The Official World Cup 2018 Megathread

[Jabbawolf]

Pickford does seem to like saves for the camera.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Now that was decent reactions by Pickford but at the same time poor keeping. What is he doing sending the ball back out into the centre of the area? Bin it off to the corner flag.

 

[White Wolf]

Far tougher game against Colombia , if England went out to Colombia this tournament would look just like another piss poor effort beating $#@!e and losing to decent opponents.

Does beating Japan and losing to Brazil change that?

 

[Wolfmania]

My immediate reaction was if it was a decent shot near the corner pickford would have leapt slower

It's been pretty clear this England team as a collective don't want to win rather than it being a poor performance

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

Pickford doesn't fill me with any confidence.

I can't tell if we've not been bothered about winning or if we've just been really poor.

 

[jd1981]

For that to happen we don’t lose this it would be further than we’ve got in a few years at least.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Does beating Japan and losing to Brazil change that?

Tough question, because quarter final is probably where this team should get minimum. I know I don't like this selection and performance though.

 

[Wolfmania]

Pickford doesn't fill me with any confidence.

I can't tell if we've not been bothered about winning or if we've just been really poor.

Defiantly a collective effort to lose

-welbeck missing his chance purposely
- rashfords big miss was 100% intentional because it was going wide anyway
- general unwillingness of Delph and RLC to commit to forward runs
- we stood off after the Belgium goal
- a general slow build up

The list goes on

 

[Tony Towner]

Does beating Japan and losing to Brazil change that?

That's an interesting question. I think generally most people expected us to get to the quarters at the start of the tournament and lose to Germany, so losing to Columbia would be an under performance, but I do get the point that does it really matter?

 

[Del Woppio]

I think they've tried tbf. Gazza put a team out that would try, and told them to win, but he knew they wouldn't is how that game's looked. The front two were terrible and the back three were still shaky, if better on the ball

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

Set pieces were bad tonight. I'm looking forward to Trippier being back in the next match.

 

[Tredman]

It just shows our second team are not as good as Belgium's.

Also puts to bed all the media hype for rashford to play - very poor today, only ever looks good when he comes on against tired players.

 

[Freddeno]

Pickford is shit.

yes

 

[jd1981]

That's an interesting question. I think generally most people expected us to get to the quarters at the start of the tournament and lose to Germany, so losing to Columbia would be an under performance, but I do get the point that does it really matter?

Think it would be nice just to win a game of knockout football considering we haven’t managed it in 12 years.

 

[AndyWolves]

Well that was shit.

 

[jd1981]

Great the ITV curse is covering the game next Tuesday.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Hmmmm

One extra point here - also an extra day's rest to factor in. This looks to me like a thrown game.

Southgate "we had double objectives with an eye on the knockout" - basically admitting it.

 

[Freddeno]

often overthinking draws and such comes back to bite you..we will see

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It depends on James Rodrigues a bit. Hope he will be struggling for fitness.

Plus England have volunteered for Spain or Croatia in the semi final if they make it that far. Not convinced that is a super easy game!

 

[Tony Towner]

Hopefully Rashford and Rose play well so they keep their places for the last 16 game.

... nope