Lions Watch: Are England expected to win the World Cup?

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3:28Hello, everybody, and a very warm welcome to Lions Watch, your destination for all that England chat. The Cub season is out of the way. It's over. It's done. Forget about it. It never loved you anyway. I'm Luke Moore, and joining me today is my erstwhile friend and colleague. Not erstwhile, current friend and colleague, Jim Campbell. No markers today. No. But we're going to slum it ourselves anyway and see how we go. What do you reckon? I think we'll soldier on without him. I think we will. I think we'll be absolutely fine. Have you got the fever, Jim? Is the fever there? Is it present? Is it in your blood?

4:00Do one need to take your temperature? Do you want some cow poll? I would argue that the fever is now airborne within the kingdom. Do you want some England cow poll? I'd love some England cow poll. Why not? No, because you want to live in the fever. Yeah. You want to live in the fever. I want to be at tip-top condition though, so cow poll will be welcome. Yeah, I think now the club season's finished, it actually doesn't feel like it's finished, does it? because we know that our focus shifts so, so quickly onto the World Cup. We spoke on the Ramble Uncut today about the Merlin sticker books that you used to get when you were younger.

4:32And oddly, that has really, really got me in the mood. And I think that's characteristic of the World Cup, isn't it? It's a little detail that made you go, you know what? I cannot wait for this absolute jamboree. Here's something that will make you even more hot under the collar with England fever. The lads, they're flying out today. They're flying to Florida. today. Yes. More on that later. We might do a question from one of our listeners because obviously Lions Watch, we're doing it live here on YouTube. It does come out as a podcast as well, of course, but it's about you, the listener, you, the viewer.

5:03We want to hear from you. We've got plenty of comments in here already. In fact, we've already got more comments than I can even read, but we do want to make you guys the centre of this discussion. So anything you want to hear us talk about when it comes to England, now that club season nonsense is out of the way, Arsenal let the country down last Saturday. We've got to put it behind us. which is controversially enough we're still letting some of those Arsenal players be part of the England squad Not initially though they are in some sort of sin bin aren't they? They are and there's some young players going out there to simulate what it would be like to be a Declan Rice or a Noni Madueke because they're not ready to come and play the pre-season friendlies just yet but it is underway we are ready to go it's only a few short days now until the whole thing kicks off let's go to some of the comments here this is a great comment from SK9 Ramjir hello to you he just says Thoughts on England?

5:51That's why we're here. Yeah, a nation divided that can hopefully be mended by our brave lions. Yeah, I think that would be a lovely way of putting it, Jim. That's absolutely fantastic. Well done. Coffee Goblin says, please don't play Kane in the friendlies. Wrap him up in bubble wrap. Yeah, I do see the thinking there because I think by now England should know how to play with Harry Kane in any iteration of that. And he's had a really, really long season. And we've seen before, certainly in the last tournament where he just didn't look fit he didn't look at the level of the Harry Kane that we'd seen for the entirety of the previous season so yeah he will play him of course he will but I agree Is he going to play him in the main tournament do you think Jim?

6:34Yeah I reckon so even if he's got a leg hanging off I think Kane's one of those players that will be in that situation I think he probably is I've had a question here from Kieran Smith hello to you Kieran and he says there's a couple of people saying this is Andy Brassel still backing Turkey Kia, do we know? They have to come good sometime soon. Jim, do some chat about England or Turkey, whatever you want. I'm going to call Andy Brasso right now, live on Lions Watch. Cool. I just ask him and then hang up. It's ringing. Keep going. Yeah. He's fucking hung up on me. Brasso, he's ended the call. He knows what's coming.

7:08He's either watching this stream or he knows what I'm like. Yeah. I will get an answer from him at some point. He's absolutely screened you there though. Don't worry about that. We spoke about Takia and the motorcade that accompanied them as they left to fly out to America, didn't they? That was really impressive. That was great. Ben Martin says, England flew out a day or two ago. They're training in Miami yesterday. So maybe my information is wrong on that. Either way, they're either literally or metaphorically on their way to a big tournament. So Harry Kane claimed earlier this week that England are, quote, expected to win the World Cup.

