Okay got it. But why is this team the regime's team and not that of Iran?
Day 10: Ecuador vs Senegal | Netherlands vs Qatar | Iran vs USA | Wales vs England
- Thread starter Samid
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De Jong is ridiculously good looking, fecking 'ell. The tattoos suit him so well too.
Not a bad pundit either.
Not a bad pundit either.
That's the part I don't understand either. Haven't they refused to sing the anthem in both games?
I was hugely impressed by their last display against Wales. Based on that effort I wouldn't mind them twatting the US
However way the match goes, I just hope the US and Iranian players act with more grace on the pitch than their federations have off it. Would be bad to see things get out of hand between the players.
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Get ready for some fireworks. There will be no love lost. I'm expecting a nasty affair.
If England wants to guarantee to reach at least the quarters the should throw this game for a free victory against us.
The Iranian diaspora is a strange crowd. A combination of different ideologies with extremist black and white views - some evident in this thread.
For example a famous player in Iran has been arrested multiple times for speaking out and calls for him to be freed all over social media. On the other hand they call the players traitors for not coming out and explicitly fighting against the regime with guns and violence even though they’re under surveillance with them and their families under pressure. captain and many players have talked against the regime in one way or another.
A lot of online activists sitting behind screens dictating others to go and die for the country basically.
Not really, no. The worst European sides at this tournament are probably Poland and Wales and they're alright. Add 3 more for the new 48 team World Cup but let's make it 5 assuming Poland won't replace Lewandowski and Zielinski will be around but old (and their young talent is just okay) and say Wales (lacking a presence in attack, it's all skinny fast guys) drop out you're talking what, Italy and maybe 4 of Sweden, Scotland, Ukraine, Austria, Norway, Turkey and Romania, with the Turks especially having a ton of young talent in their spine, Norway looking potentially strong by 2026 and Romania doing well at youth tournaments and Austria better under Rangnick playing Red Bull/Bundesliga style ball that should make them tough to play against.
So yeah, the worst European side at this world cup at the moment looks like Wales and they were at 1-1 and 0-0 their first 2 games until the 85th minute and hell they may even beat England who knows. Serbia is a mess but a beautiful one.
Canada hosts the next one so we're in, but as a Canada fan, if we can't finish top 4 in Concacaf, we shouldn't be in. You can see that Costa Rica are getting everything they can out of their team. Jamaica can replace them now that they've added a bunch of good English players and while they're mostly too old for 2026, they should be real useful for qualifying and some of the older defensive types like Pinnock and DeCordova-Reid are good pros and Bailey and Hutchison can probably recruit more solid players who would make the England C or D teams like Demarai Gray, Rico Henry, Aarons or Ferguson at RB and Hayden and maybe even Gibbs-White (who would be massive, he's a quality #10). Let's say a 5th side can be passable and only blown out once, either Costa Rica or maybe more likely the young Panama side, but a 6th side is asking way too much of Concacaf and should be replaced by a European side.
Wow, he's actually dropped Mount
Rashford starts! I might watch this then.
what a legend.Where you seen team news?
Ohh Rashford and Foden starting.
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Would’ve been an ideal game for Grealish..
Actually like that 11.
Finally dropping Mount and Sterling for Rashford and Foden. Took long enough.
Very nice. Congratulations. Hopefully the US win me some money tonight.
Minus Henderson its probably their strongest 11.
All those good changes and then he had to ruin it with Henderson.
Decent 11.
Bellingham was lost against the USA's midfield so hopefully if he can affect the game in an attacking way Rice and Henderson can provide some presence and protection. Not that I'm a fan of Henderson, he's probably too old but USA were pretty much nullified when he came on.
Bellingham was lost against the USA's midfield so hopefully if he can affect the game in an attacking way Rice and Henderson can provide some presence and protection. Not that I'm a fan of Henderson, he's probably too old but USA were pretty much nullified when he came on.
They will be back for the last 16
No he’s dropped Saka and Sterling for Rashford and Foden. Mount replaced by Henderson.
You can tell the people who don’t know football when they’re slagging off Henderson.
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Wow, dropping Zimmerman for CCV is a big call, as is not starting with Reyna.
Good call I’d say Zimmerman has been heart attack inducing
Rashford and both teams to score after seeing the XIs?
I think it has more balance than with Mount.
I don’t dislike Mount but he’s just not creative enough to play that role whilst Bellingham can do both.
That said I’d still prefer Foden as a number 10 centrally with Saka and Rashford either side of Kane.
No idea why Southgate only uses Foden wide as I think he’s wasted.
I think England will win quite easily
Enlighten us footballing oracle.
definitely a big move on his part dropping Zimmerman but CCV is probably better on the ball
This is what I was thinking, although Zimmerman was basically our only other set piece threat (and defender) other than McKennie.
Also a bit surprised (pleasantly) about Sargent. This makes the inclusion of Fereira over Pefok/Pepi even more weird.
Look at that midfield 3, feck me, so, 7 at the back then? Southgate Ball.
At least he's got the front 3 right.
At least he's got the front 3 right.
Glad to see Page finally changing the shape. No idea how Ramsey is still starting after looking beyond finished in the first two games, would rather see someone like Joe Morrell who can at least run around a bit, especially when we're obviously not seeing a whole lot of the ball here. I'd also have strongly considered playing Johnson instead of Moore, just because Moore is the exact kind of striker Maguire can actually look good against, as he did against America's big lump.
Hopefully playing in the evening rather than in 34 degree heat means we can't look quite as shit as we did in the Iran game. Neither of the two miracles that would see us progress are going to happen, so I'll quite happily settle for us just putting up a bit of a fight and not getting stuffed by too many. Would be quite nice to see us score another World Cup goal, hopefully Pickford is in an obliging mood.
Hopefully playing in the evening rather than in 34 degree heat means we can't look quite as shit as we did in the Iran game. Neither of the two miracles that would see us progress are going to happen, so I'll quite happily settle for us just putting up a bit of a fight and not getting stuffed by too many. Would be quite nice to see us score another World Cup goal, hopefully Pickford is in an obliging mood.
Absolutely. Our two worst players so far. Not bad players, but just out of form it seems to me.
Mount is being replaced by Henderson, not Rashford or Sterling.
Call me an idiot but Kane should not be playing. Drops deep into areas where others could do more e.g. Foden and doesn't have the speed to offer anything in behind. What may work for Conte and his squad isn't necessarily transferrable to England.