England Discussion | Finish 4th

[Honest John]

I think Sterling, Walker and Young have all struggled.

I don't think Rose has looked much when he's played either.

His winning pen apart, Dier shouldn't be near the team unless we want to close out when 3-0 up.

We need players that have the capability to make things happen.

Here would be my choice to start against Sweden


Pickford
Jones Stones Maguire
Trippier Henderson
Loftus-Cheek Lingard Ali (if fit)
Rashford
Kane

Henderson played down the left for a period last night and didn't look bad.

Maguire driving through into the inside-left position could open up things for Lingard. Ali and Rashford.

 

[Green_Red]

Sweden and Russia or Croatia are winnable games for England.

 

[Aint gota Kalou]

Wouldn't make many changes. Possibly RLC in for Ali and that's it. Rashford is better as an impact player for the moment.

 

[AgentP]

From what I've seen, Sweden are really good at pressing. The English defenders are decent on the ball but they need to be absolutely mistake-free with their passing to beat the press. Any silly mistakes can cost England. On the other side of the pitch, England should target Sweden's right side. Their RB and Lindelof will be vulnerable to players who run at them. I would actually play Rose over Young so that it will be easier to make a run and put the cross in with the left foot. Rashford could be key when he comes on late in the game against a tired Swedish defence.

 

[The Firestarter]

Wouldn't make many changes. Possibly RLC in for Ali and that's it. Rashford is better as an impact player for the moment.

RLC showed during the Belgium game why he should not start.

 

[AgentP]

He's not proven anything yet. This is why everyone hates Tottenham fans: the arrogance.

He is the leading scorer at the World cup! What more does he need to prove. His overall play is also top notch. He won so many free kicks with his holdup play yesterday.

 

[Yellow Black & Red]

Alli has to be dropped - not only because he doesn't seem fit, but also because him, Lingard and Sterling all playing together makes us too lightweight through the middle of the pitch; Colombia were winning most of the second balls from 30 minutes on. Dier has also been a shambles in this tournament, he has looked the most off the pace out of any of our players. Loftus-Cheek should start again, especially as Sweden are another physically combative side.

Rashford should also get the chance to show what he can do from the start of a match - Sterling has not been effective enough and the team managing only 1 goal so far from open play is poor.

 

[P-Nut]

Croatia probably. At least they'll play football. Russia will sit back even more than Sweden will.


We score early on Saturday, we're golden. But the longer it goes, the more frustrated we'll get.

At least we won't be scared of penalties anymore.

Yeah but that Croatia midfield would expose our biggest limitations in my eyes. The fact we don't have a midfield ourselves.

 

[klsv]

Sweden and Russia or Croatia are winnable games for England.

Should Croatia play their level, I'd expect them to dominate the midfield and win quite comfortably. Thankfully for England, they are well able to bottle it. Modric and Perisic looked knackered against Denmark, Russia won't go easy on them either.

 

[Cascarino]

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Haha lads banter.

What an absolute thug, can’t stand seeing things like that.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Vardy injured and Ali injured. Welbeck, stand up!

As bad as Sterling was he needs to play against Sweden. Sterling and lingard will be the key. Their pace and dribbling is was sets these teams apart (and Kane) and they must create because Sweden know how to defend and won't give up a set piece or headed goal easily.

 

[RobinLFC]

Pekerman, Falcao and Maradona are acting like clowns with their conspiracy theories. They were atrocious throughout and acting like a bunch of thugs, yet try to blame it on the ref and England. Pathetic really, them lot are a bunch of very sore losers.

 

[cyril C]

There are other Plan B's beside just long ball hoofing up to a beanpole.

PS. Trippier is 27 and Rose turned 28 yesterday. That's hardly over-the-hill for wing-backs.

I meant Young. Every decent cross ball come from Young.

 

[Green_Red]

Should Croatia play their level, I'd expect them to dominate the midfield and win quite comfortably. Thankfully for England, they are well able to bottle it. Modric and Perisic looked knackered against Denmark, Russia won't go easy on them either.

Lets see how they go against Sweden first. But I agree with you.

 

[Theonas]

Should Croatia play their level, I'd expect them to dominate the midfield and win quite comfortably. Thankfully for England, they are well able to bottle it. Modric and Perisic looked knackered against Denmark, Russia won't go easy on them either.