7:40Now, you know, I think that's probably the kind of thing the England captain would say. I think I can remember the England captain probably saying that before every World Cup, even when we were back in the doldrums of 2006 or whatever, because everyone would go, here's the players, look how good the Premier League is, we should be expected to win it, anything less than winning it would be a disaster, et cetera, et cetera. So on one level, it's not exactly news, but we've had a few emails in about it and someone here, Dan here says, do you think that admission helps or hinders the team and their chances at the tournament?

8:11I don't think it makes a difference at all, not just because of the reasons you've just put forward, but it is very much the case. I think at some point we need to embrace the fact that England are a good team and are a team for now. I think the idea of looking at it in any other way is dishonest, right? And disingenuous. We all know that England are going out there with the aim of winning it. If they fall short of that, then I don't think it will be held against them in the way that it has been in the past. I think there is an understanding that the conditions in America in particular are going to be particularly difficult for England.

8:47So I think there's a little bit of understanding there. And I like it. I actually think we're past the point where these things put too much pressure on England. And I think a lot of that comes from the legacy of Gareth Southgate's achievements in terms of how deep we've gone into tournaments. Now, if we go out in the last 16, obviously that's going to be a disappointment and a failure. But I actually, I feel like I just cannot see a situation in which that happens with this group of players, with this manager, with the momentum they have. It's a really deep squad. It's a good squad. Tuchel's had a decent amount of time.

9:20Obviously, there's been some results in there that don't really inspire too much, but that's rarely something that actually has an impact once a team gets to a tournament. Yeah, I kind of agree. I think they are going to be expecting that of themselves, right? And this is a team now that, I mean, although they would always just say it, as I've already mentioned, this is a team now who have been to big finals, right? Been to European finals, you know, been deep in World Cups. I get that in 2022 they didn't because they come up against a really good side. But ultimately, they are used to going deep.

9:49It isn't just theoretical now. It isn't just like, oh, if everything happened the way it should happen and we actually play to our potential and the manager didn't pick Lampard and Gerrard, we'd get there. It kind of is expected, isn't it? And I think these players also are used to winning trophies with their clubs as well. So that's obviously part of it. Yeah, so I think to me it feels a bit like that's the kind of thing Harry Kane's going to say. and if he said the opposite, that to me feels like it would be a bigger scandal. I think people would jump on that, wouldn't they? If he said, oh, you know, it's going to be tough, we're not really sure and we're a bit tired, for example, he's going to get pelters for that.

10:23And we're not the favourites. France and Spain are ahead of us with the rookies and I think it shows a level of ambition, it shows a level of confidence and it shows a level of belonging as well. England now know that they are going to be certainly among the favourites going into a tournament. There's no point in playing that down, I don't think. because actually I think that's worse for morale and I think that's worse in terms of optics if you start saying things that could be perceived as excuses in advance. Yeah. I don't think England need to do that. One thing that has broken, one bit of news that has broken in recent hours and days, I suppose, is the release of the squad numbers.

11:03Yes. Now, I don't know if at first glance I care that much about that, but a few people in the comments, including Jake James Thompson, and asking how much can we take from the squad numbers? Bellingham has the 10, Rashford has the 11. Can we conclude from this that they'll be starting for two calls boys? What do you make of that? Bellingham 10 is interesting, isn't it? I think that's probably the most interesting one, right? I think Bellingham is a really, really big figure in terms of his profile and within the squad as well. And I think if you give Jude Bellingham number 20, regardless of whether you mean to start him or not, that creates a big stink.

11:37So actually, I think this is probably just about managing that side of the media, because obviously they're doing the camps now. He's going to have a plan of who's going to start in which games and stuff. So I think regardless of the number on his back, Tuca will start Bellingham as and when he sees fit. We've seen him not be afraid to drop him before. Now, I think he will start. I think now it's come to the tournament, he will start despite how well Morgan Rodgers has done in that role. But I'm personally not reading too much into that. Well, TalkSport are calling it a major hint ahead of the first game.

12:11Anderson has been given eight. You'd expect that. Declan Rice has been given four. You'd expect that. I mean, Rashford being given 11, maybe that's interesting. Maybe that means he starts a game. I don't know. But I think we're kind of beyond the realms of if you play all the numbers one to 11, then you are the team. Yeah. Chiefly because he's got Nick O 'Reilly at three. Konza, Gay and Stones have all got low numbers. I mean, Gay's got six, Stones has got five, Konza's got two. He's not going to play all three of them. No. He wouldn't have thought. So I wouldn't read too much into it, I don't think.

