The Road to World Cup 2026 and UEFA Nations League

[Tony Towner]

Two of those are better on paper than Italy.

Are we doing the Canada thing again this World Cup? There was you and another guy who lives there telling us what a force they were going to be in the last one. P3 L3.

 

[Tony Towner]

I'm not as interested in football for the purity of the game as most on here. I rarely watch a match I'm not emotionally or financially invested in. A 48 team World Cup with little jeopardy in the Group stage whilst we eliminate the dreck has little appeal. I'll watch the England games and that'll be it until the knock out stages

https://twitter.com/x/status/2039211625673334834

 

[Templeton Peck]

That Euro loss to Italy looks worse every year. Such an average side.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I'm not as interested in football for the purity of the game as most on here. I rarely watch a match I'm not emotionally or financially invested in. A 48 team World Cup with little jeopardy in the Group stage whilst we eliminate the dreck has little appeal. I'll watch the England games and that'll be it until the knock out stages

https://twitter.com/x/status/2039211625673334834

Grump.

 

[Langers]

I don't like the format as there are too many teams, but I'll absolutely be watching every single game I possibly can. And now 'Mini' Langers is as obsessed with football as I am, I'll have someone to watch them with.

Can't wait - just wish it was a better format and well away from the US

 

[sycophantia]

I'll be the same as I always am, at the start I'll say I'm not interested in the group games outside of England and end up watching most of the games I'm available for.

 

[Alan]

Are we doing the Canada thing again this World Cup? There was you and another guy who lives there telling us what a force they were going to be in the last one. P3 L3.

Yep.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

They might beat Qatar, I suppose. Might.

 

[Alan]

They might beat Qatar, I suppose. Might.

Too bad Italy won’t.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I can't say I give two hoots about that really.

 

[Sniffer]

McNumpty’s suggested squad.


GOALKEEPERS: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford.

DEFENDERS: Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Tino Livramento, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Nico O'Reilly, Lewis Hall.

MIDFIELD: Jude Bellingham, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice, Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo.

FORWARDS: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Cole Palmer, Danny Welbeck, Jarrod Bowen.

I’d swap Bowen for Garner, wait 2 months to see if anyone else is in form for the Welbeck centre forward position and have everything crossed that Harry Kane will not pick up an injury. I’m not a fan of Madueke but see that he offers balance if Saka isn’t on the pitch.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

I remember the last World Cup in Qatar. Wasn’t looking forward to it one bit for a variety of reasons, in particular it being in December, hot and the fans were being ripped off. In the end it just built and built and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hopefully the same will happen this time aided by an early exit for USA.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

McNumpty’s suggested squad.


GOALKEEPERS: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford.

DEFENDERS: Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Tino Livramento, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Nico O'Reilly, Lewis Hall.

MIDFIELD: Jude Bellingham, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice, Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo.

FORWARDS: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Cole Palmer, Danny Welbeck, Jarrod Bowen.

I’d swap Bowen for Garner, wait 2 months to see if anyone else is in form for the Welbeck centre forward position and have everything crossed that Harry Kane will not pick up an injury. I’m not a fan of Madueke but see that he offers balance if Saka isn’t on the pitch.

I agree re Bowen, when you look at the alternatives in the squad he shouldn’t get near the pitch unless there’s a spate of injuries.

 

[Templeton Peck]

My squad

Pickford Henderson Trafford

James Guehi Stones Hall Livramento Konsa Maguire O'Reilly

Rice Wharton Anderson Mainoo Garner

Saka Bellingham Madueke Rashford Gordon Palmer Rogers Eze Kane Welbeck

 

[pagey]

 

[Alan]

Good shirt, too

 

[Lupo]

Good shirt, too

It is and I have home and away, £170.00 well spent

 

[Lupo]

Didn't post last night as lost my shit and went to bed. 3 bloody tournaments on the bounce now, for a nation that used to qualify every time, each in a play off against sides we should be beating.

After a God awful season for Wolves culminating in relegation, I was so hoping to end the voodoo and see the Azzurri in a World Cup again for the first time since 2014.

20 years on from the triumph in Germany, with 2006 Champions Gattuso and Buffon with Euro Champion Bonucci too and also in the country that the great Roberto Baggio carried his country right the way to the final in 1994 but it was not to be.

Italy does not have the great players of yesteryear but should still be capable of reaching a World Cup. 6 games won in the qualifying group was not enough then we slipped up when it mattered.

We weren't great last night but were in control of the game and 1-0 up through a fine Moise Kean goal when Bastoni stupidly took out a Bosnian heading for the area, 100% red - would have been better leaving him, he still had Donnarumma to beat and an equaliser would have been preferable to being a man down.

Second half Bosnia threw everything at Italy and Italy coped well with the onslaught but Italy still had the best chances - Kean again with a one on one with the keeper but put it over (or wide, can't recall) and Dimarco with a little flick that went just wide.

Italy couldn't hold on despite some heroics from Donnarumma and eventually conceded an equaliser late on to take the game to extra time, more work for the 10 men.

