All right! Before the links, a reminder to HELP OUT YOUR BOY (ME) AND PRE-ORDER HIS (MY) BOOK. Also, I’m writing a mailbag for my next ESPN piece, and you can tweet at me, email me (ohanlonmailbag@espn.com), or just respond to this email with questions. Deadline for Qs is Sunday.

Now, for the content:

-I literally picked every game at the World Cup. It’s 6,000 words:

We'll kick this off with some ground rules, base rates, what have you. Over the past two World Cups, 80% of the matches were won by one team or another, with the remaining 20% ending in draws. And there have been an average of 2.6 goals scored per game.

When a team wins, they score 2.3 goals and concede 0.6. When it's a draw, the scores, very nicely, add up to 1.0 goals for and 1.0 goals against. So, roughly, the average win at the World Cup is a 2-1 and the average draw is a 1-1.

Among teams that have appeared in the past two tournaments, France have averaged both the most goals scored (2.0) and conceded the fewest (0.8). I'll let you figure out why they're favorites to win it all once again. At the other end of the spectrum, among teams with appearances in both events, Iran have scored the fewest goals (0.5 per game) while Australia have allowed the most (2.3). If we limit it to teams who have made at least one appearance, then Panama have allowed the most goals (3.7), while Cameroon and Honduras (0.3) have scored the fewest.

-Along with my colleague Mark Ogden, we drafted starting lineups from the pool of Liverpool and Manchester City players:

ROUND ONE

O'Hanlon selects ... Virgil van Dijk, center-back, Liverpool. I know I'm supposed to be the "numbers guy" here or whatever, but we're trying to corner the market on immaculate, winning vibes with the first overall pick.

There aren't any data points that truly quantify VVD's impact. Well, other than this one: with the gigantic Dutchman in the lineup, Liverpool have collected results at a 38-game pace of 93 points since he arrived in January 2018. Only five teams in Premier League history have won more than 93 points in a season.

With VVD mopping up counterattacks, scaring opponents into paralysis, spreading possession calmly and powering in goals off set pieces, he raises our ceiling and floor in a way that no other center-back in the world can.

Ogden selects ... Mohamed Salah, forward, Liverpool. I can't argue with Ryan's first pick. Despite the strength of both squads, Van Dijk would probably be the first name on any team sheet, and I do wonder how much City regret pulling out of the race to sign him from Southampton in January 2018. Had City signed Van Dijk, just where would Liverpool be now? Anyway, back to my pick!

Football is all about match winners, the players who put the ball in the back of the net, and Salah is the ultimate big-game player for Liverpool. I know that leaves Ryan with some great options for his second pick, but I couldn't leave Salah on the table.

Have wonderful weekends, everyone.