One of our writers, Mike Owen Benediktsson, has a broken arm and his ability to write is seriously impaired at the moment so I will step in with my own contribution. Get well soon Mike.

     For some time now the odds makers have had France, Brazil and England with the shortest odds. As an Englishman I ask can this really be true? Are England really ranked in the top three? Ahead of Belgium, Germany, Portugal and Spain? Well I'm gobsmacked! For the longest while England always seemed to belly-flop in international competitions. Is is different now?

     If you go on England's performance in UEFA Euro 2020 you might conclude that things are different now. England got to the final but lost out on penalty kicks to Italy. Not a bad showing. But then you look at the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League -6 games and not a single win! And this on the eve of the World Cup. And it is not as if England were unlucky; the truth is they were rubbish. Very pedestrian play with a lack of creativity.

     One might think that England's short odds in the World Cup betting is due to the plethora of young English talent like Sterling, Foden, Alexander-Arnold, Declan Rice, Bellingham, Reece James, Saka, Grealish, Philips, etc, supported by some senior players like our own Kyle Walker and the likes of Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane. Well they look good on paper but on the pitch they look dull.

     Whilst I was optimistic that Gareth Southgate eshewed the old guard in favour of some fresh young blood he does seem to have made some bonehead moves in team selection. (Early on he played Phil Jones at right-back over the likes of Alexander-Arnold, Reeece James, Trippier, Kyle Walker and Wan Bisaka- yikes!) Why did Southgate play Harry Maguire in the Itlay game when Maguire was dropped by his club team? Why did he play Bukayo Saka at left midfield who had never played that position for club nor country when our own Jack Grealish was well suited to that position? But I will give Southgate a nod for playing Jude Bellingham for the injured Kalvin Phillips. Without doubt Bellingham was the man of the match - a 19 year old! Bellingham seemed to be the only player prepared to advance the ball.

     I am not optimistic about England's prospect in the World Cup and thus I am practicing my belly-flop.