12:44No, I agree. But also, I mean, if the starting lineup includes Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Elliot Anderson and Marcus Rashford, I don't think anyone would be particularly surprised, right? I think Rashford will probably start on the left. Yeah, we'll see. We'll see, won't we? I mean, my concern around that is, unless I'm missing something really obvious, in which case our viewers will tell me, is that I think we might look a bit light on the right-hand side. Yeah. Well, was it Saka and Maduweke? And Saka, I mean... I mean, Saka, other than the Champions League final in which he was playing a pretty defensive role for that sort of position, and I appreciate he didn't have a good game in an attacking sense, even in the moments where he had the opportunity to do things.

13:25His form has been a lot better at the back end of the season. He's also relatively fresh because he's had some time out injured. He looks a bit more mobile. Mikel Arteta had spoken about how he's not feeling any pain in his body at all now. None of his movements are inhibited. The way he says that, he's got some kind of insight. He's got a chip in his brain or something. He can tell for sure. He certainly has. Also, Nani Madueke was somebody who a few people felt was quite lucky to get into the squad. I understand that as well. But the thinking is surely that you've got two players who go beyond Kane and cut it back to him.

13:59It's fast runners. it's what Bayern Munich do and that's how they get the best out of Kane I understand what you're saying it's imperative that people get beyond Kane I just think that Saka I agree Saka's best performances in recent weeks have been what the game against Fulham where he scored and assisted he scored in the Atletico Madrid game he was decent in that I totally take that but I just think it's not been his best season he's been in and out the side he's clearly been carrying injuries a lot of his numbers have been boosted by set piece stuff as well I would think that's probably fair to say although I think that's that's key though isn't it because his delivery from corners is very very good and that's not to be sniffed at and if I was going to be completely even handed people who watch and listen to Lions watch regularly will know that I repeatedly go back to that 5-0 win that England had over Serbia under Tuchel Mademoiselle started the game and it was brilliant and actually he's always performed very well for Tuchel wasn't he let's go to some more comments here this is from Joe B hello to you Joe he says can Luke promise to shave his tash as motivation for the squad.

15:03Well, I like the tash. I have to say I like the tash. And I don't know if it will motivate the squad. It's a very English mustache, isn't it? I think they'd be very confused either way. I don't think, I don't, listen, I will take the criticism. I'll take it. I don't mind it. But I get a lot of comments saying this is a very World War I British generals type mustache, which to me feels like it should be quite motivating. And you can't on one hand say that and on the other hand say shave it off to motivate people. I feel like there's a detective vibe to it. It's English though, isn't it? It's very English.

15:29Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think I'm being very, very supportive of the England team generally with this moustache, I think. What about this from Mark? Mark Charlie, 6-4, 6-5. Could England win it? Yes. Will they win it? Highly unlikely. This has been the situation with every World Cup finals I've watched that England qualified for since 1982. Yeah, fair enough. Why don't we talk a little bit about the path England might take? I think that's quite interesting. Should we do that, Charlie? Can we talk about the path England might take? Yeah. So basically, England are rated. This is all that opt-to-data.

15:58So don't worry. If you think this data might not be good, I've got a few words for you here. Boffins, they're involved. Supercomputers are involved. Opta. Choffs as well. Yeah, boff choffs. Boff choffs, absolutely. The boff choffs are all over it this summer. If you had a different phrase for that type of person at your school, let us know in the comments. Explain boff choff. Well, it's just the same thing twice, isn't it? But explain to like American people who are watching this. A poindexter, a nerd. Someone who tries hard at school like a loser. Yeah, don't get you into that. But is naturally clever.

16:26So as far as I understand, the origin would have been boffing for a Poindexter type character, which then would have been shortened to boff, and then it would have been extended again to boff chuff. Yes. Do you want to do a little bit on, do you want to do five minutes on chinny reckon or not? Chinny reckon is when you believe somebody is lying, you do that, and you say chinny reckon. Yeah. Don't know why. Yeah, no one knows why. Might be due to Jimmy Hill. Don't know why Jimmy Hill would have been considered a liar, but these things mutate, don't they? Itchy chin. You say itchy chin quite a lot.

