World Cup 2014

[Bamboo Grove]

The European qualifying rounds start tonight, with France facing the mighty Finns in Helsinki. It's lovely Finnish autumn weather: 10 C and raining. I'll watch it on TV but will go tomorrow to watch our 90's national team play, Litmanen, Hyypiä, Niemi, Riihiranta among others.

[BaaBaa.]

Bet you wish Jari and Sami were still playing.

Belgium have got a hell of a side.

[Bamboo Grove]

Diaby is having a good night again. He's scored the only goal, so far, of the match as France lead 0-1 after 22 minutes. Maybe this will finally be his season and soon nobody (not even those living in Barcelona) will remember Alex Song.

[caller]

England 3-0 up at half time!

[Bamboo Grove]

caller wrote:

England 3-0 up at half time!

I'd blame the manager.

[BaaBaa.]

Roy Hodgson, tactical genius.

[caller]

The Liverpool lads seem to be performing for him!

[BaaBaa.]

The Liverpool lads seem to be performing for him!

He honed them to perfection when he was at Liverpool, you can't fail to be inspired by good old Roy .

[Dannie Boy]

The scoreline and the meagre opposition create the illusion of a good result, but against top opposition, the team last night would have struggled.

[BaaBaa.]

The scoreline and the meagre opposition create the illusion of a good result, but against top opposition, the team last night would have struggled.

I didn't watch it but I was getting to that point with Liverpool when he was manager.

[redzonerocker]

The scoreline and the meagre opposition create the illusion of a good result, but against top opposition, the team last night would have struggled.

At international level, 0-5 is a good result v any opposition these days & we obviously won't play the same way against better teams.

These smaller nations just don't roll over nowadays, two results from last night suggest that,
Germany 3-0 Faroe islands
Luxembourg 1-2 Portugal

Though one result doesn't,
Liechtenstein 1-8 Bosnia

[Arcadian]

The scoreline and the meagre opposition create the illusion of a good result, but against top opposition, the team last night would have struggled.

I didn't watch it but I was getting to that point with Liverpool when he was manager.

You really do hate it when Roy Hodgson`s side wins, albeit against a weak team. We get your animosity towards him but now it`s becoming a bit boring.

[BaaBaa.]

The scoreline and the meagre opposition create the illusion of a good result, but against top opposition, the team last night would have struggled.

I didn't watch it but I was getting to that point with Liverpool when he was manager.

You really do hate it when Roy Hodgson`s side wins, albeit against a weak team. We get your animosity towards him but now it`s becoming a bit boring.

Not nearly as boring as you commenting on everything I say, or indeed Roys Football.

I've got every right to state what a massive whopper Hodgson is when he manages my national side and briefly (luckily) managed my club.

This loser and Stuart Pearce are going to be managing the likes of Chamberlain and Sterling so you should be concerned too.

[caller]

Actually, a simple change, just starting at a much higher tempo than normal, seemed to make all the difference. So have to commend the manager for that - it will be tougher in the next game though.

[Arcadian]

Thing is Baa Baa I may be wrong, does happen sometimes, but your constant banging on about Liverpool being a big club does irritate people. Selling a zillion shirts in China and having fans singing the best songs no longer qualifies Liverpool for being a big club, accept the fact that your club is mediocre, you don`t have the best keeper, midfielder and forward in the league. The fans are being patient with Rodgers because he did well at Swansea getting them to play great football, but how long has he got to produce the quality your fans expect before the mutterings start?