Apologies if breaking any rules or etiquette starting this new thread - but just saw something I didn't know where to post, so thought a general chat thread would do it

Anyway

"Madonna, Shakira and K-pop boy band BTS will co-headline the Super Bowl-style half-time show at this summer's World Cup final."

Speculation is halftime for the final will be 30 minutes.

Just no!

No Partey for Ghana in their first game. Canada won't let him into the country.

1 hour ago, swaddon said:

No Partey for Ghana in their first game. Canada won't let him into the country.

He’ll just wait until they’re asleep and come in anyway…

Don’t think there’s been a World Cup like this for players and officials being refused entry.

I see the England team have been robbed.

It's normally them doing the thieving at a World Cup. Now they know how the poor jeweller in Bogotá felt.

Surely, from their perspective, they get robbed at every major tournament. It's just normally at the semi/quarters/whenever, not before a ball is even kicked?

Tunisia have sacked their manager after their 5-1 loss to Sweden.

On 14/06/2026 at 09:22, swaddon said:

I see the England team have been robbed.

It's normally them doing the thieving at a World Cup. Now they know how the poor jeweller in Bogotá felt.

You might have to explain this to our younger viewers😀

40 years ago today, Diego Maradona scored a sublime header against England, then went and dribbled past 14 players on his way to scoring a second.

The final fixture part of the world cup is a bit shite. First, there are still match two games to be played when the first match three fixtures take place, which is weird. Secondly, the teams in the later groups have a distinct advantage over teams like Scotland. If Scotland were in group K, they might have known that a draw was required to get through, and Brazil might have known that a draw would suit them because that would give them a better route. There will be teams who unofficially take a point each based on what they've seen before. I recognise that it's difficult to overcome because they want all the games on the telly, but it's a bit shite!

Looking forward to the game and really intrigued by how Ferguson plays. Read the bbc talking about possibly McLean playing deep and giving Ferguson a bit of freedom to push on. Don’t see that happening from the start, but expect the same Ferguson performance where justice continues to grow. Would be nice to see him dominate a Brazilian midfield. Hope we see a big money move for him this summer, and maybe even some premiership bigger guns have seen him and been impressed.

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

Looking forward to the game and really intrigued by how Ferguson plays. Read the bbc talking about possibly McLean playing deep and giving Ferguson a bit of freedom to push on. Don’t see that happening from the start, but expect the same Ferguson performance where justice continues to grow. Would be nice to see him dominate a Brazilian midfield. Hope we see a big money move for him this summer, and maybe even some premiership bigger guns have seen him and been impressed.

I suspect that if McLean plays, it won't be to allow Ferguson to push on, but to give more of a solid platform for McTominay to get forward and allow McGinn to lose the ball further upfield. A 4-2-3-1 basically. I thought the 4-1-4-1 made a lot of sense, but it does detract from McTominay quite a bit, as he's forced to help out back the way. I thought McLean was very good when he came on the other night and I'd be inclined to let Ferguson do exactly what he did against Morocco and let McLean drive forward when he chooses. Ferguson will definitely have admirers, although it's strange that nobody has acted previously as he's clearly been good for some time. 

27 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I suspect that if McLean plays, it won't be to allow Ferguson to push on, but to give more of a solid platform for McTominay to get forward and allow McGinn to lose the ball further upfield. A 4-2-3-1 basically. I thought the 4-1-4-1 made a lot of sense, but it does detract from McTominay quite a bit, as he's forced to help out back the way. I thought McLean was very good when he came on the other night and I'd be inclined to let Ferguson do exactly what he did against Morocco and let McLean drive forward when he chooses. Ferguson will definitely have admirers, although it's strange that nobody has acted previously as he's clearly been good for some time. 

Yep, I'd be going with the 4-2-3-1 this time, and Tierney wouldn't be playing in front of Robertson this time. Although I could be tempted to play him at right back as, although Patterson wasn't a disaster the other night, I like Tierney's experience in a game like this.

5 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

The final fixture part of the world cup is a bit shite. First, there are still match two games to be played when the first match three fixtures take place, which is weird. Secondly, the teams in the later groups have a distinct advantage over teams like Scotland. If Scotland were in group K, they might have known that a draw was required to get through, and Brazil might have known that a draw would suit them because that would give them a better route. There will be teams who unofficially take a point each based on what they've seen before. I recognise that it's difficult to overcome because they want all the games on the telly, but it's a bit shite!

