Other Games - 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup Edition (+ warm-up matches): Villa-watch

[adrenachrome]

Risk of thunderstorns?

She's Thunderstorms
Lying on her front, up against the wall
She's thunderstorms

Can you hear, can you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover

En passant, when I lived in Wichita, KS, I was surprised to learn that lightning killed far more people than the frequent tornadoes.  My dog, who lived outside would demand to come indoors when he sensed a super cell forming.

[TB]

Great that Norge have got to QFs. I wish you and your team all the best in qualifying for Euro 28.

Thanks. TBF I prefer Euros/World Cups when Norway don't qualify or fail to progress to the knock-out stages. Then, I have no skin in the game and can enjoy the football...  But QF tonight is great, whatever the outcome.

[Toronto Villa]

Konsa is going to take a lot of the blame if in his least favoured position he makes a mistake. Especially if Madueke doesn’t track back

[Halfway to Moseley]

Wonder if Matty Cash regrets declaring for Poland - he’d probably be starting a WC quarter final tonight.

[Toronto Villa]

At the time he was never getting in ahead of TAA, Reece James and I think even Kyle Walker was knocking around

[Halfway to Moseley]

At the time he was never getting in ahead of TAA, Reece James and I think even Kyle Walker was knocking around

Oh for sure, hence why he went down the Poland route, and tbf got to play in the last World Cup against Mbappe and Messi.

Could have done with him in an England shirt this time around though, while Poland haven’t qualified and most of their fans have fallen out of love with him - largely because he’s failed to learn their language beyond tak, nie and dziendobry,

[Crown Hill]

Can one of either Rice or Anderson actually play in midfield tonight rather than supplementary defenders?

[adrenachrome]

Konsa is more than competent defensively at RB, and TT has played him there before commenting on his versatility.
Going forward is another matter, and I very much doubt that he will be whipping crosses in from the right flank.

[dorsetvillian]

Rogers still can't get a game. What a waste of creative talent. Odd as he was ever present before the actual WC finals.

[Hopadop]

Great that Norge have got to QFs. I wish you and your team all the best in qualifying for Euro 28.

Thanks. TBF I prefer Euros/World Cups when Norway don't qualify or fail to progress to the knock-out stages. Then, I have no skin in the game and can enjoy the football...  But QF tonight is great, whatever the outcome.

I've a friend who's dad was Norwegian, and he spent his very early years there.

Despite that, I would've said for all intents and purposes he's a Brit, but he's in a total lather about the game tonight.

[Dogtanian]

Rogers still can't get a game. What a waste of creative talent. Odd as he was ever present before the actual WC finals.

What I found funny is that the media were all bigging up Rogers and how he might have the edge of Bellingham when he was being played.

Then Bellingham got the 10 squad number and literally as if a switch was thrown the media were suddenly back on the Bellingham is the main man train.

[pauliewalnuts]

I have a Villa supporting Norwegian acquaintance, took him to a game over here. He’s absolutely fully bought in to Villa and has been for years.

Good people, the Norwegians. If we have to lose id much rather it was against them than all the others left in the competition.

Also - great, reliable source of very large Christmas trees for That London.

Although wasn’t there a scandal in, I think, one of the Covid years when they sent us some scraggy shite that looked like they’d found it dumped outside the back of B&M the previous Christmas?

[Dave]

Rogers still can't get a game. What a waste of creative talent. Odd as he was ever present before the actual WC finals.

Feels a lot like risky-but-clever management to force Bellingham out of complacency.