The World Cup

[LBA_Blade]

Yes we’ve established you’ve read and understood the laws of the game as you insist we call them. But you’ve clearly never played the game at any standard let alone a decent one, so you clearly just don’t understand the game.

But good luck with your refereeing career, I’m sure you’ll piss off many players with your arrogant approach and constantly regurgitating the laws without understanding the game.

Nailed on... Exactly what they are called

Never said I played the game at any standard at any point.....and will openly admit I won't even try, but I do know about key positioning, I was part of the academy refereeing set-up at Leeds United for their U12s-U16s that including talks from coaches such as Gus Poyet and then also our SUFC academy at U15/16s. You don't need to have played the game to work out where the ball is likely to drop and who is picking out who etc naturally the higher the level, the more talent there is, rather than the long punt up front, you start to see at U13s academy level how they start understanding triangle based passing with crisp speed and accuracy and it is easy to watch and referee. after that I progressed up the semi-pro point, for me I enjoy the level where I am at and have done U18's academy's along with very early rounds of the FA Cup and Vase. Alongside being an assistant in semi-pro and refereeing leagues just below.

"piss off many players with your arrogant approach"
That is obviously my number one aim going into every game, I want mass confrontation from the 30 odd players and coaches along with a few hundred "fans" in the stands. Anyone can "regurgitate the laws" in a regimented fashion but it's knowing when to apply the Laws of the game, how to man-manage players that makes that game of football happen. Regardless if it is Supply league or youth sides, without being too cliché they wouldn't happen without the men and women in the middle.

 

[Inter_blade83]

Fair comment about GSTK.

I always think it’s a shame that the best two national anthems, by far, are wasted on the French and Welsh

The Italian one says hi

 

[Sean Thornton]

The Italian one says hi

Nah. Like comparing Peters and Lee to Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.

 

[dexter101]

Come on Curacao, come on our number 1 choice right midfield...

 

[Valleyblade]

my experience at the world cup game in boston was great.

A huge stadium, I was in the top deck, but very close to the touchline considering. Good view.

It was like a huge stadium with a massive carpark around it, in the middle of a forest, with a bit of meadowhall stuck to one end of it, with plenty of bars (we paid 40 dollars for 2 cans of stella)

England were a bit shit and a ground with no roof especially in the rain lacked a bit of atmosphere for me. Brilliant build up in the pissing rain in boston.

The boston people I met were totally enamoured with the tartan army. England fans were singing quite a lot of anti scotland songs. Understandable really.

The boston / scotland love in is a bit nauseating. They're like the pigs.

Oh what a wonderful fan base...considering how utterly shit and irrelevant their team is.

Lastly, on the way back from the match on the overpriced compulsory train, some yank "England" fans were playing "name the nickname of English teams"

They got it mostly right, the Latics, the chair boys, the canaries....

Then "sheffield" came up. The blades was the answer. Correct.

I had to interject.

There's two teams from Sheffield. The blades are sheffield united. Do you know the other team?

No. Sheffield Wednesday, I said.

Never heard of them! The owls. ..no

HahaahA

I mean, take that in.

They knew Wycombe wanderers and Wigan.

 

[Whitby-Blade]

Unreal from Iliman.

 

[mattbianco1]

I miss him

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Sadly becoming apparent that Tuchel got his squad selection wrong. The inevitable injuries to Reece James and Livramemto have happened and there isn't adequate back up.

It's sounding like Wharton and possibly even Rice are out. The understudy for one of those positions is Henderson.

And against a low block, our only attacking options were flying wingers with no space to fly into. Cole Palmer left at home..

He was bold... but it's not looking a wise gamble.

 

[wavy-blade]

 

[nopigfansintown]

Sadly becoming apparent that Tuchel got his squad selection wrong. The inevitable injuries to Reece James and Livramemto have happened and there isn't adequate back up.

It's sounding like Wharton and possibly even Rice are out. The understudy for one of those positions is Henderson.

And against a low block, our only attacking options were flying wingers with no space to fly into. Cole Palmer left at home..

He was bold... but it's not looking a wise gamble.

Also Stones rested as he's made out of biscuits. And Saka is obviously carrying an achilles problem he had before the start of the tournament. He's left almost all the better ball players at home (Maguire, Wharton, Palmer, TAA, Foden, MGW). Hopefully it works in the knockouts when teams have a go at us.

 

[CrookesBlade]

my experience at the world cup game in boston was great.

A huge stadium, I was in the top deck, but very close to the touchline considering. Good view.

