World Cup (2018) - Group G (Belgium, England, Panama, Tunisia)

Firenze wrote:Alli was clearly hurt after a while, no idea why he stayed on.

I do feel Rashford should get a start, I think it's not much of a risk vs Panama to see how it works out, but I've noticed at United he's generally better for us when he comes off the bench for what it's worth.

Lingard was definitely frustrating, at times he looked like our most dangerous player like you mentioned, getting into good positions. I hope he can find his finishing boots in the tournament asap, he was actually very clinical when he was on fire for United before Christmas. Otherwise he's just gonna be more punchable than ever if he's missing sitters.

i think lingard is to eager to get on the score sheet so he is blasting the ball and not placing it. he needs to just calm down a bit and let things happen instead of forcing it.

MOTM HenderLAD

Seeing some pretty harsh criticism on Tunisia. Thought they did all right. Worked hard and caused issues for England, just couldn't take the chances they got and really need to improve their defending on corners. Game ended about how I expect it to though.

Loved all the players celebrating together both goals like a bunch of 8 year olds, makes me feel hopeful for this team after years of infighting

McLewis wrote:Seeing some pretty harsh criticism on Tunisia. Thought they did all right. Worked hard and caused issues for England, just couldn't take the chances they got and really need to improve their defending on corners. Game ended about how I expect it to though.

tbh the set plays by england were pretty good.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Loved all the players celebrating together both goals like a bunch of 8 year olds, makes me feel hopeful for this team after years of infighting

you are right. this team does not have the talent of the teams from the past but they do seem to have a much better team spirit. i also think the manager has a lot to do with that. no matter how we do in this world cup i think we should stick with the manager.

Probably helps to have a core base on the spurs all from close to the same age.

Unique wrote:

McLewis wrote:Seeing some pretty harsh criticism on Tunisia. Thought they did all right. Worked hard and caused issues for England, just couldn't take the chances they got and really need to improve their defending on corners. Game ended about how I expect it to though.

tbh the set plays by england were pretty good.

True. Kane's movement and positioning on the 2nd, in particular, was good. Still, you'd expect someone to get a body on him, as the danger man.

McLewis wrote:Seeing some pretty harsh criticism on Tunisia. Thought they did all right. Worked hard and caused issues for England, just couldn't take the chances they got and really need to improve their defending on corners. Game ended about how I expect it to though.

I dint see them creating any tbh. Not even half chances. They offered absolutely nothing going forward. The 2-1 scoreline is pretty kind to them if you ask me. The game should've been done and dusted at half time but in typical England fashion they had to labor to a win against a vastly inferior opponent.

S wrote:Highest ranked African team

Seriously, is this what's the best Africa's got to offer ?

Where is that Real Madrid numpty who was bashing Asian teams for sucking yet African teams are stinking it up for the entire tournament ffs. Even lost a direct H2H battle against an Asian opponent. You cant get more worse than this. OUT with the complaints against Asian teams.

Other than Morocco who shat the bed and scored an own goal, which African didn't live up to expectations? all of them were facing vastly superior European/ South American opponents and none of them got blown out the way Saudi Arabia did.

Tunisia isn't the best African team not even D.O.C would tell you that.

farfan wrote:

S wrote:Highest ranked African team

Seriously, is this what's the best Africa's got to offer ?

Where is that Real Madrid numpty who was bashing Asian teams for sucking yet African teams are stinking it up for the entire tournament ffs. Even lost a direct H2H battle against an Asian opponent. You cant get more worse than this. OUT with the complaints against Asian teams.

Other than Morocco who shat the bed and scored an own goal, which African didn't live up to expectations? all of them were facing vastly superior European/ South American opponents and none of them got blown out the way Saudi Arabia did.

Tunisia isn't the best African team not even D.O.C would tell you that.

African teams are rated much higher than Asian teams coming into this tournament. To come into the World Cup and flop so miserably like they've done so far is an embarrassment to the entire continent ffs. Nobody on the other hand expected anything out of Saudi or Australia or other Asian teams.

And yeah, losing a direct H2H against an Asian team is a huge L no matter which way you look at it.

