England v Belgium

[Webbo]

Seeing as Southgate has hinted he may rest a few I suppose we ought to be predicting the team.

 

Butland may get a run out, I think Cahill will too. Trippier had a bit of a knock so Walker could move to RB. Rose need game time and Young's the oldest player in the squad so I can see him starting. I'm sure Kane will get some game time but maybe only half a game?

[TeePee]

I think with the start Kane's made, unless he's carrying some kind of knock, Southgate's going to start him to keep him in the hunt for the golden boot - bearing in mind Belgium are a Roberto Martinez side, we can safely assume that there are going to be a few chances for him! Would love to see Vards get a go, but you can't take Harry Kane out when he's in this kind of form - literally everything he's touching is going in the net.

 

I can see Rashford getting his go in place of Sterling - I think it was the right call to play him today to try and get a bit of confidence, and he got 2 assists iirc? However, he's still not quite right, and I think Rashford deserves a go - I can see him causing that defence a few scares when he starts running at them.

 

I'd give Loftus-Cheek another game instead of Dele, as I think we'll need a bit more of a physical presence in midfield to break things up - I might even be tempted to play Dier and Henderson together to really tighten things up - it might come down to who makes fewer mistakes at the back, as neither side looks amazing defensively.

 

[urban.spaceman]

What are the permutations of finishing first or second?

[Wymsey]

Win this one, and England can go as far as anyone.

It would show how far they've come if they do overcome these.

Edited 24 June 2018 by Wymeswold fox

[SystonFox]

1 minute ago, urban.spaceman said:

What are the permutations of finishing first or second?

I genuinely don’t think it matters on this occasion. The planner I did with my predictions it would’ve been better if we finished second.

 

thanks

 

 

[Callabinho]

Bit of a dead rubber, but I think both teams should field strong teams to gauge how good they actually are. Tunisia and Panama aren’t to strongest of opposition, so a heavy defeat for either side and the arses will start to twitch. I think England will lose, the two games have been a false reflection on how the team is actually playing, Belgium will have far too much coming forward for them, if they field the strongest 11. Both teams at full strength I’m going a 3-1 won for Belgium. 

[Ric Flair]

I'd rest Trippier, Henderson, Lingard and drop Young and Sterling. Bring in Alexander-Arnold or Cahill, Dier, Vardy, Rose and Rashford.

[Stadt]

Second is probably better for teams we'll face but I'd prefer a win over a side with some unreal players to keep confidence and belief high

[Fox92]

I think we can beat these but I'd like to see two strong sides to see decent opposition face each other. 

[ScouseFox]

43 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

What are the permutations of finishing first or second?

we’ll know by the time we play but it’s currently looking like if we finish top (assuming we win our last 16 game) the quarter final will be germany or brazil, if we finish second (assuming we win our last 16 game) the quarter final will be switzerland or mexico. 

 

the next round will be much of a muchness, either senegal or colombia. 

[Ric Flair]

Just now, ScouseFox said:

we’ll know by the time we play but it’s currently looking like if we finish top (assuming we win our last 16 game) the quarter final will be germany or brazil, if we finish second (assuming we win our last 16 game) the quarter final will be switzerland or mexico. 

 

the next round will be much of a muchness, either senegal or colombia. 

Phil Jones needs to do a diving header with his hands and get sent off in the first minute to get us that 2nd spot.

[whoareyaaa]

Expect Cahill to start maybe give walker a rest, Arnold for Tripper.. Dier for Loftus Cheek.. Rashford for Sterling... tough to call the rest he will start Kane no doubt don't think we should change it to much, would like to see Vardy in for Sterling but think he will go with Rashford

[TeePee]

13 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Phil Jones needs to do a diving header with his hands and get sent off in the first minute to get us that 2nd spot.

The best part of that plan is that no-one would believe it was deliberate.

[gw_leics772]

1 hour ago, SystonFox said:

I genuinely don’t think it matters on this occasion. The planner I did with my predictions it would’ve been better if we finished second.

 

thanks

 

 

Still is apparently. I was with someone today who said am the most likely outcomes now with Brazil winning their group and Germany to finish second means those 2 play each other in the first round of knockouts and if we win we would play the winner in the quarters.

2nd would be Mexico or someone else equally as scary. 

 

We've decide on a nice draw as we don't want to lose but need a couple of yellows to take us second in fair play.

