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

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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

Bazshuayi

Yes Mr Lineker. We havent looked like a 'team' for a good while either. But we're allowing ourselves to dream and I personally have seen us fall to penalties and quarter finals plenty of times to want to avoid Brazil.

alderz

We lost to Iceland two years ago, and yet people think Sweden or Switzerland will be easy? I think we have to play to win. I am going to the pub tonight, and I want to celebrate us winning.

Bazshuayi

Different team/manager/mentality/vibe.you name it

Anyway, on that Iceland premise, even if we beat Belgium and went into the tough side with our confidence high surely what we were like 2 years ago is immaterial?

Switzerland or Sweden will be easy... In comparison to Brazil (let alone subsequent top half teams)

baracks_a_hammer

Looking to avoid a,b,c in favour of teams x,y,z is a complete myth. There is every chance England could end up facing an out of sorts Brazil or an inspired Senegal

Play to win and keep up the momentum

Lukerz

Go for the win tonight

No professional sportsman can surely play to not win a game

OldCastleSwift

Unless they want to respect the point... ;whistle

Yeoldhammer

Smash the Belgian Waffle Kings.

Vorselaarhammer

Agree with the Mail... Can't believe it.

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The idea that we should try to finish second because we avoid Brazil in the quarters is a swift return to the old English arrogance.

We're already writing off Senegal/Colombia/Japan by doing that and assuming they're easy pickings. It's absurd.

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

Have to go for a win tonight, it keeps momentum going and belief in the players, there is no other way, of course there is a supposed easier side of the draw, but it is what it is. From what I’ve seen there is nothing to fear in this WC, personally I think it’s been one of the best I’ve watched since 1978....drama entertainment and no end of skill, only one 0-0 and that was two teams already through so forgive them that.

;scarveng

MIAHammer

As has been proven numerous times this WC, there are no easy games. How many predicted the Portugal v Iran, Spain v Morocco or Germany v S. Korea? Argentina barely scrapped through. Brazil have hardly been impressive.
Who knows which side of the draw will be easier? No point in playing for position, you just have to try and beat the team in front of you.

Obviously neither team will want to pick up any injuries or yellow cards so it will probably be quite a tame game today.

Vorselaarhammer

;lol, have to say I am really warming to Gareth...

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Gareth Southgate, when asked if England's Fair Play record will factor into his tactics against Belgium; "If I go and headbutt Roberto (Martinez) in the final five minutes then you know we are taking a different approach to going through!"

adecoker

It seems to me that things are reverting to type. Nobody had any expectations and nobody dared to dream.

Germany go out of the World Cup and suddenly everything changes. Would it be better to face Brazil or Mexico in the quarter finals? Let's disregard the fact that England have yet to actually reach the quarter finals.

Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Croatia, Belgium, Argentina. No-hopers, the lot of them. Sweden, Switzerland, Senegal? Not even worth considering. There are others I'm sure, but who cares.

Let's forget about the next four games and let Johnny Foreigner fight it out amongst themselves to see who we beat in the final.

alderz

adecoker gets it

#It'sComingHome

Pearces_Left_Foot

People seem to forget we have not won a knockout game in any tournament since 2006

grey_til_I_dye

https://twitter.com/prodnose/status/1012307002649972736

grey_til_I_dye

And no, that tweet doesn't contain swearing.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Well theyre right

We all say we wont get carried away but when you win or stay in a competition its only natural to hope for the best

As long as we dont lose tonight and everyone is up in arms....which again they will

Losing germany plus almost every big team not being at the races has opened this up to anyone who progresses,which we have

baracks_a_hammer

Pearces_Left_Foot said:

People seem to forget we have not won a knockout game in any tournament since 2006

I dare say Greece’s record in the euros was not too great before they won it, and neither was leicester’s prior record in fighting for the first division/Prem titles either

Bazshuayi

Since 2006 when have we had an England team that actually had the potential to gel, as opposed to great players who didnt transfer into a great team.

When the team do well, and I am casting my mind back to examples like Italia'90 and Euro '96 where we genuinely were contenders, the country experienced a feel good factor that was easy to feel. The day after we exited the tournaments, the depressing feeling was huge too.

I dont want to patronize any of the younger members who havent experienced that sort of vibe through England, but its the reason I want us to be in the lower half of the draw. I've had that many loses to the likes of Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal etc to actually want us to have a little bit of luck on our side.

I am NOT suggesting the lower half teams will fall over for us. I just believe that percentage wise how many days would we have where Brazil have an off day and we are at the top of our game? Plus the next game and game after.

Nobody is going to be a pushover, but in relative terms I just wanted us to have a better chance of progressing. I do understand the other point of view, I just want us to have the best chance that's possible.

thornburyiron

I know to win any tournament you have to beat the teams you face but I still prefer to face those teams, which you suspect will be a greater threat, as late on as possible.

IronHerb

We are talking about one tougher game if we are in the top half of the draw.
In the top half we meet Brazil and one of France (poor), Argentina (average), Uruguay (dangerous) or Portugal (average).
In the bottom half we meet Spain (average). My comments in brackets are as I see them at this moment in the competition. I currently rate England as dangerous.

Now that is writing off all the other teams for the sake of the argument. None of them will be pushovers and there will be surprises.

So we play to win tonight with the bonus of breezing through to the semis if we don't. ;biggrin

thornburyiron

Well Belgium possibles edge England possibles but bearing no relevance to what we can expect in later rounds from these. Still worried about our defensive frailties as they don't fill me with confidence.