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GROUP G - Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England

Who Will Top Group F?G

  • Belgium

    Votes: 177 70.2%

  • Panama

    Votes: 13 5.2%

  • Tunisia

    Votes: 3 1.2%

  • England

    Votes: 59 23.4%
  • Total voters
    252
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Chris O'Connor said:
We are lacking a central mid and have fairly obvious frailties at the back, a bit like a Manchester City of a year ago or even Liverpool, more impressive on the front foot but always liable to concede.

Its why I was so anxious to avoid the half of the draw which could really expose us.

As of right now we definitely have a chance of real progression and far.

Its still a massive IF but once you get to a semis in a cup you always have a chance of winning it even if on paper you shouldn't.

We may still lose to Colombia but right now this is our best chance for around 30 years and we had to give ourselves the chance even if we fall at the first hurdle.

Its is as enticing a route forward as we're ever likely to get

This is the most lopsided draw in World Cup history, we're still quite capable of losing to anyone but right now have never had a better chance of going all the way to the semis and once there chances of winning a cup are there and very real, no matter how much stronger on paper the opposition is.

Get through the last 16 and quarters and confidence would be far higher than before last night anyway.

How much momentum and positivity would have been gained by our first team beating Belgium reserves anyway?

We may lose to Colombia but what a chance!
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Tbh, a SF berth is pushing the upper limits for this team. They have won two against poor opposition and lost one. They are not impressive.
 
Chris O'Connor said:
Colombia are undoubtedly tough and capable although hardly playing that well themselves, but we've still probably just given ourselves the best chance for 30 years (albeit a slim chance) of going all the way and rested almost the entire team.
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Maximum delusion.

ijjysmith said:
May get lucky if Colombia's injuries don't improve but it's a huge risk to take against players like Falcao, Quintero, Cuadrado and James.

Saying that, they were poop yesterday too!
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These 4 up against Henderson, Stones, Maguire and Walker. Whilst Kane and Sterling will be marshalled by 2 of Europe's most highly rated young CBs. Easy route my ass.
 
davek said:
Tbh, a SF berth is pushing the upper limits for this team. They have won two against poor opposition and lost one. They are not impressive.
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Its very easy to be dismissive and negative and ignore eight or nine changes for each side, as you can still say it's a loss despite it being a glorified friendly with no real advantage for winning that isn't more than mitigated by the far stiffer tasks thereafter.

Had we won we should have progressed to the quarters but that would really have been the realistic limit.

By not doing so we have given ourselves a chance of really making a lasting impact and going very far indeed, its a chance we had to give ourselves.

A tougher initial first hurdle is the price, and we may still fall at it, although we will be fielding our first team again and should be strong favourites if their star man James Rodriguez is out as seems very possible.

Whether you are San Marino or Brazil, an easier side is still easier to beat than a really top class one even if you fail.
 
davek said:
Boiling hot day, big Colombian presence in the stadium, Kane off form = England go out.
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It's like people's only assessment criteria for the quality of their opposition is if they have won a World Cup or not. Brazil, while slightly above average in the context of this tournament, are still playing off a reputation they last deserved in 2002. Their current crop aren't great and far from favourites on the basis of what I've seen.

Meanwhile the English media are relishing the prospect of playing Colombia for some reason. They're a good team and, even if England manage to progress and land themselves a decent fixture against Sweden or Switzerland, they're still on the same side of the draw as Spain or Croatia, both capable of making England look very stupid. You win tournaments by winning games and getting momentum. The idea of plotting an easy course through a world cup by losing a match is deranged imo
 

Billy Dean said:
Maximum delusion.



These 4 up against Henderson, Stones, Maguire and Walker. Whilst Kane and Sterling will be marshalled by 2 of Europe's most highly rated young CBs. Easy route my ass.
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Its a point of view Billy not shared by you but still shared by many, Gary Neville even espoused much the same in his post match analysis.

Because its not your view, doesn't automatically mean it's deluded or you are right as you undoubtedly always are.

:D
 
Chris O'Connor said:
Its very easy to be dismissive and negative and ignore eight or nine changes for each side, as you can still say it's a loss despite it being a glorified friendly with no real advantage for winning that isn't more than mitigated by the far stiffer tasks thereafter.

Had we won we should have progressed to the quarters but that would really have been the realistic limit.

By not doing so we have given ourselves a chance of really making a lasting impact and going very far indeed, its a chance we had to give ourselves.

A tougher initial first hurdle is the price, and we may still fall at it, although we will be fielding our first team again and should be strong favourites if their star man James Rodriguez is out as seems very possible.

Whether you are San Marino or Brazil, an easier side is still easier to beat than a really top class one even if you fail.
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Yep. I didn't say it wasn't a chance worth taking, I said it was a gamble...Southgate's gamble. The stakes are either he gets to the Sfs and is lauded or or he doesn't and should lose his job for pulling a stunt off like last night's when he most definitely sent a team out with the instruction to fail.
 
Prevenger17 said:
It's like people's only assessment criteria for the quality of their opposition is if they have won a World Cup or not. Brazil, while slightly above average in the context of this tournament, are still playing off a reputation they last deserved in 2002. Their current crop aren't great and far from favourites on the basis of what I've seen.

Meanwhile the English media are relishing the prospect of playing Colombia for some reason. They're a good team and, even if England manage to progress and land themselves a decent fixture against Sweden or Switzerland, they're still on the same side of the draw as Spain or Croatia, both capable of making England look very stupid. You win tournaments by winning games and getting momentum. The idea of plotting an easy course through a world cup by losing a match is deranged imo
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I think Brazil are a danger due to Neymar's unpredicatable brilliance and Coutinho's string pulling. They are second favourites for me behind France. However, they are going to be caned by a good counter atacking team...as the German's proved in the last WC. They look like they learned no lessons in that respect. Belgium's counter attack will severely test them.
 

davek said:
Yep. I didn't say it wasn't a chance worth taking, I said it was a gamble...Southgate's gamble. The stakes are either he gets to the Sfs and is lauded or or he doesn't and should lose his job for pulling a stunt off like last night's when he most definitely sent a team out with the instruction to fail.
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Martinez done the same thing though so how is Southgate getting blasted yet Martinez is getting praise when in the run up you were bleating on about Belgium throwing the game.
 
Thinking about it today I'm really disappointed in England. It's pure arrogance to think it will be easier against Columbia and Switzerland than Japan and Brazil.
They had the chance to field a strong 11, beating Belgium and showing they are truly fearless. Imagine if we beat Belgium and swept aside Japan. The attitude going into Brazil would have been huge.
Instead, Columbia will be licking their lips and Switzerland/Sweden will be relieved they won't be playing a favourite to win the tournament.
 
davek said:
Japan are no match for Belgium. That's a guarantee of a WC QF at least. England v Columbia is just in favour of England but nowhere near certain.

If England get to the quarters then it's job done for them also, but it's a big if.
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Absolute bollocks lad......as usual ..you were all for Belgium fielding a weakened team ....there are no guarantees in knockout games....ask Germany
 

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