What level is that? What did this Croatian team ever do apart from a good performance against the worst Argentinian team in recent memory? Modric is maybe the best midfielder in the world and certain the best one still involved and Rakitic is also brilliant but apart from those two, we are talking about a Liverpool defender who has been mocked all season, a decent winger at the fourth team in Italy and a striker who is a decent option for rotation at a top club.

Don't get me wrong, I would not be surprised in the least if England lose to them but that would be because of England's problems that we have been accustomed to for many years and not because Croatia have a higher ceiling or can perform to a higher level or anything. They have two brilliant individuals, 3 decent ones with the rest playing at a much lower level than the majority of the English ones.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Pekerman, Falcao and Maradona are acting like clowns with their conspiracy theories. They were atrocious throughout and acting like a bunch of thugs, yet try to blame it on the ref and England. Pathetic really, them lot are a bunch of very sore losers.

Not sure how Falcao can think its a conspiracy theory, he's lucky to remain on the pitch after some of his aggression towards the ref. I mean if Maguire gets booked for diving he stays on the pitch, it makes little practical difference to the result.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Pekerman, Falcao and Maradona are acting like clowns with their conspiracy theories. They were atrocious throughout and acting like a bunch of thugs, yet try to blame it on the ref and England. Pathetic really, them lot are a bunch of very sore losers.

Makes it all the sweeter knocking them out.

 

[endless_wheelies]

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[FlawlessThaw]

Isn't Delph at home waiting for his kid to be born?

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[7even]

England’s worst enemy and Sweden’s best friend will be the English and Swedish media.

Give them (English media) a day or two and they will as usual be over confident and arrogant. I just wait for them to start to talk about who they going to meet in the SF, and later on in the final. Harry Kane will be described as the best thing ever since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. How many more goals will he score and that he’s the best player in the tournament. Glaston will soon value Hurricane to the BNP of Sweden and ask when, not if, he will get a knighthood.

When Saturday is coming some English players will see themselves as world beaters and the rest will come naturally. It’s coming home....

England are favorites and rightly so. With Kane as their star player they are 6 out 10 times a better team but in WC QF nothing is normal. Expectations will land heavily, some players will fear losing instead of feeling the joy of participating in such a huge event. Sweden are underdogs, they have nothing to lose or to fear and the Swedish media knows that keeping the people grounded is the best medicine against losing focus. These are huge factors that can impact players self confidence and in the end the result.

 

[Barca84]

England’s worst enemy and Sweden’s best friend will be the English and Swedish media.

Give them (English media) a day or two and they will as usual be over confident and arrogant. I just wait for them to start to talk about who they going to meet in the SF, and later on in the final. Harry Kane will be described as the best thing ever since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. How many more goals will he score and that he’s the best player in the tournament. Glaston will soon value Hurricane to the BNP of Sweden and ask when, not if, he will get a knighthood.

When Saturday is coming some English players will see themselves as world beaters and the rest will come naturally. It’s coming home....

England are favorites and rightly so. With Kane as their star player they are 6 out 10 times a better team but in WC QF nothing is normal. Expectations will land heavily, some players will fear losing instead of feeling the joy of participating in such a huge event. Sweden are underdogs, they have nothing to lose or to fear and the Swedish media knows that keeping the people grounded is the best medicine against losing focus. These are huge factors that can impact players self confidence and in the end the result.

What a horribly arrogant set of predictions this post is. Dreadful stuff from an over confident Sweden fan it seems.

 

[endless_wheelies]

What a horribly arrogant set of predictions this post is. Dreadful stuff from an over confident Sweden fan it seems.

Think @7even has a good point tbf. All these pundits and ex-players coming out and screeching at the players "DON'T BLOW YOUR ONE CHANCE" every time they get a second's camera time, seemingly petrified our players are just going to lounge around treating the games like friendlies before nonchalantly sloping home...

To say they're unhelpful is like saying Hitler was a bit narrow-minded.

 

[Red Dreams]

any injury news?

read somewhere Kane possibly.

Ali and Vardy for sure. (not worried tbh)

Walker and Young?

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Think @7even has a good point tbf. All these pundits and ex-players coming out and screeching at the players "DON'T BLOW YOUR ONE CHANCE" every time they get a second's camera time, seemingly petrified our players are just going to lounge around treating the games like friendlies before nonchalantly sloping home...

To say they're unhelpful is like saying Hitler was a bit narrow-minded.

I’m not seeing. Southgate and the players are grounded. They know Sweden are an excellent team and will take some beating just like Colombia did.

