The world Cup Russia 2018 Thread

[horlock07]

We don't normally win games like that. Some of the comments generally have been ridiculous - "same old shit", "too slow" etc. Listening to Keown on the comms was like sitting in the Arkells with the FORWARD brigade.

The second they got the pen, Tunisia (the best team in Africa) sat in, kicked, dived and moaned and made it very hard for us. We still created enough chances to win the game, and did win the game.

Only blot on the copybook is finishing.

RLC looks head and shoulders above Alli in this set up. I'd start him and Rashford for Sterling against Panama.

Generally agree with that, how hot was it as we looked totally knackered after about 50 minutes?

Tunisia did what they planned to do (disrupt and time waste) very well, helped by a ref who seemed well out of his depth, although I don't understand why our players when an opposing player stands 3 yards from a free kick just doesn't take a quick one against them as that normally leads to a booking, we possibly need to get a bit more streetwise.

Sterling just looks out of his depth, very skillful player technically (at times) but with no football brain and just goes blind alleys and gives it away, rarely any end product. Rather exposes the myth that Pep has made him a better player, no he has just surrounded him with better players! We looked so much better when Rashford came on,

Fuck knows what was going on with Alli, looked injured for most of the game bar the first 15 minutes, if that's the case I would assess and see, be tempted to put RLC in as again we seemed better and more dynamic - plus still think Alli has got a red card in him if he plays all the games.

BTW Kane scored two good goals but apart from that he seemed to be rarely in the box when the ball was played in, not sure what was going on there?

Generally a typical England experience as a viewer, frustration and then relief....

 

[Uncletrunx]

I don't understand why our players when an opposing player stands 3 yards from a free kick just doesn't take a quick one against them as that normally leads to a booking

Because yesterday's ref would probably wave play on?

[Batch]

Because yesterday's ref would probably wave play on?

And booked the England player for unsporting conduct.

[Peter Venkman]

FWIW I enjoyed the match yesterday, I thought all the England players really wanted to win for each other and the relief showed.

There are no teams easy to beat at the WC finals they are all there on merit and I thought Tunisia offered very little but were hapy to defend in numbers and kick us at every opportunity which should have got us at least 1 penalty, whats the point of VAR if they miss as obvious a penalty as the first one on Kane?

We passed the ball well under very difficult conditions but a few players were not good enough for me.

Alli and Sterling should not start for us they are just nowhere near good enough I would much rather see Rashford and Loftus-Cheek, both players came on and the workrate went right up, Sterling and Alli are lazy and lacking bite in attack, the other player I would change would be Young, who impressed me in his last few England games but yesterday his final ball was woeful and his free kick late on was terrible. I think Rose is a better option.

The jury is still out on Lingaard too, I think there are better options than him.

Otherwise we did the job against a hard working very defensive side that in the past England would have struggled against, Kane did what he does best, 6 yard poacher.

Hopefully we will have a better ref for the rest of the tournament.

Bring on Panama Sunday.

All English born and bred. Very old school comment.

I also haven't heard anyone use that racist term in about 20 years, how very backwards.

[Reg Smeeton]

FWIW I enjoyed the match yesterday, I thought all the England players really wanted to win for each other and the relief showed.

There are no teams easy to beat at the WC finals they are all there on merit and I thought Tunisia offered very little but were hapy to defend in numbers and kick us at every opportunity which should have got us at least 1 penalty, whats the point of VAR if they miss as obvious a penalty as the first one on Kane?

We passed the ball well under very difficult conditions but a few players were not good enough for me.

Alli and Sterling should not start for us they are just nowhere near good enough I would much rather see Rashford and Loftus-Cheek, both players came on and the workrate went right up, Sterling and Alli are lazy and lacking bite in attack, the other player I would change would be Young, who impressed me in his last few England games but yesterday his final ball was woeful and his free kick late on was terrible. I think Rose is a better option.

The jury is still out on Lingaard too, I think there are better options than him.

Otherwise we did the job against a hard working very defensive side that in the past England would have struggled against, Kane did what he does best, 6 yard poacher.

Hopefully we will have a better ref for the rest of the tournament.

Bring on Panama Sunday.

I'd imagine unless there are injuries, fatigue etc, GS will stick with the same strategy, v Panama.  In the first 30 that we did well it was the running of Dele, Lingard and Sterling which caused them problems.

[Peter Venkman]

Anyone else think that data Ben Youssef looked remarkably like the actor Alan Tudyk?

[hefty toe]

England's back 3 passed and recycled the ball quickly, particularly in comparison with Belgium.  Maguire played very well and committed Tunisian players when he drove forward with the ball.  Trippier and Henderson were excellent.  Would prefer Rose ahead of Young and Rashford ahead of Sterling.  I reckon Southgate will start with the starting XI vs Panama injuries permitting.  I haven't seen England play as well as they did in the first half in a long time.  

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Anyone sporting a Panama hat on Sunday after the Fez yesterday?

When we play Belgium I will wear a waffle

[Panda Paws]

England's back 3 passed and recycled the ball quickly, particularly in comparison with Belgium.  Maguire played very well and committed Tunisian players when he drove forward with the ball.  Trippier and Henderson were excellent.  Would prefer Rose ahead of Young and Rashford ahead of Sterling.  I reckon Southgate will start with the starting XI vs Panama injuries permitting.  I haven't seen England play as well as they did in the first half in a long time.  

Alli having a knock is a great excuse to "rest" him and play RLC. RLC is an absolute monster running at a deep back 5.

[chalkies_shorts]

The good thing is we've got 3 points on the board having played a cynical, horrible bunch of cheats and a useless ref / VAR. Another day, that could have been 5-0. There's plenty to work on but I think most people are pretty happy. Its good to play Panama next and try and build some momentum going into the Belgium game.
Agree about RLC and would put him ahead of Sterling - he's a unit and at full flow looks a real beast. Alli needs a big kick up the arse. Other than that would keep as is. 

[Kinky Tom]

Think that's a little unfair re. Alli, looked brilliant until a minor injury, probably best to lay the blame at coaching staff in this instance, should have taken him off as soon as it became apparent he was no longer at 100%. 

I think one of the greatest strengths of this England squad is that we have very few 'stars' and there is a depth to every position, we could name a couple of different starting line-ups and few would argue that such and such should start ahead of so an so.

In that regard if any one player is less than 100%, subs already made permitting, we should make the  change early.

[Super Hans]

Seen a lot of "Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Spain, France will batter this England team" type comments since the game.

Of the above teams only France got a win from their opening game.

None looked to have anything I'm particularly worried about.

This tournament is wide open.

[Abrahammer]

Seen a lot of "Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Spain, France will batter this England team" type comments since the game.

Of the above teams only France got a win from their opening game.

None looked to have anything I'm particularly worried about.

This tournament is wide open.

Never read too much into the first set of games at a major comp

[Reg Smeeton]

Never read too much into the first set of games at a major comp

Indeed not...sometimes it takes a stinking opener to sort things out.

[Batch]

Never read too much into the first set of games at a major comp

No, but we should (not definitely will) beat Panama. That would takes us through to a winnable last 16 game.

If we got to the quaters we will sort of be over-achieving.

Then lose to Brazil or Germany. Because they always make the quaters.