Cloneball. Have to say, I'm bored already.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Enjoyed Spain v Portugal, but the rest are all pretty much the same. No excitement, lots of Mexican waves.

To think they're going to bore us with a 48 team tournament in Qatar...

[J R Hartley]

Don’t watch then. Simple.

[Wales-Bales]

I have identified two games worth watching in the group stages. I may take a look at a few additional games such as Germany v Mexico, but on the whole I will be waiting for the knockout stages.

[Rjk]

3 days into the tournament is probably a little early to be writing it off

[Wales-Bales]

3 days into the tournament is probably a little early to be writing it off

I'm not writing them off, just avoiding fatigue before the Knockout games begin.

[City123]

I've enjoyed most of the games so far

[barrybloo]

I think it's one of the best starts to a world cup I can remember.
Usually all the first games are negative cagey 0-0, 1 - 0 affairs.
But we've had some great games already Spain/Portugal, Argentina /Iceland, Russia/Saudi Arabia, Peru/Denmark even France/Australia for the contrevesy.
****ing Brill!

[the other bob wilson]

Quite enjoying it at the moment - not convinced by VAR though.

[Divine Wright]

Enjoyed Spain v Portugal, but the rest are all pretty much the same. No excitement, lots of Mexican waves.

To think they're going to bore us with a 48 team tournament in Qatar...

You support and (I assume) you watch a Neil Warnock championship team.

[Shute]

We've had one of the most dramatic games played at a really high standard in Portugal v Spain.
Messi missing a penalty to heap the pressure on his whole nation.
Russia having a jolly good time when nobody expected it.
And lot's of really close games with late winners, penalty decisions, no dirty red cards and most importantly no crowd trouble from what I hear.

I was sceptical before Thursday but it's been brilliant.

[BLUETIT]

We've had one of the most dramatic games played at a really high standard in Portugal v Spain.
Messi missing a penalty to heap the pressure on his whole nation.
Russia having a jolly good time when nobody expected it.
And lot's of really close games with late winners, penalty decisions, no dirty red cards and most importantly NO CROWD TROUBLE from what I hear.

I was sceptical before Thursday but it's been brilliant.

That starts tomorrow evening/night !

[surge]

Haven't seen too much of it yet - it's just not as exciting without Wales there - but the games I have watched have had good spells even if there is something missing that would make it really exciting:

1. France Australia was my first game this tournament and thought it was threatening to be a good game (underperforming big side meeting spirited smaller side with loud fan backing) before VAR got involved.
2. Saw the first half of Argentina Iceland and this was a really good watch.
3. Peru seem fun but lack quality in front of goal
4. Nigeria Croatia was much better than commentators on ITV made it out to be - two sides with players good on the ball, youth v experience, both sides having players who you believe can score a goal.

There have been bad things about it - at times a slow 20 minutes, commentators and pundits remain largely piss poor and seem to be spreading VAR propoganda, VAR getting in the way, goal music - but seeing as I have missed best game of the tournament so far it's been quite a good start.

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Enjoyed Spain v Portugal, but the rest are all pretty much the same. No excitement, lots of Mexican waves.

To think they're going to bore us with a 48 team tournament in Qatar...

Solution...don't watch the early games and wait for the last group games that mean something and the knockout games.

[J R Hartley]

Solution...don't watch the early games and wait for the last group games that mean something and the knockout games.

Then you would have missed some cracking games already

[thehumblegringo]

Haven't seen too much of it yet - it's just not as exciting without Wales there - but the games I have watched have had good spells even if there is something missing that would make it really exciting:

1. France Australia was my first game this tournament and thought it was threatening to be a good game (underperforming big side meeting spirited smaller side with loud fan backing) before VAR got involved.
2. Saw the first half of Argentina Iceland and this was a really good watch.
3. Peru seem fun but lack quality in front of goal
4. Nigeria Croatia was much better than commentators on ITV made it out to be - two sides with players good on the ball, youth v experience, both sides having players who you believe can score a goal.

There have been bad things about it - at times a slow 20 minutes, commentators and pundits remain largely piss poor and seem to be spreading VAR propoganda, VAR getting in the way, goal music - but seeing as I have missed best game of the tournament so far it's been quite a good start.

Besides Morocco vs Iran they were all the worst games of the tournament.

[thehumblegringo]

Then you would have missed some cracking games already

I'm loving it. (Apart from Messi)

[J R Hartley]

I'm loving it. (Apart from Messi)

Me too mate. Cos it was Russia I was a bit “Meh” but really enjoying it thus far.

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Then you would have missed some cracking games already

Not for me..for Monkfish

[Badly Ironed Shirt]

Enjoyed Spain v Portugal, but the rest are all pretty much the same. No excitement, lots of Mexican waves.

To think they're going to bore us with a 48 team tournament in Qatar...

Every tournament is like this though.

However, having seen Saudi Arabia - it's laughable that they think a 48 team tournament is now a good idea. The group stages are, basically, formalities. Knock-out stages are where it all starts.

[Badly Ironed Shirt]

You support and (I assume) you watch a Neil Warnock championship team.

Imagine if I posted that.

[City123]

Some shocks already as well, Russia winning 5-0, Iceland holding Argentina, Switzerland holding Brazil, Mexico beating Germany

And of course a future classic in Spain 3-3 Portugal

[BLUETIT]

Some shocks already as well, Russia winning 5-0, Iceland holding Argentina, Switzerland holding Brazil, Mexico beating Germany

And of course a future classic in Spain 3-3 Portugal

Plus no INGURLUND fans fighting

[Louth]

Plus no INGURLUND fans fighting

That was never going to happen.

For perverse reasons im hoping they will. Throwing bottles, 6 months!

[City123]

That was never going to happen.

For perverse reasons im hoping they will. Throwing bottles, 6 months!

Give it time

I saw on Twitter they've sold less than 10,000 tickets to England fans for the group games and there will be less than 2,000 at the Tunisia game.

[Tokyo Blue]

Is it me or is it a little harder to hate the England team these days? To a certain extent, I think that some of them might have finally realised that they don't deserve to automatically have their name on the trophy and have tempered their expectations a bit.

I'd still piss myself if they didn't progress though.