It was like a huge stadium with a massive carpark around it, in the middle of a forest, with a bit of meadowhall stuck to one end of it, with plenty of bars (we paid 40 dollars for 2 cans of stella)

England were a bit shit and a ground with no roof especially in the rain lacked a bit of atmosphere for me. Brilliant build up in the pissing rain in boston.

The boston people I met were totally enamoured with the tartan army. England fans were singing quite a lot of anti scotland songs. Understandable really.

The boston / scotland love in is a bit nauseating. They're like the pigs.

Oh what a wonderful fan base...considering how utterly shit and irrelevant their team is.

Lastly, on the way back from the match on the overpriced compulsory train, some yank "England" fans were playing "name the nickname of English teams"

They got it mostly right, the Latics, the chair boys, the canaries....

Then "sheffield" came up. The blades was the answer. Correct.

I had to interject.

There's two teams from Sheffield. The blades are sheffield united. Do you know the other team?

No. Sheffield Wednesday, I said.

Never heard of them! The owls. ..no

HahaahA

I mean, take that in.

They knew Wycombe wanderers and Wigan.

Out of interest how did you manage to get tickets?

Do you travel with England regularly or was there a ballot or summat?

I’ve always assumed it’s virtually impossible to get tickets for these games unless you drop lucky with somebody selling them on or you get lucky in a draw.

 

[Guesty]

Sadly becoming apparent that Tuchel got his squad selection wrong. The inevitable injuries to Reece James and Livramemto have happened and there isn't adequate back up.

It's sounding like Wharton and possibly even Rice are out. The understudy for one of those positions is Henderson.

And against a low block, our only attacking options were flying wingers with no space to fly into. Cole Palmer left at home..

He was bold... but it's not looking a wise gamble.

Anderson, not Wharton - he was stupid enough not to even select Wharton!

 

[ATL Recs]

my experience at the world cup game in boston was great.

A huge stadium, I was in the top deck, but very close to the touchline considering. Good view.

It was like a huge stadium with a massive carpark around it, in the middle of a forest, with a bit of meadowhall stuck to one end of it, with plenty of bars (we paid 40 dollars for 2 cans of stella)

England were a bit shit and a ground with no roof especially in the rain lacked a bit of atmosphere for me. Brilliant build up in the pissing rain in boston.

The boston people I met were totally enamoured with the tartan army. England fans were singing quite a lot of anti scotland songs. Understandable really.

The boston / scotland love in is a bit nauseating. They're like the pigs.

Oh what a wonderful fan base...considering how utterly shit and irrelevant their team is.

Lastly, on the way back from the match on the overpriced compulsory train, some yank "England" fans were playing "name the nickname of English teams"

They got it mostly right, the Latics, the chair boys, the canaries....

Then "sheffield" came up. The blades was the answer. Correct.

I had to interject.

There's two teams from Sheffield. The blades are sheffield united. Do you know the other team?

No. Sheffield Wednesday, I said.

Never heard of them! The owls. ..no

HahaahA

I mean, take that in.

They knew Wycombe wanderers and Wigan.

Your being harsh on Scotland’s fans to compare them to that deludamol expecting gone wrong
Ask a Scot about their team and their more
honest crap build your hopes then let you down glass half empty tues more akin to us than them

 

[Nick Jansky]

Your being harsh on Scotland’s fans to compare them to that deludamol expecting gone wrong
Ask a Scot about their team and their more
honest crap build your hopes then let you down glass half empty tues more akin to us than them

I would definitely prefer to be in the company of a large number of Scotland fans rather than England fans.

 

[Kenilworth]

I would definitely prefer to be in the company of a large number of Scotland fans rather than England fans.

Does that hold true if all those England fans were Blades, too?

 

[Tony Currie]

Got to say that all this England hype is absolutely crazy. We are poorer than all the teams below so the route to the final is mute.

• Argentina
• France
• Brazil
• Germany
• Norway
• Spain
• Belgium

 

[ATL Recs]

Got to say that all this England hype is absolutely crazy. We are poorer than all the teams below so the route to the final is mute.

• Argentina
• France
• Brazil
• Germany
• Norway
• Spain
• Belgium

Can you add Holland and Japan to that list and maybe even USA we are technically as a team inferior not the managers fault it’s our PL for having the best players from across the world and making it a cash cow
Put this England team in the PL they wouldnt finish top six

 

[ATL Recs]

Also Stones rested as he's made out of biscuits. And Saka is obviously carrying an achilles problem he had before the start of the tournament. He's left almost all the better ball players at home (Maguire, Wharton, Palmer, TAA, Foden, MGW). Hopefully it works in the knockouts when teams have a go at us.

