The Big Shiny World Cup thread

[Bruce Rioja]

Talking about how his vocal presence helps, surely he can do that from the sidelines

Whenever I read/hear guff like this, I'm immediately minded of Owen Coyle and his reasoning behind bringing in his 40+ odd year old mate from Burnley on an exorbitant emolument for his snappy one-liners and sparkling repartee.

[Mar]

Talking about how his vocal presence helps, surely he can do that from the sidelines

Whenever I read/hear guff like this, I'm immediately minded of Owen Coyle and his reasoning behind bringing in his 40+ odd year old mate from Burnley on an exorbitant emolument for his snappy one-liners and sparkling repartee.

Yeah another one of those that were great in the dressing room. Hire him as kitman then and not a squad position.

Still coyle thinks he did a good job... I'd point him in the direction of ngog to counter that belief

[BWFC_Insane]

Was a good performance. That team with Foden on the left and Rashford on the right looked more of a handful.

Whilst I don’t think Henderson was great I do think we need three in midfield.

Probably would have preferred Holland in the next round than Senegal. Senegal looks a real toughie.

[Worthy4England]

Another 6 wouldn't have done Wales any disservice...

[TANGODANCER]

Won 3-0, topped the group, scored nine goals with two against. Do for me thanks. Wales weren't in it as a competitive game. You can only beat what's in front of you...and we did. Well done.

[Harry Genshaw]

We were very poor the first 45. We looked better when they had to come out of their shell. They were really really poor.

[Hoboh]

Surprise Surprise I'm going to buck the trend here I thought that was a really good game by England's recent standards. Yes there are a couple of niggles, one being the hole in the centre between defence and forward positions which I hoped Henderson would fill a little more and honestly despite that loverly cross box for Fodens goal our 'arry just ain't up to speed to play with these guys. Watched Senegal earlier and saw absolutely no reason why we cannot make the quarters. Happy chap tonight is I

[Worthy4England]

Surprise Surprise I'm going to buck the trend here I thought that was a really good game by England's recent standards. Yes there are a couple of niggles, one being the hole in the centre between defence and forward positions which I hoped Henderson would fill a little more and honestly despite that loverly cross box for Fodens goal our 'arry just ain't up to speed to play with these guys. Watched Senegal earlier and saw absolutely no reason why we cannot make the quarters. Happy chap tonight is I

I thought we did fine over the 90, given they parked to bus so deep. We've bagged 9 in 2 and misfired in one. I think with our lack of consistency, we might struggle to go anywhere near the final (I hope to eat my Internet titfer on this).

Like you, I think we have a decent chance v Senegal, but were we fortunate enough to win that one, likely France in the quarters and that would be a toughie...

[Mar]

Can't imagine us getting past France. Looks like we've got the tough side of the draw.

I had us down for semis if we got the other side. Figured we could beat Netherlands and Poland/Argentina but not Brazil. Now I suspect we'll get quarter's and out to France.

[TANGODANCER]

In the words of Jimmy Cliff, " Many Rivers to Cross" and a bit brave to be forecasting much as yet. Our style of play will work against some, but not all and flexibility and adaptation has to be the manual of instructions. The Brits have always been good at bridge building, but Gareth Southgate isn't Isambard Kingdom Brunel and this ain't the Cheddar Gorge. A good effort by Wales to get to the initial qualifiers, but size and numbers were always against them. Bale was always their best hope but he never got out of second gear against our defence (I still think taking him off was a poor decision but he apparently had a hamstring problem, and the writing was on the signposts whatever language you use.)

Anyway, Senagal. Beware banana skins. G.S. played it right last night so will he do more of the same, or will it be the same chess-board with different coloured pieces? I'm not seeing much amiss with last night's team, but speed will be a big factor against the West Africans so maybe Saka and Sterling will be first up. We need cover in all areas in case of injury, so it's still a dice roll about much. Might as well be positive and go for it.

[Worthy4England]

It all becomes a bit of a lottery from here TD.

One off games, no prizes for coming second.

Who could forget the "easy" game v Cameroon in the 1990 quarter finals? - hardly plain sailing that night, extra time, three penalties in the game (2 to us and 1 to them)...I doubt anyone inside the camp will be looking much past Sunday.

For all we know about the draw, it's possible France end up playing Argentina in the R16, rather than Poland. I think we'd like one of them to knock France out for us, thanks! But that said, Switzerland dumped them out of Euro 2020 - so all things are possible...

