The World Cup 2018

[Alex]

See ya later Joe Hart

[Chris]

Horrendous squad apart from 2 players. Danny Welbeck must have something on a lot of people in football.

[Pablo]

Absolutely **** goalies.

No outstanding defenders. Walker probably the pick of them.

Average midfield group apart from Alli who's had a pretty poor season.

Harry Kane and Sterling are probably the only two who've been on top form all season in attack.

Even the standby list looks really weak.

Has there ever been a worse England squad for a major tournament?

[dom9]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44137979

Russia World Cup: Argentina 'flirting manual' panned


The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has been panned for including a chapter about "how to stand a chance with a Russian girl" in a manual it handed to journalists travelling to the World Cup in Russia.

It recommended that journalists "look clean, smell nice and dress well" in order to impress Russian "girls".

It also urged them to treat women as "something of worth".

The advice caused an outcry on social media and the AFA has since removed it.

The controversy comes just months after the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, saw the biggest women's march in Latin America with protesters decrying rampant sexism and demanding an end to violence against women.

'Don't ask stupid questions about sex'
Argentine journalist Nacho Catullo said he was among the dozens of reporters and football officials attending a free course on Russian language and culture held by the AFA for those travelling to the World Cup in Russia.

He tweeted photos of the chapter which started being shared and mocked on the internet as the course was still going on.

According to Catullo, officials then interrupted the course, collecting the manuals only to return them with the controversial pages torn out.

The advice is divided into eight sections and goes straight to the point.

"Because Russian women are beautiful, many men just want to sleep with them," it suggests high up.

"Maybe they want that too, but they are also persons who want to feel important and unique.

"Don't ask stupid questions about sex. For Russians, sex is something very private and not discussed in public."

'Take the initiative'
It also urges Argentine men to start preparing early: "Russian women like men who take the initiative, if you're not self-confident then you need to start practicing talking to women."

To those Argentine men still doubting themselves it offers encouragement: "Remember that many [Russian women] don't know much about your country, you're new and different, this is your advantage over Russian men."

Finally, it urges men to be choosey and to concentrate on those Russian women with whom they may stand a chance.

"Normally, Russian women care about the important things but of course you'll also find those who just care about material things, money or whether you're handsome, you name it. But don't worry, there are many beautiful women in Russia and not all are for you. Be selective!"

Sources in the AFA told local media that the controversial chapter had been lifted from a blog on the internet. It is not yet clear who decided to include it in the manual.

[Fosterbloke]

My team would be -


------------------- Pope

Walker --- Jones --- Maguire --- Delph

-------------------- Dier
--- Henderson ---------- Alli

Stirling --------- Kane ------ Rashford

[Irishnev]

Absolutely **** goalies.

No outstanding defenders. Walker probably the pick of them.

Average midfield group apart from Alli who's had a pretty poor season.

Harry Kane and Sterling are probably the only two who've been on top form all season in attack.

Even the standby list looks really weak.

Has there ever been a worse England squad for a major tournament?

I wish our 22 year old midfielders has a poor a season as Alli every year

Total 17/18: 50 Games 14 Goals 17 Assists

This was over 3790 mins so a goal or assist 122 mins

Context being in 16/17 he had:
50 Games 22 Goals 13 Assists

This was over 4014 mins so a goal or assist 115 mins

[red g]

this is the team journalists predicted back in 2014 after the last world cup.

[Shaggy]

This would be my team I think

[Kenneth]

Yeah, it's ****.

[Gray]

It really is a poo squad. So weak in midfield

[The_weatherman]

This would be my team I think

This isn't so bad really, Kane, Sterling and Alli are a very good front three, with Vardy and Rashford on the bench, I think this isn't as bad as you guys think.

Depends a bit on how much the manager can coax out of the team.

[RichC]

That back 3 and the keeper is muck and very limited in terms of creative quality from midfield.

I'd have taken Shelvey tbh

[The_weatherman]

That back 3 and the keeper is muck and very limited in terms of creative quality from midfield.

I'd have taken Shelvey tbh

There is little creativity granted, and the defence is suspect, and the keeper isn't very good, but aside from that, it's a decent little side

[bradsdad]

Cant believe he hasnt took Shelvey the way he has been playing

[Buzzo]

****ing hell

That is a weak England squad.

The tournament on tournament drop in quality is quite dramatic.

The midfield in particular looks really bad. Surely Jonjo should get in ahead of Loftus-Cheek?

Midfielders: Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Some of them cant even claim to have had all that amazing seasons (Wellbzzzz, Phil Jones, Rashford, Stones )

I hope Hendo gets the captaincy gig. If it goes to 'my ball' Kane then England are even more doomed.