The England World Cup Thread

Wig · Jun 28, 2018

After watching with glee Germany's knockout yesterday, I'm so relieved England are already through and have the pressure off against Belgium. This is the perfect game to rest a couple players and try a different option in certain positions to see how they fare against high quality opposition in a competitive game. I think we will see more of Rashford, Vardy, Dier, Rose in this game and that's enough rotation without harming the team. But aiming to qualify second in the group is rubbish... as much as there is a perception as to which teams we would rather face in the knockout stages, the previous games show that there is no guarantee of beating any team. So let's not worry about the future opposition, let's worry about England playing well and enjoying our football, and keep building momentum and confidence.

taricco · Jun 28, 2018

fortworthspur said:
finish second gives you an easier path to the semis. whoever comes out of H, 1 or 2, shouldnt be the problem. Brazil will be the problem. They are starting to get their chit together. And since what we desire has no effect of the actual outcome, be practical. sometimes you need a little luck.

Really disagree with this. I think everyone is heavily underestimating Colombia. They have a great attacking team that only lost the first game (just about) due to a red card. They have fantastic attacking capabilities that could cause us some big problems. A totally different proposition to anyone else in the group and one to be avoided for me if possible.

Timberwolf · Jun 28, 2018

taricco said:
Really disagree with this. I think everyone is heavily underestimating Colombia. They have a great attacking team that only lost the first game (just about) due to a red card. They have fantastic attacking capabilities that could cause us some big problems. A totally different proposition to anyone else in the group and one to be avoided for me if possible.

Completely agree. I think because Colombia got an early red card against Japan people have written them off and think they're no better than the other teams in the group. I've watched a lot of them over the last few years and their team has a lot of problems, but with the quality of Falcao, James, Quintero and Cuadrado going forward, plus their insane support (the Poland match was like a Colombia home game) they'd be much tougher opposition than Senegal or Japan.

They do have a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot, though. I wouldn't be surprised if they drew with Senegal and got knocked out.

King of Otters · Jun 28, 2018

Do we have any idea what the team is going to be?

Amo · Jun 28, 2018

We don't need to lose, just draw with a worse disciplinary record. If we're drawing and don't feel up for Brazil in the quarterfinals we can just handle the ball in the last moments of the game for a few yellow cards. Or just slap Hazard up a bit.

Maybe a few players with clean records so far can pick it the ball for a quick game of volleyball. Alternatively, getting Nick Pope on in the final minute to sock Hazard in the gob would both be satisfying and would gain us an easier route to the semis. Nick Pope wouldn't have got a game anyway, so win-win for all.

Vulcan10 · Jun 28, 2018

Amo said:
We don't need to lose, just draw with a worse disciplinary record. If we're drawing and don't feel up for Brazil in the quarterfinals we can just handle the ball in the last moments of the game for a few yellow cards. Or just slap Hazard up a bit.

Maybe a few players with clean records so far can pick it the ball for a quick game of volleyball. Alternatively, getting Nick Pope on in the final minute to sock Hazard in the gob would both be satisfying and would gain us an easier route to the semis. Nick Pope wouldn't have got a game anyway, so win-win for all.

I presume that is why Dier is starting to to rough up the Chelsea players if we need yellow cards

It could be an easy England win as it isn't in our DNA to play to loose, Harry will want goals and the players not starting so far ie Rashford will be keen to impress. Belgium seem much keener on the finish 2nd outcome.

Or it could get very bizarre. Southgate also wants to finish 2nd has just been hiding it and we see a very odd game of football.

Fringe players on to get bookings but the ref is onto it and doesn't book them or they get retrospective bans.
Thinking about it the yellows would have to come earlier to be more subtle.
Are their any odds for how many times players kick the ball away tonight.

Columbia are a dangerous team, especially if James has shaken off his early tournament niggles. Interesting to see where they finish as to how much 1st or 2nd matters.

Shadydan · Jun 28, 2018

taricco said:
Really disagree with this. I think everyone is heavily underestimating Colombia. They have a great attacking team that only lost the first game (just about) due to a red card. They have fantastic attacking capabilities that could cause us some big problems. A totally different proposition to anyone else in the group and one to be avoided for me if possible.

Yup Colombia are a real problem I agree.

Spurs 1961 · Jun 28, 2018

Shadydan said:
Yup Colombia are a real problem I agree.

We need to just win our matches and not look ahead. I agree Columbia are a tough team to beat and just the type of side who we don't want to play against ... they will soak up our pressure and hit us on the counter with two of the best forwards in the game.

Anyway I don't see Spurs, Liverpool or City players having the mentality of not going all out to win a game; it's just not the way any of them play week in, week out

spursfan77 · Jun 28, 2018

I think Southgate has a point about us not winning a knockout game for ages actually. We need to do that first.