16:53I don't know why an itchy chin means you're lying. But anyway, going back to the Boff Chops at Opta, hello to them if they're watching. They won't be watching because they only watch numbers. It's like the Matrix. They've predicted, based on the data, what England's kind of path is most likely to be, right? So to remind you, England are in a group with Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. England are rated 68 % to win that group. Yeah. Okay. That's a reasonable expectation. You can put a pin in this and come back and laugh at me later. I'm not saying they're going to win the group. If you're Scottish and you're watching this, I'm very supportive of the Scottish national team generally, and I'm not assuming England will win the group because I'm an England fan.

17:33That's not how it works. I'm telling you, based across Optus, Boffins, 10 ,000 tournament simulations, England made it through to the knockout stage 96 % of the time, and they won it 68 % of the simulation. So that's how they get the rating. I don't know how they do it. I can barely turn my computer on, so don't ask me. Anyway, 68 % to win the group. If that happens, they then have the most chance of playing. Have a little guess. Just name a nation. Curacao. Incorrect. DR Congo. Okay. The good doctor. Interesting. The good doctor will see you now. Doctor will see you now. So get an apple a day in, in the group stage.

18:11That would be my... No, actually, no, we probably do want to play Congo. We don't want to keep the doctor away. No, yeah, no, we want the doctor around. It'll be the good doctor in the last 32. that's assuming because the good doctor is most likely to come third in their group which is group K with Portugal, Congo Uzbekistan and Colombia right Colombia so it'd be them or Uzbekistan you would expect it looks like so actually do you know what DR Congo have got a 34.9 % chance of finishing third Uzbekistan 34.2 % could be them could be Kusanov Uzbekistan last 16 Mexico they rate us to have the most chance of playing Mexico.

18:51Then it's Brazil in the quarterfinals. Business end stuff this. Then it's Argentina if they get through that. And then it's most likely to be Spain in the final. Up to rate England having a 19 % chance of reaching the final. Which I actually think is quite good. That's quite high, I think. Yeah, I mean, if you look at the likelihood of getting past Brazil and then Argentina to have to take on Spain feels very low, doesn't it? So 19 % kills. Yeah, possibly even a bit generous, but I don't know how they work these things out. I mean, are you entertaining, Luke, as an England fan and as a football fan, any sort of possibility that England are going to go and win this?

19:32Are you looking at this thinking, yeah, we can go and do this? Yeah, I think they're part of the conversation. And I think you have to separate yourself out and be as objective as you can when you're answering those kind of questions. I honestly don't feel like I do get the fact that I support England in the way of England's chances. I think we've always been pretty honest with the coverage we've had we've dared to dream and we've been very supportive in a World Cup year we don't entertain the idea of thinking even thinking about let alone mentioning your France's your Argentinians or your Germans of this world it's not right for us to be doing that in the World Cup year but joking aside I'm realistic about it I think England should be the way I see a tournament of this nature is once you get into a knockout and it's just one leg don't forget obviously you would forget that but the Champions League is kind of a bit different because there's two legs and you know things like timing of the season all that kind of stuff but England will be in that conversation and then all you've got to do really is master the occasion each time and peak at the right time and all that kind of good stuff so of course they can win it of course they can no one will be saying they can't win it yeah I'm personally it's sort of not something I'm kind of daydreaming about but I think that's maybe because my focus has only very recently shifted to the World Cup because of the nature of the end of the domestic season and one of the things that kind of does excite me is that we don't know what Thomas Tuchel's England look like at a tournament at all but also look like in the knockout stages of a tournament maybe we'll have the sort of vehement and confidence that a lot of Tuchel's teams have had in the past he's been pretty good in cup competitions exactly yeah I mean one thing I would say by the way and it's very difficult to predict these kind of things you know because you don't know if a team in some group is going to pile in and go out early and mess the whole thing up but the most likely path to the final if England come second in the group is absolutely horrendous.

21:17It's Colombia, Spain, Belgium, France and Argentina. But realistically I feel like if you get to the semi you're going to be playing someone good in the World Cup. You think you're going to be doing that. There's no way to breathe through it. No, exactly.

