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

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Comments

  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    Brother_Sledge said:

    England v Belgium is last game so all other teams in the draw will be decided

    This will be the case in every last set of games in each pair of groups. I'm not sure if in any cases they will also be playing for first and second though.
  • MunichHammerMunichHammer
    MrsGrey said:


    This will be the case in every last set of games in each pair of groups. I'm not sure if in any cases they will also be playing for first and second though.

    That's not what he meant. Group G are the very last group to play their final matches so they will know before they go out who their opponent would be if they win the group. And they will also know what opponents will await them in the quarters or the semis.
  • thornburyironthornburyiron
    Not sure what his point is though. It's one thing knowing but if you have a preferred route doing something about it is another eg if you'd prefer to finish second in your group.
  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    edited June 2018
    MunichHammer said:


    That's not what he meant. Group G are the very last group to play their final matches so they will know before they go out who their opponent would be if they win the group.

    Same goes for Spain and Portugal when they take to the field tonight. ;puzzled
  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    I must be missing something.
  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    MunichHammer said:

    And they will also know what opponents will await them in the quarters or the semis.

    How? They'll know that it will be one of 2. Same as, eg, Spain and Portugal.

    England's not unique. The only special thing atm is that they are playing against the other team in contention with them for top spot.
  • HammerwombatHammerwombat
    The present Mrs Wombat is of Belgian blood. I will mind my Ps and Qs. But come Thursday night, my home, house and garden will be awash with the flag of St George.


    #has to be done
  • whupathmanwhupathman
    My wife is Belgian but hates football
  • HammerexHammerex
    Looking at the table we have identical pts, and goals scored for and against
    both scoring 8 for and 2against. So what happens if we draw, just toss a coin. ?
  • imagelostimagelost
    It must be about winning, England do not need to practice losing,dub hand at that,
    So stick a strong team out, and none of Astra marlarky that put us the Europey cup,
    Practice makes perfect same team please
  • baracks_a_hammerbaracks_a_hammer
    I’ve just heard dean Ashton on the radio say there is no way England should let up and should go out to win every single game.

    Well that’s settled then, nothing more to debate.
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    Ashton was a much better player than he is a pundit. No real surprise there then.
  • jay_in_cptjay_in_cpt
    edited June 2018
    I agree with Ashton .
    Go for the win regardless , if u wanna win a WC u gotta beat top teams, playing for a result that might get a better or easier route thru the competition is the wrong way to go
    IMO
    Just win
  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    The BBC'S article reporting Martinez saying that changes could be made to protect players - particularly defenders - who have a yellow card.
  • imagelostimagelost
    edited June 2018
    If will only worry about Belgium if we meet in the final, after this game
    If it’s possible
  • alderzalderz
    I was just taking a look at Sterling's conversion rate over his career, and it was pretty interesting.

    From 2011/12 to 2016/17, he scored 31 PL goals from 282 shots - a conversion rate of 11%. In 2018/19, he scored 18 PL goals from 86 shots, a conversion rate of 21%.

    For reference, Harry Kane had a worse conversion rate this season (16%), Marcus Rashford has a conversion rate of 11.4% over the last two seasons, Jesse Lingard has a three year average of 10.5%.

    In terms of chance conversion, Sterling is no worse than any of our other attacking midfielders throughout his career, even ignoring his massive improvement in 2017/18.
  • PrestonHammerPrestonHammer
    My problem with Sterling is his shooting is terrible. If you look at the goals he has scored last season, a lot of them have been back post tap ins. You could argue that he always gets himself into that position but he does get good service.
  • LukerzLukerz
    Thing I would argue with Sterling is, last season, how many of those goals he got were crucial goals, and how many were the 3rd, 4th & 5th goals in games?
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    13 of Sterlings 23 goals were the first or second scored by City across all comps along with 4 more that were 3rd goal clinchers.
  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    Luke, how many times were City in a position of need a 'crucial' goal?
  • WHU_Champo_league_in_7_yearsWHU_Champo_league_in_7_years
    edited June 2018
    At the beginning of the season they were

    Sterling won them a lot of points with his goals
  • imagelostimagelost
    Thought this was about England
  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    Thought Sterling was an England player.
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    I think his movement was very good against Panama and he was unlucky to not get a goal. He should’ve buried the one that Stones followed up on but if England had pushed more in the second half we might’ve seen him score. He’s had a lot of pressure on him building up to this and I’d hope a goal releases that.
  • imagelostimagelost
    edited June 2018
    MrsGrey said:

    Thought Sterling was an England player.

    Not when is man c and manc players around him, should be what he can do for England or this can’t do.
  • BazshuayiBazshuayi
    Ok.... Momentum and all that other bluff talk aside by England, I am going to say that I want England to lose!

    Looking at the bottom half of the draw, surely its the better place to be. We could conceivably have to beat Spain or Croatia (if we get past someone from group H and one of Sweden or Switz?) to get to the final!

    Spain
    Russsia

    Croatia
    Denmark

    Sweden
    Probably Switzerland

    England
    Japan/Senegal/Columbia

    Top half has

    Portugal
    Uruguay

    France
    Argentina

    Mexico
    Probably Brazil

    Belgium if they beat us
    Someone from group H

    Do Belgium really think beating us is a good thing? No! If its a draw, we need to get some yellows and drop to second! I dont care if its stage managed o sneaky. You know other countries would do it. Be smart! If we go out to a team like Sweden anyway then fine. But we have real potential to go very far if we make the right group choice....
  • Tomw85Tomw85
    I was just saying the same with my work colleagues. It goes against everything I like in sports but I would suggest that we want to lose to Belgium.
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    If Brazil come second then the lower half becomes very difficult with Spain in there too.
  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2018/06/25/players-banned-deliberate-booking/


    If it's thought you deliberately got a yellow to game the system, or deliberately lose the game, FIFA will punish you.

    (Am still looking for the exact rules, how such a thing would be assessed, and what sanctions would be imposed.)

    Also, 2 yellows accumulated = 1 match ban. Slate wiped clean after QF.
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    I don't think it's so straightforward. None of Portugal, Uruguay, France or Argentina have played well. Brazil have shown devastating flashes but not consistency. Mexico looked good until today.

    Either way, the next game could be tough if it's Colombia, who looked brilliant against Poland, or Senegal, who have a good combination of pace and skill if they sort out their lack of confidence. Japan would probably worry the least but are clearly an effective unit.

    Croatia is the form team. Sweden and Russia have surprised.

    You've got better teams in the top half but better form in the bottom half. The confidence of beating a major team like Belgium would probably be help as well.

    I'm really not sure there's that much benefit from losing, on balance.
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