World Cup KO: En-ger-land, En-ger-land, En-ger-land (was 'Group G')

IronHerb

13 of Sterlings 23 goals were the first or second scored by City across all comps along with 4 more that were 3rd goal clinchers.

MrsGrey

Luke, how many times were City in a position of need a 'crucial' goal?

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

At the beginning of the season they were

Sterling won them a lot of points with his goals

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Thought this was about England

MrsGrey

Thought Sterling was an England player.

OutcastLondoner

I think his movement was very good against Panama and he was unlucky to not get a goal. He should’ve buried the one that Stones followed up on but if England had pushed more in the second half we might’ve seen him score. He’s had a lot of pressure on him building up to this and I’d hope a goal releases that.

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MrsGrey said:

Thought Sterling was an England player.

Not when is man c and manc players around him, should be what he can do for England or this can’t do.

Bazshuayi

Ok.... Momentum and all that other bluff talk aside by England, I am going to say that I want England to lose!

Looking at the bottom half of the draw, surely its the better place to be. We could conceivably have to beat Spain or Croatia (if we get past someone from group H and one of Sweden or Switz?) to get to the final!

Spain
Russsia

Croatia
Denmark

Sweden
Probably Switzerland

England
Japan/Senegal/Columbia

Top half has

Portugal
Uruguay

France
Argentina

Mexico
Probably Brazil

Belgium if they beat us
Someone from group H

Do Belgium really think beating us is a good thing? No! If its a draw, we need to get some yellows and drop to second! I dont care if its stage managed o sneaky. You know other countries would do it. Be smart! If we go out to a team like Sweden anyway then fine. But we have real potential to go very far if we make the right group choice....

Tomw85

I was just saying the same with my work colleagues. It goes against everything I like in sports but I would suggest that we want to lose to Belgium.

IronHerb

If Brazil come second then the lower half becomes very difficult with Spain in there too.

MrsGrey

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2018/06/25/players-banned-deliberate-booking/


If it's thought you deliberately got a yellow to game the system, or deliberately lose the game, FIFA will punish you.

(Am still looking for the exact rules, how such a thing would be assessed, and what sanctions would be imposed.)

Also, 2 yellows accumulated = 1 match ban. Slate wiped clean after QF.

OutcastLondoner

I don't think it's so straightforward. None of Portugal, Uruguay, France or Argentina have played well. Brazil have shown devastating flashes but not consistency. Mexico looked good until today.

Either way, the next game could be tough if it's Colombia, who looked brilliant against Poland, or Senegal, who have a good combination of pace and skill if they sort out their lack of confidence. Japan would probably worry the least but are clearly an effective unit.

Croatia is the form team. Sweden and Russia have surprised.

You've got better teams in the top half but better form in the bottom half. The confidence of beating a major team like Belgium would probably be help as well.

I'm really not sure there's that much benefit from losing, on balance.

IronHerb

That's ok. We can sacrifice Dier and Jones for the cause.

MrsGrey

Tomw85 said:

I was just saying the same with my work colleagues. It goes against everything I like in sports but I would suggest that we want to lose to Belgium.

Like we've got a choice?

;lol

Loving the confidence! Is this what it feels like to support a club other than West Ham?

chicagohammer

I understand that there are those who have studied the tables and think that it would be a strategic advantage to lose against Belgium, however, I cannot count myself amongst them.

I think it is a very difficult and dangerous game to play with players minds, even if you “succeed” and get yourself into an “easier” grouping, there is a danger that you start to believe your own press and that you simply have to turn up and win, there is a very fine line when competing at this level and there are many examples of teams imploding.

You have to assume that the Germans fancied themselves today, was there slightly less effort on their part, did they think to themselves that their last minute goal the other day was enough as now they only had to face Korea and they were through, hard to say either way but it is beyond doubt that they are now out of the tournament.

Assuming we go for the win and end up facing a more challenging route (on paper) to the final, the team will know that they will have to bring their A game on each and every occasion and be fired up for it, I actually think that is far better to have a positive mindset than deliberately looking to underperform and thinking that you will walk through the elimination rounds.

go for it England!!!!

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Bazshuayi said:

Ok.... Momentum and all that other bluff talk aside by England, I am going to say that I want England to lose!

Looking at the bottom half of the draw, surely its the better place to be. We could conceivably have to beat Spain or Croatia (if we get past someone from group H and one of Sweden or Switz?) to get to the final!

Spain
Russsia

Croatia
Denmark

Sweden
Probably Switzerland

England
Japan/Senegal/Columbia

Top half has

Portugal
Uruguay

France
Argentina

Mexico
Probably Brazil

Belgium if they beat us
Someone from group H

Do Belgium really think beating us is a good thing? No! If its a draw, we need to get some yellows and drop to second! I dont care if its stage managed o sneaky. You know other countries would do it. Be smart! If we go out to a team like Sweden anyway then fine. But we have real potential to go very far if we make the right group choice....

England are good at losing , important matches, why go down that route when we have the feel good factor,,, wie have only played 2 games. In this competition

Vorselaarhammer

As an Englishman living with the Belgiums I want us to SPANK them...

Win win win...

IronHerb

Not that I'm living with the Belgians. ;biggrin

Bazshuayi

Soooooo.... It's just me then ;lol I dont mind that. I am sticking by what I said though and I have zero desire to play Brazil if we get through the next round

OutcastLondoner

For some reason I don't believe you're sticking by a decision.

PrestonHammer

Can someone make a rectangle so we can ask if VAR can be used to verify with Baz whether he is going to stick with his decision please?

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

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Slaven_Cups_His_Beard said:

;biggrin

Bazshuayi

I thought I was pretty clear ;hmm I want us to lose to Belgium (or draw if we get more yellow cards) and go into the lower half of the draw!

You'll thank me when we get to the final with Brazil freakily knocked out before they could get there. We'll then beat Belgium in that final ;whistle ;barrera ;wahoo

MunichHammer

I'm not so sure about the final. Don't forget we have a core of chokers in our team (Kane, Alli, trippier, Dier ...)

Adam

I think 2 Spurs players (Kane and Trippier) is the right number. Also, it’s one less than Moore, Hurst and Peters!

ASLEFshrugged

I'd rather we lost tonight and took second place, that way we'd get Japan, Senegal or Columbia next followed by Sweden or Switzerland in the quarters with Spain, Russia, Croatia or Denmark in the semi.

If we top the group we end up in the mix with Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, France, Argentina and Portugal.

IronHerb

Of which only Uruguay look dangerous at this time. Bring it on!

Barney

Play to win is my philosphy

grey_til_I_dye

https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1012215256209387521