The Official World Cup 2018 Megathread

[leedswolf]

England are what they are. A side that the opposition should be terrified about giving a set piece away against. They aren't incisive in open play though

Even though our set piece goals have been as a result of us being incisive enough to gain a freekick or corner in the first place?

 

[Alan]

6 of those 9 came against Panama though.

What would the GD be if you had faced a better team?

I'm just being real here, a little clarity is needed. Alan's comment about England being exceptional is deluded tbh.

You can disagree but "deluded", come on.

The qualifier is right in my post: "when they want to be".

 

[Johnny75]

None against Belgium with a reserve side so we’ll scrub that so basically you’re judging England by the Colombia game and saying the Panama doesn’t count because they were rubbish.
Weren’t the best attacking side in the tournament admittedly.

How else should we judge England? We've been tepid in open play and one of the worst of the remaining sides. Even Russia have done better.

Thankfully we have the players to improve. I'm still not convinced we have the manager to do it, he's no better than Bobby M but then he got a result tonight so you never know.

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

You can disagree but "deluded", come on.

The qualifier is right in my post: "when they want to be".

It's just really strange that you would say that after watching Belgium pick a strong Brazil side apart. Belgium have been exceptional. France were average. Croatia are dangerous. England are strong but I don't think they are the strongest team left.

 

[jd1981]

Judging England’s displays they played Tunisia who had very little intent to attack and we missed a hat full of chances.
Hammered a woeful Panama side which is what a decent side would do.
Lost to Belgium with both teams playing 2nd 11’s.
Got past Colombia who again had zero intent on attack until the last ten minutes.
Yet England score 9 in that process, that’s more than Spain managed there entire 2010 campaign. Whether a goal comes from a set piece open play and against whom having an average of over 2 goals per game tells me something is going right.
In all honestly I think it’ll be very tight tomorrow and very frustrating and we may go out to the odd goal, but again it’ll be down to a we’ll drilled side.

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

None against Belgium with a reserve side so we’ll scrub that so basically you’re judging England by the Colombia game and saying the Panama doesn’t count because they were rubbish.
Weren’t the best attacking side in the tournament admittedly.

Conveniently ignoring the tough test that you had vs Tunisia. Your side vs Belgium wasn't a reserve side either, come on, don't make stuff up.

 

[Tredman]

Conveniently ignoring the tough test that you had vs Tunisia. Your side vs Belgium wasn't a reserve side either, come on, don't make stuff up.

Not really in to this whole argument, it all seems a bit fatuous, but that definitely was a reserve side - 9 changes IIRC?

 

[jd1981]

Conveniently ignoring the tough test that you had vs Tunisia. Your side vs Belgium wasn't a reserve side either, come on, don't make stuff up.

9 changes that pretty much is the 2nd 11 so I’m not making stuff up and read my post above and you’ll see I’m not ignoring the Tunisia game.

 

[AndyWolves]

Brazil had enough quality chances to win that.

I like the way they play but Belgium were almost the perfect team to counter them with Hazard & De Bryne leading the charge

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

Was it 9 changes? I thought it was 5 so apologies for my comment.

I just felt it was unfair to call Rose, Vardy, TAA etc a reserve side IMO. They are all quality. I'd pick Dier over Henderson. I'd also take Rose over Young.

 

[Alan]

It's just really strange that you would say that after watching Belgium pick a strong Brazil side apart. Belgium have been exceptional. France were average. Croatia are dangerous. England are strong but I don't think they are the strongest team left.

Brazil's defensive shape made it very easy for Belgium. The Reds didn't do anything exceptional for either goal or any of their attacking chances.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I certainly wouldn't say Belgium have been exceptional. They were awful in the first half vs Panama (a side so weak that apparently our 6-1 win against them doesn't count), good against Tunisia, forget the game against us as both played reserve teams, should have lost to Japan and could easily have lost tonight.

They've been good, they have some superb players. But exceptional, nah. No-one has been.

 

[jd1981]

Belgium deserved to go through from 3 were excellent first half also thought Fellaini did a great job in the middle.
I’d make them favourites against France FWIW even if England win tomorrow or even got to the final I can’t see us beating Belgium or France.
Reality is I don’t feel great about tomorrow, no logic to my reasoning Sweden are just one of those sides we always struggle against.

 

[Freddeno]

I just have a feeling Southgate has got more of a team going this time, that is really our thing..hope im wrong though..tomorrow is the game, you have more quality upfront too so i think you will succeed and win(against us at least) but i can say one thing, i have never in my life seen the excellent type of leadership and teambuilding that Janne Andersson has shown, well maybe Nuno then but nobody else

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Still don't think anyone has stood out as a side that's clearly better than any other yet, they've pretty much all had as many underwhelming matches/moments as they have had exceptional ones, it's still pretty much wide open in my eyes for anyone that nails the last few games.

 

[Freddeno]

Still don't think anyone has stood out as a side that's clearly better than any other yet, they've pretty much all had as many underwhelming matches/moments as they have had exceptional ones, it's still pretty much wide open in my eyes for anyone that nails the last few games.

yeah, and you have to adjust your gameplan depending who you play too..

 

[White Wolf]

You can disagree but "deluded", come on.

The qualifier is right in my post: "when they want to be".

It's not deluded but it seems like you've barely watched the games if you really think that. We were exceptional for what, ten, fifteen minutes at most against Tunisia and then failed to break them down? Second half against Panama we struggled. Colombia we didn't do that well, they sat back and treated us with more 'respect' (I say this in the sense that they overestimated us, cheating fuckers had no actual respect for the rules or players) than they should have and we didn't look that impressive. Harder to take anything from Belgium because of the changes but there has only been very small periods of play where we looked good in open play, struggled otherwise.

 

[Johnny75]

Belgium deserved to go through from 3 were excellent first half also thought Fellaini did a great job in the middle.
I’d make them favourites against France FWIW even if England win tomorrow or even got to the final I can’t see us beating Belgium or France.
Reality is I don’t feel great about tomorrow, no logic to my reasoning Sweden are just one of those sides we always struggle against.

Oddly enough, whilst I disagree with you about our attacking play I feel good about tomorrow (I know, I know) and I think Kane and Sterling will pick their immobile back 8 apart.

 

[Freddeno]

Oddly enough, whilst I disagree with you about our attacking play I feel good about tomorrow (I know, I know) and I think Kane and Sterling will pick their immobile back 8 apart.

I think so also if being honest but the ball is round...thats why i love football

 

[Johnny75]

I think so also if being honest but the ball is round...thats why i love football

Exactly Fred. I've enjoyed this tournament more than any since '96.