World cup 2018

[citoyen]

We’ve been poor this half.

To be fair, they don't have a lot of experience of how to go about defending 5-0 leads. 

[Von Broad]

We’ve been poor this half.

To be fair, they don't have a lot of experience of how to go about defending 5-0 leads. 

30dg heat, 5-0 up - why run yourself into the ground when you've qualified? Second half was always going to be more pedestrian.

Lingard's goal was brilliant.

We can score goals, no doubt - can can also concede too, no doubt. It could make the knockout games very entertaining

[LEE]

30dg heat, 5-0 up - why run yourself into the ground when you've qualified? Second half was always going to be more pedestrian.

Lingard's goal was brilliant.

We can score goals, no doubt - can can also concede too, no doubt. It could make the knockout games very entertaining

Lingard's goal was typically Lingard.  He's done that for United for a while now.  He's been surprisingly under the radar but this should finally give his talent the exposure it needs.  He's one of very few English players who can play 1-touch football going forward.  He's very much like Paul Scholes in that respect (and that's high praise).

Raheem Sterling.  Answers on a postcard please because I have no idea..  I've never rated him and he's never proved me wrong. He couldn't hit a Cow's arse with a banjo.  Swap him for Rashford ASAP.

Harry Kane, World class. 4 chances and 5 goals.  That's a great average.  Kane, Rashford and Lingard is a dream forward line.

All you can do is beat what's in front of you but (a poor) Panama had 4 or 5 very good chances to score, chances that you'd expect the top 10 teams to score.

The Belgium game may be a good indicator of how good our defence actually is.  I have Belgium as my sneaky outside choice to win it.  If we look good against Belgium then we can look good against anyone. 

The good news is that we'll play from - Group H (Poland, Sengal, Japan and Colombia) in the knockout.  That's the best group, to have as opponents, by far.  After that it's impossible to predict but chances are you'll get a real contender.

So our path to World cup glory is:
(1) A dead rubber with Belgium
(2) A last 16 game with average opposition
(3) Quarter final with someone good
(4) Semi Final with someone very good
(5) Lose the final on penalties to Germany

[Von Broad]

Raheem Sterling.  Answers on a postcard please because I have no idea..  I've never rated him and he's never proved me wrong. He couldn't hit a Cow's arse with a banjo.  Swap him for Rashford ASAP.

I think a lot of people would like to see that happen, but I have a feeling Southgate will retain him, leaving Rashford in reserve. Southgate will also be aware that Stirling played some nice one-touch stuff to set up Lingard for his goal. I'm sure Rashford will get his chance. We'll see.

England have also obviously been doing work on set-pieces. [Hopefully work on penalties too!]

Interesting to hear the tale of Sven Goran Eriksson's first instruction to what was then a young Rio Ferdinand - "I don't like my defenders playing the ball out of defense" 

I like the way we're trying to keep the ball, but there have been lapses of concentration and better teams will be looking at that.

[mattc]

All you can do is beat what's in front of you but (a poor) Panama had 4 or 5 very good chances to score, chances that you'd expect the top 10 teams to score.

Yes true - but then Tunisia scored twice against Belgium. And  plenty of other fancied teams have already conceded to minnows; a leaky defence isn't a complete road-block to progress. [Not that I expect much of England, I should stress!]

The Belgium game may be a good indicator of how good our defence actually is.  I have Belgium as my sneaky outside choice to win it.  If we look good against Belgium then we can look good against anyone. 

The good news is that we'll play from - Group H (Poland, Sengal, Japan and Colombia) in the knockout.  That's the best group, to have as opponents, by far.  After that it's impossible to predict but chances are you'll get a real contender.

I think Brazil are the most likely at that stage. Last time I looked they were strugling at 0-0 to Costa Rica.

We’ve been poor this half.

To be fair, they don't have a lot of experience of how to go about defending 5-0 leads. 

Fair point, well made.

[citoyen]

I have Belgium as my sneaky outside choice to win it.

Surely Belgium are one of the favourites? Nothing sneaky or outside about that bet.

They’ve also looked one of the best teams so far - despite the goals conceded, they were very strong yesterday. If England can beat them, they can beat anyone.

[Jaded]

We’ve been poor this half.

To be fair, they don't have a lot of experience of how to go about defending 5-0 leads. 

30dg heat, 5-0 up - why run yourself into the ground when you've qualified? Second half was always going to be more pedestrian.

Lingard's goal was brilliant.

We can score goals, no doubt - can can also concede too, no doubt. It could make the knockout games very entertaining

Well, the knockout matches may well require 120 mins of play in the heat...

What I mean is that instead of taking the foot off the gas, there was an opportunity to experiment (and certainly to defend better).

[Deano]

Columbia look a bit good.

[Peter]

Hmmm.  Is that the same as Poland looked bad?

[Von Broad]

Well, the knockout matches may well require 120 mins of play in the heat...

Of course, so with that in mind, you want to take your opportunities to conserve your resources whenever you can, which is probably why Southgate bought Kane, Lingard and Tripper off in the second half [using all three subs].

What I mean is that instead of taking the foot off the gas, there was an opportunity to experiment  (and certainly to defend better).

Bit late to start experimenting to any great extent now.
We're always going to be a bit vulnerable defending - that's just the way the team is at the moment. This team is very much an experiment in progress anyway really.

[Deano]

Hmmm.  Is that the same as Poland looked bad?

Ach, I meant Valderrama and Higuita's haircuts

[Nuncio]

I'm very disappointed by the commentators and the pundits - or maybe I just haven't been paying attention.

