Tunisia vs England - Monday 18th June 19:00

[Facecloth]

Had a dream last night Maguire scored a hat trick in a 3-0 win  Thunderous header from a corner, volley at the back post from a free kick and then tapping in a loose ball at another set piece. Then commentator came out with the cheesey line of "It's a hat trick for Harry, but not the one we expected." 

 

I'll kick myself for not betting on it if that happens. 

[The Doctor]

31 minutes ago, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Look at all the optimism and belief in here  

 

Can’t wait for YB29 to smash Kane and Khazri to bag the winner in injury time. 

Blessing in disguise for England - shot conversion rates in domestic league last season: Kane 16.30%, Messi 17.26%, Lukaku 18.60%, Cristiano Ronaldo 20.22%, Neymar 21.11%, Salah 22.22%, Aguero 22.34%, Lewandowski 22.83%, Vardy 28.17%. You've got possibly the most lethal finisher in the world as your backup striker.

Edited 18 June 2018 by The Doctor

[Manwell Pablo]

32 minutes ago, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Look at all the optimism and belief in here  

 

Can’t wait for YB29 to smash Kane and Khazri to bag the winner in injury time. 

 

I watched that managing England the impossible job program last night and it’s turned me into even more of a pessimistic. Really rammed home how utterly shite we’ve been for over 50 years.

[TheUltimateWinner]

If Maguire scores a bullet header I will genuinely lose my shit 

[shen]

1 hour ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

Qualifying with a top seeding is different to the finals, even we are reasonably good at qualifying.

 

I agree with the Welshmen they’ve never quite looked like the sum of their parts, if they ever do their are scary prospect indeed. Although they should win heavily regardless this afternoon I’m confident even we will be comfortable against Panama 

You both make good points. However, it's just difficult to write off a team with so much individual talent and game deciders. They have yet to really impress as a team when it matters, I agree, but their qualifying performance suggests they might well have improved since the last tournament. I hold them in the same bracket as Croatia. Potential dark horses, who will likely flounder in the knockout stages.

 

On England, I expect them to beat Tunisia comfortably. It seems the England team is quite relaxed but also very motivated to do well.

Edited 18 June 2018 by shen

[stripeyfox]

Matchday!
 

Seems to be a distinct lack of bare chested sun burned pot bellied beer swilling England fans on the news. Maybe they really are scared of getting a shoeing!

 

Volgograd looks like an amazing place - would be a very interesting city to visit I think.

 

can't wait to finish work, get home and enjoy the game with my kids!
 

Come on England!
 

[Vacamion]

 

I’ve got beers in (not watching in the pub, previous experience tells me there will be too many McTunisians for my liking).

 

I’ve got a sense of optimism slightly higher than the usual doom and gloom about the National side.

 

Bring it on... 

 

 

[Ted Maul]

3 hours ago, foxfanazer said:

Already listened to Three lions and World in motion twice this morning

Had a Spotify playlist on repeat for about a week.

 

HURRY UP ENGLAND, CAAAAAAMON!

[Samilktray]

I've just watched One Night In Turin and I've hit peak excitement 

[MrSpaM]

Absolutely baffled to hear so many so called 'football experts' acting like Vardy isn't even in the squad

 

If I hear one more person mention Rashford and Welbeck as our backup options and not even mention Vardy I think I'm going to throw my tv out the window

 

He's one of the best strikers in the league ffs! and people are on about throwing Rashford on in the final 20 minutes for impact instead, are they f**king insane!

Edited 18 June 2018 by MrSpaM

[RonnieTodger]

I never thought I could get excited about England again after the Iceland farce but you just can't beat the World Cup. Come on lads.

[Manwell Pablo]

1 hour ago, shen said:

You both make good points. However, it's just difficult to write off a team with so much individual talent and game deciders. They have yet to really impress as a team when it matters, I agree, but their qualifying performance suggests they might well have improved since the last tournament. I hold them in the same bracket as Croatia. Potential dark horses, who will likely flounder in the knockout stages.

 

On England, I expect them to beat Tunisia comfortably. It seems the England team is quite relaxed but also very motivated to do well.

 

 

We will see, I've seen this "great prep" rubbish before and we come out and look dreadful most tournaments, I think the last time I was actually 100% happy with opening fixture was funnily enough when we beat Tunisia in Marseilles in 98.

 

It'd be nice to come out score a few goals and actually look like a reasonable side, for a change.  We certainly have the players to do that in this game.

Edited 18 June 2018 by Manwell Pablo

[Manwell Pablo]

32 minutes ago, MrSpaM said:

Absolutely baffled to hear so many so called 'football experts' acting like Vardy isn't even in the squad

 

If I hear one more person mention Rashford and Welbeck as our backup options and not even mention Vardy I think I'm going to throw my tv out the window

 

He's one of the best strikers in the league ffs! and people are on about throwing Rashford on in the final 20 minutes for impact instead, are they f**king insane!

 

 

They are probably right though to be fair. I can't see Gareth using Vardy ahead of Rashford. 

 

[Jon the Hat]

1 minute ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

They are probably right though to be fair. I can't see Gareth using Vardy ahead of Rashford. 

