Match 2
Monday 21 November, 13.00 GMT @ Khalifa International Stadium
Group B
Match 3
Monday 21 November, 16.00 GMT @ Al Thumama Stadium
Group A
Match 4
Monday 21 November, 19.00 GMT @ Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Group B
Day 2: England vs Iran | Senegal vs Netherlands | USA vs Wales
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Match 2
Monday 21 November, 13.00 GMT @ Khalifa International Stadium
Group B
Match 3
Monday 21 November, 16.00 GMT @ Al Thumama Stadium
Group A
Match 4
Monday 21 November, 19.00 GMT @ Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Group B
Really looking forward to Senegal v Netherlands. Grew up loving the AFCON on the BBC so have a longstanding weird obsession with African national teams.
After an 8 year (
) WC gap I can't wait to see us in action on Tuesday against Wales. This team is so young and chaotic we could win the group or lose all 3 games and not score. Super excited that all of our attacking talent is healthy, at the same time, for the first time ever and terrified that our top 2 CB's are out of the WC injured.
) WC gap I can't wait to see us in action on Tuesday against Wales. This team is so young and chaotic we could win the group or lose all 3 games and not score. Super excited that all of our attacking talent is healthy, at the same time, for the first time ever and terrified that our top 2 CB's are out of the WC injured.You're in Oceania or eastern Asia?After an 8 year (
Hopefully England inflicts the heaviest world cup defeat of all time on Islamic Republic national team. God, I hate this team more and more every passing day.
Other than that game, I can see Wales and USA being a high-scoring draw, and Netherlands edging past Senegal, barely.
Other than that game, I can see Wales and USA being a high-scoring draw, and Netherlands edging past Senegal, barely.
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World Cup officially starts on Monday. Let’s be real.
Neither, I’m an idiot. Monday of course.
Can’t wait to see the English hooligans trying to get up to mischief in this heat…..the tomato red bald heads are going to be something special
Thought there were 10am games or is that only on a couple of occasions?
There will be from Tuesday, and for the first two rounds of group games I believe. I think the Ecuador - Qatar match was moved to Sunday night from Monday to allow for more of a celebratory opening at nighttime.
Getting a Senegal/France vibe to this game. Will be interesting.
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Looking forward to Senegal Netherlands, should be fun.
No Mané for Senegal is a big blow. I don’t know what other attacking options they have that could cause the Dutch problems.
In Moscow 2018, the England fans were the only ones trying to rile people up and be obnoxious. Fans from everywhere else were friendly and greeting opposition fans as brothers, while England fans were taunting passersby and falling over drunk in the street. Can’t wait for them to try something similar in Qatar-handsoff.
That's not necessarily true though? I went to most of the England games and didn't see anything like that. The only fans I saw that were causing trouble and being arseholes were the Argentinian fans in Moscow and St Petersburg.
Great start from England media, not even come to it yet and already asking Ramsdale to give away their strategy on penalties.
Yeah just read a little that which is a huge shame, they've apparently hired a witch doctor to cure him just in time but it seems to not have worked.
The Russian fans were not exactly buying everyone drinks !
100% true in Moscow. I was there for 3 weeks.
They were after they beat Spain!
England will struggle against Iran, could be a big upset cometh. Honestly think we're in a tricky group. Wales will give everything to beat us, USA will also give everything given they'll think of us as a rival given our history. Iran will be used to the conditions and will be an unknown quantity for the English players who won't have heard of the majority of them.
Don't be surprised if a large portion of Iran fans at the stadium cheer on England. The Islamic republic players are getting absolutely torched on their Insta accounts by Iran fans. It's a bloodbath if you understand Farsi. It's probably the most hated national team in our history. I expect them to completely shit he bed and if England are in the mood, it could get ugly.
The photos of players laughing and giggling in photoshoot and captain Jahanbakhsh saying they are focused on football not politics and any gesture is a personal opinion has exploded like bomb in Iran, resulting in banners of the team being torched in multiple cities and this photo going viral in Iranian social media channels.
Contrasting Zinchenko's press conference before Ukraine's first match after war started vs. Islamic Republic players actions on the day tens were killed (wednesday) including a 10 year old being shot in front of his parents:
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I don't think the politics will play a part in the way this game plays out. The conditions will hurt England, as will our form and as will the burden of expectations of us having an 'easy' group. Add into the equation that England won't have much knowledge of how Iran plays or who the danger players are. It's going to be a difficult fixture for England in my opinion, and yet many people will assume incorrectly that it's the easiest. Wouldn't surprise me if we don't win and it ends up being a draw or even losing. It's got banana skin written all over it.
Who are the CB’s out injured? What’s the US CB pairing looking like for the tournament?After an 8 year (
Zimmerman and Ream starting as far as I know. This team needs to win their first match more than most. They are so erratic.
Miles Robinson and Chris Richards were likely both starters. They both are decent to good passers and have enough place to allow the US to play the high line they want.
The starters now are Zimmerman (good in the air but slow and a decent passer) and either Ream (poor in the air, slow as hell but good passer) or Long (good in air, was fast before bad injury and lucky to kick the ball in the direction he wants).
Zimmerman has good instincts, but this back line should not be anywhere near playing a high line.
Totally agree, but GB is obsessed with it, so I wonder if that means Long starts. He used to be pretty rapid for a CB but his form this year in MLS was pretty bad as that injury stole at least a yard of pace from him.
I think England - Iran is gonna be an absolute stinker. I can see us really struggling in the heat. A very dry 1-0 will do for me.
Really looking forward to the other two games though. Netherlands - Senegal seems like a proper World Cup tie.
Really looking forward to the other two games though. Netherlands - Senegal seems like a proper World Cup tie.
Thanks. Is Cameron Carter Vickers not involved?
He is, but I don't think Berhalter rates him all that much. He would be a better partner for Zimmerman than Long, but Berhalter loves him an MLS CB.
We should be able to comfortably beat a Manéless Senegal I'd say. Though who knows, we will start with Vincent fecking Janssen up top 
As a born and bred Englishman, with a dutch mother and Iranian father, this is a decent day for football.
Iran’s whole world cup is severely overshadowed by their growing revolution, really hope there’s a fantastic gesture ala USA Iran 1998 (mad that they’ve drawn both satans in the group). Actually think they’re heavily underrated by many many pundits, but England should win - just unlikely to be 5-0.
Netherlands are more dark horse than usual. Could easily find themselves in the semis or knocked out early. No Mane, but I’d back Oranje regardless. Should be a good game.
Iran’s whole world cup is severely overshadowed by their growing revolution, really hope there’s a fantastic gesture ala USA Iran 1998 (mad that they’ve drawn both satans in the group). Actually think they’re heavily underrated by many many pundits, but England should win - just unlikely to be 5-0.
Netherlands are more dark horse than usual. Could easily find themselves in the semis or knocked out early. No Mane, but I’d back Oranje regardless. Should be a good game.
There will be no heat in the stadiums.
I think it's got Algeria Cape Town 2010 vibes all over it. A sluggish bore draw 0-0, excuses starting early..
I get 1998 vibes from this US squad, thinking Wales will eek out a 1-0 win and that will set the tone for the US. Bale might even show up for more than a few minutes and put in a performance. Maybe I will be wrong but they are so underwhelming and the back four and keeper inspire no confidence. The US will need the midfield to standout to get anything positive in group play. But who's gonna put the ball in the net?
Am I wrong to think that England vs Iran will likely be an u2.5 goals game?