Football (World Cup 26)

[charlierc]

7 minutes ago, lost said:

 

There is a hilarious thread somewhere on X that popped up on my feed with europeans saying one of the stadiums doesn't look that far out and is walkable and all the americans telling them if they try that they will die.

The Guardian's football team put a video on YouTube of someone trying to walk from the centre of Manhattan to the stadium that's hosting the final. It took 5 hours, in several places the pavement/sidewalk disappears altogether and you have to use access roads that will be closed for the tournament to force everyone into cars, trains or buses.

 

Brilliant.

 

... which stadium was this, if I may ask?

[lost]

12 minutes ago, charlierc said:

 

... which stadium was this, if I may ask?

 

I seem to think it was the MetLife one.

[Ryan1984]

https://www.threads.com/@shadesofbluenw/post/DY5SqVBid-g?xmt=AQG0-rBuRkcgzkeF9kCqbOm4XkUHoHyc3ufdHIHQlGHOk0sZi1ylN-cxVwOIj8LPqXNVTQau&slof=1

[Comfy Bean]

3 hours ago, charlierc said:

The Guardian's football team put a video on YouTube of someone trying to walk from the centre of Manhattan to the stadium that's hosting the final. It took 5 hours, in several places the pavement/sidewalk disappears altogether and you have to use access roads that will be closed for the tournament to force everyone into cars, trains or buses.

 

Brilliant.

 

... which stadium was this, if I may ask?

The train out to the stadium at Boston for Scotlands opening game has increased in price by 500% from what they normally charge 😞 💰 

[andyrhodes24]

16 hours ago, lost said:

 

There is a hilarious thread somewhere on X that popped up on my feed with europeans saying one of the stadiums doesn't look that far out and is walkable and all the americans telling them if they try that they will die.

Which is the US ground where it’s illegal to physically walk to it? I see a post every now and again of a sign in a hotel lobby saying such

[charlierc]

3 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Which is the US ground where it’s illegal to physically walk to it? I see a post every now and again of a sign in a hotel lobby saying such

That could well be MetLife tbf. Which seems to be the symbol of the ridiculous dysfunction at play here, not least given it's where the final will be. 

[lost]

3 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Which is the US ground where it’s illegal to physically walk to it?

 

Could be quite a few as the jay walking laws are mad in the states. Had a mate who had to phone a taxi to cross the road in one city.

[xxialac]

9 minutes ago, lost said:

 

Could be quite a few as the jay walking laws are mad in the states. Had a mate who had to phone a taxi to cross the road in one city.

Walking is for leftist retards and is unamerican.

[lost]

7 minutes ago, xxialac said:

Walking is for leftist retards and is unamerican.

 

I think it goes

 

99.9% of people = car

illigal immigrant maid who's employer pays less than minimum wage = bus

spent your last $1 on crack = walk

Edited May 29 by lost

[philipsteak]

2 hours ago, lost said:

 

I think it goes

 

99.9% of people = car

illigal immigrant maid who's employer pays less than minimum wage = bus

spent your last $1 on crack = walk

 

I visited some friends in Indiana a few years back. Like a lot of small towns the downtown was pretty much gone so I walked to the mall. Wouldn't surprise me if the townsfolk still talk about the crazy English guy who walked along the highway. I can confirm I didn't spend any money on crack.

I also travelled a around a lot by bus. Met a LOT of interesting characters. The Greyhound buses were pretty mad but the East Coast Chinatown buses were wild.

[Comfy Bean]

Good workout for Scotland today and a nice change getting 4 goals. Lunchtime kick offs are rubbish as usually meet up before with friends I only really see at Scotland games now. Everyone getting excited for America and a totally different atmosphere in the stadium after our really sh*t form going in to Germany.

Then 2 hours after the game it all goes to sh*t with the news that Gilmour is injured and will miss out. Heartbreaking for the lad 😞 

[pink_triangle]

3 minutes ago, Comfy Bean said:

Good workout for Scotland today and a nice change getting 4 goals. Lunchtime kick offs are rubbish as usually meet up before with friends I only really see at Scotland games now. Everyone getting excited for America and a totally different atmosphere in the stadium after our really sh*t form going in to Germany.

Then 2 hours after the game it all goes to sh*t with the news that Gilmour is injured and will miss out. Heartbreaking for the lad 😞 

I always find the friendlies funny before these tournaments. Scotland play curaçao to prepare for Haiti, Ghana play Wales to compare for England. I always wonder if these things really work. I just have my fingers crossed Hyam gets some minutes in the WC, looking at your squad centre back doesn’t seem a particularly strong position.

