if I were Gareth Southgate them I’d be happy to pin those words on the dressing room wall.
Couldn’t give a turd about the opposition and I hope the team doesn’t, the less respect the better in my opinion.

User avatar
Cowshed
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:25 pm
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: World Cup 2018.

Sat May 19, 2018 3:56 pm

swampysaddler wrote:
Cowshed wrote:Looking at the squad you realise that Kane apart none of our players would get into the b teams of Germany,France Spain Argentina or Brazil

Hope the youngsters play with no fear or pressure there certainly isn’t any expectation back home to concern them

You never know


So Deli Ali, John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Trent Alexander Arnold, Jamie Vardy have all become cack players overnight ?
If you want to reel of the entire squad I will.


In the context of the tournament, ability wise , these players are average at best, we can’t fall back on experience but our advantage will be energy so as I say you never know the right ref and a bit of luck.

Taking into account Tunisia are only one place below us in fifa world rankings then I would be amazed if we won any more matches than the one against panama.

User avatar
Cowshed
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:25 pm
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: World Cup 2018.

Sat May 19, 2018 3:58 pm

Cully wrote:
Cowshed wrote:Looking at the squad you realise that Kane apart none of our players would get into the b teams of Germany,France Spain Argentina or Brazil

Hope the youngsters play with no fear or pressure there certainly isn’t any expectation back home to concern them

You never know


Harsh words Mr. Shed, and if I were Gareth Southgate them I’d be happy to pin those words on the dressing room wall.
Couldn’t give a turd about the opposition and I hope the team doesn’t, the less respect the better in my opinion.



There’s no point Southgate pinning anything on the wall these kids minds will be focused on whose shirt they are going to get after the game :)

EvenFlow
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 594
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 3:30 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Sat May 19, 2018 6:41 pm

Cowshed wrote:In the context of the tournament, ability wise , these players are average at best, we can’t fall back on experience but our advantage will be energy so as I say you never know the right ref and a bit of luck.



Whitney for England.

User avatar
chunkster
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3612
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Sun May 20, 2018 2:26 pm

Looks like my prediction of players walking off the pitch for being racially abused has been addressed by FIFA. apparently teams that do that could be disqualified :| The route to go down is to report them, ye that will show em :roll: unless of course the teams of the fans doing it get thrown out?

User avatar
Exile
Jobsworth
 
Posts: 23623
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 7:06 pm
Location: ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ

Re: World Cup 2018.

Sun May 20, 2018 7:37 pm

chunkster wrote:Looks like my prediction of players walking off the pitch for being racially abused has been addressed by FIFA. apparently teams that do that could be disqualified :| The route to go down is to report them, ye that will show em :roll: unless of course the teams of the fans doing it get thrown out?

Translated: we’ll kick that can down the road and issue a statement deploring racism after it’s over.

User avatar
chunkster
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3612
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Sun May 20, 2018 11:45 pm

Exile wrote:
chunkster wrote:Looks like my prediction of players walking off the pitch for being racially abused has been addressed by FIFA. apparently teams that do that could be disqualified :| The route to go down is to report them, ye that will show em :roll: unless of course the teams of the fans doing it get thrown out?

Translated: we’ll kick that can down the road and issue a statement deploring racism after it’s over.
yep :roll:

El_Nombre
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1523
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 11:15 am
Location: Next to Big Curly

Re: World Cup 2018.

Mon May 21, 2018 10:36 am

Cowshed wrote:
swampysaddler wrote:
Cowshed wrote:Looking at the squad you realise that Kane apart none of our players would get into the b teams of Germany,France Spain Argentina or Brazil

Hope the youngsters play with no fear or pressure there certainly isn’t any expectation back home to concern them

You never know


So Deli Ali, John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Trent Alexander Arnold, Jamie Vardy have all become cack players overnight ?
If you want to reel of the entire squad I will.


In the context of the tournament, ability wise , these players are average at best, we can’t fall back on experience but our advantage will be energy so as I say you never know the right ref and a bit of luck.

