World Cup Discussion Thread - Day 15 (28 June)

[HildoSpur]

A world cup is not about momentum, its about growing into the tournament, getting better in the final stages.

Ok so explain then how you are happy about England starting very well but then getting worse by the end of the group stage?

 

[Metalhead]

Dier is worrying, not entirely sure I want to see him start against Newcastle

It's Columbia we'll be playing mate.

 

[Anurag Jo]

Now that I think of it Rashford definitely missed the chance on purpose.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

Watch TAA’s interview and tell me we went out to lose that game

We played the 2nd squad. That is the very definition of trying to lose at this level of competition. England are not so good that the 2nd team is better than everyone else...

 

[yiddopaul]

Why will the team feel deflated or why would they somehow lose their edge? Ridiculous. Most of the team to face Columbia didn't play most of the game. It would MAYBE have been a bit tricky had the first choice lost and played poorly. Nothing much has changed, this England side is the best team we've had in quite some time. They play good football (please do not mention todays game or I'll lose it!).

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

It's Columbia we'll be playing mate.

 

[WiganSpur]

We played the 2nd squad. That is the very definition of trying to lose at this level of competition. England are not so good that the 2nd team is better than everyone else...

Nobody deliberately wants to lose. Of course he'd have wanted to win, but obviously didn't see it as a negative to lose.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

TBF, before the World Cup I thought we'd struggle to get out of the group and if we did we'd be saying ta-ta after the round of 16, so I've got no complaints really, we're on schedule. Anything better than that is a bonus. I swore by the seven blind bastards I'd never let England get to me again, fuck that and even now I know how I'm expecting it to pan out.

I do think that what Southgate has done, is put himself under massive pressure to perform now. Pressure that he needn't have put on himself but it's done now. If we play badly in our next game people will proper have it in for him and some will actually create gifs of his face on a horses body.

Oh and Sweden? Those fuckers generally have the sign over us, we've won twice in 15 games. Not that it means much but still, it's something negative to say

 

[spurs_girl_tasha]

When Welbeck came on I thought I was going to give myself an aneurysm.

Poor line up, terrible sub choices. Rose was the only thing in that shit show that gave me hope.

 

[Metalhead]

Fake news.

 

[Marty]

Neville on the money, would’ve been nice to win but let’s just move on

Beating Columbia and Sweden/Switzerland for a World Cup semi final is an incredible opportunity

My problem with the performance (not the result) is what I said earlier about knives being out if we now fail to make the semis. We have a huge opportunity to make it that far, best chance at a WC since Italia '90, but it comes with a huge risk attached to it.

 

[LSUY]

But this wasn't a meaningless game. The obvious prize being a much easier tie on paper against Japan and a game to keep the confidence and momentum going. If it was a meaningless game i'd agree but it wasn't.

The reserve players playing poorly isn't going to kill the confidence and momentum of the starters. Vardy playing shit is going to have zero impact on Kane.

Japan is the easier R of 16 tie but I think we can agree that Brazil in the QFs is a much tougher tie than either Sweden or Switzerland. Southgate's taken the gamble that England has a better chance of beating a potentially Rodriguez-less Colombia than they do beating Brazil.

 

[Johnny J]

Southgate interview: "Tactically we learnt some important things."

And: "We certainly didn't concede the match." (He did NOT shout this.)

Aand: "Kane was brilliant about not starting."

 

[yiddopaul]

Ok so explain then how you are happy about England starting very well but then getting worse by the end of the group stage?

I think you should find a different 'hobby or activity' as clearly football makes you miserable. What are you talking about? Started well and got worse at the end of the tournament? IT WAS ONE GAME! And a game that was essentially a friendly. We didn't need to win. And to be honest, I'm glad we came second. Endland will not win the world cup, but this does give us a great opportunity to get to the semis. (not saying we will, not being arrogant, i'm sorry if this view hurts your feelings)

 

[teok]

TBF, before the World Cup I thought we'd struggle to get out of the group and if we did we'd be saying ta-ta after the round of 16, so I've got no complaints really, we're on schedule. Anything better than that is a bonus. I swore by the seven blind bastards I'd never let England get to me again, fuck that and even now I know how I'm expecting it to pan out.

I do think that what Southgate has done, is put himself under massive pressure to perform now. Pressure that he needn't have put on himself but it's done now. If we play badly in our next game people will proper have it in for him and some will actually create gifs of his face on a horses body.

Oh and Sweden? Those fuckers generally have the sign over us, we've won twice in 15 games. Not that it means much but still, it's something negative to say

I'd still prefer to play them over brasil though. If we fail we fail. It seems people are so burned by england that they are just looking for a more "heads held high" out.

We are obviously going to crash and burn at some stage but we should at least try the path of least resitance.

Just try and get as far as we can.

 

[yiddopaul]

I'd still prefer to play them over brasil though. If we fail we fail. It seems people are so burned by england that they are just looking for a more "heads held high" out.

We are obviously going to crash and burn at some stage but we should at least try the path of least resitance.

Yep, as are every single team, bar 1

 

[HildoSpur]

I think you should find a different 'hobby or activity' as clearly football makes you miserable. What are you talking about? Started well and got worse at the end of the tournament? IT WAS ONE GAME! And a game that was essentially a friendly. We didn't need to win. And to be honest, I'm glad we came second. Endland will not win the world cup, but this does give us a great opportunity to get to the semis. (not saying we will, not being arrogant, i'm sorry if this view hurts your feelings)

That's very kind of you.

 

[Streetspur77]

My problem with the performance (not the result) is what I said earlier about knives being out if we now fail to make the semis. We have a huge opportunity to make it that far, best chance at a WC since Italia '90, but it comes with a huge risk attached to it.

Audere est facere...

 

[WiganSpur]

Anyway, all we can do is get behind the lads for that Colombia game. Southgate has imo taken a massive risk and subsequently this game could be the toughest we face until a final even. However, if we did manage to get through we're in a great position.

Good performance is imperative. Alli has to play.

 

[tototoner]

Something to lift the mood, Mexican Football TV host