The Rolling Football Thread 2017-18 (inc Russia World Cup 2018!)

[BelfastBloke]

As in previous years, footy fans please sign in with

1. Which team you support.
2. Which country you support, or will be supporting in the World Cup.
3. Which team(s) and/or countries you loathe.
4. How you are getting your kids to follow the correct team.
5. A thought on this season (Premiership/Championship/Champions’ League/FA Cup/World Cup/all leagues world wide.)

I read somewhere that Everton and Man U will pay towards his wage, something to do with wage restrictions in the mls?

I also heard the players talking about Silva rumour, fingers crossed.

And yes I think liverpool will get that spot, a draw will clinch it.
Do you agree that qualifying for the CL means more than a trophy?

Tough one. I think CL qualification edges it this year as I think we stand a better chance of keeping some of our better players and hopefully sign some more (although Levy needs to sort his wage structure out). I was gutted with the FA cup exit though so very hard question to answer. Maybe next year we will get both hopeful

Fingers crossed Everton get Silva.

Levy is an idiot for giving himself a massive pay rise while preaching poverty to his players.

They might just about be willing to stick with the frugal Spurs project because they can see they've got momentum through togetherness, but not when he does something as blatant as that! Why shouldn't Kane and Alli piss off when they're being offered a lot more elsewhere?
Worked out OK for Kyle Walker.

Last match of the season, good luck everyone, hope your team will finish on a high!

Belfast - yes completely agree re.Levy, selfish actions and only himself to blame if his players leave. I don't think Kane will be one of them (yet) however there could well be more than Toby and Rose moving on (Rose to Everton I hear....)

Good end to the season for Spurs, pleased the Gills will remain in league 1. Nice to see Wenger go out on a win, looking forward to seeing who they appoint as manager. Sorry Everton lost but I'm sure next season will be better for them with their new manager.

Why don't you think Kane will leave yet, WhiteHart?

Ahh I really want Allegri from Juventus now. They keep talking about Arteta, who has never managed before. I'd rather have Vieira than Arteta, if we're doing young managers. At least he's managing New York City.

Belfast - to me Kane comes across as very loyal to the club and is always positive about what the team can achieve. If he can just win something with the team soon I feel Spurs could keep him for the majority of his career. Just my little opinion though.

Anyone listening to the England squad annoucements?

One Arsenal player in the England squad: Danny Welbeck, who is unlikely to get a game. He’s very like Emille Heskey - does a lot of very good stuff, but misses a lot of goals. Although to be fair, his England record of goals is a lot better than his club record.

I definitely thought Wilshire should have been called up but I can see why he wasn’t. I guess I don’t know loads about the other midfielders but they don’t strike me as particularly creative.

Agree, the England midfield seems to be lacking in creativity. I would have liked to see Shelvey, he might not be the best but he has guts and aggression.

I hope Pickford is wearing the no1 jersey, he has been our best player by miles and I really like his attitude.

Fat Sam is gone, I am happy

FIRST TEAM FACING SECOND TEAM
3-4-2-1

                                 GK    Jordan Pickford (Everton)

            3: Walker (City)          Stones (City)            Maguire (Leicester)             

4: Trippier (Spurs RB) Dier (Spurs) Henderson (Liverpool) Rose (Spurs)

2: Sterling (City) Rashford (United),

1: Harry Kane (Spurs)

--------------------

1: Jamie Vardy (Leicester)

2: Welbeck (Arsenal) Lingard (United)

4: Young (Utd) Alli (Spurs) Loftus-Cheek (Chels) Alex'-Arnold (L’pool)

3: Jones (United) Cahill (Chelsea) Delph (City)

GK Jack Butland (Stoke)

It looks like Emery to Arsenal, happy?

Wow: I heard it here first!

Yes, actually, I am happy. He won the Europa League three seasons in a row. And Arsenal is currently an Europa League club.

So that's more logical than appointing someone (Arteta) who has managed precisely zero times, however stellar his potential.

A bit late to the game!

