World Cup Russia 2018 Thread

Muller, van Hummells, Noyer, Gomez are past their best plus Shweinsteigger and Lalm have retiredi. Ozil has caught Rooneys/Owens disease where you burst onto the scene as a youngster and then decline with every season.

Hence my prediction on page 2 of the Germans not making it as far as the last 4. It would fill me with great joy to see them go out on penalties.

I wouldn’t write the Germans off just yet, despite not playing well they could have easily ended up with a draw. 

It’s certainly making it a much more interesting tournament.... 

wenger2015 posted:

I wouldn’t write the Germans off just yet, despite not playing well they could have easily ended up with a draw. 

It’s certainly making it a much more interesting tournament.... 

100% agree the Germans will be in amongst it in the latter stages of this tournament.

A thought for tomorrow....Tunisia are Africa's highest ranked team of 21st compared with Engerland's 12th and didn't lose a group game. Draw?

Great game on at the moment the Swiss are having a great game against Brazil currently 1-1.

Bob the Builder posted:

wenger2015 posted:

I wouldn’t write the Germans off just yet, despite not playing well they could have easily ended up with a draw. 

It’s certainly making it a much more interesting tournament.... 

100% agree the Germans will be in amongst it in the latter stages of this tournament.

It is a remarkable fact that tournament winners appear to have lost the first match relatively often.

but... Scheisse!

(I support the Germans during this tournament)

thebigfredc posted:

A thought for tomorrow....Tunisia are Africa's highest ranked team of 21st compared with Engerland's 12th and didn't lose a group game. Draw?

The Tunisians will be a tricky opponent, although they do have some key players missing....

Their seems to be a good vibe around the England set up, I am quietly confident of a good performance and an England win.

Excellent draw for the Swiss, again very much deserved.....

Switzerland are rated 6th in the FIFA rankings so not that much of a surprise.

I thought Neymar looked very fetching in his long stockings and shaggy perm last night.                                                                                                                                                                    

Well our opening match has arrived I have tried to avoid taking about our chances either way and for once it seems most of the country are with me. Let's hope they put on a decent show tonight and make a good start because of all the sides I have seen so far you wouldn't' say any of them were unbeatable.

Bob the Builder posted:

I thought Neymar looked very fetching in his long stockings and shaggy perm last night.      

Not to mention something resembling a Nike swoosh cut into his hair on the back of his head!

I saw the second half and thought the Swiss organised good on the counter, but not quite good enough to win it. Brazil didn't quite look a team (at this stage )for all their individual brilliance.

Bob the Builder posted:

Well our opening match has arrived I have tried to avoid taking about our chances either way and for once it seems most of the country are with me. Let's hope they put on a decent show tonight and make a good start because of all the sides I have seen so far you wouldn't' say any of them were unbeatable.

I really hope with so much youth in the team that for once we play without the fear of failure. 

A good solid opening performance can provide much needed confidence.

May the football gods be kind to us.....

It is it is certainly true that Englnd's players have not look like themselves in recent tournaments, whether it is down to fear is debatable though.

Football experts used to put their inept performance down to technical deficiencies of the players caused by the hectic playing style of our top division plus them playing too many games. The poor performances of Harry Kane in th last Euros debacle was put down to him being burnt out.

I just hope the team create some excitement like they did in Italia 90 because there is an entire generation, including my children who are now in their twenties, that have not experienced the thrill of a good World Cup run for England.

Ray

thebigfredc posted:

 

I just hope the team create some excitement like they did in Italia 90 because there is an entire generation, including my children who are now in their twenties, that have not experienced the thrill of a good World Cup run for England.

Ray

 

 

Ray,

Lets hope they can dig something special as 28 years since Italia 90 is far to long.I have'nt got much expectation for England maybe quater finals at best...really hope I am wrong but past history with them.At least our media have their feet more on the ground;rather than the We are England and all we have to do is turn up and we have won it mentality of the past.

Sweden is playing, reminds me of this one:

Panama players crying as they sing their national anthem - great to see it matters.

It wasn't that long ago that half the England team couldn't even be arsed to sing it. That at least changed under Hodgson and great to see they all sing it under Southgate.

Ray

Blimey! Left that late.  Given the missed chances in the first half I thought we were going to be disappointed with just a point.  Rubbish refereeing. Missed two obvious penalties and even the linesman were rubbish, getting more  offside decisions wrong than right.  Rashford made a clear case to be selected ahead of the ineffectual Sterling.      

MDS posted:

Blimey! Left that late.  Given the missed chances in the first half I thought we were going to be disappointed with just a point.  Rubbish refereeing. Missed two obvious penalties and even the linesman were rubbish, getting more  offside decisions wrong than right.  Rashford made a clear case to be selected ahead of the ineffectual Sterling.      

Nicely summarised.

A well deserved win despite the poor officiating.

I watched down the pub and we were all shouting "don't give it to Sterling" every time he got the ball.

I thought England seemed strangely flat and without much in the way of inspiration, too many sideways and backward passes.

The officiating was indeed dreadful, and the referee is overdue a visit to Specsavers if he wasn't picking up the scrimmaging at Corner kicks.

The substitutions seemed to make a difference, though Sterling needs to find his shooting boots.

Still, a better start to the campaign than usual, so fingers crossed for Panama on Sunday.

wenger2015 posted:

MDS posted:

Blimey! Left that late.  Given the missed chances in the first half I thought we were going to be disappointed with just a point.  Rubbish refereeing. Missed two obvious penalties and even the linesman were rubbish, getting more  offside decisions wrong than right.  Rashford made a clear case to be selected ahead of the ineffectual Sterling.      

Nicely summarised.

A well deserved win despite the poor officiating.

England: nineties football, lack of creativity. Just a bit better than Tunesia. Not a well deserved won IMO.

They started great though, but I missed a guy like Beckham.

Nicely summed up Mike - It must have injected more belief into the squad.Looking forward to the rest of our games.....only time will tell...but 3 points is a great start.

A good win albeit in a game we should be wining easily. Yes the refereeing was poor but I really like the way the referees on the whole have let the football flow and have not blown up for every minor infringement and the VAR seems to be working very well on the whole.

Our national team have underachieved too much in the past especially in the last two tournaments for me personally to get too excited over that performance,  slightly encouraged and very pleased to have got off with a win which is the main thing but forgive me if I'm not jumping up and down with excitement just yet.

Win on Sunday against Panama, the lowest ranked team at the finals, and we are in the last sixteen against a team from the weak Group H maybe Poland or Columbia. Simples.