The Road to Russia 2018

[Deleted Cyber]

We can only play one other UEFA team in the group stages.

Youre right! Portugal from pot one threw me.

 

[Langers]

Portugal are a bogey side for England and have been for 30 years in tournaments.

I swear you do this deliberately....!

 

[Sniffer]

At least none of our old players can come back and haunt us!

 

[Tredman]

yet we have never beaten them by more than the odd goal in our history. Ok we only lost once but my point is they do perform their best againt pommes. They do have the biggest margin of victory too. 3-1 back in 03. We havent beaten Portugal in a tournament since 1966- 4 losses. We have beaten Sweden twice in 15 matches , including friendlies , only once in tournament football during those 15. We have a better record against Brazil over 15 games than sweden winning 3 (all matches). Against Germany we have won 4 and lost 5 of the 10 games this century. Unbeaten in 3 matches this century against Argentina. Iceland won 1 in 3.

We're in danger of going down a fairly well trodden discussion, but imo historical results count for nothing.

 

[Jinky]

Please... not this thread as well.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I swear you do this deliberately....!

Langers. We have not beaten them since 1966 in a tournament. They have beaten us 4 times. We have been favourites in each of those games. Last time I checked you are allowed to have reasons for not wanting to play sides. You have yours I have mine. Yours is based on one thing. Mine is another. Either accept my reasons for not wanting to play them or dont post . Otherwise

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Definitely would not say we were favourites against them in 2000 or 2004 and they were probably slightly more favoured in 2006.

 

[Johnny75]

I bet you believe Octupii, tea leaves and seances are also good barometers for result prediction.

Past results count for nothing, there is no statistical correlation to a game played with different players at a different time in a different environment. If you can replicate all 3 or provide me with some sort of evidence then go ahead.

If you want to believe it that's up to you but please don't expect anybody to take you seriously and don't get all bent out of shape over it when people laugh at your baseless theory.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

England have never beaten Saudi Arabia...OH MY GOD WE'D BETTER NOT GET THEM FROM POT 4!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

England have never beaten Saudi Arabia...OH MY GOD WE'D BETTER NOT GET THEM FROM POT 4!

Drawing 0-0 at Wembley with them just before France 98 is one of the many arguments I hold in my back pocket when the sadly ill-informed say that Hoddle wasn't a bad England manager, we lost out by sacking him for non-football reasons and that he might be worth another go.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I bet you believe Octupii, tea leaves and seances are also good barometers for result prediction.

Past results count for nothing, there is no statistical correlation to a game played with different players at a different time in a different environment. If you can replicate all 3 or provide me with some sort of evidence then go ahead.

If you want to believe it that's up to you but please don't expect anybody to take you seriously and don't get all bent out of shape over it when people laugh at your baseless theory.

Ok how about this. Portugal are rated third in the world and we havent beaten them in a tournement since 1966. On that basis I would prefer that we do not get them. I thought this forum was a bit of fun based on , well whatever you wanted to discuss. Some of you melodramatic sweethearts take yoursleves a little too seriously. Fortunately, I dont. I love the way the little gang rushes to defend each other. Even when they really dont need defending.

 

[Johnny75]

Ok how about this. Portugal are rated third in the world and we havent beaten them in a tournement since 1966. On that basis I would prefer that we do not get them. I thought this forum was a bit of fun based on , well whatever you wanted to discuss. Some of you melodramatic sweethearts take yoursleves a little too seriously. Fortunately, I dont. I love the way the little gang rushes to defend each other. Even when they really dont need defending.

All said without a hint of irony or self-awareness. Bravo sir, bravo.

The bit in bold is still the same argument you keep coming up with and it keeps getting debunked as nonsense. Now if you're saying you don't want Portugal because they're third in the world and our players and manager aren't as good I'd accept that. Still worth challenging but at least it's something constructive that we can all debate rather than some nonsense.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Definitely would not say we were favourites against them in 2000 or 2004 and they were probably slightly more favoured in 2006.

Fifa world ranking june 2000 England 12 Portugal 15
Fifa world randing 2004 England 8 Portugal 12
Fifa World ranking Mar 2006 England 9 Portugal 10

So its close in all three but we lost all three.But they were below us in the rankings. I get you dont trust the rankings. I just seemed to rmember the odds on us winning were shorter than the odds on them winning so we were slight favourites with the bookies IIRC.

 

[Johnny75]

Fifa world ranking june 2000 England 12 Portugal 15
Fifa world randing 2004 England 8 Portugal 12
Fifa World ranking Mar 2006 England 9 Portugal 10

So its close in all three but we lost all three.But they were belkow us in the rankings. I get you dont trust the rankings. I just seemed to rmember the odds on us winning were shorter than the odds on them winning so we were slight favourites with the bookies IIRC.

And they're never wrong.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

All said without a hint of irony or self-awareness. Bravo sir, bravo.

The bit in bold is still the same argument you keep coming up with and it keeps getting debunked as nonsense. Now if you're saying you don't want Portugal because they're third in the world and our players and manager aren't as good I'd accept that. Still worth challenging but at least it's something constructive that we can all debate rather than some nonsense.

Yep- sometimes I really impress myself. Youre just fishing.

 

[Tony Towner]

Fifa world ranking june 2000 England 12 Portugal 15
Fifa world randing 2004 England 8 Portugal 12
Fifa World ranking Mar 2006 England 9 Portugal 10

So its close in all three but we lost all three.But they were below us in the rankings. I get you dont trust the rankings. I just seemed to rmember the odds on us winning were shorter than the odds on them winning so we were slight favourites with the bookies IIRC.

England will always be shorter than they should be in a major game due to the patriotic punter phenomenon

 

[The Bear]

 

[Tony Towner]

We'll get Sweden, we always seem to when there is the option.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

England will always be shorter than they should be in a major game due to the patriotic punter phenomenon

Yeah, even when it flies in the face of fact

 

[Johnny75]

Yeah, even when it flies in the face of fact

What facts are these?