Open End Numb Legs

A brilliant film, worthy of watching again any time. Loved the line about 'the Goodie didn't turn up but there's a weather man on the wing. He says it's going to rain'. For those who know the plot of the film, if it meant watching Rovers I would be up for for hiding in the coach luggage area to escape too....

And yet, we are not surprised. You kind of wonder if, in time, some people will mature and lose the rough edges of their character. I guess for some, that will never happen.

You know when you go to the train station and the sign says 'do not step over the yellow line'.......

It was actually working, just facing the wrong way. I did predict this would happen in an earlier post.

Getting on the bus yesterday it would have been The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

Brilliant and deserved.

The Portugal coach has aged another 10 years during this game and now looks about 120. The pressure must be huge, a younger man's game coaching these days I think.

They would probably have 2 sent off each before the anthems.

Morocco 1 Divers 0 Embarrassing by Portugal. Stay on your feet and you might score, VAR will show the truth.

Only just watched some clips of yesterday's games, Christmas is starting to get in the way... Brazil made a huge error, 1-0 up, 4 mins from a win and they get caught on the break, 4 v 4 in their box to concede. Argentina - what is it with these South American teams? We have seen some fantastic games in this WC, good sportsmanship in defeat, then you see these teams bring the whole thing down. If you can't win with at least a bit of grace then there is no hope. Ugly stuff.

One in the tent, 4 locked out?

Have they confirmed the direction that the screen will face......?

VAR would have made him bring her back because of the arm grab.

Ok, so when a pen is passed into the net and the keeper guesses wrong, it is a brilliant pen. When the keeper guesses right it is a terrible pen. Please can the commentators look a bit closer than that! Sometimes it is a very good strike and a very good save, sometimes a rubbish pen that gets lucky. Pleased for the under dogs of course.

Whatever the outcome here, I hope if England go to extra time they give it everything to avoid penalties.

The goal celebration is naff because it is similar to show boating, it is disrespectful. I can think of a few hard midfielders that would have kicked some lumps out of Brazil by now. Nothing technically wrong but it makes me dislike them.

The ref needs to shorten the goal celebrations too before they start bringing on a marching band, high trapeze and the dancing girls. But it is Brazil so they will get away with it.

1st goal was nothing special at all but called genius by the TV just because it is Brazil.

A whisker past the post.

Of course. What I was trying to say but didn't make clear, was I assume that England don't have a policy that says once you have left the squad and travelled back to the UK you can't rejoin in case you bring illness with you that could spread and scupper the campaign. Not saying whether he should either way, but his family might say 'get back there, it is a lifetime opportunity' and the medics might say 'hang on, we agreed not to allow this, it is a one way journey'. Or maybe they don't bother with these things now. Sorry for the ramble!

I am assuming Sterling could return if needed on the basis that there isn't an COVID bubble in use - there can't be as the TV showed the players after the Wales game climbing up into the seating area to join their families?

I am also at a Christmas party next Saturday. In the spirit of doing what I can to help us win, I will be inviting Mbappe along to the meal on the night so he won't be playing v England.

Suarez has complained about a lack of respect to Uruguay. Well, what do you expect? A history of nasty behaviour, diving, scuffing penalty spots, flapping arms and screaming at officials. Everything I hate about footballers. VAR has a lot of problems but modern cameras and replays/reviews have cancelled out intimidating tactics by teams like this. It might work in South America but not in a stadium with hundreds of cameras.

So the end of the group stages. A refreshing look to the knock outs with a few teams and players I don't like already gone and the likes of South Korea, USA, Aus and Japan in the mix. Ideally I wouldn't want Ronaldo or Argentina involved but I can't complain, this is a good mix of teams. Potential for some positive football, it will be interesting to see if the teams with less experience will dig in for wins or give it a lash.

I think the Portugal manager drinks too much coffee.