Alf Bentley

I'm borrowing that one...

No, there is a 4th force more powerful than any other: N'Golo Kanté. In any physical interaction, notably the dispossession of a footballer, this force exerts supreme power over gravity, electromagnetism or nuclear force of any kind.

I hope you nicked his card and cleaned out his account to teach him not to be over-trusting?

There were still only 16 teams in 1978. It was expanded to 24 teams in 1982 - with a second group stage with 4 groups of 3, with the 4 group winners going straight into the semis (no quarter-finals). That idea never caught on....

It sounds as if you're right about this - but it certainly would've cost the taxpayer to introduce it. It seems that the allocated cost was £1.8bn over 3 years, which was to be found from savings in other departmental budgets, not a designated digital ID budget. So, essentially, Burnham is reassigning £1.8bn of unidentified savings from the digital ID project to money off electricity bills. That certainly means that the Govt still has to find the savings, but I think reassigning the funds is a better use of taxpayer's money. I also think it's a better decision politically/electorally. I'm sure splashing out cash on digital ID when people are struggling with the cost of living would've proved unpopular. In the context of total annual Govt spending of £1.4 trillion, £600m per annum isn't a massive sum (0.05% of budget?), so they'll find it, I'm sure - other promises may prove tougher to keep. Darren Jones has gone right down in my estimation. Regardless of whether he's right on the facts about no money being allocated - sounds like he is - it's pretty traitorous to make such an announcement publicly. If he'd merely been a loyal govt supporter wishing to draw their attention to the issue, he could've done it privately, rather than publicly handing ammunition to the opposition and to hostile media. Of course, he did it the day after he'd been sacked, which makes it even worse. Hopefully that's the end of his career - though, as he seems quite capable on a personal level. I'm sure lucrative opportunities will arise in the private sector for him.....

Pretty happy/boastful about my predictions. - Got Spain as winners, Argentina as runners up and England in playoff...and surely USA would've beaten Belgium without Strumpf's counter-productive Balogun intervention? - Also got most red cards and most goals conceded correct, albeit South Africa and Iraq achieved those dishonours jointly with a couple of other teams - Belgium to score most goals and Haaland as top scorer were incorrect, but not by much (Belgium 4th, Haaland joint 3rd). Why didn't I take some of those predictions to my old mates Bill Hill and Joseph Coral?

Trump loitering at the presentation to ensure he gets his mug in the team photo. The bloke needs a psychiatrist.

Because that's what Trump's USA is all about, of course...........Love!

What a nauseating pile of cheesy showbiz shite.

Argentina did indeed massively up their game. The rest is us analysing with hindsight from both of us. I can understand Tuchel not trusting the players to weather the storm, as there was no sign of the storm ending. We were under the cosh and looking increasingly likely to concede - and the players weren't finding ways to reduce that pressure and that likelihood of conceding, so I think he did have to act. The Gordon-Konsa substitution looks bad with hindsight, but I can see the logic to it - stiffen the defence to deal with the onslaught, while pushing the 2 full backs forward to wing back roles, which theoretically should have allowed them to contribute to England keeping the ball better in midfield and moving forward when in possession. It didn't work like that, but I can see the logic. I'd be more critical of the subsequent subs, particularly Burn for James and not bringing on a pacy attacking player (e.g. Watkins) who could've forced Argentina to at least keep a couple of players back in defence.

We scored in the 55th minute. Tuchel didn't make that first sub until the 72nd minute. During the intervening 17 minutes, we had already dropped deep, Argentina were dominating possession (88% Argentina possession from England taking the lead). We were inviting pressure from the moment we went ahead - including for 17 minutes before Tuchel made any substitutions. There's a separate argument to be had about the wisdom of the subs made, but these facts suggest the players had indeed bottled it - and Tuchel was reacting to that fact. It can certainly be argued that his reaction was wrong - but the problem was there long before he tried to deal with it.

I wonder if Kane was just physically unable to be as mobile as usual, due to the heat and humidity? Against Norway, he certainly seemed to drop deep a lot less than usual - which takes away a big part of his game, if he's just a striker sitting on defender's shoulders and trying to make moves in the box. Hopefully conditions will be more helpful in Atlanta....

I'll feel more confident if..... - Rice is fit and starts - Likewise, Reece James at RB - We start Saka, not Madueke I think our struggles v. Norway were strongly linked to the absence of a fit Rice (unfit in 1st half, subbed for 2nd). He really does help us exercise some control over possession and reads the game well. In possession, he also links defence, wings and attack. I gather he was ill, rather than injured, so hopefully more chance of him being fit? Would also be good if we have a specialist RB, namely James, rather than a converted CB - and someone comfortable joining possession in midfield as we move forward. The stated explanation for starting Madueke, not Saka v. Norway made sense - namely that Madueke is a more mobile, athletic player better able to track back and assist a non-specialist RB. They've also clearly been managing Saka's return to full fitness. But we saw what we were missing when Saka came on v. Norway - much more accurate and dangerous crossing and greater goal threat. Here's hoping Gordon also continues his current good run of form, after a slow start struggling to penetrate deep-lying defences in the group stage.

I'm seeing Rachel Reeves in a completely new light. She'll clearly need a new job, once Burnham boots her out of No. 11 - but I certainly hadn't previously imagined her having a future in stand-up comedy....

This must be the greatest moment for the Fery family since great-uncle Brian led his glam-art rock combo Roxy Music to glory with songs like Virginia Plain, Love is the Drug and In Every Dream Home a Heartache.