[boltonboris]

Tidy second half, but slow out of the blocks last night

Some questions to be asked about who's in form and who isn't. Kane is a given, but I'd like to see Saka and Rashford flank Kane with Foden playing where the, quite frankly appalling, Henderson played last night

[BWFC_Insane]

If he plays Sterling I will give up. Rashford and Foden are both lightning and both should play in their best positions ala second half.

Midfield is the question as Henderson at least offered more balance as without a proper third man in there we looked too open but was pretty dreadful all round last night. For me we need Bellingham in a free role and two number 8’s.

If Mount or Sterling play then Gareth wants shooting.

[Worthy4England]

If he plays Sterling and Mount and wins 3-0, I won't give a shiny shite, TBF...

[TANGODANCER]

Tidy second half, but slow out of the blocks last night

Some questions to be asked about who's in form and who isn't. Kane is a given, but I'd like to see Saka and Rashford flank Kane with Foden playing where the, quite frankly appalling, Henderson played last night

I'm thinking that was the plan B.B. Chances of us losing 4-0 to Wales were pretty non-existent so just play easy, don't waste energy and see how it goes. Wales never really troubled our defence except late in the game when we when't into cruise control. I'm expecting Senegal to be much more lively because like Worthy says, no prizes for second from now on. so it'll be ninety minutes of high energy football.


As for playing Sterling, it isn't that long ago he was described as unplayable; he may still be that way if it's on the cards. I'm writing nobody off.

[Hoboh]

Sterling is actually in that peculiar position of thinking he's a superstar just by being there forgetful of the fact he actually does have to deliver.
Kane needs leaving on the bench he's well off the pace, Wilson when he came on made more of a disruptive influence on the Welsh back four than Kane has made on any defence for quite some time now, the Welsh were pressurised into mistakes as it should be, that's what teams usually do to England

[Mar]

I'm thinking that was the plan B.B. Chances of us losing 4-0 to Wales were pretty non-existent so just play easy, don't waste energy and see how it goes. Wales never really troubled our defence except late in the game when we when't into cruise control. I'm expecting Senegal to be much more lively because like Worthy says, no prizes for second from now on. so it'll be ninety minutes of high energy football.

Perhaps it was a tactical decision to go into HT at 0-0. Keep the effort levels low in the first half and then be able to see whether we can finish top or second in the group. Once USA went ahead against Iran it was probably a case of we weren't going to be able to finish 2nd at that point so we might as well finish it off in style.

I'm sure the potential for avoiding running into France in the quarters would've been an enticing one. France aren't going to lose, and indeed by a significant margin to overturn the group table, so we're very much looking at them as the big troubling team we'd have to face.

Hopefully we'll buck the trend and actually win one of those tougher games. Seems under Southgate we've come unstuck against better sides rather than upsetting the odds.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm thinking that was the plan B.B. Chances of us losing 4-0 to Wales were pretty non-existent so just play easy, don't waste energy and see how it goes. Wales never really troubled our defence except late in the game when we when't into cruise control. I'm expecting Senegal to be much more lively because like Worthy says, no prizes for second from now on. so it'll be ninety minutes of high energy football.

Perhaps it was a tactical decision to go into HT at 0-0. Keep the effort levels low in the first half and then be able to see whether we can finish top or second in the group. Once USA went ahead against Iran it was probably a case of we weren't going to be able to finish 2nd at that point so we might as well finish it off in style.

I'm sure the potential for avoiding running into France in the quarters would've been an enticing one. France aren't going to lose, and indeed by a significant margin to overturn the group table, so we're very much looking at them as the big troubling team we'd have to face.

Hopefully we'll buck the trend and actually win one of those tougher games. Seems under Southgate we've come unstuck against better sides rather than upsetting the odds.

No way was that the plan. We just wanted to win the game as we should have been trying to do. Second half was just too much for wales after the free kick broke the deadlock. Not sure there is much more too it than that.

I don’t think looking at potential routes help too much. You can get lucky but equally at some point you have to face and beat one of the better sides. We beat Germany in the euros and that’s the one time I think we’ve come out of those sorts of knockouts against the big boys well.

I do think we can beat France but probably an outside chance.

Have to get past Senegal first which is no easy ride. And had we come second then Holland wouldn’t have been easy either.

[Hoboh]

After the first half I've just watched if the Aussies get through someone will be rubbing their hands in glee. Mind Denmark are making hard work of it.

[Worthy4England]

After the first half I've just watched if the Aussies get through someone will be rubbing their hands in glee. Mind Denmark are making hard work of it.

Might be neither. Tunisia just gone 1 up v France