 

Vardy should come on if Kane is being ineffective leading the line, but he won't because Kane is Captain.  Instead he will come on only if we are desperate.

[Finnegan]

Honest question here, are any of you too nervous to be excited or do you get jaded by it after a while because you always qualify? 

 

I love summer tournaments, best thing ever, I hate the years without. 

 

But 16 was the least I've enjoyed one really because of all the apprehension wanting Wales to do well. I almost enjoy it more as a neutral than when I'm following a team, that was my experience. 

[Manwell Pablo]

2 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Honest question here, are any of you too nervous to be excited or do you get jaded by it after a while because you always qualify? 

 

I love summer tournaments, best thing ever, I hate the years without. 

 

But 16 was the least I've enjoyed one really because of all the apprehension wanting Wales to do well. I almost enjoy it more as a neutral than when I'm following a team, that was my experience. 

 

We do not always qualify  

 

Personally find the whole tournament more enjoyable while we are in it.....too used to us being shit now to get nervous but have done before big games in the past, but certainly generally massively prefer watching the whole tournament it while we are still in it. 94 was great but 94 was great because I was 9  

[Jon the Hat]

5 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Honest question here, are any of you too nervous to be excited or do you get jaded by it after a while because you always qualify? 

 

I love summer tournaments, best thing ever, I hate the years without. 

 

But 16 was the least I've enjoyed one really because of all the apprehension wanting Wales to do well. I almost enjoy it more as a neutral than when I'm following a team, that was my experience. 

I have in the past yes, and it has detracted a bit.  I have enjoyed previous tournaments more after England went out.  I am more relaxed this time I think, hard to tell until 7pm.  Or 8.30 when we need a winner..

[Max Wall]

29 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Honest question here, are any of you too nervous to be excited or do you get jaded by it after a while because you always qualify? 

 

I love summer tournaments, best thing ever, I hate the years without. 

 

But 16 was the least I've enjoyed one really because of all the apprehension wanting Wales to do well. I almost enjoy it more as a neutral than when I'm following a team, that was my experience. 

 I used to. I lived in Scotland between the ages of 7 and 35  and you knew it would be grim when England got knocked out. When Seamen allowed Ronaldinho's freekick to go over his head in 2002 and England exited the tournament, I went into work the next day and there was around 50 photocopies of Seamen with his ponytail and the caption 'What do you get beneath a ponytail? A horses arse' pinned to the wall around the office. I believe that was the back page of Scotland's daily newspaper, the Daily Record. 

These days, I don't really get nervous, I really don't expect much. And, I don't live there anymore so defeat is forgotten about within the hour tbh.

After 28 years there, I celebrate Scottish losses as much as England wins now, I'm aware that is pretty sad but that's what living in a Celtic country will do to an England fan.

Edited 18 June 2018 by Max Wall

[ScouseFox]

13 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Honest question here, are any of you too nervous to be excited or do you get jaded by it after a while because you always qualify? 

 

I love summer tournaments, best thing ever, I hate the years without. 

 

But 16 was the least I've enjoyed one really because of all the apprehension wanting Wales to do well. I almost enjoy it more as a neutral than when I'm following a team, that was my experience. 

not yet, no. never nervous for the first group game, just ridiculously excited and assume we will win 7-0. then by the time we’ve lost our opening game there’s not much to be nervous or excited about really. 

 

every knockout game i’m terrified, yer. the wales game last time i was drunk by about 10am to try and calm myself down. 

[spacemunky]

I'm on anti-depressants and my normal daily dosage is 4 pills. Today I'll take 8.

 

I should be fine 

[Finnaldo]

35 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Honest question here, are any of you too nervous to be excited or do you get jaded by it after a while because you always qualify? 

 

I love summer tournaments, best thing ever, I hate the years without. 

 

But 16 was the least I've enjoyed one really because of all the apprehension wanting Wales to do well. I almost enjoy it more as a neutral than when I'm following a team, that was my experience. 

 

Personally, The first major tournament I properly remember was 2006, and because of that I've only known shithouse England. In 2014 I couldn't be less arsed and with 2016 I was just caring enough to watch all the games. However this year is the first time I can remember England seeming to have a proper game plan as well as two Leicester players representing so I've managed to trick myself into believing we have a good chance of progress this time around, and the performances of the big countries have only made that worse.

[AKCJ]

[Bert]

No #hitmanbenalouane if this is true. 

 

[Finnegan]

No Benny, no Kelechi and Musa, no Vardy if we're honest. 

 

 

#justice4lcfc

[Max Wall]

16 minutes ago, Finnaldo said:

 

Personally, The first major tournament I properly remember was 2006, and because of that I've only known shithouse England. In 2014 I couldn't be less arsed and with 2016 I was just caring enough to watch all the games. However this year is the first time I can remember England seeming to have a proper game plan as well as two Leicester players representing so I've managed to trick myself into believing we have a good chance of progress this time around, and the performances of the big countries have only made that worse.

I've been watching World Cups since 1978. I've pretty much only seen shithouse England too. 82, out after two bore draws in the 2nd group stage. 86, undone by Diego but had already put in some shite performances. 90, did well but could have lost to Belgium or Cameroon.  98 and 02, flattered to deceive really and you know the ones from there on.