I personally hate all the "is 3 points going to be enough" chat.  Fuck playing for a draw too, I want us to go out on that pitch tomorrow night with nothing more on our minds than getting  3 fucking points.  I know it's Brazil but it's easily the worst Brazil side I've ever seen at a WC and the second half against Morocco combined with how they did against Brazil gives me confidence we can take them. 

 

Heed fucking first lads! 

44 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

I personally hate all the "is 3 points going to be enough" chat.  Fuck playing for a draw too, I want us to go out on that pitch tomorrow night with nothing more on our minds than getting  3 fucking points.  I know it's Brazil but it's easily the worst Brazil side I've ever seen at a WC and the second half against Morocco combined with how they did against Brazil gives me confidence we can take them. 

 

Heed fucking first lads! 

They'll definitely be going out to take three points, but they'll be told to be disciplined while doing so, for obvious reasons. The manager will know that simply telling them to go out and win won't actually nullify the abilities of their better opponent, and so an actual set of tactics and a plan to do that will probably be useful. I don't think that there's anything negative about saying that Scotland's best chance of winning is being tight and trying to score on the break or from a set piece. We'll likely choose a period of the match where we go for it for a spell too. I think that might be best early in the game but maybe not. Morocco went all out for the first twenty minutes and then ceded the game after that, and it worked well for them. 

So far Clarke has managed 8 games in 3 major tournaments and we've played utter shiite in all of them. I don't see why tomorrow will be any different.

This^^^^^^^

 

I get excited about the game then remember fucking Hungary!! 

Lewis Ferguson has been linked with a McInnes reunion unfortunately. However, given how superb he’s been, surely he’s attracting some interest from bigger clubs - he could easily play in the EPL. 

Considering he was linked with Juventus not long ago, I would be surprised if he joined a diddy team like Rangers.

14 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

They'll definitely be going out to take three points, but they'll be told to be disciplined while doing so, for obvious reasons. The manager will know that simply telling them to go out and win won't actually nullify the abilities of their better opponent, and so an actual set of tactics and a plan to do that will probably be useful. I don't think that there's anything negative about saying that Scotland's best chance of winning is being tight and trying to score on the break or from a set piece. We'll likely choose a period of the match where we go for it for a spell too. I think that might be best early in the game but maybe not. Morocco went all out for the first twenty minutes and then ceded the game after that, and it worked well for them. 

There's no doubt the message will be to set in and take no chances, and that's as it should be. What will be telling about our intentions is whether Gannon-Doak starts or not. Ghana had Semenyo as their out ball and threat on the break last night and it meant they were always dangers. If we start without Gannon-Doak (unless it's Curtis in the team instead but that isn't happening) then we're being very negative, whereas if he's in the team then we're at least thinking about going forward. And I know there's an argument for saving him for later against tired legs, but with Curtis having broken through there's no reason he can't provide that when Gannon-Doak is done.

Those kinds of things are what reveal a mindset, not how many defenders are on the pitch or how many strikers we start with.

47 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

There's no doubt the message will be to set in and take no chances, and that's as it should be. What will be telling about our intentions is whether Gannon-Doak starts or not. Ghana had Semenyo as their out ball and threat on the break last night and it meant they were always dangers. If we start without Gannon-Doak (unless it's Curtis in the team instead but that isn't happening) then we're being very negative, whereas if he's in the team then we're at least thinking about going forward. And I know there's an argument for saving him for later against tired legs, but with Curtis having broken through there's no reason he can't provide that when Gannon-Doak is done.

Those kinds of things are what reveal a mindset, not how many defenders are on the pitch or how many strikers we start with.

I think that's reasonable. The only couple of caveats would be that our right back is pish, and that Curtis isn't ready at this level. It's a real shame that we don't have any experienced attackers with pace that can play on the wing and do a job as an outball. Somebody like Oliver Burke, that is just fast but pap. An Olusanya if you like. Gannon Doak isn't likely to last an hour I wouldn't think.

BBC no spoilers highlights page has been very welcome so far. Last night, however, as part of the "highlights" of the South Korea game, they included a reaction from the fucking Mexico game! FFS 

The yanks must have the worst jukebox in the world- I’ve only heard 4 songs pre match and during the “hydration” (American ad) breaks

9 hours ago, 2stars said:

The yanks must have the worst jukebox in the world- I’ve only heard 4 songs pre match and during the “hydration” (American ad) breaks

The DJ will be working for $2 per day and asked to bring his ain records. Plus he has to drive between stadiums at his own expense.

And if ICE catch him he’s on his own.

 

More seriously I assume that Powerade have dictated the music for the hydration breaks? Not that they’ve anything at all to do with an advertising opportunity. Oh no. Purely about player safety.