Day 15: Japan vs Poland, Senegal vs Colombia, England vs Belgium, Panama vs Tunisia

Don't get why some people are wanting us to finish second. Do they realize Colombia ended up winning the other group? I'd much rather have the easier game vs Japan and each game after that a bonus. Colombia would arguably be favorites against us.

Shouldn't both teams be pretty motivated to finish first and avoid Colombia?

Colombia would beat England I reckon.

I posted similar before the game and it seems not many share the opinion on here.

I don't think Columbia would be favourites against us, but I do think that people presuming that England would just breeze past them is incredibly arrogant.

I feel that the incredible ease of this group has fooled a lot of fans, and has also perhaps been to the detriment of the team...

Panama and Tunisia are like non-league teams, and then this game is a game with zero intensity, that some players perhaps want to lose.

It's been by far the easiest group of the World Cup. Other teams, in every other group have been fighting and competing properly.

It's possible that such a ludicrously easy group and playing 3 games with very little intensity will help the players with longevity etc. But it's also possible that they'll become a little complacent and find it difficult when facing a team that have had to fight through their group and are properly up for it.

Columbia, in my opinion, certainly shouldn't be underestimated. And this England side, in my opinion, are in no position to be looking further ahead than winning each match.
 
A lot of our players and ex players are doing quite well at this world cup. All that useless deadwood
 
Southgate wouldn't have won either way - lose and he "should have lost it for the easy draw"....play the weakened team and lose top spot to the better team "undoes everything"
It's all about winning matches. He wins if the team wins. The team he selected was terrible. Keep playing a winning team.
 
Japan and then if we win that the winner of Switzerland vs Sweden looks promising right?

Edit: Colombia, not sure about that one.
 
He just doesn’t look tall enough to me

He is pretty short for a GK with 1.85m. But his timing is off. Sommer from Switzerland is 1.83 and saves very good, Pickford on the other hand is just not that good, with reflexes but also jumping/timing. The height is a disadvantage in that sense for sure, but he needs to improve
 
I think Pickford should've done better on that shot. I think his height is a weakness of his, he's conceded a lot of similar goals last season that were quite central.
 
Columbia, in my opinion, certainly shouldn't be underestimated. And this England side, in my opinion, are in no position to be looking further ahead than winning each match.
Colombia was great vs poland, but it looks like James is injured again and they didnt look special against senegal without him
 
Southgate was influenced by his own experience at WC 2002 where he never got off the bench. He wanted to give the squad players gametime. At least tonight should make it even clearer who is the first XI.
 
As a England fan I would happily take a defeat. Beat Colombia then the Swiss/Swedish and we potentially have Spain in the semis but would not bet against them being knocked out. Route to final looks much better this way. Common lads!
 
Nope. It's better in the long term to finish 2nd in this group
England haven't won a knockout match since 2006. Chances are the next match will be their last of the world cup. I honestly do not get why you look further than that.