World Cup Russia 2018!!!!

It was a team of premiership superstars playing a mish mash of league one guys. We scraped a win.

The only team in our group that ought to be proper competition is Belgium. Until we show a decent full 90 minute performance against a team of that stature, I see nothing to be excited about.

Bah Humbug.

 

At times, not the greatest game to watch if you're English, but we got the points and deserved it. Win ugly, stupid or lucky is OK by me at this stage in the tournament. Kane and Trippier stood out for me.

Tunisia set out their stall and nearly managed it, but their lack of ambition might have made things worse for them rather than better. Very cynical in their playing of the ref and it worked most of the time.

If we get to the next stage, and start to come up against better teams, I suspect we'll defend more and adopt a counterattacking strategy. Vardy will get a start, surely. Maybe even against Belgium. I get the feeling Southgate is picking teams and systems to beat a specific opposition on a specific day. Let's hope he's as smart as I want him to be (and the players, also)...

 

Absolutely.

 

Given it was their reserve keeper I’d like to have seen him tested more - should have been more shots in the second half

 

However Tunisia have a highest FIFA ranking position (21.) of the african nations and better than sweden, iceland and serbia so they were not some pushovers like saudi-arabia, panama and south-korea.

 

I thought it was a good performance overall. We started brilliantly, and should really have been three up after 20 minutes, but then they got back into the game with a very soft penalty. It was after their equaliser that our performance dropped off a bit, and for the 30 minutes either side of half-time we looked a bit short of ideas as they got everyone behind the ball, and it was a little bit 'same old England'. The introductions of Rashford and Loftus-Cheek gave us the lift we needed, though, and we finished strongly, fully deserving the win. The problem we have is the lack of a 'magic man' who can do something out of the ordinary against packed defences. When we come up against teams that want to attack us, though, we can make best use of our greatest strength, which is pace on the counter-attack.

I'd like to see Rose for Cole, Rashford for Sterling, and Loftus-Cheek for Alli in the next game.

 

Offensively, we're half-way there. We made plenty of chances, particularly in the first half - which is more than England teams have done in the past - but failed to take almost all of them ( Kane being the honourable exception). We won't progress far against the top teams unless we improve the finishing. Agree with Strolls about Rashford and L-C. Intelligent substitutions secured the win. Good performances too from Trippier and Henderson.

Defensively, we really weren't tested, but there were slightly less than convincing performances from Maguire and Walker. May improve as the tournament continues and nerves subside. I like Pickford - his challenges are to come

 

Henry Winter in the Times, who is that rare thing, a good football writer, agrees with those of us taking a more positive view of the performance.

Apparently Southgate had discussed with the team what to do if it was 1-1 going into the last 15 minutes, and they did what he asked - continued to pass trying to make good chances rather than just lump it and hope.

 

Trippier delivered more decent crosses and set pieces in one game than I've seen at Loftus Road all season. Don't think one hit the first defender

 

I honestly think that the ref and his officials should be censured over this. It truly was disgraceful that Tunisia went unpunished.

 

A very surprising win by Japan over Columbia, albeit over 10 men for virtually the whole match.

Now time for Poland to be tested.

 

And tested they are.....

 

Totally agree. Millions will have seen the abject refereeing and the complete failure of VAR, and reach their own conclusions on the standard of officiating in the World Cup.

FIFA needs to take a look at Rugby Union which uses VAR to get the finest detail and bring justice within the game. Sure, there are the occasional short pauses - but who, yesterday, would have complained if we'd had to wait a minute to show up the Tunisian wrestling antics in the penalty area and preferably broadcast video so the stadium can make their minds up, like in Rugby? [answer - most of Tunisia but few others]

 

Tested, and now struggling. Don't know what they are saying over in Poland Ski, but major balls-up.by the Polish defence for the Senegal 2nd goal.

 

I’m sure that in time VAR, if used properly as you suggest, would assist in driving out some of the unsportsmanlike practices that blight the beautiful game.

 

Bad luck Ski, pretty much self inflicted.

 

Too true! Suicidal!