Football 2017/18

[monkfromhavana]

I think you'll find that Coventry did it with considerably more elan than Villa ever did. At least we had a few last minute escapes.

[Norton Canes]

Gareth Southgate to announce England's World Cup squad today

That still doesn't sound right.

Anyway, leaks from the England camp give mixed cause for optimism - our chances have been bolstered by the absence of Joe Hart but not sure how we'll come without midfield lynchpin Jack Wilshere

[edit: I'll leave that typo]

[ersatz99]

Well based on recent performances we won't be beating Fulham in the final. Thereafter we'll be crippled by ffp so the likes of Terry will be gone. Johnstone, Onomah, Snodgrass and Grabban will likely be recalled too. We'll then probably, at best, bounce around the table like Leeds, Forest and Wednesday until a more clued up owner comes in. Bruce is all about setting up a solid back five and beyond that he's no clue and has spent a bomb hoovering up what he thought were good value players. They're even now talking of extending Hutton's stay at the club. Alan Hutton.

[Sgt. Duckie]

What has Wilshere done to get up Gareth's nose then?

[Obel]

Been a cunt?

[im barry bethel]

Worried he'll pull a hamstring climbing on the plane?

[Utter Shit]

What has Wilshere done to get up Gareth's nose then?

What has he done in the past two years to deserve a place? This idea that he's 'the player England need' is true in that we need someone with the attributes he has...but given that he hasn't been using those attributes to any great effect for two years, and has only had one stand-out game for England ever, I don't see it as a surprise that he has missed out.

Being injury-prone is bad enough, but when there's no guarantee he'll be any good if he does stay fit it makes it a risk not worth taking. Shelvey comes with his own risks - not so much the discipline, which he seems to have sorted out to an extent, but he's a liability when his team isn't in possession, neither intelligent enough to anticipate players running off him nor quick enough to catch up once they've gone - so I don't see him going either, especially when you consider that Southgate has a dim view of him because of his behaviour when he was in the U21s.

It looks like Loftus-Cheek is going to go, I think that's the right decision. And even he isn't that good.

[bgmnts]

England have been doing it for decades, picking out of form big names. It's so silly but too many mediocre cowardly cunts at the helm. Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere are the focal point of this madness.

[drummersaredeaf]

Wilshere has the same problem as Charlie Adam(s). When he runs his tits go faster than his feet.

[bgmnts]

Allardyce sacked. Lol

[Norton Canes]

[anything disadvantageous that's happened to any team that's ever played against Liverpool] lol

[bgmnts]

Is losing Allardyce disadvantageous to Everton?

[phantom_power]

[anything disadvantageous that's happened to any team that's ever played against Liverpool] lol

Surely all of football fandom can be united at Big Sam getting sacked

[Utter Shit]

Is losing Allardyce disadvantageous to Everton?

Not really, they can start again this summer now with a manager capable of more than shithousing his way to mediocrity. Allardyce was a means to an end, and he did what he came for. Now they can sign Marco Silva, sack him when he starts badly and get Allardyce back in around November to sort them out again.

[sevendaughters]

Is losing Allardyce disadvantageous to Everton?

I'd say yes. He didn't get to spend any of the pot given to the team and inherited a team for whom slowness represented some kind of revolution. They finished 8th. Admittedly they were the best of a mediocre 13. But now they're moaning despite facing relegation early doors, and in sharp relief the most exciting PL team in a while is across the city. But he's a good manager, despite his lack of refinement or attractive football. That said, word is Moyes out at West Ham and he returns to Goodison/Bramley Dock. Or worse, for me, they offer Paul Cook the job.

[sevendaughters]

Moyes out confirmed.

[DrGreggles]

It's a sad day for the BMC.

[Ferris]

It's a sad day for the BMC.

Don't think so, 2 prominent members have just stung a couple of soft-touch clubs for a lovely payout in order to leave, and are now available to sign nice big contracts with a new set of mugs. Faaaan-tastic!

[bgmnts]

Plus Mark Hughes will make make a welcome appearance now surely!

[Norton Canes]

Shock squad inclusion for John Terry!!!

[Norton Canes]

Not really only joking.

[Norton Canes]

Ray Wilson shows his displeasure with Southgate's choices

[Norton Canes]

Heh, he played for Everton. Lol

[Captain Z]

Interesting to see Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold-Oxlade-Chamberlain on the list.

A suitable time for the World Cup thread? Anyone got a witty tagline at the ready?

[Captain Z]

Ray Wilson shows his displeasure with Southgate's choices

I thought he already died last month.

[phes]

[im barry bethel]

If that squad was meant to dampen the usual ridiculous expections then it's worked

[DrGreggles]

If that squad was meant to dampen the usual ridiculous expections then it's worked

Even more worrying for England fans is that there are no omissions that are genuinely surprising either. That 23 is as good as it gets!

[Jockice]

Allardyce sacked. Lol

As a Scot living in England I can't really understand the antipathy towards Allardyce. I have a mate who has been a West Ham season ticket holder for years but refused to go to a single match while Big Sam was in charge. To me he seems like someone who gets the job done and makes unglamorous players perform well, if not exactly excitingly. A lot of managers would like to have the record he has but he seems to be universally loathed. Why?

[EOLAN]

Sam was the man who gave Jay-Jay Okacha the chance to shine in the Premier League on the plus side.