England vs USA & Croatia | Its coming home

The reality is the Nations League importance works both ways.

If England had lost or had a score draw, the words "England Relegated" would have been of every news bulletin, back page etc.

So basically, football is a competitve sport and winning is better than losing.

Croatia wanted to win, England wanted to win so it really wasn't like it was a friendly. Look at Lovren at the end and the animosity in the Croatia-Spain match. All three teams wanted to win so England did well to top the group. Simple as that.
 
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The UEFA Nations League trophy looks rather cool, I think.
 
Don't think anyone can question the competitiveness of these games. It felt like more than a qualifier but less than a WC/EC in my opinion.

Both sets of players today badly wanted to win and it made for a very good, entertaining game.
 
Bloody hell, do we still have the Irish bitters claiming these are meaningless friendlies? Croatia's players stayed in on the pitch for about half an hour after they beat Spain celebrating with their fans. Spain's players mobbed the ref after the final whistle when England beat them because they only got 7 minutes injury time. At least one of Croatia's players was crying after this game.
 
TMDaines said:
Oh, the team are for sure, but there’s a lot of less bright members of the public not. .
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The general concenous of the English public is it's a good thing though...

What are you basing this on exactly?
 
RedSky said:
If England learn to be more clinical then we could be very dangerous. But we miss way too many chances right now to be a genuine threat.
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Yep. At this rate, Sterling/Rashford need to be more clinical otherwise Sancho will displace them.
 
Dante said:
That's 100% gonna get dropped at the awarding ceremony.
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A rare example of a football trophy that carries the risk of sharp edges/corners.
 
AlecHDR said:
… Ultimately, it is a team with a decent defensive structure that excels at set pieces. That can only take you so far.
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It is also a team that has the world's best striker/forward and a very young average age that thus will likely only get better. This can take England a lot further than you think.
 
Berbaclass said:
Don't think anyone can question the competitiveness of these games. It felt like more than a qualifier but less than a WC/EC in my opinion.

Both sets of players today badly wanted to win and it made for a very good, entertaining game.
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I enjoyed it mre than a WC/EC qualifier. If this was a one of those, both Croatia and England would still be very likely to get out of their groups and qualify no matter the score (even more so now the WC/EC are expanding and expanding to the point where qualifiers will be like friendlies).

It had more edge to it for me, the UEFA Nations League will be pleased with what they're seeing. The Dutch the other night had a similar appetite and desire that England have for it.

I get that France may not have a major appetite for it at the moment with what they've just won.
 
Judas said:
We deserved to finish top really, we should have won away in Croatia too.

So who else is through to the semi finals?
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Portugal are through with a game to spare.

Belgium vs Switzerland tonight to decide the other (Belgium are ahead but a 1-0/2-1 or 2 goals pluss loss would put Switzerland through)

Netherlands are through if they don't lose to Germany tomorrow night, if they do lose France will ge through.
 
Well done England, that was an enjoyable game and good come back even though I wanted Croatia to pull off the win. Glad our boys Rashford and Lingard played well.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
Hudson Odoi, Nelson and Foden will all be eyeing those places in the next few years too.
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Yep. Foden should really have made a move in the summer, we could do with a midfielder of his ilk. Not sure how quickly Hudson Odoi is getting into that Chelsea team either.
 
Utdstar01 said:
Yep. Foden should really have made a move in the summer, we could do with a midfielder of his ilk. Not sure how quickly Hudson Odoi is getting into that Chelsea team either.
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Hudson Odoi hasn't signed a new deal with Chelsea so hopefully he has an exit plan. Problem is that he's contracted until 2020 so they have some power over him.
 
CA1 said:
I enjoyed it mre than a WC/EC qualifier. If this was a one of those, both Croatia and England would still be very likely to get out of their groups and qualify no matter the score (even more so now the WC/EC are expanding and expanding to the point where qualifiers will be like friendlies).

It had more edge to it for me, the UEFA Nations League will be pleased with what they're seeing. The Dutch the other night had a similar appetite and desire that England have for it.

I get that France may not have a major appetite for it at the moment with what they've just won.
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I probably agree with you to be fair.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
Hudson Odoi hasn't signed a new deal with Chelsea so hopefully he has an exit plan. Problem is that he's contracted until 2020 so they have some power over him.
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In the mean time he needs to get a loan somewhere he's gonna be playing every game. See his contract out if need be.
 