Gattuso had taken off Kean who looked the biggest goal threat for Italy and young striker Pio Esposito came on.

Extra time couldn't separate the sides so penalties it was to be. Young Pio Esposito stepped up first and put the ball over and wide. Bosnia did not falter but Cristante did, beating the keeper but not the crossbar as the ball bounced out leaving Bosnia with the deciding kick to achieve qualification which of course they duly despatched.

So the inquests have begun. Where does the blame lie? Many say Gabriele Gravina, FIGC chief that has overseen 2 WC failures. Others blame Gattuso saying he's tactically inept and shouldn't have been given the job in the first place. Then there is Spalletti who oversaw the first part of the qualifying campaign. The players themselves - Bastoni for his stupidity, Pio Esposito and Cristante for missing their penalties. Italian football in general for having far too many foreign players (many quite obscure) who are blocking the path of young Italian players.

There are calls for Gravina to go, Gattuso too but so far Gravina says he is going nowhere and neither is Rino but the latter said he will decide his own future in due course.

 

[Tony Towner]

Didn't post last night as lost my shit and went to bed. 3 bloody tournaments on the bounce now, for a nation that used to qualify every time, each in a play off against sides we should be beating.

After a God awful season for Wolves culminating in relegation, I was so hoping to end the voodoo and see the Azzurri in a World Cup again for the first time since 2014.

20 years on from the triumph in Germany, with 2006 Champions Gattuso and Buffon with Euro Champion Bonucci too and also in the country that the great Roberto Baggio carried his country right the way to the final in 1994 but it was not to be.

Italy does not have the great players of yesteryear but should still be capable of reaching a World Cup. 6 games won in the qualifying group was not enough then we slipped up when it mattered.

We weren't great last night but were in control of the game and 1-0 up through a fine Moise Kean goal when Bastoni stupidly took out a Bosnian heading for the area, 100% red - would have been better leaving him, he still had Donnarumma to beat and an equaliser would have been preferable to being a man down.

Second half Bosnia threw everything at Italy and Italy coped well with the onslaught but Italy still had the best chances - Kean again with a one on one with the keeper but put it over (or wide, can't recall) and Dimarco with a little flick that went just wide.

Italy couldn't hold on despite some heroics from Donnarumma and eventually conceded an equaliser late on to take the game to extra time, more work for the 10 men.

Gattuso had taken off Kean who looked the biggest goal threat for Italy and young striker Pio Esposito came on.

Extra time couldn't separate the sides so penalties it was to be. Young Pio Esposito stepped up first and put the ball over and wide. Bosnia did not falter but Cristante did, beating the keeper but not the crossbar as the ball bounced out leaving Bosnia with the deciding kick to achieve qualification which of course they duly despatched.

So the inquests have begun. Where does the blame lie? Many say Gabriele Gravina, FIGC chief that has overseen 2 WC failures. Others blame Gattuso saying he's tactically inept and shouldn't have been given the job in the first place. Then there is Spalletti who oversaw the first part of the qualifying campaign. The players themselves - Bastoni for his stupidity, Pio Esposito and Cristante for missing their penalties. Italian football in general for having far too many foreign players (many quite obscure) who are blocking the path of young Italian players.

There are calls for Gravina to go, Gattuso too but so far Gravina says he is going nowhere and neither is Rino but the latter said he will decide his own future in due course.

Cold comfort today, but the first tournament I properly remember was 1982, vague concept of '80 but I don't think the Euros had the pull they do now and I remember the ticker tape from '78. Anyway in that time you've won 3 major tournaments, we've won Le Tournoi

 

[Lupo]

1982 was my first encounter with international football and Paolo Rossi RIP was my first hero. 1986 was the first World Cup I watched properly but Italy were not great reigning champions. Rossi was injured in the build up, Zoff and a few of the others had retired and in goal was Galli the (dreadful) goalie and up top was Altobelli, a young Vialli and Giuseppe Galderisi who was tipped to be the next Rossi but was anything but.

1990 was far more exciting. On home soil with the emerging talents of Paolo Maldini and Roberto Baggio, crazy Walt had replaced Galli and an array of other fine footballers who sadly lost out in the semi to Argentina in Naples.

1994 went one better with the heroic Baggio dragging his country kicking and screaming to the final against Brazil where he sadly missed the decisive penalty.

1998 and 2002 were bland by comparison then came 2006 where Marcello Lippi managed to put together a great team who's togetherness and tenacity took them all the way to glory with the great 2-0 semi win against Germany in their own backyard, Fabio Grosso recreating Tardelli's 1982 goal celebration before Del Piero provided the icing on the cake.

2010 saw a pathetic defence of the trophy with a group stage exit and 2014 marginally better. Since then, nothing, absolutely nothing.

Great memories and great names, so many I could mention besides the obvious but Baggio was my absolute favourite, loved Maldini, had a soft spot for the hot headed Gattuso, Rossi was the first hero, Vieri too though he is a bit of a big headed knob in real life. Now, very little. Like Tonali but not like the others. Did like Chiesa but he has featured very little in recent times and pulled out of the play off games as he wasn't in sufficient condition apparently