The England camp have learned from past mistakes. 2006 for example when the players were like rockstars or something with their WAGS having massive parties In Baden Baden. That type of culture doesn’t exist anymore. Nobody is getting elevated. If we lose against Sweden it will have nothing to do with what The Sun newspaper or Pat Nevin say.

 

[Barca84]

Think @7even has a good point tbf. All these pundits and ex-players coming out and screeching at the players "DON'T BLOW YOUR ONE CHANCE" every time they get a second's camera time, seemingly petrified our players are just going to lounge around treating the games like friendlies before nonchalantly sloping home...

To say they're unhelpful is like saying Hitler was a bit narrow-minded.

Except they're not. For every pundit/ex player/journo saying what a great opportunity this is to get to a final there's one also saying to not get carried away and take it a game at a time.

I've spent half the day today driving to various sites in my job listening to radio coverage of last night and the vast majority of it is very measured re England's chances and the hopes of progressing whilst acknowledging that it's a superb opportunity to do so. I didn't hear anyone saying Sweden will be easy (quite the opposite) and I doubt very much that anyone in that England camp will be saying it too.

 

[Frank Grimes]

England will not have had a good tournament if they blow this chance to make the semi-final. Beating Tunisia and Panama and winning on penalties versus a James less Colombia does not constitute progress. No reason England can't win though and they are more than capable of beating Croatia or Russia too. Massive opportunity, they really have had a dream route (By comparison Brazil have played Switzerland, Serbia and Mexico and will need to beat Belgium, France/Uru).

 

[Judas]

Winning a knockout stage penalty shootout and not crumbling under the pressure when we blew it in the final minute counts as progress to me.

 

[Barca84]

I’m not seeing. Southgate and the players are grounded. They know Sweden are an excellent team and will take some beating just like Colombia did.

The England camp have learned from past mistakes. 2006 for example when the players were like rockstars or something with their WAGS having massive parties In Baden Baden. That type of culture doesn’t exist anymore. Nobody is getting elevated. If we lose against Sweden it will have nothing to do with what The Sun newspaper or Pat Nevin say.

Correct.

I sometimes think when people refer to "the English media" it's a very narrow minded definition that doesn't go beyond the sensationalist tabloid nonsense.

Winning a knockout stage penalty shootout and not crumbling under the pressure when we blew it in the final minute counts as progress to me.

England could win the bloody thing and there'd be a queue on here to say they don't deserve it just like they didn't in 1966.

 

[Barca84]

England will not have had a good tournament if they blow this chance to make the semi-final. Beating Tunisia and Panama and winning on penalties versus a James less Colombia does not constitute progress. No reason England can't win though and they are more than capable of beating Croatia or Russia too. Massive opportunity, they really have had a dream route (By comparison Brazil have played Switzerland, Serbia and Mexico and will need to beat Belgium, France/Uru).

Plenty of people were predicting they wouldn't get out of the group and going on recent history nobody could be confident of them doing so. On that basis they have already had a decent tournament.

 

[SCP]

Correct.

I sometimes think when people refer to "the English media" it's a very narrow minded definition that doesn't go beyond the sensationalist tabloid nonsense.



England could win the bloody thing and there'd be a queue on here to say they don't deserve it just like they didn't in 1966.

Yup, I sometimes on the past was one who got pissed off with that.

Until we started to import that some type of press here to Portugal to know what type of crap they are made off, regardless of nationality.

Its the negative side of International Football. Where everyone starts to believe your NT is a National Army and you are going to kill your next opponent or whatever that means.

 

[rpitchfo]

How do we start scoring from open play? If we cant we just wont go much further.

We look dangerous at set pieces but will be found out.

 

[endless_wheelies]

I’m not seeing. Southgate and the players are grounded. They know Sweden are an excellent team and will take some beating just like Colombia did.

The England camp have learned from past mistakes. 2006 for example when the players were like rockstars or something with their WAGS having massive parties In Baden Baden. That type of culture doesn’t exist anymore. Nobody is getting elevated. If we lose against Sweden it will have nothing to do with what The Sun newspaper or Pat Nevin say.

Except they're not. For every pundit/ex player/journo saying what a great opportunity this is to get to a final there's one also saying to not get carried away and take it a game at a time.

I've spent half the day today driving to various sites in my job listening to radio coverage of last night and the vast majority of it is very measured re England's chances and the hopes of progressing whilst acknowledging that it's a superb opportunity to do so. I didn't hear anyone saying Sweden will be easy (quite the opposite) and I doubt very much that anyone in that England camp will be saying it too.