FootballHQ said:
France and Belgium favourites for me.

England can justifiably claim to be in that second group with Spain and Germany now I think. If conditions and squad selection are right then potential to get to final.
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Germany are fecking shite :lol: I wouldn't class them anywhere near the top 10 at the moment, long way back up, which seems typical for every team winning the WC in recent editions. Spain also are really struggling at stay at the top.

The two best teams of the past decade on their way down.
 
promisedlanchiao said:
This or he’s irish, not happy that England won and euro qualification is looming large while Ireland are in League C vs Macedonia and Albania.
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Hilarious isn't it :lol::lol::lol:

Enjoy being irrelevant and losing to Macedonia lads, we'll take world cup semis and beating Croatia and Spain.
 
The Nations League replacing friendlies is like VAR replacing the huge number of errors made by refs every weekend.

There’s no downside to it really, but because it isn’t 100% perfect in every way people will find a way to moan about it.

Of the four games England have been involved in, three of them have been competitive and entertaining. Would some prefer to go back to 1-0 victories against Nigeria or Madeupistan with 10 half time subs?
 
Andycoleno9 said:
Euro is in less than 2 years.
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2 years is a long time when Croatia's big 4 (Modric, Mandzukic, Perisic and Rakitic) are already pretty old. They'll be 35, 34, 32 and 32 respectively for the Euros. For the last two in particular, their games hinge upon their fitness so it's not a given that they'll be anywhere near their peaks.

The last World Cup was kind to Croatia in in terms of fixtures and the Nations League is a relatively short competetion. 2018 was their chance and now it's gone. They won't be that lucky again and I think they know it.
 
promisedlanchiao said:
What’s funny is that we are happy when they do well, but the bitterness when we do well from them :lol:
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I've always found the dynamic between England/Irish fans really strange.

England fans and the English media is very pro-Ireland. Whereas the same can definitely not be said the other way!
 
We're just a very kind and giving nation. We want our nearby friends to do well. I forget why though when they're such bitty babies whenever we do well, which is basically never.
 
hasanejaz88 said:
Germany are fecking shite :lol: I wouldn't class them anywhere near the top 10 at the moment, long way back up, which seems typical for every team winning the WC in recent editions. Spain also are really struggling at stay at the top.

The two best teams of the past decade on their way down.
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Don't talk to me, talk to
Dante said:
I've always found the dynamic between England/Irish fans really strange.

England fans and the English media is very pro-Ireland. Whereas the same can definitely not be said the other way!
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Dosen't help the political situation atm with Brexit and Ireland.

Apparently GSTQ was booed in the Ireland friendly last week.
 
Dante said:
I've always found the dynamic between England/Irish fans really strange.

England fans and the English media is very pro-Ireland. Whereas the same can definitely not be said the other way!
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Bitterness, pure and simple. Large section of their support just can't stand England doing well at all.

It's funny because they see us as a proper rival when I can honestly say outside of playing them I could not care less what the Irish team does.
 
Dante said:
I've always found the dynamic between England/Irish fans really strange.

England fans and the English media is very pro-Ireland. Whereas the same can definitely not be said the other way!
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Used to want all the home nations to do well until the most recent Euros & World Cup.

Now I just want NI to do well. The bitterness from the other home nation fans, it's like the inferiority complex Stoke fans have with United.
 
Yeah in 2 years I expect even our team to look a bit different, and we're a much younger group. Hopefully we've got the goalkeeper position sorted, because Pickford really is a disaster waiting to happen.
 
Judas said:
Yeah in 2 years I expect even our team to look a bit different, and we're a much younger group. Hopefully we've got the goalkeeper position sorted, because Pickford really is a disaster waiting to happen.
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Had a good WC and playing well for Everton.
 
SquishyMcSquish said:
Bitterness, pure and simple. Large section of their support just can't stand England doing well at all.

It's funny because they see us as a proper rival when I can honestly say outside of playing them I could not care less what the Irish team does.
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Most English people root for Ireland. I know I do.

The difference is a lot of English, particularly in the North have Irish/Celtic blood. Wheras not as many Irish have English blood.

I don't understand though that if you were Irish and you supported United/Liverpool/another English team why you'd then hate the English National team.
 
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