looks like england will edge it but honestly these knockout games rarely go how people expect. seen too many penalty shootouts to feel confident either way
England always looks better on paper but Norway has this annoying habit of dragging them into a scrappy grind, so I wouldn't be shocked if it ends tighter than expected.
Honestly I get way more out of the chat and forum vibe than any bonus system, its just fun seeing how unhinged people get when a huge bet lands or crashes. The community banter makes the whole thing feel less like a casino and more like a weird digital hangout.
the bit about travel fatigue is so overlooked honestly people see the name on the shirt and just pile on but yeah those long haul flights wreck legs even for top players. backing a solid defensive side at home on a fat handicap when the favorites are basically sleepwalking is probably the sharpest move right now.
Honestly it was painfull to watch, the midfielders would rather recycle possession forever than risk a through ball. I still think if they gave Vitinha more minutes it wouldve unlocked something, he actually likes playing those quick one twos.
I remember watching Bayer's press after a tight win last season where Alonso basically drew the whole sequence on a whitebboard during the interview, the guy thinks three moves ahead like he's still pinging passes on the pitch. Arteta has the structure but Alonso seems to have that instinct you can't really teach.
That Norway low block just swallowed them whole. The amount of individual brilliance in that squad means nothing if you let them get picked off because the fullbacks push up and nobody covers. I keep thinking about how they barely survived group play and hoping some homegrown coaches step up their tactical game fast.