World Cup 2018

[Giant]

Colombia’s best player, Rodriguez aka James, might well not be playing v. England. Off early in first half today. He was brilliant v. Poland.

[Husky]

Just now, joey_big_nose said:

It's coming home till we play someone decent. Think to be brutally honest it's a 50-50 against Colombia. Player for player they are a similar team to us in terms of quality.

Theyve got one world class player like us, three or four genuinely decent players like us, and a lot of triers like us. Can't really see how we go in expecting to win.  Should be a good game though.

 

Kick Rodriguez on the calf and they are as good as out

[joey_big_nose]

Just now, Husky said:

Kick Rodriguez on the calf and they are as good as out

Could say the same about us and Kane...

[gumboots]

23 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Rubbish. We're now likely to get knocked out by Colombia whereas we could have had a much easier game against Japan.

I'm gutted with that display. Momentum killed stone dead, the suspicion the squad players aren't up for it if needed and every likelihood we'll now get knocked out in the last 16 as usual.

well done Southgate you absolute Muppet.

It's not often I say this but I'm with you Rev. Didn't see it. Only listened on the radio as travelling to Plymouth but it sounded completely inept. I couldn't believe the number of changes and my daughter phoned on her way home from work almost incandescent with rage

[JacknOry]

Who brings on Welbeck with Kane/Sterling and the like on the bench if you are chasing a result?

[Hasta]

Not really arsed about the result. However If Pickford had gone for the save properly with his right hand, instead of going at it with his 'wrong' hand, he may have saved that. Nigel Martyn used to make the same mistake on shots across him.

Edited June 28, 2018 by Hasta

[roversfan99]

Just now, JacknOry said:

Who brings on Welbeck with Kane/Sterling and the like on the bench if you are chasing a result?

One thing I do agree with. Even if you brought Trippier on for his deliveries for the out of his depth Alexander-Arnold.

Felt the midfield needed an Alli or a Lingard, Delph and Loftus Cheek (especially without Henderson) dont get us forward in the same way.

[joey_big_nose]

 

Just now, roversfan99 said:

One thing I do agree with. Even if you brought Trippier on for his deliveries for the out of his depth Alexander-Arnold.

Felt the midfield needed an Alli or a Lingard, Delph and Loftus Cheek (especially without Henderson) dont get us forward in the same way.

Yes, Trippier, Kane, Lingard and Alli would have all made a huge difference. But then you do have to temper that with Belgium were not playing Hazard, De Bruyne and Lukaku...

If anyone was losing quality Belgium were losing a lot more of it....!

Edited June 28, 2018 by joey_big_nose

[Ladyboys of Bank Top]

Poor performance but totally irrelevant as regards  our game v Colombia as only a couple of tonights players will play on Tuesday. Nothing lost but we've gained an easier route to the semis. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

49 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Some lesson off Belgium B there. They controlled the midfield. Colombia will be happy enough. 

??

That's not you being negative is it ?

[roversfan99]

Just now, joey_big_nose said:

 

. . EqaqaqW

Yes, Trippier, Kane, Lingard and Alli would have all made a huge difference. But then you do have to temper that with Belgium were not playing Hazard, De Bruyne and Lukaku...

I think that in general its difficult to judge as its a totally new team cobbled together, ideally youd put a couple within our best team, with 2 teams totally changed its going to be difficult to learn much.

If i had to predict who will be at fault for us at a costly time (positive I know!) id guess at Pickford.

[JacknOry]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

I think that in general its difficult to judge as its a totally new team cobbled together, ideally youd put a couple within our best team, with 2 teams totally changed its going to be difficult to learn much.

If i had to predict who will be at fault for us at a costly time (positive I know!) id guess at Pickford.

Not just a new team though - that team out there is still a very good team on paper, its just there was no desire, no nothing. The players had it in their heads that they are through and we will do better as runners up...im not so convinced.

Our B team v their B team playing like they wanted to win would have been a different story.

[JacknOry]

Could be a big cornerstone of GS reign. We go on and do well and he is a genius, we go and lose against Columbia and there will be questions asked.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I only saw the second half courtesy of an horrendous traffic jam on the M62 in Yorkshire. Well Belgiums subs are better than our subs, we've learnt that. We looked laboured and one dimensional, almost every player needed two touches most of the time. We still have the bad habit of losing the ball in dangerous areas and we haven't get a set piece taker. Dier looks like he's put half a stone on and lost a yard of pace. Delph does ok but you can't play him and Dier at the same. Rashford won't have a better chance than in this World Cup and the chance Welbeck missed was a Jason Roberts style attempt.

Southgate is under pressure now. We need a performance against Columbia.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

26 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Was a poor performances, no one saying that they should be in the team ahead of the tough Colombia game.

Dier showed how deficient he is compared to Henderson, takes too long and stunts our whole game.

