Even if England beat Panama 2-1, it will still be tricky with only 4 points.
England Discussion | Finish 4th
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Even if England beat Panama 2-1, it will still be tricky with only 4 points.
I can see Tunisia getting a point. England will easily beat Panama. Perhaps a draw against Belgium.
Apparently they are well organised and good on the counter! Recipe for disaster.
Tunisia? From the 2 friendlies I saw with Portugal and Spain they look well organized and dangerous on the counter. I think they will create more trouble for Belgium than England, because Belgium looks more individualistic than England.
They look a bit like Algeria in 2010 while Morocco looks the Algeria of 2014.
I couldn't agree more, expectationally with a manager like Martinez who we all know very well
Almost everyone thinks Belgium will top this group but I'm not so sure
Think we'll win the group but purely because Belgium will feck it up.
They remind me of Englands golden generation and Martinez is tactically inept.
They remind me of Englands golden generation and Martinez is tactically inept.
Not a fan of Martinez either but is Southgate any better?
Nope, but his England team is hard to beat. Defensively strong, they've played against some good teams like Germany, Brazil, France, Italy recently and we could see that. Belgium only have a 3-3 draw at home against Mexico to speak of, and that's a proper Martinez's result
Belgium right now is a big question mark for me
England are defensively strong? Pickford Walker Stones and Cahill or Jones doesn’t scream reliable. Smalling is a better centre back than the four of them at centre back.
I'm not talking about players but about how the team plays. They've played too defensively against Brazil and Germany but I didn't think for a moment they'd lose
England are a team hard to beat imo
Time will tell but I won’t hold my breath
They are defensively strong. They've only conceded 5 goals under Southgate. The problem is scoring at the other end, being creative in tight games, we don't have the player to unlock defences in that case and it is very important in tournaments. We'll probably concede few goals in the World Cup but crash out in a close defeat or on penalties as usual.
Haven't watched England for awhile. Can anybody tell me when did Southgate decide to put Walker in RCB and whose idea is that? It seems strange to me that Walker is playing RCB and Trippier is playing RWB because Walker with all his quality can be a bit wasted as a RCB. He's perfect for the wingback role.
How has he play in the RCB role and why not let him play RWB so that he can utilize his offensive capability ?
How has he play in the RCB role and why not let him play RWB so that he can utilize his offensive capability ?
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Started in the friendlies in March I think. He's done well there, really helps carrying the ball out of defence.
I think this England side as underrated. The advantage that Belgium has is that they open with Panama, the worst team in the tournament. Opening with Tunisia could be quite difficult because there’s no time to develop confidence within the tournament.
I expect Belgium to score 4+ goals v. Panama.
I expect Belgium to score 4+ goals v. Panama.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-fuelled-mate-tea-prepare-head-World-Cup.html
They better prepare it with no sugar
They better prepare it with no sugar
Even Sterling is a doubt. Sterling was practically useless 2 seasons ago. He was very good but only because of Pep and City, does he play under the same environment as City? Beside, Sterling's finishing is poor even during last season. Just because he scored some last min goals don't guarantee he can repeat it at WC level. IMO he is at best a good player, no way a World Class. I bet Mertens will do more than Sterling, will see.
Wrong pick. Should have bought Mourinho as consultant. Unfortunately, you can't play counter-attack football against Tunisia or Panama, they just love to draw. So Mourinho 1st half, Moyes 2nd half. Then should have picked Caroll for the cross.
Welbeck comes across very well
Aye. This has probably already been posted in the United forum somewhere, but Lingard is a funny lad
Sturridge & Sterling too!
I'm actually looking forward to England this WC. Expectations are pretty low, sure, but the squad is young & definitely talented, and Southgate has impressed me thus far.
Not a fan of the sympathy whining to the media.
First Rose and now Sterling. Sterling basically insinuating it's unfair to criticise him if he plays badly, in case it scares him into not wanting to try.
It doesn't exactly inspire you with any confidence in him. Especially as his performance in the warm up game against Nigeria was alarmingly crap and included him managing to get booked for cheating, in a friendly game, that we were already winning. If you can't take criticism then you need to be performing in a way that doesn't merit it. Either that or don't be such a fecking flower.
First Rose and now Sterling. Sterling basically insinuating it's unfair to criticise him if he plays badly, in case it scares him into not wanting to try.
It doesn't exactly inspire you with any confidence in him. Especially as his performance in the warm up game against Nigeria was alarmingly crap and included him managing to get booked for cheating, in a friendly game, that we were already winning. If you can't take criticism then you need to be performing in a way that doesn't merit it. Either that or don't be such a fecking flower.
I think we’ll do better than expected. Even if we do go out in r16 I think we’ll give it a real go and not with a whimper as we’ve done the last few tournaments.
Could be wrong on this but seems the squad seem to get along with each other much better than previously. Southgate seems we’ll liked and the general atmosphere is relaxed.
