Rousseau

I don't think there's any evidence of SG preferring a "4-3-3 system [...] with an aggressive Kloppesque pressing game". SG set up Liverpool U18s a couple of times with a 4-3-3, but his preferred formations were 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-2-1, with the latter the most preferred. I think we're just seeing the Liverpool connection and the intense start to pre-season and spinning it out. I do expect a pressing game, but not quite "Kloppesque". I agree with the rest. It was a measured evaluation of our signings. We have a good group of versatile players, able to play in a variety of ways.

No. Too few games. It makes it a tighter run-in.

It's not bad for a youngster, for me. He's only just turned 22.

Windass must not be sold -- especially for a paltry £3m.

Absolutely. I think we're seeing that with the DoF. It's still just the beginning.

I don't know the answers. I was just outlining what I thought, looking at his stats and what I know from the league. The only question I ask is: Can he do a job for us? I think he could do.

Sorry about that, I had copied in the table I had sorted by previous round results. Oops!

Scores a nice header around 2 mins in. They show the line-up at the start too.

Looking at some highlights when he plays, he's deployed to the right in a midfield three, in a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1, so he's not a DM.

How many holding midfielders do we have?

Transfermrkt have him down as more of a central midfield player, so more box-to-box rather than DM -- although he has played there. He was still a youngster at Bastia in Ligue 1, playing now and again while still remaining important, until they were relegated, which was when Angers signed him as they were promoted to Ligue 1. Clearly he's a Ligue 1 quality midfielder. I would expect an all-round midfield player with good energy and physique, perhaps lacking in specific quality.

When you see that there are no World Cup games on today...

Looking at the scores per round, we picked up around 170 points between us in Round 3, whereas the first two rounds saw us pick up over 300 points per round between us. This last round has been terrible. It doesn't help when everyone changes their teams! onevision was our top scorer for the 3rd round with 14 points. In the first two rounds 14 points was mid-table.

Yes, you're right. Apologies. Corrected. Too many scores to write up!

I'll take the score After Extra Time. Not penalties.

Latest Standings:

Apologies, I was a tad busy yesterday, so couldn't write up the scores. Good day for me... JAP-POL: onevision, compo, Craig, CD and coop gained 1 point for the Correct Result. Rousseau gained 3 points for the Correct Score. No jokers. SEN-COL: Rousseau, onevision, Bill, whosthedado, lenny, Craig, Franc, Gonzo, Yorkie, Gaffer, buster, r_s, coop, Malang, BEARGER and TB gained 1 point for the Correct Result. No Correct Score, no jokers. ENG-BEL: Rousseau, onevision, Yorkie, CD, johnnyk, Malangsob, BEARGER and FS gained 1 point for the Correct Result. No Correct Scores, no jokers. PAN-TUN: Terrific scores for this one... compo, lenny, Craig, Franc, Yorkie, Gaffer, dB, r_s, johnnyk, UKCRazyhorse, coop and BEARGER gained 1 point for the Correct Result. Rousseau, onevision, Bill, Whosthedado, buster, Malangsob and TB gained 3 points for the Correct Score.

Here are your fixtures for the Last 16: France - Argentina Uruguay - Portugal Spain - Russia Croatia - Denmark Brazil - Mexico Belgium - Japan Sweden - Switzerland Colombia - England You have until 15:00 on Saturday 30th June to submit your predictions. There will be NO Joker. @Malangsob @Franc Ergs @craig @TheUKCrazyhorse @Whosthedado @lenny3k @Crimson Dynamo @johnnyk @Gaffer @forlanssister @onevision @buster. @Sindarin @Bill @der Berliner @BEARGER @Bluedell @compo @Barebear @Tannochsidebear @cooponthewing @Yorkie Bear @ranger_syntax @Gonzo79

Oh... FFS. Predictions out the window again...

Some good scores in one, very few in the other match last night. For the SER-BRA game most gained points. Rousseau, onevision, Bill, compo, Franc, CD, buster, dB, Barebear, r_s coop, malangsob, BEARGER and FS gained 1 point for the Correct Result. Lenny, Craig, Gonzo, Johnnyk, UKCrazyhorse and TB gained 3 points for the Correct Score. BEARGER gained 1 extra point for applying his joker. From the SER-SWI game, only compo gained points, picking 1 point for the Correct Result. No Correct score, no jokers. New leader, and the pack closes in! Latest Standings:

SHOCK! No one got any points for the KOR-GER game. In the MEX-SWE game, only compo and BEARGER gained 1 point for a Correct Result. Latest Standings:

Yes, I agree. Maybe I've got a modern conception of a target man, that's intertwined with the role/style of play?

I'm not saying they shouldn't have strong aerial ability -- it's patently preferable -- just that they don't have to, to be a target man. Lukaku, Lewandowski, Aguero, Higuain, Rooney (for like a season...) are/were all target men -- amongst other things -- that are/were not particularly great in the air, or it's not their strength -- we are talking about high level players, so they're deficient in few things. Going back to Laffterty and Sadiq, they are used as target men. Sadiq's video's show a lot of runs in behind, but he's also the focal point of the attack. Hearts used Lafferty as a target man too: that goal against Celtic came as a result of a long pass into him, which he laid off. They are a physical presence, and a focal point for their teams. That's a target man to me. I agree they're not Prso level quality in the air -- that would cost a few bob!