Alexander-Arnold was really poor, like a fish out of water. Loftus-Cheek really poor too. Luckily we have Trippier and Alli to come back.

Rashford had to score aswell, in general play Sterling gives us more.

I agree with a lot of that. Loftus-Cheek looks handy but there's very little end product. Nobody  grabbed a shirt for the Columbia game.

[roversfan99]

Just now, JacknOry said:

Not just a new team though - that team out there is still a very good team on paper, its just there was no desire, no nothing. The players had it in their heads that they are through and we will do better as runners up...im not so convinced.

Our B team v their B team playing like they wanted to win would have been a different story.

I think desire is the most obvious thing to accuse players of lacking if things dont go to plan but im not convinced personally. Both teams I thought were equally disjointed and poor.

These players had no reason to take their foot off the gas as most arent in the team. I felt there was a lack of quality. Usually our midfield is Henderson who looks forward quicker than Dier, add Lingard out for Delph who is far more defensive and them 2 changes alone massively hinder the speed of our attacks.

Loftus-Cheeks end product was really poor, hes a massive downgrade on Alli. The wing backs, in particular Arnold were really poor on the ball, whereas the deliveries from our first team especially Trippier have been essential to us scoring so many from set pieces.

Im not convinced that many of those players could come into the team and not significantly weaken it. Colombia will be a difficult game, I wanted Japan but we dont "deserve to lose" and both us and Belgium showed equal disregard with team selections at the only time when it wasnt majorly costly. With our best team, id make us slim favourites for Colombia, its a new game and I hope James is out.

[roversfan99]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I agree with a lot of that. Loftus-Cheek looks handy but there's very little end product. Nobody  grabbed a shirt for the Columbia game.

He flatters to deceive for me. He reminds me of a budget Pogba. Might sound silly but hes tall, strong, technically capable, but it doesnt seem to quite come together to allow him to dominate like he should. Less than the sum of his parts.

[JacknOry]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I agree with a lot of that. Loftus-Cheek looks handy but there's very little end product. Nobody  grabbed a shirt for the Columbia game.

Cheek looked good in his cameo in the first match but since then I have not really been impressed. He is direct but on one occasion tonight he had a chance to spread it wide on a counter and instead kept going inside only to lose it. I thought Ali was bad but if this guy is the one in his shadows, i guess we have little option.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

He flatters to deceive for me. He reminds me of a budget Pogba. Might sound silly but hes tall, strong, technically capable, but it doesnt seem to quite come together to allow him to dominate like he should. Less than the sum of his parts.

His decision making is awful.

[JacknOry]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

I think desire is the most obvious thing to accuse players of lacking if things dont go to plan but im not convinced personally. Both teams I thought were equally disjointed and poor.

These players had no reason to take their foot off the gas as most arent in the team. I felt there was a lack of quality. Usually our midfield is Henderson who looks forward quicker than Dier, add Lingard out for Delph who is far more defensive and them 2 changes alone massively hinder the speed of our attacks.

Loftus-Cheeks end product was really poor, hes a massive downgrade on Alli. The wing backs, in particular Arnold were really poor on the ball, whereas the deliveries from our first team especially Trippier have been essential to us scoring so many from set pieces.

Im not convinced that many of those players could come into the team and not significantly weaken it. Colombia will be a difficult game, I wanted Japan but we dont "deserve to lose" and both us and Belgium showed equal disregard with team selections at the only time when it wasnt majorly costly. With our best team, id make us slim favourites for Colombia, its a new game and I hope James is out.

There was no desire, from either team really but even more so from us. How you can say we had desire really astounds me.

[matt83]

When talking optimistically about England’s chances always have to add the caveat a pub team can turn up at any point. 

But that said if looking at a punchers chance to get to a World Cup semi final this is the best chance we’ve had since 1990. I’d much rather face Columbia then Sweden/Switzerland than japan then particularly Brazil/Mexico to make it happen.

If Japan can beat Columbia they’re for the taking, we beat Switzerland twice in euro 2016 qualifiers but admittedly the swedes do have the Indian sign over us. 

[roversfan99]

Just now, JacknOry said:

There was no desire, from either team really but even more so from us. How you can say we had desire really astounds me.

I think that just to say its a lack of desire is a lazy argument to make. I just think the team had a lot less quality, was disjointed and cobbled together (basically just to rest the first team) and the balance was wrong.

[Husky]

Come on guys! Let's not piss off Emilio and Carlos.

Edited June 28, 2018 by Husky

[JacknOry]

My theme of the WC so far is to watch different streams, as I do not want to wathc the usual suspects. And the stream i was watching, not sure who it is to be honest or where they are from but sounded American.Canadian, TSN. They were all mocking both us and Belgium for what looked like a testimonial in their eyes.

it is hard to argue with them tbh.

[JacknOry]

Did you see desire? I certainly didnt.