[Comfy Bean]

10 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

I always find the friendlies funny before these tournaments. Scotland play curaçao to prepare for Haiti, Ghana play Wales to compare for England. I always wonder if these things really work. I just have my fingers crossed Hyam gets some minutes in the WC, looking at your squad centre back doesn’t seem a particularly strong position.

Yeah they get a man sent off and everything goes out the window as they have to play completely differently to what was expected.

I remember you mentioning your captain a while back and he’s featured a couple of times since then. 

Young boy from Man U looked good when he came on but maybe too soon for him as the team fly out tomorrow. Unless Gilmours injury creates an opening for him.

[pink_triangle]

9 hours ago, Comfy Bean said:

Yeah they get a man sent off and everything goes out the window as they have to play completely differently to what was expected.

I remember you mentioning your captain a while back and he’s featured a couple of times since then. 

Young boy from Man U looked good when he came on but maybe too soon for him as the team fly out tomorrow. Unless Gilmours injury creates an opening for him.

I think Hyams level is top end championship. Which doesn’t sound too impressive, although none of the alternatives seem to be playing at a significantly better level. It’s funny I’m old enough to remember when Alan Hansen couldn’t get in the Liverpool squad!

 

Looking at your squad there are a few championship players I have seen this season. I thought McClean looked good against us and we nearly signed him. If I’m honest I would put Dykes and Hirst in the can’t hit a barn door category. I’m surprised you didn’t take Mcburnie who is full of confidence at present.

 

We have also been linked with one of your players Findlay Curtis. I haven’t heard of him, but can see he made your squad.

[Comfy Bean]

31 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

I think Hyams level is top end championship. Which doesn’t sound too impressive, although none of the alternatives seem to be playing at a significantly better level. It’s funny I’m old enough to remember when Alan Hansen couldn’t get in the Liverpool squad!

 

Looking at your squad there are a few championship players I have seen this season. I thought McClean looked good against us and we nearly signed him. If I’m honest I would put Dykes and Hirst in the can’t hit a barn door category. I’m surprised you didn’t take Mcburnie who is full of confidence at present.

 

We have also been linked with one of your players Findlay Curtis. I haven’t heard of him, but can see he made your squad.

I reckon Curtis would be a great signing but he’s only on loan at Killie and is contracted to Rangers who’d be looking to keep him. They have just signed Shankland who scored twice yesterday and they are talking to build a team with more homegrown talent. 
McBurnie is an interesting one as he scores more goals than Dykes etc. Clark seems to have concerns over how mcburnie fits in with the squad and at our level that” togetherness” seems important. 

In other news, the young boy from Man U mentioned last night has just been called up after Gilmours injury.

[pink_triangle]

28 minutes ago, Comfy Bean said:

I reckon Curtis would be a great signing but he’s only on loan at Killie and is contracted to Rangers who’d be looking to keep him. They have just signed Shankland who scored twice yesterday and they are talking to build a team with more homegrown talent. 
McBurnie is an interesting one as he scores more goals than Dykes etc. Clark seems to have concerns over how mcburnie fits in with the squad and at our level that” togetherness” seems important. 

In other news, the young boy from Man U mentioned last night has just been called up after Gilmours injury.

It feels to me that Hull promotion was very much based on old school footballers and team spirit. They almost feel like a team parachuted from the 90! I just feel Mcburnie is someone who has maybe matured and you have to accept that people can change. I think you could be missing a trick here. Wales have recently persevered with forwards who never score and the sure thing is they continue to never score!
 

If only you had a late 20 Stephen Fletcher ready to go. Still a year after retirement the supersub is a complete icon with Wrexham supporters.

[charlierc]

FIFA World Cup 2026- Historical Football Kits

 

Anyone else like nerding out to see what the new kits look like?

 

I don't think the England strips for this World Cup are all-timers.

[Comfy Bean]

2 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

It feels to me that Hull promotion was very much based on old school footballers and team spirit. They almost feel like a team parachuted from the 90! I just feel Mcburnie is someone who has maybe matured and you have to accept that people can change. I think you could be missing a trick here. Wales have recently persevered with forwards who never score and the sure thing is they continue to never score!
 

If only you had a late 20 Stephen Fletcher ready to go. Still a year after retirement the supersub is a complete icon with Wrexham supporters.

I was genuinely open to giving McBurnie another try but I think that ship has sailed. He has 16 caps and no goals.

Clark sets us up to rely on mctominay and McGinn getting forward and getting goals. I hope he goes with shankland plus Dykes up front.

[Comfy Bean]

2 hours ago, charlierc said:

FIFA World Cup 2026- Historical Football Kits

 

Anyone else like nerding out to see what the new kits look like?