1. Arsenal (Season ticket holder)
2. England, and then countries depending on the number of Arsenal player
3. The Tiny Totts, obviously, ManUre, Shitty, Stoke; Argentina
4. It was pretty much presented as the only option, and we took him to a legends match a couple of years ago and he loved it.
5. A little bit late for this one!

Emery sounds like a decent bet. I hope he isn't awful, but I'll like him...

Welcome CardinalSin. You are awful; but I like you...
Where do you sit at the stadium? I'm in the North Bank.

I'm in the North Bank, upper tier on the corner towards the West Stand.

Above me then.

Aha! Well, I've got to renew in the next week or so!

Thanks for the reminder - I just did mine, on the day when we get a brand new manager - no, sorry, Head Coach.

And I guess that Sanllehi, our definitely, absolutely not Director of Football will now become the Director of Football...

Arsenal - BelfastBloke
Arsenal - CardinalSin
Arsenal - WestleyAndButtockUp
Bournemouth - Sandsnake
Chelsea - 1happyhippie
Chelsea - LunarGirl
Everton - ToffeeUp
Glasgow Rangers - BrieMode
Gillingham - WhiteHartLane
Leicester - Kez171271
Oxford Utd - tigerdriverII
Tottenham - BrieMode
Tottenham - eggofmantumbi
Tottenham - WhiteHartLane
Tottenham - Susiesue61

World Cup 2018 - including 'second teams', but unfortunately not including nations that didn't make it to the World Cup
Belgium - BrieMode
Belgium - Susiesue61
England - 1happyhippie
England - BelfastBloke
England - CardnialSin
England - eggofmantumbi
England - Kez171271
England - LunarGirl
England - Sandsnake
England - Susiesue61
England - tigerdriverII
England - ToffeeUp
England - WhiteHartLane
Germany - eggofmantumbi
Iceland - ToffeeUp

If you were to pick only one second team for the World Cup, which would it be?

Brazil. Although if Italy were in it I would choose them.

How I wish the Republic of Ireland had made it. I guess I'll be keeping the closest eye on Germany, after England.

As far as i can tell, 8 Arsenal players will be at the World Cup, all playing for different nations. From the official website:

1. Mesut Ozil has been named in Germany’s 27-man preliminary squad and has a good record at major tournaments, scoring in World Cup and European Championship knockout rounds against Algeria and Italy respectively. Joachim Low’s reigning champions will face Mexico, South Korea and Sweden in Group F.

1. Danny Welbeck has been named in England’s confirmed 23-man squad for this summer’s tournament. Gareth Southgate’s side are in Group G and will face Belgium, Panama and Tunisia.

1. Mohamed Elneny has been listed in the preliminary squad for Egypt’s first World Cup in 28 years. Hector Cuper’s side will face Russia, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group A.

1. Alex Iwobi has been included in Nigeria’s 30-man preliminary squad, hoping to follow in his uncle Jay-Jay Okocha’s footsteps by representing his country at a World Cup. The Super Eagles are in Group D and will face Argentina, Croatia and Iceland.

1. David Ospina has been named in Colombia’s 35-man preliminary squad, having helped his country reach the World Cup quarter-finals four years ago in Brazil. Jose Pekerman’s side will face Japan, Poland and Senegal in Group H.

1. Nacho Monreal has been named in Spain's 23-man confirmed squad for the tournament in Russia, where they are in Group B and will face Portugal, Morocco and Iran.

1. Joel Campbell has been included in Costa Rica’s confirmed 23-man squad for the World Cup. The 25-year-old scored and assisted against Uruguay in Fortaleza four years ago and will face Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland this time around.

1. Granit Xhaka will be playing for Switzerland, against Joel Campbell.

I'll stick with Iceland, they are the underdog with a great chant and viking fans If RoI had qualified they would be my second team, I like their fighting spirit and they have Seamus Coleman.

Everton has only 3 players in Russia; Pickford (England), Sigurdsson (Iceland) and Gueye (Senegal)

Davies, Dowell and Kenny are in the U21 team for the Toulon tournament.

England U21 is taking on Mexico in the Toulon Tournament at 6.30pm tonight. It is shown live on Freesports tv channel. They won their first match 2-1 against China.