Who’d pick Foden and Palmer after the season they’ve only one for me is MGW

 

[Nick Jansky]

Does that hold true if all those England fans were Blades, too?

Based on life experiences, yes.

 

[YES Blade]

Got to say that all this England hype is absolutely crazy. We are poorer than all the teams below so the route to the final is mute.

• Argentina
• France
• Brazil
• Germany
• Norway
• Spain
• Belgium

Belgium? I guess you were impressed by their draws with the mighty Egypt and Iran?

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Who’d pick Foden and Palmer after the season they’ve only one for me is MGW

But even then, MGW wouldn't be starting. He's a good player but I don't think he's a difference maker at International level.

Cole Palmer is the one I would have brought. At his very best, he is a world class playmaker capable of big moments.
He's out of form, yes - but England is a different environment and some players thrive on the big stage (he is one of them).

The full back debacle is all on Tuchel. He's made some poor decisions there.

Broadly agree with the list above. I was very optimistic after Croatia but we've been very poor since. It's difficult to see how this team beats Brazil & Argentina to get to a final, the defence is all over the shop and our wingers aren't offering enough in attacking situations.

 

[SwissBlade]

I would definitely prefer to be in the company of a large number of Scotland fans rather than England fans.

Interesting to know why? Have you travelled with England? Watched England home games at Wembley or other grounds in England? Same with Scotland?

 

[Nick Jansky]

Interesting to know why? Have you travelled with England? Watched England home games at Wembley or other grounds in England? Same with Scotland?

I’ve been to quite a few England games and dislike the atmosphere, but it’s more than just that. I thoroughly dislike being in the proximity of the toxic combination of large groups of nationalistic English men with alcohol involved. I’ve seen enough over the decades in various parts of Europe and at home to prefer to keep my distance, including holiday choices.

 

[Yoonitedite]

Unreal from Iliman.

View attachment 239365

How he has featured so little in a team lacking his ability to dribble with the ball, glide past defenders and find the net is criminal.
Prefer him more central than on either wing.
He's a joy to watch.

 

[SwissBlade]

I’ve been to quite a few England games and dislike the atmosphere, but it’s more than just that. I thoroughly dislike being in the proximity of the toxic combination of large groups of nationalistic English men with alcohol involved. I’ve seen enough over the decades in various parts of Europe and at home to prefer to keep my distance, including holiday choices.

And presumably you’ve been with Scottish as well?

 

[Gin&Juice]

Interesting to know why? Have you travelled with England? Watched England home games at Wembley or other grounds in England? Same with Scotland?

Travelled before, I’d say 99% are just your typical football supporter. Like a beer, support their team and genuinely behave. There’s always a bunch of knuckle draggers. Police, as I saw in Germany, can be seen to be heavy handed and look for a reaction. My main gripe is the chants are ridiculously shit and that band can do one, sick of hearing the great escape theme 5 times in a match.

 

[YES Blade]

I’ve been to quite a few England games and dislike the atmosphere, but it’s more than just that. I thoroughly dislike being in the proximity of the toxic combination of large groups of nationalistic English men with alcohol involved. I’ve seen enough over the decades in various parts of Europe and at home to prefer to keep my distance, including holiday choices.

My experience with England is that it depends on the location, Germany, Holland etc. basically the stag do type locations will attracts the cunts. Outside of that, it’s generally fine and I’d imagine this tournament would be fine.

Personally when I’ve been, I try to avoid the areas where the flags are up and there is a large gathering of English. Why would I want to travel to another country and do something I can easily do at home? But everyone’s different.

 

[YES Blade]

And presumably you’ve been with Scottish as well?

They’ll be no different to the majority of England fans at this tournament. I think they just need to be seen to living up to “No Scotland No Party” because it’s all that they have really, they definitely can’t brag about the team!

Let’s face it, if the Euros and now World Cup hadn’t been expanded, there is a fair chance they’d still be waiting for a tournament qualification.

 

[Nick Jansky]

They’ll be no different to the majority of England fans at this tournament. I think they just need to be seen to living up to “No Scotland No Party” because it’s all that they have really, they definitely can’t brag about the team!

Let’s face it, if the Euros and now World Cup hadn’t been expanded, there is a fair chance they’d still be waiting for a tournament qualification.

Given the size of the population of the country they probably can brag about the team.

 

[Nick Jansky]

And presumably you’ve been with Scottish as well?

Yes, on numerous occasions. I’ve posted on here before about the marked differences between the atmospheres at English and Scottish games. Similarly with holiday experiences. A generalisation, but Scottish people do seem to be more genial drunks, there’s never the same feeling that something’s going to kick off.