 

I don't think the England strips for this World Cup are all-timers.

Have Germany ever had a bad strip ? Can’t believe they are moving to Nike. Doesn’t seem right.

[pink_triangle]

3 hours ago, Comfy Bean said:

I was genuinely open to giving McBurnie another try but I think that ship has sailed. He has 16 caps and no goals.

Clark sets us up to rely on mctominay and McGinn getting forward and getting goals. I hope he goes with shankland plus Dykes up front.

Feel free to quote me if Dykes ends up having a storming tournament! I’m pretty sure Scotland get through the group and then probably last 32 or last 16 depending on the draw. Watching Wales get to the Euro 2016 semis is one of the bests sporting moments and hope Scotland can have their moment as well.

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

I’m pretty sure Scotland get through the group 

Why OOI?

 

Morocco are a good team and I think strong enough to potentially claim a major scalp. I'd expect them to get to last 16 at minimum and quite probably quarters. If you ask me to predict the Morocco-Scotland score I think it's 3-0/3-1 to Morocco. They've got arguably the best right-back in the world, and the spine of their team plays in Europa/CL most seasons, and they're used to tournament football in hot temperatures with deep runs into AFCON. I think they've got a strong shout to be the best placed African team and I wouldn't be shocked if they have a run to the semis with a kind draw.

 

For Scotland, McGinn is excellent and McTominay has been great since going to Napoli, but I think they're going to struggle to score against Brazil/Morocco if those 2 get stifled. 

 

I think Scotland are good enough to hammer Haiti, but 3 points and -1GD to be amongst the best 3rd place teams seems like it'll be pretty borderline to me.

[Punksnotdead]

4 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Why OOI?

 

Morocco are a good team and I think strong enough to potentially claim a major scalp. I'd expect them to get to last 16 at minimum and quite probably quarters. If you ask me to predict the Morocco-Scotland score I think it's 3-0/3-1 to Morocco. They've got arguably the best right-back in the world, and the spine of their team plays in Europa/CL most seasons, and they're used to tournament football in hot temperatures with deep runs into AFCON. I think they've got a strong shout to be the best placed African team and I wouldn't be shocked if they have a run to the semis with a kind draw.

 

For Scotland, McGinn is excellent and McTominay has been great since going to Napoli, but I think they're going to struggle to score against Brazil/Morocco if those 2 get stifled. 

 

I think Scotland are good enough to hammer Haiti, but 3 points and -1GD to be amongst the best 3rd place teams seems like it'll be pretty borderline to me.

Morocco were dire in the latter stages of AFCON (even on home ground) - they hardly scored a goal. They don't concede either, so I think a 0-0 draw is possible for us. That, plus a win against Haiti should be enough.

 

Then again I've lived through these World Cups since the 70's, so I'm sure we'll f**k it up somehow!

[kaosmark2]

6 minutes ago, Punksnotdead said:

Morocco were dire in the latter stages of AFCON (even on home ground) - they hardly scored a goal. They don't concede either, so I think a 0-0 draw is possible for us. That, plus a win against Haiti should be enough.

 

Then again I've lived through these World Cups since the 70's, so I'm sure we'll f**k it up somehow!

I thought they looked good value for their 2-0 in the quarters against Cameroon. I know they drew 0-0 against Nigeria and the final had the nonsense going on, but Nigeria didn't concede a single goal in the knockouts and were well set up defensively. 

[Punksnotdead]

5 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

I thought they looked good value for their 2-0 in the quarters against Cameroon. I know they drew 0-0 against Nigeria and the final had the nonsense going on, but Nigeria didn't concede a single goal in the knockouts and were well set up defensively. 

If we lose 3-0 to Morocco, the SFA should rip up Steve Clarke's new contract & never let him back into Scotland!

Edited May 31 by Punksnotdead

[kaosmark2]

13 minutes ago, Punksnotdead said:

If we lose 3-0 to Morocco, the SFA should rip up Steve Clarke's new contract & never let him back into Scotland!

I just fundamentally disagree, I think the standard of the African teams is quite high, and while none of them I'd put as likely winners, I think there's better African teams that didn't qualify than from any other region, and one of the better African teams is a good margin stronger than some of the weaker European teams.

 

I realise the FIFA rankings aren't the best guide in general, but I don't think Morocco are in the top 10 by coincidence. I wouldn't fancy many European teams outside the 7 of them in the top 10 against them, including Croatia in 11th, and I'm not sure I think Belgium, Netherlands or a 10-man Portugal are particularly strong favourites against them.

 

I'm genuinely not saying this to put down Scotland, I just think Morocco are more likely to get a draw against Brazil than Scotland are to get a draw against Morocco.