The ONLY World Cup thread (merged)

[nut flush gooner]

How bloody great is it to start enjoying football again what with us no longer having to deal with the Wenger nightmare and actually knowing we have a modern, ambitious manager about to take over.

I think the Argies will nick it. Messi to come to the fore finally and end all arguments regarding the greatest ever footballer to have existed.

Belgium may have a great squad but don't seem to click in the big tournaments.

Of our players I actually see Elneny having the best World Cup. I reckon he and the rest of the Egypt team will go quite far in the tournament and be the surprise package, led by Salah of course.

I don't understand the admiration of Elneny, he is a poor mans Kante. Another cut price Wenger recruit that will pale into insignificance. in comparison with the great Arsenal midfielders in years gone by.

[flash gunner]

How bloody great is it to start enjoying football again what with us no longer having to deal with the Wenger nightmare and actually knowing we have a modern, ambitious manager about to take over.

I think the Argies will nick it. Messi to come to the fore finally and end all arguments regarding the greatest ever footballer to have existed.

Belgium may have a great squad but don't seem to click in the big tournaments.

Of our players I actually see Elneny having the best World Cup. I reckon he and the rest of the Egypt team will go quite far in the tournament and be the surprise package, led by Salah of course.

I don't understand the admiration of Elneny, he is a poor mans Kante. Another cut price Wenger recruit that will pale into insignificance. in comparison with the great Arsenal midfielders in years gone by.

Best of a bad lot maybe

[1989]

I don't mind Elneny. Decent squad player and always gives 100%.

[Gunner Rob]

i used to get more excited about the World Cup but the whole thing is far too bloated these days (when it goes to 48 teams it will be a very poor version of what it used to be)

Look at some of the matches - first full day we have Morocco v Iran, the first Saturday night will be Croatia v Nigeria

it doesnt help that matches all have to kick off at different times, but anyway no doubt I will end up watching quite a bit of it

[supergeorgegraham]

I love the World Cup. Seeing all the birds from around the world and non stop football every day watched with a cold can of Heineken there is only joy apart from England being shit but I'm used to that now.

[SydneyGooner]

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/fabrega ... c0uevwyprk

That team of Spanish rejects would make it to the semis at least.

Outrageous wealth of options. Hard to believe Fabregas with 110 caps for Spain didn't get called up.

[SydneyGooner]

Also realised Bellerin isn't there.

[clockender1]

that's a terrible decision by Southgate to make Kane captain.

I wish England would stop making their 'best player' Captain.

a captain should be a centre back or defensive midfielder, someone to shout, organize and encourage the team to defend as a team and attack from the back forwards.

this 'leadership through presence' stuff is bollocks - you don't see Real Madrid making Ronaldo captain do you. its nuts

[Nos89]

The squads have been announced and it looks like it will be an enjoyable competition. I've done my predictor and I've got Brazil v Spain final. Although, seeing the Spain squad I'm not so sure now so changing it to Germany.
Colombia are dark horses as they were last time but they're better than they were four years ago. If Russia get beyond the group stage then there is something going on in the behind the scenes.
France are stronger now that Koscielny isn't going.
Belgium should absolutely walk it to the final given they've got the strongest squad, but, most of their players have played a full season and will be knackered by the knockout stage, and run out of steam when they face Brazil in the quarter final.
Whilst Egypt have Mo Salah, they also have Elneny to counteract anything Salah does.
I've got Brazil to win, if they don't I still think the winner will come from South America.

Ffs how many world cup threads do you need to start mate. I'm merging both of your threads into one world cup thread. Keep all the WC stuff in it. Any new ones get deleted.

What do mean, I thought the Lacazette one was about Lacazette, and the other about lack of Arsenal players going to the world cup. I was starting one about the world cup in general not about Arsenal. Anyway, haven't you got some GDPR to be getting on with?

[SteveO 35]

He's absolute dog shit so no surprise for me whatsoever. We let a better French striker leave for Chelsea for £19m. He was ahead of him in the pecking order before we signed Lackingzest and he's gone several notches up since then

Perhaps when he's naval gazing over the Summer someone can teach him what "putting in a shift" means but he's a lazy, bone idle fucker most times I've seen him. Another overrated piece of dump that will haunt us from Inspector Clueless's wrecking ball regime

Spot on stevo!! I reckon he has Ingerlish ancestry!

Sorry cannot agree with this. Look at this list of premier league strikers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/pr ... op-scorers

Laca is one goal behind Firmino, who a lot of pundits/fans have been creaming themselves over this season.

Then look at 2015, when Giroud was supposedly in his prime :

http://www.worldfootball.net/goalgetter ... 2015-2016/

So a first choice striker established in the team scored 16 goals, versus laca's 14 this season, including 5 weeks out through injury and being dropped quite a few times. Chelsea can have Giroud as far as I am concerned.

How many penalties amongst that lot mate? His 14 goal season reminds me of Martin Hayes 20+ goal season.....more than half of them were penalties !

[goonersid]

Kane reckons you can win it we’ll he’d know wouldn’t he

[nut flush gooner]

He's absolute dog shit so no surprise for me whatsoever. We let a better French striker leave for Chelsea for £19m. He was ahead of him in the pecking order before we signed Lackingzest and he's gone several notches up since then

Perhaps when he's naval gazing over the Summer someone can teach him what "putting in a shift" means but he's a lazy, bone idle fucker most times I've seen him. Another overrated piece of dump that will haunt us from Inspector Clueless's wrecking ball regime

Spot on stevo!! I reckon he has Ingerlish ancestry!

Sorry cannot agree with this. Look at this list of premier league strikers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/pr ... op-scorers

Laca is one goal behind Firmino, who a lot of pundits/fans have been creaming themselves over this season.

Then look at 2015, when Giroud was supposedly in his prime :

http://www.worldfootball.net/goalgetter ... 2015-2016/

So a first choice striker established in the team scored 16 goals, versus laca's 14 this season, including 5 weeks out through injury and being dropped quite a few times. Chelsea can have Giroud as far as I am concerned.

How many penalties amongst that lot mate? His 14 goal season reminds me of Martin Hayes 20+ goal season.....more than half of them were penalties !

He hasn't missed a pen as far as I am aware, unlike Ozil and Sanchez!

From memory its 2 or 3?

[1989]

this 'leadership through presence' stuff is bollocks - you don't see Real Madrid making Ronaldo captain do you. its nuts

But Portugal made him their captain.

[northbank123]

Kane reckons you can win it we’ll he’d know wouldn’t he

The guy is an expert on winning trophies to be fair

[rodders999]

The fucking crayon muncher reckons anyone can win it.....out your life’s savings on Panama folks