I'd still rather win the group tbh and play at a half full Wembley. You've got to play a good team eventually so I see no point in purposely trying to avoid it. We've not beaten a top side in a ko match since '66 have we? Won't ever do anything til we get that monkey off our back. I love the idea of playing Germany at Wembley in a major tournament ko match tbh. Bit young for 1996 and only really remember penalties.
Does @Libby know who we would play if we let the Czechs beat us and finished 3rd? Might as well go for the easiest fixture possible.
Yeah but can you imagine the **** being unleashed on Southgate and the players if they dared to only draw?
I don't hear the Italians complaining about getting Group A, yet already being rated as a top side, despite having one of the easiest groups.
Well said Libs. If you're going to win the thing, then you've got to beat the best. And playing against the best brings out the best in us imo.
One half performance and people are forgetting Southgate getting to a WC SF. playing against the better sides will benefit as Scotland sat and we struggled to break down. Spain, France etc won’t be sitting
No idea, too hard to work out as you can't say where the 3rd placed teams will come from. It's also worth considering though, that now it looks like Spain won't win their group, that us finishing runners up would put us in a much tougher side of the draw. Nicked this from our board, but this is potentially the two halfs of the draw should we finish runners up: Top half: Belgium, Italy, Ukraine, England, France, Spain, 2x 3rd place teams. Bottom half: Sweden, Czechia, Dutch, Germany/Portugal, Wales, Russia, 2x 3rd place teams. Would defo rather be in that bottom group. Even if it does mean playing a Germany in the last 16.
Don't we just get France or Germany (whichever wins that group) in the 1/4 instead? Got to play (lose to) them at some point.
Yep. Absolutely no point in not trying to win group. Potential route if we win group: Last 16: Germany Quarters: Sweden Semis: Holland Potential route as runners up: Last 16: Spain Quarters: France Semis: Italy Moral of the story? It's a waste of time trying to second guess these things. Just take it one game at a time and see where we end up.
Anyway, National League play-off final today, Hartlepool v Torquay, wonder if Jeff will be happy come 4pm.