Also seems like we have an actual strategy perish the thought.
Think we’ll make quarters and bow our heroically, probably on penalties.
Could be wrong on this but seems the squad seem to get along with each other much better than previously. Southgate seems we’ll liked and the general atmosphere is relaxed.
Also seems like we have an actual strategy perish the thought.
Think we’ll make quarters and bow our heroically, probably on penalties.
I hope we're not expecting to roll Tunisia over with ease. They're a decent team and if we're over confident we'll get beat. English players don't travel well and haven't handled the pressure at the last couple of tournaments.
http://www.espn.co.uk/football/engl...o-winning-ways-at-2018-world-cup-ashley-young
http://www.espn.co.uk/football/engl...o-winning-ways-at-2018-world-cup-ashley-young
I think he's being positive and confident, but not necessarily over confident.
Did you even read the full article?
"I saw the game on Saturday night [Tunisia lost 1-0 to Spain] and they were good, but every team at the World Cup is a good team," said Young.
"You have to play against the team in front of you and it is going to be a tough task but we are fully prepared for that.
"Obviously there is more pressure because this is a World Cup but every player in the squad has dealt with pressure. We have to show we can handle that.
Interestingly Vardy said that Hodgson failed to prepare adequately for Iceland and they didn't really have a plan for them. He claims Southgate's approach is much better and the preparation is superior.
Granted that could be the usual justification that player's seek to qualify their current situation.
Yes, it's more the headline which makes it sound bad, I agree.
Southgate has zero track record as a manager. 29% winrate at Borough and then the U21 which is a job with no real pressure as results barely matter.
You never know though, will be interesting to see. Maybe less pressure will help as no one expects much.
My opinion is we're playing 3 at the back as it's the trendy formation in the league. Southgate doesn't really know much about it tactically though. We'll be continually exposed down the flanks.
I think England will make it through the group stage but I think the lack of a great passer hinders them from going much further. I like the idea of Lingard and Ox in the midfield maybe above Dier or Henderson in an inverted triangle in a 433 but 5 at the back isn't the way forward IMO.... It'll cost Rashford or Sterling minutes in exchange for another CB and frankly this team has the talent to play 4 at the back and get on the attack. Pace is the advantage this team has and playing a fast style will be the best way to open the field for Kane to finish. Having Rashford or Sterling get around the corner and deliver the shorter passes to Kane will be a much better plan than sending in crosses and hoping Kane can finish one. The attackers aren't great at passing (including the midfielders) which will ultimately be a problem in the knockout stages. Just my 2 cents.
Southgate's management career is nothing to write home about but if we are being positive then we hope that he has continued to learn in between. His story of visiting the Dutch camp in the last Wrold Cup indicates that. He detailed how the Dutch had a really relaxed atmosphere with the families visiting a lot and that he aims to emulate that, as apposed to the usual shithousery the England camp is.
Frankie Boyle visited Russia in a documentary recently and went to the town where our camp is, it's a little backwards to say the least. He visited the only nightclub in the town and it made Phoenix Nights look cutting edge! Hard to see the lads getting into trouble and the family access should stave off boredom.
Any betting site offering O\U on Lingard's goals?
Saw over 3.5 on William hill earlier
There is only really Chelsea playing a back 5 at the moment amongst the top teams in England. Spurs were at one stage, but gave up on it about a 1/3 of the way through the season.
It suits our players and covers our weaknesses. When we match up in midfield we can never keep hold of the ball, better to take advantage of the space CBs are afforded and keep the ball that way.
Guardian has provisional team as:
Pickford; Walker, Stones, McGuire; Tripper, Henderson, Young; Alli, Lingard; Kane, Sterling.
Incredible that Southgate is willing to make every tough call except dropping the Liverpool captain.
Pickford; Walker, Stones, McGuire; Tripper, Henderson, Young; Alli, Lingard; Kane, Sterling.
Incredible that Southgate is willing to make every tough call except dropping the Liverpool captain.
He's better than Dier in many areas.
I hate the Guardian with their 3-3-2-2 bullshit. If they wanted to be fancy, they could have called it 3-5-1-1. That's what it is anyway: Sterling plays as a ten, not a CF.
I dont think Henderson and Maguire start.
I'm not sure how that's a tough call. Is it tough, perchance, because you really, really want Southgate to drop him?
I think they've been better for England recently.
England will qualify. There's less pressure on this team than some previous ones. Tunisia and Panama are not the worst of opponents for Southgate and co. and Belgium have this fragile air around them despite their very talented squad. And the route to the QF's is easier than other years with Poland and Colombia in wait.
Not an Englishman so I've no dogs in this fight, but i see them beating the 2 "weaker" teams by the odd goal. I don't think this England team will blow sides away. I think the Belgium game has draw written all over it