World Cup KO: En-ger-land, En-ger-land, En-ger-land (was 'Group G')

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Well theyre right

We all say we wont get carried away but when you win or stay in a competition its only natural to hope for the best

As long as we dont lose tonight and everyone is up in arms....which again they will

Losing germany plus almost every big team not being at the races has opened this up to anyone who progresses,which we have

baracks_a_hammer

Pearces_Left_Foot said:

People seem to forget we have not won a knockout game in any tournament since 2006

I dare say Greece’s record in the euros was not too great before they won it, and neither was leicester’s prior record in fighting for the first division/Prem titles either

Bazshuayi

Since 2006 when have we had an England team that actually had the potential to gel, as opposed to great players who didnt transfer into a great team.

When the team do well, and I am casting my mind back to examples like Italia'90 and Euro '96 where we genuinely were contenders, the country experienced a feel good factor that was easy to feel. The day after we exited the tournaments, the depressing feeling was huge too.

I dont want to patronize any of the younger members who havent experienced that sort of vibe through England, but its the reason I want us to be in the lower half of the draw. I've had that many loses to the likes of Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal etc to actually want us to have a little bit of luck on our side.

I am NOT suggesting the lower half teams will fall over for us. I just believe that percentage wise how many days would we have where Brazil have an off day and we are at the top of our game? Plus the next game and game after.

Nobody is going to be a pushover, but in relative terms I just wanted us to have a better chance of progressing. I do understand the other point of view, I just want us to have the best chance that's possible.

thornburyiron

I know to win any tournament you have to beat the teams you face but I still prefer to face those teams, which you suspect will be a greater threat, as late on as possible.

IronHerb

We are talking about one tougher game if we are in the top half of the draw.
In the top half we meet Brazil and one of France (poor), Argentina (average), Uruguay (dangerous) or Portugal (average).
In the bottom half we meet Spain (average). My comments in brackets are as I see them at this moment in the competition. I currently rate England as dangerous.

Now that is writing off all the other teams for the sake of the argument. None of them will be pushovers and there will be surprises.

So we play to win tonight with the bonus of breezing through to the semis if we don't. ;biggrin

thornburyiron

Well Belgium possibles edge England possibles but bearing no relevance to what we can expect in later rounds from these. Still worried about our defensive frailties as they don't fill me with confidence.

OldCastleSwift

Dendoncker looks decidedly average.

jay_in_cpt

Sorry I know both teams are thru but IMO the WC & fans deserve better...
Those line-ups for me are a bit of a joke...

imagelost

Jay ;ok
Dross,
Can’t get into this
Water tomato plants

imagelost

Great we lose this
And lose the next one
what a shambles

imagelost

Step it up

CleverTrevor

Best moment of the game so far!!

IronHerb

And we nearly bought him ;whistle

thornburyiron

What did that prove apart from their reserves are better than ours and our defence is extremely suspect and our goalkeeper is even more suspect. How many times did he punch it straight back into the six yard box. Had my doubts about him after his performance against us last game of the season.

baracks_a_hammer

Not overly great but perhaps no surprise

jay_in_cpt

Personally think Southgate isn't too upset, I mean Harry Kane or Danny Welbeck to come on and score ;hmm ;lol

Lukerz

We weren’t fussed. Which will look an inspired move when we go out to Columbia.

MrsGrey

What's the point of Ryan Giggs?

IronHerb

Oh, didn’t you know? He played for Manchester United, ;biggrin

OldCastleSwift

And that great World Cup nation...

Bazshuayi

Ok... Now we have to justify that by beating a potentially Hames-less Columbia and one of Sweden/Switzerland to get to a semi-final. If so, then we'll have the momentum and confidence to face the likes of Spain.

That scenario would never have happened if the draw was made after every round rather than teams potentially mapping out a route and engineering accordingly if theres a capacity to.

Both teams have essentially has a rest that the other nations werent afforded. That doesnt particularly sit well with me but I do believe 100%, in the same circumstances, every other team wouldve rested their most important players too. The Germans for example would've probably justified it on their way to the trophy. It's not typically English but as said above, now we have to justify what was done by going deep into the tournament. Very deep...

Brother_Sledge

reasons to be cheerful part 4 by G.Nev - ;ok
plus what he forgot to add - I have to go to parish council meeting Monday night and now I can watch England on tuesday ;biggrin

EXETERHAMMER

I didn't want to face Colombia. However, I think that we have enough to beat them if our defence and goalkeeper play well ie better than tonight.

whupathman

calling a croatia vs england semi now

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

End of the day we are gonna have to face at least one of the best teams on paper regardless

Personally i think you just take it 1 game at a time and i think Japan is a much much easier game than columbia so im disappointed we didnt go for it more

Also surely we'd like to go up agaisnt the 'better' teams esepcially as none if them are really firing atm so nows the best time to knock em out

ASLEFshrugged

Ahhhhhhhhh smug mode

England v Uruguay final

chicagohammer

Overall that was a pretty poor advert for the game, understandable, yes, but pretty poor nonetheless.

I am somewhat surprised at the lack of passion, these were “fringe” players who really should have given everything, what did they have to lose?.

I am also mad at myself, I did everything possible to avoid the result during the day and on passing someone who I barely know, he said, “well England won”.... I pulled a face and he said “oh come on you know the result” I replied that truly I didn’t and walked off in bit of a huff, I actually heard him say after me that he was kidding.

It was not until the 83rd minute that I began to realize that he was kidding after all..

;doh ;weep

ASLEFshrugged

Gareth Southgate denies England are playing to lose after media obtains team sheet:

Cuz1

The pint of warm lager only got in because Carlton Palmer had a slight knock

IronHerb

Think Hart might struggle to get into that X1. ;hmm