Russia 2018

[Gash]

Unpopular, maybe - but good vibes for Big Rom and Roberto from me.  They gave us their best effort, and especially one very, very special season (that should have seen us qualify for Champions League if not for a fluke of maths).

Steady on. We finished 5th and played some decent football along the way. Our expectations are set low if that's what we call a "very, very special season".

[gizzblue]

Alleged team......according to the fifa app

[boothill]

Make your own mind up, but niether would be left with clean sheets

[velimski]

I'm really not keen on Ashley Young starting ahead of Rose.

[Evertonian in NC]

Steady on. We finished 5th and played some decent football along the way. Our expectations are set low if that's what we call a "very, very special season".

c'mon, we set total points records (in a normal Prem season, we finish 3rd) and that season was mostly brilliant.  Remember how it felt at the time.  It was a Prague Spring in a decade of utter misery.  I only wish I had cherished it more.

Though it doesn't mean I don't think we should aim for even better, mind.

[Evertonian in NC]

Make your own mind up, but niether would be left with clean sheets

I went with Kenza Fourati for my American daily blog preview.  She's quite the eyefull. 

[Gash]

c'mon, we set total points records (in a normal Prem season, we finish 3rd) and that season was mostly brilliant.  Remember how it felt at the time.  It was a Prague Spring in a decade of utter misery.  I only wish I had cherished it more.

Though it doesn't mean I don't think we should aim for even better, mind.

Mate, it was decent, there was nothing "very, very special" about it. A trophy would have made it that, but we didn't even get to the much fabled two semi finals that season. A "normal prem season" is irrelevant as well, we were 5th not 3rd and that's it.

Anyway, enough about that idiot.

[Evertonian in NC]

Fair enough!  And the "very, very" was hyperbole, I shall admit that.  Forward we go.

[Omar]

Here we go, lads!

[Ross]

Come on England they don’t like it up’em

[blargins]

Big miss there. Should have been a simple tap in.

[Ross]

Sterling is about as lethal as a plastic knife

[Goaljira]

Should be 2 up. 

This isn't England.

[Simon Paul]

Concussion that. Expect a howler.

[blargins]

Concussion that. Expect a howler.

He's shit, he'll have a stormer instead.