The World Cup 2018

[Fosterbloke]

Greece is the worst playing team to ever win anything I reckon. What a borefest of a team that was!

Man Utd won the Europa

[McDermotX]

Still can't get over Greece winning the Euros over Czech Republic... I always like an underdog story, but **** me how negative, lucky and just plain ****e were they??? The Czechs were playing the best football in the tournament by far, some great players in the team, just lost Nedved in a key moment and then that cunt Dellas, who couldn't play a decent club game to save his life, scores a golden set-piece header... I remember I was so heartbroken and I have absolutely no affiliation to either team.

Greece is the worst playing team to ever win anything I reckon. What a borefest of a team that was!

I'll not have a bad word said against those Greek lads.

Won me the money pool that tournament in work in the face of much slagging. Great bunch of lads.

[Darkon]

Man Utd won the Europa

They did, and were not even close to the Greek snoozefest of a team.

[Darkon]

I'll not have a bad word said against those Greek lads.

Won me the money pool that tournament in work in the face of much slagging. Great bunch of lads.

Spoken as a true capitalist. As long as you get rich, it doesn't matter what get's lost in the way, or how many it hurts

[Buzzo]

Couple injuries and they could find themselves looking soft in specialised CM functions, but I suppose that's what a standby list is for anyway. It's probably fair to say, France may line up to go for the throat in most of their games.

Isn't the standby list only for injuries in the build up?

Once the tournament starts you are stuck with your 23.

[Alex]

I think you can bring someone in during the tournament too? As long as its a legit injury

[Buzzo]

I don't think so, but cant find anything to back it up. The standby list is to ensure that if you have an injury in the friendlies you have someone still training to draft in.

Otherwise, they may as well make it a 28 man squad?

Once the 23 squad numbers are decided thats it.

[McDermotX]

Spoken as a true capitalist. As long as you get rich, it doesn't matter what get's lost in the way, or how many it hurts

Isn't the standby list only for injuries in the build up?

Once the tournament starts you are stuck with your 23.

That was my understanding, but I can't be arsed to check it out. There's a little time after the team meet up for friendlies etc, but I think it does be set in stone well before the kick off. Might be some grace for a keeper injury ala Escape to Victory.

Edit - bored so found 4th June as the final day for the 23 selection. That's probably a week after the team's settle into their training camps.
Can't find any exemption thing, but replacements can be made at any point until 24 hours before each team's first World Cup game.

[Shaggy]

France's squad is nuts, insane list of players they've left out.

And Ruben Neves didn't make the Portugal squad

[red g]

Not that I'm suggesting that England have a hope in hell, but was there any sense of things falling into place for Leicester, Greece or Denmark before their surprise success?

Its a cup competition and there are 5 clear favourites in Germany, France, Spain, Brazil and Argentina who will knock each other out along the way. We should be getting to the quarters and then who knows.

the fact that Leicester were 5000/1, Greece and Denmark 250/1 and we are only 16/1 says we have a better chance than them

I just can't see Southgate inspiring anything, his half time team talks must be about as riveting as a Giggs one!

[Darkon]

France's squad is nuts, insane list of players they've left out.

And Ruben Neves didn't make the Portugal squad

How many Championship players do you expect to make a big nations WC squad? I think it's just about right he doesn't make it, have made a fairly unambitious career move in short sight - although it might help him in the long run.

[Shaggy]

Well he's a Premier League player now and he started their last game.

[Darkon]

Well he's a Premier League player now and he started their last game.

I withdraw my comment

[Zapater]

I'm shocked that France didn't select Kondogbia. He's been outstanding this season. There are a few similar players to him, but I don't believe that they're as good or in better form. Fantastic player now that he's gotten his career back on track after rotting at Inter. Probably more a player for Spain and England than Italy.

[Maxiedge]

It's a sad day for English national football when the comparison of hope is Greece and Denmark

I think relatively, if you compare our squad to France, Germany and Spain, we could be classed as the Denmark of the tournament