Southgate seems to have got the team playing with a bit of confidence and enthusiasm and with ambition to win. Asking them to do anything else would be counter-productive, I think.
So people don't want to come up against the likes of Brazil? Come on, that's what it takes to win it. Today's game doesn't matter. The next game... Oh that matters. That ****ing matters
I want to win and I fully expect us to play to win. As mentioned elsewhereI have sent a message to Gareth (yes I really have) that I would not be able to see the QF if we finish second in the group, so I have every faith he will gee the team up to go all out in search of victory. On the team selection itself, I would say rest anyone on a yellow card and keep the rest unchanged, but Walker is one of those and the more games the defence play together, particularly against stronger opposition, the more they will learn about themselves as a unit. Tough call. I might also drop Sterling, whom I am on record saying is ****ing ****.
I wonder what will happen if we finish as runners up in group G, perhaps the easier side of the draw on the route to winning the World Cup? Will it be like when Steve Bruce got us to the FA Cup Final and 'supporters' demeaned the achievement because we had 'easier' opponents to play?
Momentum is key so keep winning, to win any tournament you have to beat the best sometime so get On with it. Tonight is a strange one because there could be a lot of changes to both teams and with us both already qualified it hasn't got that extra pressure. We have done well so far to give us all optimism how ever i don't think our defence has been tested yet so don't get to carried away. We will have to see how our big defenders cope with the better quick forwards some teams have. Overall great start let's hope England keep it going.
The longer we can avoid them the better , if we had drawn Chelsea or Liverpool in the 3rd round we would never have made the cup final , nobody cares who you beat to get there when you are there.
I could see Trippier being rested as he came off injured, if so, then Walker could play wing back and Cahill come into the back 3. Alternatively Alexander-Arnold might get a game at right wing back. Dier will replace Henderson, Rashford in for Sterling
I remember laughing when we ended up playing Iceland in the Euros... that day went well and they gave us a goal start. We play who we play..
You can be sure that if we win the usual negative types will say that we beat a weakened Belgium side, big deal and if a weakened England lose it will show we are ****e and have a team of overpaid primadonnas who don't care etc, etc...
Win. Anyone thinking we should be thinking of avoiding Brazil for a potentially easier route,has clearly not seen Brazil play recently,and doesn’t understand that at this stage any team can win. Win every game. Beat everyone put in front of you. That’s the mentality we’ve lacked. I was sceptical but I’m now a fan of Southgate.
