Gribz

Anyone think Spain could be heading out tonight? Chile still need a point to guarantee qualification and to avoid Brazil in the next round. They are a decent side and could get a point against Spain. Switzerland should beat Honduras which would put the favourites out.

One of the things I was going to mention on my post was the ignorance of them sometimes when referring to anyone out of their own and Harry Redknapp struck my mind instantly.

Was thinking the same. France were just a mess and its the first world cup where I only recognised maybe 4 italian players. Normally in world cups past I could name at least 8 of their starting line up. Anyway Italy only reach the final every 12 years: 1982 - winners, 1994 - runners up, 2006 - winners....2018 - get a fiver on them finishing runners up!

Cant see this on any other football pages. Like UCB says it will be good to see him get a chance, its good a few clubs are offering managers a chance now. However you feel it could be down to Liverpools finances. Probably wouldnt be near there top 5 choices had they been in a position to play Champions League football and had better finances.

My good friend out here is English, she was wondering if I wanted England to win last night, I told her Id enjoy seeing them getting knocked out but id equally enjoy it if it was Semi finals, just as long as they dont win the thing. Its nothing to do with English direct, there is as much assholes in Scotland as there is in England. Its a form of racism to directly hate all english. Personally I think John Terry is a knob along with a few others, yet I like Steven Gerrard and 1 or 2 other players, so its a tricky one. Yes the media are beyond annoying but this year has been good in that they almost feel out when they all had them down as group winners before a ball was kicked. But I just couldnt stand seeing them winning the World Cup. That would be too much.

We still have to remember he is only 18. Plus at that age fitness shouldnt be a problem so the fact he is in early working on it means he should be firing on all cyclinder. This should be his break through season where he is on the edge or if not being in the first team every week. Id personally play him in behind the striker(s).

Harsh end to the tabel for Slovenia, they led for the first 2 games and end up going out. Thye were the better side for the first 15 mins then a silly hand ball gave England that break from which they scored. It was always going to be a game where whoever scored first would win. But they havent won the group that they were supposed to walk! And now they have Germany on Sunday night - what a game that should be.!!!

Yip, everyone is forgetting Slovenia have it all to play for, they need a draw to go through.

Nice odds being offered on Slovenia and the draw! Slovenia 6/1 Draw 10/3 England 4/9 0-0 is 8/1 and thats attractive as is 2-2 @ 20/1

The knockouts are a different thing altogether though. Thats where the likes of Germany and Italy are masters, they can go through even when playing poor. Thats if they get out their group first!!

I think we are pushing our luck to get another gem of a centre half. Plus as good as these players are its a pain in the ass knowing they are only using us as a stepping stone. We need a long term partnership at the back. I hope we keep Bougherra for 1 more year. We've more chance winning the league with him. If he still has 2 years left id rather keep him 1 year and sell him next summer for around 4 million. Bougherra and Webster are currently my first pick. I dont know what frame of mind Wilson will be in if he stays.

Yip looking forward to that one. Uruguay v South Korea is a good game for a dark horse to go further. My money is on Uruguay. As I mentioned last week its open for a Uruguay and Paraguay to cause an upset this year. And Chile look a good team aswell. France were worse than in 2002 when they didnt score a goal. Looking forward to England v Slovenia tonight, I can see it being a draw.

Thats about the same as I hope for, but a winger who plays BOTH sides is stretching your wishes there!! Still the possibility of getting Obertan on loan from Man Utd and Id take that for a season.

If we can hold onto Bougherra it would be superb and its likely Weir will have another 1 year deal. That would probably give us just enough in defence. We are fine for centre midfield and Fleck could be given a chance in an advanced attacking role playing behind strikers. But the width is non existant. Upfront numbers are ok but quality is poor. Miller and Lafferty would be my starting duo but the other 3 dont do anything for my confidence. There is no doubt we will add to this but just who and when is the question. Id say a player in each position is required.

Like the others if he left I wouldnt have lost sleep but what his this does is give cover all over the back four as he can play centre half and RB. Plus if we need cover at LB Whittaker can move over and Kirk covers Whittaker. But the lack of width in the squad is concerning. It means our most creative player (Davis) will once again be pushed out right when he should be are main man in the centre. And the likes of Naismith and Lafferty will be played wide also. Lafferty especially should play through the middle...as for Naismith I dont rate him at all.

Yeah the reason ai put money on was because while folding the 32 teams for a work sweep this bit of paper feel out twice and both times it was France so I had to have a bet. I read that some of their players were going to boycott the match tonight. They should have been going for at least a last 16 spot and now they are fighting with each other. Mexico and uruguay might be thinking lets play out a nice draw, but then again one of them gets Argentina in the next round while the other gets South Korea or Greece!! How good were Portugal last night BTW!!!

Typical arrogant French. They should be challanging to win the WC yet are having players sent home and not training. That manager should never have been in charge and shouldnt have annouced he was quitting. The only people the players have let down in themselves. They have to look back in 20 years time and say they failed at the WC. Plus I stuck 20 quid on them as an outsider :box:

I think our starting XI is capable to win the league but as Flying Hippopotamus says the likes of Miller or Davis get injured for a while then its all about who comes in and currently I dont think our squad is strong enough in depth or talent. Im not confident on Naismith coming in and bagging 7 or 8 goals in a run of games. There is no way our key players will play the full season without an injury or suspension. We also have a sheer lack of width and there is no natural winger at the club at all which is concerning.

And Hutton at RB at the same time!

Yip Im with Pete and Ian here. Keeping Bougherra gives us more chance of winning the SPL title and getting us into the CL giving us 10 million again - thats worth more than his wages or a 4 million fee. The club shouldnt accept a penny less than 9 million for me.

Yip take that 3 countires as a pinch of Salt from McCoist. Even Motherwell could sign New Zealand players. Im hoping we are looking more at Bougherra's team mates, the Slovakian's and Slovenian's. Algeria impressed me against England and Slovenia have impressed me in both their games.

Nice 130 quid win from the Ghana Australia game. Stuck 20 quid on it to be 1-1. Good 2nd goal from the Danes. Sets up their last match against Japan nicely. The Dutch are through without getting out of 2nd gear.

Im not sure what commentators ive got here, they must work for bizarre places but they are English. In the last game they guy said...(talking about Japan player) he has scored 4 in the last 7..how England could be done with some of his goals - EH?? Is he going to sign for England like??!!!

Football across the world should start to take this stance. Get the clubs back in control of the players rather than the agents and players being in control of wages and contracts. Managers can still get sacked, I dont see why players cant. I wonder how long it will be before managers contracts become like players.

TBH I think this is good SPL clubs raising the price tags. For too long players have been bought for less than the European market value because they play in a certain league. I think clubs should stand there ground on this as its making the SPL go backwards. Players have a contract...if the buying club doesnt pay the asking fee then let the player rot in the U12s for 3 years then see what he does after that. McAvennie's love child isnt worth 12 million, but he is certain a player in the 4-6 million bracket considering others down south.