World Cup Build Up Thread

[Royalclapper]

Would have thought your best bet is probably a giveaway one with the weekend newspapers around the 7th/8th. Sure to have wall charts included with all the WC stuff from at least one of them.

Guardian football tournament supplements have been good for the lolz in the past - usually a booklet type guide.

[Royalclapper]

France look like being the most similar (squad wise) to England.

Bit surprised Samir Nasri doesn't look like being included by Deschamps in the France squad. You could well imagine him being a bit of brat, it's still brave to leave him out you'd have thought.

France's squad doesn't look that bad at first glance, bit light in defence like England, midfield and attack look reasonable (except Giroud of course). Suppose (also like England) they'll be hoping their promising but less experienced players might come good like Pogba from Juve.

[TBM]

attack look reasonable (except Giroud of course)

[Royalclapper]

attack look reasonable (except Giroud of course)

Hasn't looked especially good to me this season for Arsenal, certainly doesn't appear to be a leading International standard centre forward. Mind you, given the joke of a group France have got he might end up notching a couple.

[TBM]

attack look reasonable (except Giroud of course)

Hasn't looked especially good to me this season for Arsenal

[Wax Jacket]

Bit surprised Samir Nasri doesn't look like being included by Deschamps in the France squad. You could well imagine him being a bit of brat, it's still brave to leave him out you'd have thought.

bearing in mind what happened at the last WC who can blame DD for wanting to play it safe character-wise

[soggy biscuit]

Van der Vaart out through injury

[soggy biscuit]

The US has officially thrown in the towel before play begins. Ending up in the official Group of Death with Germany, Portugal and Ghana, Klinsmann has decided not to include Landon Donovan as part of his 23 man roster opting to go with Bayern Munich's 18 year-old Germerican Julian Green. If there is anyone at the US's disposal to turn to to have an impact on a game it is Donovan, even though he is 32. I guess in Klinsmann's thinking it is better to get the young guys in there to gain experience in how to take a proper beating by the world's football superpowers every 4 years than to actually give it a go in this tournament. To be fair I don't see the US finishing anywhere but at the bottom of the group, with or without Donovan, and they might be lucky just to get a solitary point. This team's form is poor as it is and their world ranking of 13th doesn't flatter it represents absurdist humor. It will probably rival how epically poor we were in 2006 in Germany. FIFA usually never does us any favors though even being put in the same group as England in the previous World Cup notwithstanding.

I guess I will have to pull for Italy and England this go round.

[Brum Royal]

World Cup qualifying gaffes video on the BBC website. Some LOLzworthy moments here, I particularly enjoyed the corner flag one.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27393848

[Sanguine]

lol

Asda release a 'wearable' England flag that looks unfortunately like something else.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... utfit.html

[Silver Fox]

A dunce cap?

[TBM]

lol

Asda release a 'wearable' England flag that looks unfortunately like something else.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... utfit.html

[Royalclapper]

Wall Chart Predictor Game from The Telegraph is worth a bash if you're into that sort of thing:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -Game.html

[soggy biscuit]

Lee Nelson



lolz

[Brum Royal]

Montilivo out of the Italy squad after breaking his leg after an Alex Pearce challenge

"Viva Alex Pearce..."

[USA_Loyal_Royal]

germany squad looking solid! although they will have to put in better performances than they did against, admittedly, a fantastic cameroon side. the passing was horrendous and they were nowhere near clinical enough. they should have put away 3 in the first 20 minutes.

[stealthpapes]

Lee Nelson



lolz

I think someone's photoshopped that?

[TBM]

Why you say that?

Your pic is just a couple of seconds later

[TBM]

A team Spain could put out, of players that didn't make the final 23

[Mr.Swainey]

The Italian commentary is phenomenal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXv0Rr2Mthg

That Italy team was special; a thoroughly enjoyable team to watch and arguably one of the best international sides ever. Buffon, Cannavaro, Pirlo, Totti, Zambrotta, Perrotta, Del Piero, Gattuso - some fantastic players.