Timberwolf · Jun 28, 2018

King of Otters said:
Do we have any idea what the team is going to be?

Dier is definitely starting. He's also implied that he'll give some fringe players game time so I'd expect to see Rashford, Alexander-Arnold, Rose and maybe Cahill given a run out. He also said that Alli would play if he's fit.

fortworthspur · Jun 28, 2018

Shadydan said:
Depending on who goes through in Group H, if Colombia win their group which I think they will then the chances to progress on both sides are even, let's see what happens.

I agree that colombia is the one team in H that could give you trouble, depending on which Colombia shows up. But you could win the group and still get them and the quarters are definitely easier on the other side of the bracket.

mattyspurs · Jun 28, 2018

I have never something as so stupid as to not to go out to win a game of football because of who you may or may not get a couple of games down the line.

Just the game, finish top, keep the momentum going within the squad and more importantly the buzz from the England fans going too.

Who we play next is irrelevant.

rez9000 · Jun 28, 2018

mattyspurs said:
I have never something as so stupid as to not to go out to win a game of football because of who you may or may not get a couple of games down the line.

Just the game, finish top, keep the momentum going within the squad and more importantly the buzz from the England fans going too.

Who we play next is irrelevant.

Spot on.

King of Otters · Jun 28, 2018

Timberwolf said:
Dier is definitely starting. He's also implied that he'll give some fringe players game time so I'd expect to see Rashford, Alexander-Arnold, Rose and maybe Cahill given a run out. He also said that Alli would play if he's fit.

And Vardy starting ahead of Kane by the sounds of it. :cry:

nattydredd · Jun 28, 2018

Cast your minds back to 2014 & a corker from Roy, after the 0-0 with Costa Rica :-

[B]England[/B]‏Verified account @[B]England[/B]24 Jun 2014
Hodgson: "I'm pleased we gave the fans something to cheer about with our performance. We outplayed them in midfield." #CRC

0-0 #ENG

King of Otters · Jun 28, 2018

nattydredd said:
Cast your minds back to 2014 & a corker from Roy, after the 0-0 with Costa Rica :-

[B]England[/B]‏Verified account @[B]England[/B]24 Jun 2014
Hodgson: "I'm pleased we gave the fans something to cheer about with our performance. We outplayed them in midfield." #CRC 0-0 #ENG

Amazing that that old fraud given the chance to fail at three major tournaments.

DFF · Jun 28, 2018

King of Otters said:
Amazing that that old fraud given the chance to fail at three major tournaments.

Fraudiola. Oh wait wrong thread.

Fraudgson. :cautious:

Spursh · Jun 28, 2018

My wife is Colombian. I may have to watch the game in a different room.

nailsy · Jun 29, 2018

Anyone else finding all the talk about Southgate rotating players boring? If you actually look at the team from the previous match a lot of the changes make sense:

Pickford - Played
Trippier - Rested. Came off with a slight injury against Panama.
Walker - Rested, but loads of people were saying he shouldn't be playing at CB anyway.
Stones - Played, but taken off with an injury.
Maguire - Rested.
Henderson - Rested.
Loftus Cheek - Played. Worth mentioning that he played against Panama because of Dele's injury, so giving Dele more time to recover makes sense.
Lingard - Rested
Young - Rested, but most people were saying Rose should have played anyway.
Sterling - Rested, but loads of people were saying Rashford should start anyway.
Kane - Rested. Whether you agree with this one or not, you should at least be able to see why he'd want to protect our main man.

So people got the changes that they wanted while the manager rested players with injury concerns and he's still getting stick for it.

TheChosenOne · Jun 29, 2018

nailsy said:
Anyone else finding all the talk about Southgate rotating players boring? If you actually look at the team from the previous match a lot of the changes make sense:

Pickford - Played
Trippier - Rested. Came off with a slight injury against Panama.
Walker - Rested, but loads of people were saying he shouldn't be playing at CB anyway.
Stones - Played, but taken off with an injury.
Maguire - Rested.
Henderson - Rested.
Loftus Cheek - Played. Worth mentioning that he played against Panama because of Dele's injury, so giving Dele more time to recover makes sense.
Lingard - Rested
Young - Rested, but most people were saying Rose should have played anyway.
Sterling - Rested, but loads of people were saying Rashford should start anyway.
Kane - Rested. Whether you agree with this one or not, you should at least be able to see why he'd want to protect our main man.

So people got the changes that they wanted while the manager rested players with injury concerns and he's still getting stick for it.

I personally rate Rashford a lot, especially over Sterling but yesterday's debacle did him no favours after seeing him miss that great chance which he should have put past Courtois. He has probably blown it now.

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