[Devongone]

Will this help Page to turn to Sorbaying England by picking a player to feed Kieffer Moore?

Jordan Pickford froze on his line against the USA as Maguire repeatedly headed away in-swinging corners inside HIS six-yard box. When he finally tried to deal with one himself, he missed it by a foot.

Caspar Weinberg (and he's dead) would have done better than Kasper Schmeichel (who has become terrified of in-swing, that's why Leicester stopped being able to defend) when France swung in a ball for Mbappe to bundle in at the far post. Two steps off his line and Kasper could have taken the ball easily.

Could Sorba Thomas become the second in-swinging terrier of the tournament?

[Lord Snooty]

Sorba has to play if Wales want to win.

[theo_luddite]

Happy to see that Southgate has changed it up for tonight and that Sorba the Taff is on the bench and not starting. As a Town fan I'd like to see him play ..... just not from the start tonight as an England fan. Yet to be convinced by Pickford for England or Everton if I'm honest.

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Just in case you missed them .... here are the highlights of our 2nd games

[theo_luddite]

Rashford having a blinder, Danny Ward having a nightmare between the sticks

[Devongone]

Rob Page was never the thinking man's centre back when he played for Chesterfield.

Players who lack pace seem to over-value it when they reach management - I suppose out of nightmare memories.

If you play Moore at centre forward, you have to put on a man who can hit him with a dangerous dead-ball or a cross. If you surround him with players like Johnson, Wilson and James all they'll do is leave him for dead on any quick break and there'll be no-one to stick the ball in the onion bag.

Interestingly, or not, many teams have been profiting from hitting in-swinging balls across the edge of the six-yard box. Tonight, England won a series of corners against one of the shorter keepers in the tournament and hit outswingers all the way until well into the second half.

When I kept goal, I never felt an out swinging cross was particularly dangerous. First off, I was tall and enjoyed coming to catch them and second, I was pretty secure that any header off an out swinger would have to be brilliant to score. In-swingers gave you far more to think about, including the fact they might go directly into the net. Now that ball technology has created more swing that danger has increased.

Jordan Pickford is simply too concerned with showing-off to be really bothered about doing his job properly - just an opinion .....

[theo_luddite]

That Ayew penalty for Ghana was deja vu all over again.

[0762]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/fifa-wor...400ae6ff9f

That theory makes sense, a risk worth taking by Luis Enrique! I also think FIFA already know who the winner of the World Cup actually is and I base that cynical view on the highly questionable VAR-dodgy ref-FIFA reticence antics of the past three days incl today. The words "match-fixing" have arisen on a number of random occasions from different footie contacts. Over a week ago, I previously asked, "Who will be the next casualty of this highly questionable system of ref officiation"? That view is still strong after viewing a form of refereeing that can have a huge bearing on a team winning or losing a footie match and a legitimate goal can be dismissed by eg offside by millimetres, an insult to the whole integrity of the sport of footie. Some of this dodgy officiation is downright embarrassing TBF!!

[theo_luddite]

This hasn't been the only questionable result and it won't be the last. You haven't linked this thread to a devolution referendum yet. Which round will that likely happen or won't it because you Jocks didn't qualify?

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Cameroon player scores v Brazil, gets 2nd yellow and sent off for taking his shirt off . It matters not, but the jobsworths know they have have folk sat in the stands judging their performance and deciding if they are still FIFA approved (do everything by the book), or just Sunday League (apply common sense, hell most of em are still pissed from last night and that's just the U11's).

Meanwhile kicking an opponent over the nearest stand ...... gets bugger all ref reaction generally. A free kick if your opponent brushes it off as a flesh wound. A booking for diving for the other fella if he rolls around in agony screaming for his mother to meet him at the nearest A&E.

[0762]

What has a referendum issue got to do with an observed contentious footie issue(s) FGS Theo??? Come on, behave and cut the juvenile "wind up" crap eh!! You're better than that kinda nonsense!! Good comments in the rest of the thread btw!! Stick to the topic and less to unnecessary jibes eh!! Agreed re the sheer irritation re what justifies a red card and what doesn't plus other offences that are absolutely deserving of some form of punishment for trying to gain an Oscar for acting??? Again, some of the ignored physical assaults on a footie pitch and not adhering to proper officiation and expected protection of footie players - absolutely bizarre considering the strong ethic being preached by FIFA re player protection. Back to my original question - "Who's gonna be the next victim/casualty of a highly questionable ref system"??? And IMO that German ref today shouldn't be given another match to officiate either!

[theo_luddite]

More important things around than German refs, and Germans looking for another Russian linesman when they need one .....

https://www.theguardian.com/football/202...eports-say

Nobody lives forever, but the best and most sporting footballer of my yoof by a country mile.