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24:37Let's look at some more of these comments. Tom Lock says, Match watch-alongs. Tom, we've talked about nothing else since we announced the fact that we are doing World Cup watch parties for every England group game. You can find how to get a ticket in the show notes of any of our episodes or on our social media. The first group game is sold out. The second and third games, the tickets are available now. It's like Rumble DJs. It's our own lager. It's a ramble chat before each game. It's going to be a great party. So check it out. Marcus Speller working the room. If you've not seen that. Craig David, born to do it.

25:11He's Craig David. In his element. He is born to do it. Abdul Salam says, hello to you, Adul. He says, are we allowed to spy from behind a tree at the World Cup? I've not heard anything against it. Yeah. Says you can't do it. Let's have a go. I'd love there to be like Tondarek up there being caught in the crowd looking at a player or something. I mean, he's done it before, hasn't he? For Germany. Yeah, but what I'm saying is he might just be innocently looking at a player they might want to sign. And people are going to jump to conclusions. A lot of here saying that the Luke Nation is a reform policy.

25:40No, thank you very much. We're not going to have any of that chat here. Thank you very much. The heat here is a big issue, says the football pundit. Being leggy from more games and higher tempo in the EPL, we're going to be flat unless we utterly dominate the ball and rotate. Kane, Rice and co. heavily in the earliest stages. Look, I think that's an interesting point. I think if you look at the third group game England play Panama now you shouldn't think that England are going to rest players for that and you should think it's going to be brilliant because you want to come to the World Cup watch party but in the unlikely event they do look at that they might rest players in the third group game if they've already won the first two I'm not saying that's going to happen I'm not being arrogant and dismissing our opposition I'm just saying that's a possibility It's almost a certainty it would be kind of silly not to do that wouldn't it I think it probably would and another question here from Ed, sorry, let's do Ed.

26:31With England having multiple options at both number 10, going back to the Jude Bellingham point you were making and on the left, will Eberri Eze get any minutes at the World Cup? A lot of people are asking about whether we can read the squad numbers. Now, one thing I don't want to happen is, I think something that's kind of unforgivable, particularly if England kind of fall short, I don't want us to leave exciting players on the bench all the time. I don't want the director to continually be cut into shots of like Eze on the bench and getting and coming on like 15 minutes too late yeah yeah that's annoying yeah well he'd be very welcome yeah he would Morgan if you know you must be disappointed allow us to alleviate that disappointment by allowing you to have a free um a free uh my fizzy aunt or two just one though no one or two all right one for each half yeah but no do you know what I mean though I I don't want us to limp out I want us to throw everything at it.

27:24Yeah, I get the impression that Tuchel is going to be quite bold and proactive because he doesn't seem to be affected by the pressure of expectation that a lot of England managers find themselves wilting under all the time. So many of them say that they just find the England team reverting to type and they fight against it and they don't know why it happens. Tuchel does seem like someone who has the character to be unaffected by that. In terms of Eza, I think there is a strong likelihood he doesn't play that much, to be honest. but I also think Morgan Rodgers is an interesting factor in this because he actually plays out from the left quite a lot.

28:01So even if he's not sort of nominally brought on as a left-sided player, if he comes on for, say, Jude Bellingham and then Toucan wants to change it on the left, it might be that Rodgers goes out left and Eza plays more centrally. So I can see a scenario where that plays out. It depends on how sub-able he considers Bellingham. But every conversation we're having at the moment about this, it still makes me think we're light on the right. I mean, someone here is saying, let me just find it here. Someone here is saying, Coffee Goblin, great name. Hello to you, Mr. Goblin. He says, is there an option on the right?

28:35Well, I'm sure he'd be good, but he doesn't play on the right. Has he played on the right once this season? No, he hasn't. I don't think he ever really did that for Palace either. There's no real reason for not taking a bow in or whatever. it just seems weird to me because the thing with Gerard Bowen Tuchel's used him a lot and he's been decent now I know Weston have been relegated but I don't think you realistically say that Bowen's not up to it Bowen's definitely a good option but he's ignored him entirely for what will ultimately be a 20 minute cameo potentially plus extra time I think he's a player who's got the qualities to shine there I think Bowen's really unlucky to miss out to be honest and the football pundit again back in touch saying stop inviting Morgan Gibbs-White to watch-alongs he needs his rest this summer so he can spearhead another European charge for Forrest next season.