Agree that the players are very nicely grounded compared to previous years, however I disagree that nobody is getting carried away considering I can't even turn on Sky Sports News or BBC World Cup discussion without seeing some special 15 minute piece on how easy our route to the final is.

Agree there are a lot of good eggs though, Gary Neville in particular seems to be taking it upon himself to be the extended media arm of the coaching staff.

 

[Barca84]

Agree that the players are very nicely grounded compared to previous years, however I disagree that nobody is getting carried away considering I can't even turn on Sky Sports News or BBC World Cup discussion without seeing some special 15 minute piece on how easy our route to the final is.

Agree there are a lot of good eggs though, Gary Neville in particular seems to be taking it upon himself to be the extended media arm of the coaching staff.

I've not heard the "easy" word once myself. Lots of talk about our poor record against Sweden in fact, how good Croatia's midfield is, and how Russia as the host nation would also be no picnic. All I've heard and read that England have a great chance to get to a final and that is simply a fact as it is for Sweden, Croatia and Russia.

 

[Hansa]

Ex-player Håkan Mild:

"The England players are spoiled youths"
"They think they are so bloody good"

https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/a/qnddMz/hakan-mild-sagar-england-bortskamda-ungdomar

You're welcome, England. That should be enough motivation. Most Swedes probably expect to meet 2016 England.

 

[StillPlayingFooty]

It's never boring with England at least.

It was quite boring for about 120 minutes before the pens. Not a classic game. Chances were few and far between.

Another borefest coming up Sweden - England. I truly hope I am wrong though.

 

[saivet]

any injury news?

read somewhere Kane possibly.

Ali and Vardy for sure. (not worried tbh)

Walker and Young?

Walker was just cramp. No idea on the others.

 

[Pink Moon]

Plenty of people were predicting they wouldn't get out of the group

This is the second time I've seen someone post this in the last 24 hours. Seriously who are these people that were predicting Panama or Tunisia would qualify over England? I never seen it once and quite frankly am worried that there's seemingly so many mentalists out there.

 

[Gentleman Jim]

It'll be an awful match IMO.
Sweden specialise in defending deep and counter attacking, winning set pieces along the way. A team of well disciplined spoilers.
England will be pretty washed out after yesterday's epic and will face a long transfer to Samara where they'll be playing in the afternoon heat.

 

[Dante]

England’s worst enemy and Sweden’s best friend will be the English and Swedish media.

Give them (English media) a day or two and they will as usual be over confident and arrogant. I just wait for them to start to talk about who they going to meet in the SF, and later on in the final. Harry Kane will be described as the best thing ever since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. How many more goals will he score and that he’s the best player in the tournament. Glaston will soon value Hurricane to the BNP of Sweden and ask when, not if, he will get a knighthood.

When Saturday is coming some English players will see themselves as world beaters and the rest will come naturally. It’s coming home....

England are favorites and rightly so. With Kane as their star player they are 6 out 10 times a better team but in WC QF nothing is normal. Expectations will land heavily, some players will fear losing instead of feeling the joy of participating in such a huge event. Sweden are underdogs, they have nothing to lose or to fear and the Swedish media knows that keeping the people grounded is the best medicine against losing focus. These are huge factors that can impact players self confidence and in the end the result.

Nothing of the sort has been happening.

But if you create a fantasy and repeat it to yourself enough times, it'll almost be like it's true.

 

[fergies coat]

England’s worst enemy and Sweden’s best friend will be the English and Swedish media.

Give them (English media) a day or two and they will as usual be over confident and arrogant. I just wait for them to start to talk about who they going to meet in the SF, and later on in the final. Harry Kane will be described as the best thing ever since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. How many more goals will he score and that he’s the best player in the tournament. Glaston will soon value Hurricane to the BNP of Sweden and ask when, not if, he will get a knighthood.

When Saturday is coming some English players will see themselves as world beaters and the rest will come naturally. It’s coming home....

England are favorites and rightly so. With Kane as their star player they are 6 out 10 times a better team but in WC QF nothing is normal. Expectations will land heavily, some players will fear losing instead of feeling the joy of participating in such a huge event. Sweden are underdogs, they have nothing to lose or to fear and the Swedish media knows that keeping the people grounded is the best medicine against losing focus. These are huge factors that can impact players self confidence and in the end the result.

Your a very bitter person. You obviously think you can predict the future, and must have some very weird things running around your imagination. Why don’t you see if you can write a novel with Stephen king? You might make a few quid.