buster.

Argentina as a team have been relatively poor for a while and last night wasn't a huge surprise. Had a flutter on Croatia or draw 3/4 + England to chase down 310 (cricket/in-play) 8/15 which will help the weekend flow. I watched them get spanked 6-1 by Spain in the springtime (Messi and Aguero didn't play). They were never going to be contenders this summer. Some decent Individuals but not a team.

They weren't solid enough to avoid an equalising goal, nor dynamic enough to break down a defence and win a game.......and Neymar isn't a team player, period. Today, they should have a relatively straight-forward 3 points but the Serbia game will be a better test.

Just saw part of the 1st half between France and Peru. France look like a team who aren't far away from clicking into a higher and going forward, formidable gear. Pogba goes from the unforced error to the sublime very quickly but his version of the latter can change a game. Then you look at the rest of the attacking talent

IIRC there has been speculation on a 4-3-3 and a 3-4-3 given what SG did at his Liverpool under 18s job. I was just thinking that if we were to go two up top, we'd need four in the squad. We currently have Morelos and Hardie with the former not certain to be with us come September.

Given the lack of forwards we have in the current squad and the seeming lack of urgency to recruit them, I doubt we'll be looking to play two up come the game at Aberdeen.

As it stands................................................... McGregor Tav - Goldson - Katic - John McCrorie - Jack Candeias - Windass - Murphy Morelos .

I'll never post again

Very sad news and he'll be missed but he lived the dream and had a full life.

Of course

Just to tidy up..... The Real Ronaldo of Brazil scored 15 Pele scored 12 In 1954, Sándor Kocsis of Hungary scored 11 in only 5 games and just as Fontaine would go on to do, he scored 4 in a match against West Germany. Aside: (In the 54 WC my uncle played for Scotland /don't mention the results)

1958: 13 goals in 6 matches (including 4 goals in 3rd place match against West Germany) .

Talking of wondering about ever predicting a correct scoreline, has Bill been lifted by the bizzies ?

Tell the 4LHAD gent that a Gersnet slot requires/merits an 'exclusive'.

No, he wasn't but I was going for double figures. 16 Klose 14 Gerd Muller 11 Klinsman 10 Thomas Mueller 9 Rummenigge Of the seven players to score 11 WC goals or more, three are German (listed above). That will become 4 of 8 if Thomas Mueller gets a goal this summer. Quiz (no google) Who are the other 4 ? (of top seven) .

I only go as far back as watching Muller in 1974. Lad could play, couldn't score at Ibrox in 72 though !

Uruguay and Portugal are the two teams in the group of aspiring hopefuls that play a tactical... 'do enough but not a smidgen more than necessary'...type of game that makes you want to go and paint the conservatory. Iran played 6 at the back and were masters of wasting time until they lost a goal. Has to be better today, the Croatia v Argentina game has quality and an edge to it that football fans will want to see.

Yes and yes. If you take the players coming in together, you don't want evident gambles in too many of them, maybe one or two. Last season there were too many and it compounds the risk on top of an inexperienced manager. Bottomline is that we have to trust the manager but he has to be careful to try and ensure that a transfer window solves more problems than it creates. Hopefully, the football operation as a whole are able to minimise risk with facts whilst the messageboards use crystal balls.

Germany have always tended to have a player who would regularly score goals at the WC. Gerd Muller, Klose, Klinsman, Thomas Mueller (TM) I'm not sure Werner is at that level and maybe it's due to the role but TM isn't knocking them in as he was did. England have Harry Kane which elevates their chances considerably.

Yes, but if there was a study done over the last 30 years that was able to measure the performance of a medical department / number of games missed / etc.....I reckon we'd be near the bottom of any table. Prodan was perhaps the best and worst example of throwing money at a problem / unprofessional approach. I think it boils down to the club not being run with an optimun level of professionalism that it should be. Back in the day, as long as we were winning (domestically), it was deemed ok. Listen to the Simon Ferry intrerview of Ian Durrant and Derek Ferguson, re. fitness levels.

I never have much faith in the old 'rigorous medical' line. On the two high profile occasions I can recall such medicals stopping a deal from going through, both players involved went on to score a barrel load of goals, ie. Tamudo and Hartson......whilst those with the bodies who would keep our medics busy tended to get through the 'rigorous medical'.

You can't help but feel that this WC is up for grabs to a wider potential spread of possible winners than has been the norm. Early days but none of the pre-tournament favourites have shown up well. Spain are vulnerable at the back and aren't as fluid middle to front as they were when winning tournaments. Only one game but...... Argentina just aren't good enough. Something doesn't seem to be quite right with Germany. Brazil looked mediocre. For those three, we'll see how they react to the pressure in their 2nd game. Note. I didn't see any of the French game.

Open dissent like this should see a yellow card and at least 3 points docked

A Thai cockroach and a British crazy horse are running away with it Is there a polo shirt that can fit ?

Game which I take to be the Final against FC Slovacko starts at around 18 minutes in