Woodsyla

Just been chatting with a colleague and we were wondering why the opening game of this World Cup is the hosts and not the Champions. Going back 4 years to Japan it was France v Senegal, 8 years back to France I can't remember. Germany v Paraguay in USA and Argentina v Nigeria in Italy. Why is Germany the opening game this time round rather than Brazil ?

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Is that the Cheltenham captain (sorry not big on the names). If that's the fella then I thought he had a decent game, reminded me a bit of Stuart McCall in his Everton days (maybe that was his hair though). Tenacious, didn't give the ball away, good player at that level. One o the Grimsby fella's impressed me as well, bald lad, didn't stop running for the 90 mins and was at the heart of their best moves.

I'd have watched it, don't trust these new fangled gadgets meself

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Born in Clatterbridge, lived in the Port then moved away before returning to go to secondary school in Liverpool (boarder). So, bit of both really, my Uncle and Aunt and a load of my mates follow Tranmere so I have a soft spot for them. Did you notice for the first goal kicks every player was on the same side of the pitch and with a 20yd area, it was like being back at school As you say, once they sussed the space was there the quick players started to exploit he gaps and it was entertaining if not quality. The worst failing I noticed was despite the fact that both defences hoofed the ball out at every available opportunity all defensive headers seemed to drop about 20yds out to the opposition. Very very poor heading ability all round I thought. Stonewall, it was right in front of me, leg across the man nowhere near the ball.

I think France are tremendous value at 14-1, so they have a really really tough run to the final, so what so does everyone. Them or Brazil will win it for me so I'd back France.

I think we've done alright getting £3m for him. He's not settled, we wont get any improvement from him to increase his valeue and he isn't getting any younger so £3m seems about right. Good luck El Moro

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It won't guaranetee you success but it gives you a damn site better chance. Would Utd have won all those titles in the 90's if they hand't spent spent spent ? You have a better chance of recovery from your bad buys if you have more money. 10,000 more seats is roughly £6m a season more. That allows you one Veron every 5 years or a Kleberson a year. Managers make mistakes, more transfer cash means that those mistakes are less critical.

You sir are a no nothing idiot, but then I guess you already knew that

I must have missed the game when he started at RB and LB then, drifting to LM doesn't really count. Striker, Gerrard started a game as striker !!!!

I prefer to read it as it is, fans setting up their own team after getting disenchanted, if the truth is murkier it would be a pity On the plus side though how many seasons before AFC Wimbledon catch up with the MK Dons

Could this be the finest leaving present of all from Paco ?

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No he hasn't he's played RM, CM and RB (and that was in an emergency), Keane has started for Utd at CB, CM and played RM for Forest. Equally versatile I'd say.

My way of doing it would be to utilise the existing yellow card banning system. After the game the ref would watch the game and mark down EVERY instance that he considers a dive. All those players would then receive a retrospective yellow card. If a player therefore dives in 5 successive games he will get a 1 match ban, if you have a team full of cheats (cough Chelsea) then you could well lose 4 or 5 players at the same time. That IMO would at least reduce the blatent diving. P.S. Even if the ref got it wrong on the day and gave a penalty he can book the player after the fact if he felt he's been hoodwinked.

They did the f***ing treble I don't care how lucky they were circa 99 Keane was just about the most complete midfielder in Europe. The way he dragged Utd back from the brink in the semi final despite the fact he knew he would miss the final was , dare I say it, Gerrard-esque. Keane was a great great player and he played for them. Get over it. You can't compare Gerrard and Keane because they don't do the same job. One COULD argue that Keane was more versatile because he started as an attacking goal scoring midfielder at Forest and converted into the best holding midfielder in Europe. The only player in his class this decade has been Vieira. Gerrard is a very different player but both were/are the best in their position. P.S. I talk about Keane in the past tense because IMO he's been finished for about 4 years, that is why it is unfair to compare the player now to the box to box player who dominated games for Utd.

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I don't get this, I've got no problem with EITHER AFC Wimbledon or FC United fans, both feel they have been sold down the river by their club and both are real match going fans the majority of who have stopped going to see the 'real' version of the side. They should be f***ing applauded in my opinion. Thankfully MK b*****d Dons are going down the tubes but unfortunately Man U never will, anyonewho defects from that 'brand' on principle I've got no problem with. That's £14000 a match, it's not exactly coining it in is it ? Their manifesto : 'The Manifesto: Who We Are and What We Mean FC United of Manchester is a new football club founded by disaffected and disenfranchised Manchester United supporters. Our aim is to create a sustainable club for the long term which is owned and democratically run by its members, which is accessible to all the communities of Manchester and one in which they can participate fully.' Money grabbing b******s P.S. Karen Turner paid a heartfelt thanks to all the FC United and Telford United fans who attended the Bucks Head Stadium on Saturday to raise money and awareness for her husband Jamie. More than £6,000 was raised on the day as 1,359 people turned out to support the family who?s lives have been turned upside-down since the father of two was attacked before the Southampton ? Manchester United fixture a year ago.

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Apparently the rules state that the ref CANNOT send off the player as he has NOT denied a goal scoring opportunity. He can book him, however, and should do for a professional foul. Similar to the booking an outfield player gets when he deliberately trips an opponent.