29:21Think of the big picture there. I like that. Maybe we'll knock him up a non-alcoholic My Fizzy Aunt. See what you think of that at the football party. Well, you know what? A little insight for you. We couldn't actually make a non-alcoholic one because the process is very long and quite expensive and we didn't have a turnaround time so we don't have any zero alcohol My Fizzy Aunt as an option. Although non-alcoholic beer will be an option. It will, just not our branded one. No, not our branded one. Listen, if we are going to talk about the World Cup watch parties here, you are going to have to really start to pace out and map out your day because the World Cup watch party start at 5 the games kick off at 9 and in one case 10 but let's go for 9pm this time you know you're going to be there right amongst it in the thick of it given the stoppages as well probably like 11.30pm and it's going to be a summer's day and one of the games is on a weekend as well you are going to have to bring in your non-alcoholic lager into your routine at some point.

30:20Every now and then have a water. Yeah, absolutely. That's a great shout. Maybe we'll get some big hamster-style things set up of water. There's no need to, though, is there? Well, it's just easier, isn't it? It's just queuing at the bar. It doesn't seem very hygienic, though, in a post-COVID environment. This is my World Cup watch party as well, right? You have your own one. Yeah, fine. Next to your wheel. Toby Sharp, hello to you, Toby. On this note, what is the optimum amount of pints to drink during a 90-minute game? and should you plan ahead for extra time? Well, the World Cup watch parties, it'll be group games.

30:51We won't be an extra time. But for me, as boring as this sounds at the age I'm at, I'm probably a pint per half. Same, yeah. I mean, because it's going to be quite adrenaline heavy, isn't it? And probably quite nerve-wracking as well. The ideal amount is two. I expect I'll get through three. But yeah, I think one per half is enough, isn't it? It's a pint of liquid. After that, you're ready once, aren't you? Indeed. A little comeback on the Madiweke Bowen chat from Miles. Hello to you, Miles. I'd rate Madiweke to be a good alternative. I personally prefer Nonny to Bowen, especially against a team who will sit back.

31:26Yeah, I kind of understand that. He's very direct. Yeah, I mean that. I know what you mean there. Yeah, absolutely. Let's do... Oh, I love this question. Let's do this question. What meal... This is from Irish Kev on our Discord. Hello to you, Irish Kev. What meal are you serving on the plane? Do you remind the boys what they're doing this for? So you give them bangers of mash or fish and chips or even chicken tikka masala? I think you get a carvery-style trolley that you just roll down the aisle. Nice. Big Sam on it. Oh, yes. In a little cabin crew outfit. Yes. Or Jordan Henderson, presumably.

31:56Yeah. He's got to do something. He's got to do something. Whenever I think about Jordan Henderson, I always think about that Roy Keane quote. You know, what's he good at? Playing cards? Just do a quiz for the lads in the evening? What is it for? Yeah, I am also sort of baffled by that. What are you serving up on the plane? I think it's bangers and mash. It's fish and chips. Yeah, I mean, like I say, I go for the carvery. the traditional roast remember where you're coming from and when you go to a carvery do you do all the meats? they give you an option to have all of them don't they? I think I would prefer to go for all of them my dad as you know is a twin so if we go to the carvery with my dad and uncle dad yeah the old switcheroo is obviously an option but they sit next to each other and they like it's like they eat a roast in time like it's mad it's like watching one brain in two bodies do exactly the same thing so are they on the plane here or not?

32:45no I don't think there's much value in taking them on the England play they have a great time but I'm not sure what they're adding are they coming to the World Cup watch parties not to my knowledge come on they're sold out yeah it's a hot ticket it's true the first one is sold out as I said can't even get one for Uncle Dad no you can't absolutely not can we this is the dull Sam again can we ban Marcus from erroneously saying Czechia for the tournament you can't ban Marcus from anything this is what we've learned he's just into it I think there's also an element to him there's a bit of Ron Burgundy about it if the lads put it in the running order he'll say it so it might be that you're speaking to the organ grinder you're speaking to the monkey rather than the organ grinder there this is a good question from Sean Lewis if you could indoctrinate any single player from another nation's team to join our ranks and be given an infamous blue passport which is a British passport by the way not an English one who would it be?