Asia so far - 3 out of 12 pts
Africa so far - 0 out of 12 pts

bottom line imo

S wrote:

McLewis wrote:Seeing some pretty harsh criticism on Tunisia. Thought they did all right. Worked hard and caused issues for England, just couldn't take the chances they got and really need to improve their defending on corners. Game ended about how I expect it to though.

I dint see them creating any tbh. Not even half chances. They offered absolutely nothing going forward. The 2-1 scoreline is pretty kind to them if you ask me. The game should've been done and dusted at half time but in typical England fashion they had to labor to a win against a vastly inferior opponent.

Yep, we were hardly tested defensively. It's the main reason I can't be too critical of the defenders outside of Walker's brain fart, they hardly had anything to do.

Pundits praise Henderson; Lineker: "he was exceptional", Lampard: "He carried on his recent form for LFC. He’s a leader, he’s matured on and off the pitch and he’s used real intelligence to take that role. He’s got great drive in him. The question is 'can he find a pass earlier'; we saw he can tonight."

BusterLfc wrote:Pundits praise Henderson; Lineker: "he was exceptional", Lampard: "He carried on his recent form for LFC. He’s a leader, he’s matured on and off the pitch and he’s used real intelligence to take that role. He’s got great drive in him. The question is 'can he find a pass earlier'; we saw he can tonight."

Henderson is decent, his passing range and vision are very good. His problem is, though, that he cannot face a defender with the ball and create himself the space to play a pass, too slow and no dribbling skills.

But I do like him. People like to shit on him, but he's been a mainstay at Liverpool for several years now and neither has England produced a better player for that jack-of-all-trades midfield role.

Henderson played very well last night. He had the time and space to play his passes which meant he could be more expansive than usual. And his mentality has always been good. In that sense he's an important part of the squad since the other players are more reserved (especially Kane, who's more a talisman than a real leader).

It's just that Henderson isn't quite good enough to run a game against quality opposition. Teams often recognise his limitations, get around him and really test his technique and decision making. That's where he struggles.

But bar Dier, England have no other 6's in their squad. Dier offers something different but games against Tunisia and Panama aren't for him.

S wrote:

McLewis wrote:Seeing some pretty harsh criticism on Tunisia. Thought they did all right. Worked hard and caused issues for England, just couldn't take the chances they got and really need to improve their defending on corners. Game ended about how I expect it to though.

I dint see them creating any tbh. Not even half chances. They offered absolutely nothing going forward. The 2-1 scoreline is pretty kind to them if you ask me. The game should've been done and dusted at half time but in typical England fashion they had to labor to a win against a vastly inferior opponent.

Sure. No disagreement on the scoreline. Most of what I saw were some good moves that did have them getting behind England's backline once or twice. I suppose they don't really count as chances per se, but the potential was there.

With how the tournament has played out, it might be in England's and Belgium's best interest to finish second in this group.

This is on the assumption that Mexico and Brazil win their groups. That'd set-up the following ties:

Mexico vs Switzerland/Costa Rica/Serbia
Brazil vs Germany/Sweden/South Korean

If England finish 2nd, they'll get one of Poland/Senegal/Japan/Colombia in the R16. If they win that, they'd get the winner of Mexico vs Switzerland/Costa Rica/Serbia.

If England finish top, they'll get Poland/Senegal/Japan/Colombia, but would then face the winner of Brazil vs potentially Germany.

Obviously a lot of assumptions being made here, but there's a potential route to a semi-final for someone unexpected.

Would rather try and finish top and all the confidence and momentum that comes with it tbh.

We can't avoid big teams forever anyway, if we want to progress to the latter stages we'll have to face those teams eventually anyway.

Playing weaker teams on purpose?

OUT

Nishankly wrote:Playing weaker teams on purpose?

OUT

Agreed.

So Southgate dislocated his shoulder during a morning run.

Can we confirm Sergio Ramos' whereabouts during that time?

Starting a petition on change.org

Apparently the team has been leaked.

Rashford will be in for Sterling and Loftus Cheek will come in for Alli who is injured.

I can't complain tbh.

Can't wait for England's next match, only team that plays any sort of attractive football in this tournament

fully behind Brexiland this summer

Hazard penalty 1-0

That redhead #8 for Tunisia plays dangerously, i wonder what's his problem.

Will admins open CHAT today ?