Has no-one pointed out that Panama has been swept away by a Harrykane?

"Danny Murphy just described Panama’s last couple of minutes as “their best passage”, which is harsh on the canal"

[andyoxon]

Harry Kane's hair is not dissimilar to that of a 1966 Jack Charlton  - reckon it's an omen.

[andyoxon]

...
(5) Lose the final on penalties to Germany

Here are the gory details... 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_FIFA_World_Cup_penalty_shoot-outs

and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UEFA_European_Championship_penalty_shoot-outs

[Cudzoziemiec]

Hmmm.  Is that the same as Poland looked bad?

Ach, I meant Valderrama and Higuita's haircuts

I got back from yesterday's ride to glum faces. It was about 66 minutes in and Poland were only 1-0 down but Mrs Cudzo couldn't bear to watch any more; not from wounded patriotic pride but because she doesn't find such bad football at all entertaining. I saw Colombia's next two goals, I thought the second was rather good but... did Poland have anyone actually playing in defence? Going forward, Poland were a bit reminiscent of the England at their worst – passing minimal and sloppy, trying to get through by fancy footwork alone – but worse.

It would be nice to see Senegal beat Colombia so there's an African team in the next round but it might not happen.

[Mr Larrington]

Raheem Sterling.  Answers on a postcard please because I have no idea..  I've never rated him and he's never proved me wrong. He couldn't hit a Cow's arse with a banjo.  Swap him for Rashford ASAP.

I remember getting a verbal kicking in here for saying simikar things about Heskey.  Especially his international scoring record compared with Uruguay's goalkeeper.

[De Sisti]

England have also obviously been doing work on set-pieces. [Hopefully work on penalties too!]

Don't side-foot penalties low, as there is a greater chance for goalkeepers to save them if they guess the correct way.

Talking of goalies; how about the penalty scored by the England U17 keeper in the semi-final defeat against Holland recently in the U17 Euros.

@2;21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Dk7Kv4N1M

Kane's two spot kicks against Panama were quite good too.

[citoyen]

Interesting that Poland are the first European side to be knocked out. However, if Poland beat Japan in their final game, and Colombia beat Senegal then both Colombia and Senegal will go through.

Looking at the permutations for the other groups...

Russia and Uruguay are both through. I’ll go with Russia to win their tie and top the group.

Spain and Portugal will probably both go through but it’s still possible that one or the other could be knocked out (but not both). However, I can’t see Morocco giving Spain any trouble, while Portugal only need a draw against Iran and they should manage at least that.

France are through. Denmark need at least a draw against them to guarantee progress but I think they’ll struggle. France to beat Denmark and top the group. An Australia win over Peru could then put the Aussies through over Denmark - it’ll be down to goal difference.

Senegal aren’t the only African side still in it - Nigeria could still go through as well, all they have to do is avoid defeat to Argentina. That would also put Argentina out. But even an Argentina win wouldn’t guarantee their progress if Iceland pull off an unlikely win against Croatia. Can’t see it happening though - Croatia will be too good for them.

Assuming Switzerland beat Costa Rica, Brazil need at least a draw against Serbia. They should do it but after their shaky performances so far... who knows? Serbia will be up for it, that much is sure.

Germany have had their scare and I predict they’ll thump Korea. A Mexico win over Sweden would see both Germany and Mexico through. However, a Sweden win would result in a three-way tie in the group... but my money is on Mexico to win that one.

Belgium have got to be favourites to win our group but it’ll be a close one. And could potentially be a great game.

[pcolbeck]

Harry Kane's hair is not dissimilar to that of a 1966 Jack Charlton  - reckon it's an omen.

I was saying something similar to Mrs Pcolbeck on Sunday. Kane's whole look is somehow very late 50s early 60s.

[citoyen]

Here you go - cards on table time, my prediction for who will be playing in each round for the rest of the tournament (I'm giving England the benefit of the doubt against Colombia and Mexico, but not against Spain):

16
France-Nigeria
Russia-Portugal
Spain-Uruguay
Croatia-Australia
Brazil-Germany
Belgium-Japan
Mexico-Switzerland
Colombia-England

QF
France-Russia
Germany-Belgium
Mexico-England
Spain-Croatia

SF
France-Belgium
England-Spain

Final
Belgium-Spain

[De Sisti]

Harry Kane's hair is not dissimilar to that of a 1966 Jack Charlton  - reckon it's an omen.

I was saying something similar to Mrs Pcolbeck on Sunday. Kane's whole look is somehow very late 50s early 60s.

He should ditch the beard that he's been trying to grow all year.

[LEE]

Raheem Sterling.  Answers on a postcard please because I have no idea..  I've never rated him and he's never proved me wrong. He couldn't hit a Cow's arse with a banjo.  Swap him for Rashford ASAP.

I remember getting a verbal kicking in here for saying simikar things about Heskey.  Especially his international scoring record compared with Uruguay's goalkeeper.

Sterling's International goal record is worse than Heskey's (and worryingly only 2 better than mine).

[andyoxon]

...
Belgium have got to be favourites to win our group but it’ll be a close one. And could potentially be a great game.

Good that England v Belgium will should decide the top two order.  Think England will edge it.

Oh no, it's happened, I've fallen into the emotional trap of placing some hope in England's future performance... 

[hatler]

We need a sense of perspective. We've beaten Panama and Tunisia and the whole of the press have fallen into the trap of overblowing our chances.

Don't get excited. It makes the disappointment easier to bear.

[citoyen]

I find the easiest option is to ignore the press.