FIFA World Cup 2018 - GROUP G [Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England - 18/23/24/28 June] **spoilers**

Soldato
Joined
13 Aug 2008
Posts
7,069
If England needed to beat Belgium it would have been a completely different team. It was a game to nothing and the a team get to rest before the main dance. The B team was sent out, told to win and it didn't happen. Before the world cup I'd have taken Colombia in the last 16 any day of the week. Not to say I'd be certain of the win...

Momentum is great but fatigue will soon slow that down
 
Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
37,804
Location
block 16, cell 12
It was the perfect result. Basically a win. Of course if they lose to Colombia then there is going to be a storm.

The Colombia team talk is going to be easy.

"Today we play England. They thought playing Colombia would be an easy win and that they have already won the world cup. (Laughs out loud). Go show them how to play football"
 
Soldato
Joined
5 Jul 2003
Posts
4,250
Location
Larndarn
The quality of Colombia and later teams is what it is...the advantage England has on this side of the draw is not being weighed down by history. The team are far more likely to play with belief and confidence on this side than the other and that matters.
 
Associate
Joined
14 Oct 2008
Posts
256
Location
Brighton
So England B team lost to Belgium B team. Not sure you can read anything meaningful from the game as it was played with the intensity of a friendly with neither team really that bothered about winning.

The tournament starts right now and we have a cracking chance to progress to the Quarter finals - which most people were saying would have been a good result at the start of the tournament.

Germany out and no Brazil, no Argentina, no France, no Portugal on our side of the draw. This is an excellent chance for England to exceed expectations, but no game will be easy from here on in. Let’s get behind them and see what happens.
 

fez

fez

Caporegime
Joined
22 Aug 2008
Posts
25,120
Location
Tunbridge Wells
Its quite amazing how rubbish England fans are. We are happy when we beat a couple of budget teams but suddenly we are **** when we lose to a good team playing their B team with our B team. Belgium have a very very strong squad. Their A team is top class and their B team isn't exactly crap. There aren't many teams that can field a B team that is half handy but Belgium are one of those teams.

One of Englands biggest issues has always been a complete lack of a national identity when it comes to football. We don't have a style of play, we don't have a system that all the players know and have been part of for years. Teams like Spain, Germany etc could play their B teams and they would still play in the same style.

I don't know how anyone can place any value on last nights game. That isn't our first team, that isn't the team that will play against Columbia so how on earth does that have any bearing on the upcoming game(s).

I don't think we are world beaters but god football fans are a bunch of ***** sometimes.
 
Caporegime
Joined
23 Apr 2014
Posts
29,437
Location
Dominating rooms with symmetry

I think some of us just expected more from players who are fighting for a place, why would they play it like a friendly if it may be their only outing in the competition? I'd like to see Rashford instead of Sterling but due to last nights performance I can't see that being the case. Danny Rose looked good as well till he got humiliated by Januzaj, criminal mistake showing him inside and even our first team defenders look shocking, conceeding to the 2 budget teams in the group.

There's not many here saying we are ****, we're just genuinely worried about keeping goals out and looking to win games by predominantly set pieces.
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
17 Aug 2009
Posts
17,818
Location
Finchley, London
I'll be absolutely amazed if England win on Tuesday after that ****show last night, even if it was their b team. Personally, I think there'll be many England bookings, and they'll all be for boarding the plane home.
 
Caporegime
Joined
22 Oct 2002
Posts
26,935
Location
Boston, Lincolnshire
I think it just goes to show how much of a farce the world cup is. We lost our game but arguably have the easiest run to the final out of everyone. Croatia and Spain are our only threats on paper yet the top half is murder each step of the way. I feel a little sorry for Belgium actually.
 
Back
Top Bottom