Taking into account Tunisia are only one place below us in fifa world rankings then I would be amazed if we won any more matches than the one against panama.


I don't think we have a chance either but describing a player like Raheem Sterling who helped set a Premier League record this year or Trent A-A who will be lining up against Real Madrid in the European Cup final this week as average at best is crazy. Lot of potential, even if I don't think it will be realised this tournament.

But writing off youngsters after one tournament, or in this case before it's even started, is par for the course in this country.

Mazza01
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1774
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:52 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Mon May 21, 2018 11:56 am

Agree , plenty of above average players in that squad , Sterling , Kane , Ali , Walker just to name 4 would get into most teams at the tournament.

Problem is mentality , tactics and coaching will hold them back as per usual.

User avatar
tinned
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10023
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:49 pm
Location: Same poo, different day!

Re: World Cup 2018.

Mon May 21, 2018 12:12 pm

I'd rather have some young, hungry "kids" playing with passion than the older, more experienced pros we've had in past tournaments. The "been there and done it" brigade seem to lose their passion because they think that their £obscene/week wages means that they have made it and don't need to do anything to prove themselves. The Rooney rant in South Africa was a watershed moment to me and these millionaires.

User avatar
Exile
Jobsworth
 
Posts: 23623
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 7:06 pm
Location: ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ

Re: World Cup 2018.

Mon May 21, 2018 7:16 pm

tinned wrote:I'd rather have some young, hungry "kids" playing with passion than the older, more experienced pros we've had in past tournaments. The "been there and done it" brigade seem to lose their passion because they think that their £obscene/week wages means that they have made it and don't need to do anything to prove themselves. The Rooney rant in South Africa was a watershed moment to me and these millionaires.

I said after the last fiasco that playing in a premiership team should exclude players from consideration for the England team. Maybe I was a bit harsh, but their ethic was rubbish. Clearly not playing for the shirt.

User avatar
SaigonSaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10825
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: In Bonser's Grotto

Re: World Cup 2018.

Tue May 22, 2018 7:41 am

Exile wrote:
tinned wrote:I'd rather have some young, hungry "kids" playing with passion than the older, more experienced pros we've had in past tournaments. The "been there and done it" brigade seem to lose their passion because they think that their £obscene/week wages means that they have made it and don't need to do anything to prove themselves. The Rooney rant in South Africa was a watershed moment to me and these millionaires.

I said after the last fiasco that playing in a premiership team should exclude players from consideration for the England team. Maybe I was a bit harsh, but their ethic was rubbish. Clearly not playing for the shirt.


Can we not just shoot the most under-performing player of the week?

Players may try harder with the brains of errant collegaues spread across the dressing room walls.

User avatar
kshammer
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3624
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:51 pm
Location: Paradise City

Re: World Cup 2018.

Tue May 22, 2018 8:27 pm

That French squad looks superb. Left some superb players out.

Interesting to see if it translates into a title challenge.

User avatar
chunkster
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3612
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Mon May 28, 2018 9:05 pm

I see Tunisia one of the supposed whipping boys of our group, drew away to Portugal tonight, coming back fro 2 goals down :|

User avatar
Exile
Jobsworth
 
Posts: 23623
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 7:06 pm
Location: ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ

Re: World Cup 2018.

Mon May 28, 2018 9:09 pm

chunkster wrote:I see Tunisia one of the supposed whipping boys of our group, drew away to Portugal tonight, coming back fro 2 goals down :|

Cue comments like ‘there’s no easy games at this level’, etc. after we play them...

User avatar
chunkster
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3612
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: World Cup 2018.

Mon May 28, 2018 9:18 pm

Exile wrote:
chunkster wrote:I see Tunisia one of the supposed whipping boys of our group, drew away to Portugal tonight, coming back fro 2 goals down :|

Cue comments like ‘there’s no easy games at this level’, etc. after we play them...
And "everybody lifts their game when they play us"

Next
Return to General Chat & Prediction League

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 42 guests