33:40that's a really good question perhaps you're looking at fixing that issue on the right maybe are we maybe lacking a bit of decent cover either side of the fullbacks I'm trying to think of who's the absolute box office option there I think you might want to go for an extra centre-back wouldn't you? you think? well I'll tell you why because I think he's going to play I think he's going to play Konza and Gay right? yeah you know But Byron plays on the left side, Byron plays on the right side, generally speaking. So that's a pretty good balance. But my feeling is, although John Stones is massively experienced, and I do like John Stones, I think he's reliable now.

34:22And I know he's only played four or five games this season, but he did sort of come back into the side at City later on, and particularly in the FA Cup. I do like him as a backup, but I think that there might be a chance that people might start to break down a bit and we might not have adequate cover. but if we're going to go on the right hand side of the attacking part of the pitch as we talked about earlier it's got to be Lamine Jamal hasn't it? That'd be fun. It's got to be Jamal surely. Or how about born in Leeds Erling Haaland? Wow I know you're talking She should be representing us anyway as should Jamal Musiala.

34:56Yeah. So basically we're just putting an error of history right. Absolutely. Is we winning the moral argument doing that? We should get Declan Rice from Ireland. Great idea. Great idea. and Jack Roo oh no there's no point yeah Scott McTominay no get them all in there yeah exactly Pickle McDillionaire will you do a watch along for other nations probably not no I don't know if we're actually going to survive the three England group games to be honest yeah it's going to be quite full on isn't it the whole thing's going to be full on because of the time zones as well they're expecting us to do Ramble episodes the morning after and stuff like that 3am and stuff I'm going to have to stay after the first group game watch along I'm going to have to stay in a hotel really Yeah, because, I mean, it's going to finish so late.

35:41It's going to go all the way back down, Sabtu come all the way back up again. It's not going to happen. The killer whale says Michael Alise. He's one of ours as well. Great, great. Absolutely. So in a way, we've got a really good chance. Someone else absolutely massive we could have had. We've got a really good chance. Semenyo? Yes. Semenyo. There you go. We've got a really good chance. There's your right-hand side. Yeah, all of them. Semenyo and Alise. And Yamal. He's not technically ours, is he? No. But we'd like him. Exactly. Yeah, the killer whale says, I can't believe you're not saying Alise, he's British and exactly the box office right hand side attacker that we need.

36:11I think Lemmy from Motorhead claimed he once stayed up for two weeks. I might have a crack at that. Stephen Bartlett said he once couldn't function for a week because he had three glasses of wine. So Lemmy from Motorhead's gone. We wish we could have him back, don't we? He's better in that particular circumstance. Defenestration one is putting the English team in Florida. A massive mistake, both in terms of the weather but also vicinity to pitbull. Pitbull's going to be inspirational, surely. Yeah, I think, yeah. It's very difficult to not feel like a million bucks if you're looking at that odd little fella.

36:46And listening to his tunes. Yeah. Of course, exactly. Charlie, how long are we supposed to be doing this for? This is half an hour. We can wrap up now, can we? Okay, let's do one more before we go. Lone Badger on YouTube. Hello to you, Lone Badger, on the YouTube comments. If Jordan Henderson is there as the level-headed babysitter, who's the gazzer? Who's sneaking off to a shooting range for some boozed-up AK-47 action. It would have been greelish, but sadly he's not with us. Yeah.

37:11That's an interesting one. Elliot Anderson looks like he's probably... Oh, it's Jordan Pickford, isn't it? What am I talking about? Elliot Anderson looks like he's probably a laugh on a night out. It is Jordan Pickford. It has to be Jordan Pickford. It has to be Jordan Pickford, doesn't it? On that note, we have to get out of here, but thank you very much for tuning in. If you did it on YouTube or if you're watching it on the... Sorry, if you're listening to the podcast version afterwards, you're very welcome. and we're very pleased you're here. Stick around. Keep it locked onto the Ramble because there's loads of episodes coming between now and there and World Cup starting and also throughout the World Cup as well.

37:41Do check out those World Cup watch parties too. Don't miss out. You're going to be regretful if you don't get your ticket. Get yourself to London. Come along and see us. We'd love to have you along. Yeah, thanks very much, Jim. Thank you. Thanks, thanks. And goodbye from me as well.

38:02The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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