The NotsoWorld Cup.
- Thread starter Spurf
- Start date
-
Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
-
I thought Madueke was truly awful. How he stayed on the pitch for 80 minutes is beyond me.
Far too stodgy. A real lack of creativity. Poor.
Far too stodgy. A real lack of creativity. Poor.
Bloody hell, Micah is like Gok Wan on speed, I'd say himself n Rooney had a few bumps before doing the commentary on BBC. Never heard Rooney talk so fast, he can't get the words out fast enough
The better teams will take a lot of encouragement from this.
Defend deep, close down the space and England don’t offer much.
And when you can control possession and/or hit them on the break with pace, you will get chances.
Q-F would be a good showing all things considered
Defend deep, close down the space and England don’t offer much.
And when you can control possession and/or hit them on the break with pace, you will get chances.
Q-F would be a good showing all things considered
Can't see them going beyond that. Woeful lack of creativity and could not even blame the heat tonight!!
England frequently draw their second game of major tournaments. Doesn’t seem to matter when you consider they’ve got to two finals in recent years
Draws have been favourable at the Euros, where England reached finals. Apart from an average Germany, when did England last beat a genuine top 8 team?
Can you realistically seen England getting past any of France, Spain, Argentina or Portugal?
Netherlands, Brazil, Germany could be a bridge too far as well.
I wouldn’t fancy Norway, USA, Mexico or Morocco on their day either.
I think England’s case is vastly overstated.
I would love to have to eat humble pie though.
I don’t think any international team is that great tbh. If England play their best they can beat any of them.
I’m not saying England will win it but until they’re out I’ll keep the faith.
I agree.
Beyond Kane there is a real lack of stardust in this group. Bellingham has the quality but is far too petulant and self-absorbed for it to mean anything.
The defense is suspect. Apart from Saka who is half fit, the wingers are bang average.
Djed Spence can barely get a game for relegation candidates Spurs, how on earth is he starting for the national side?
Harsh take on the team. England have some very good players.
Also, In what way is Bellingham petulant and self absorbed?
Gordon was even worse. But it's difficult to find a positive.
James was awful, Konsa and Guéhi were slow on the ball, the MF lacked any discernable creativity and the substitutions were too late, particularly Rashford.
Bit like watching us for the past couple of seasons....
A truly awful game of football!
James was awful, Konsa and Guéhi were slow on the ball, the MF lacked any discernable creativity and the substitutions were too late, particularly Rashford.
Bit like watching us for the past couple of seasons....
A truly awful game of football!
Spence's highlight was blanking Rapey lastnight
On the game, took to long to take the wingers off. Madueke and Gordon were both terrible and should have been changed earlier. No service to Kane due to the aforementioned wingers and Bellingham being crowded out the middle then makes a hash of the one chance he does get. Rice had a much better game though which was a positive.
Spence looked better at right back when he came on against Croatia than he did last night so not sure why he dropped o’reilly and put Spence left back.
Not a great performance but just as there was no need to go over the top after the first game, there’s no need to go the other way after this game. We’ll beat Panama and win the group still and then it’s onto the knockouts.
Spence looked better at right back when he came on against Croatia than he did last night so not sure why he dropped o’reilly and put Spence left back.
Not a great performance but just as there was no need to go over the top after the first game, there’s no need to go the other way after this game. We’ll beat Panama and win the group still and then it’s onto the knockouts.
Odd game last night. Felt like a regression to the darker Southgate days, or even the 2000s. We played very slow, Kane seemed to have been instructed to not drop deep nearly as much (which is odd for Tuchel who has always made the most of that aspect of his game) and the wingers in particular were a bit too passive when they got their opportunities.
SOP for playing a team in a well organised low block is movement (make the defenders constantly have to make decisions about whether to go with the man or occupy space) and don’t be afraid to get shots away - especially against a backup keeper who is an unknown quantity at elite level. Move the ball quickly, try and move their players around and make chaos (even if that’s deflections, rebounds etc) because that’s how you force errors and generate chances.
Overall it’s too far to say it’s a concern. Lots of the top teams have ground out draws against low blocks already this tournament and in tournaments passim. Like I (and others) have said before - for the top teams like England, these expanded WCs are about grinding your way out of the group (basically, don’t lose) and then the real tournament begins.
The acid test for Tuchel is the knockouts.
SOP for playing a team in a well organised low block is movement (make the defenders constantly have to make decisions about whether to go with the man or occupy space) and don’t be afraid to get shots away - especially against a backup keeper who is an unknown quantity at elite level. Move the ball quickly, try and move their players around and make chaos (even if that’s deflections, rebounds etc) because that’s how you force errors and generate chances.
Overall it’s too far to say it’s a concern. Lots of the top teams have ground out draws against low blocks already this tournament and in tournaments passim. Like I (and others) have said before - for the top teams like England, these expanded WCs are about grinding your way out of the group (basically, don’t lose) and then the real tournament begins.
The acid test for Tuchel is the knockouts.
For those mathematicians out there, today's edition of "More or Less" on Radio 4 contained a short item on the permutations of how a group stage of 48 teams becomes 32 and who might play who. It's pretty dry and not about who England will play, just the calculations. However if anyone is interested I'm sure it can be found on BBC Sounds.
The last time Scotland were at the world cup 28 years ago, they played Brazil. But also tonight and 28 years ago, Scotland had a Spurs defender in the team. OK, tonight's guy hasn't actually played for us yet, but I'm claiming him on a technicality. Can anyone remember who the defender 28 years ago was?
Answer below
V
V
V
Colin Calderwood.
Answer below
V
V
V
Colin Calderwood.
This is the game against Brazil that I remember in 1974 When Scotland went home as the only undefeated team in the finals. Scotland had a fantastic squad, including two of the worlds finest players in Dalglish and Law. Joe Jordan absolutely terrified Brazil at every corner and Scotland could easily have won the game.