 

Not checked it as my head hurts but if it's right it would be just our luck.

 

Would be nice to see us beat Belgium and be just our luck to then go out in the quarters to probably the eventual winners.

[Countryfox]

2 hours ago, TeePee said:

I think with the start Kane's made, unless he's carrying some kind of knock, Southgate's going to start him to keep him in the hunt for the golden boot - bearing in mind Belgium are a Roberto Martinez side, we can safely assume that there are going to be a few chances for him! Would love to see Vards get a go, but you can't take Harry Kane out when he's in this kind of form - literally everything he's touching is going in the net.

 

I can see Rashford getting his go in place of Sterling - I think it was the right call to play him today to try and get a bit of confidence, and he got 2 assists iirc? However, he's still not quite right, and I think Rashford deserves a go - I can see him causing that defence a few scares when he starts running at them.

 

I'd give Loftus-Cheek another game instead of Dele, as I think we'll need a bit more of a physical presence in midfield to break things up - I might even be tempted to play Dier and Henderson together to really tighten things up - it might come down to who makes fewer mistakes at the back, as neither side looks amazing defensively.

 

 

You mean the 2 pens and the shot that hit his heel and went in ...    

[Bert]

I'd much prefer an easier route like everyone else but as the saying goes "you've got to beat them all to win it". We are high on confidence at the minute and that's absolutely massive, we fear no-one which is brilliant. The team spirit is fantastic, can't remember an England team being this together since 1996. Genuinely believe we've got the goods to go very far. 

[gw_leics772]

4 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

 

You mean the 2 pens and the shot that hit his heel and went in ...    

And the 2 in the first game that were literally the only things he did all game.

 

Like that bastard yakubu all over again ?

[Izzy]

I think we'll set up not to lose. Wouldn't surprise me if we play both Henderson and Dier for this one.

We'll want to stay unbeaten to keep the confidence high but I can't see us playing with much adventure.

Reckon Southgate and the boys would be delighted with a draw.

Edited 24 June 2018 by Izzy Muzzett

[gw_leics772]

1 minute ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

I think we'll set up not to lose. Wouldn't surprise me if we play both Henderson and Dier for this one.

We'll want to stay unbeaten to keep the confidence high but I can't see us playing with much adventure.

Reckon Southgate and the boys would be delighted with a draw.

 

I think it'll be quite shit with both teams knowing that finishing 2nd will be better for progression.

 

As much as we all want to see how far we've come,  lots of players on a booking who we don't want missing for the first knockout game. Squad rotation as well. 

[TeePee]

Just now, Countryfox said:

 

You mean the 2 pens and the shot that hit his heel and went in ...    

Pretty much - doesn't matter how they go in, when you're on form, stuff just seems to go your way. Look at Mane's goal today. Keeper punched it into his shins from point-blank range. A goal is a goal - if Harry Kane scores the winner in the final with his arse, I'll still be celebrating it!

[Countryfox]

 

1 minute ago, TeePee said:

Pretty much - doesn't matter how they go in, when you're on form, stuff just seems to go your way. Look at Mane's goal today. Keeper punched it into his shins from point-blank range. A goal is a goal - if Harry Kane scores the winner in the final with his arse, I'll still be celebrating it!

I know he's playing well but there is some serious pant creaming going on ....   slightly overboard imo.   

[Callabinho]

If England were to beat a full strength Belgium team, it would do absolute wonders for their confidence.... plus with Kane being a genuinely world class striker they’ve always got goals in them. I think the Belgium game is actually an extremely important fixture, if they win, they’ve beaten one of the best teams in the tournament, and ultimately strike genuine fear into the rest of the teams. If I were Southgate I’d want to use this as an opportunity to send a message out, they’re already through so if they were to lose it would probably highlight where they need to improve, and if it were approached in that manner not cause too much of an issue..... It’s essentially a win, win situation if approached in the right manner, you don’t want to duck all of the “hard teams” because come the business end of the tournament you could come unstuck if faced with world class opposition. Win this fixture, and there is probably a genuine chance England could win the World Cup.

[Tuna]

This is practically a premier league game, if you take the team that they played against Tunisia and ours, 17 out of the 22 starters are Premier League players.

 

 

Edited 24 June 2018 by Tuna

[TeePee]

2 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

 

I know he's playing well but there is some serious pant creaming going on ....   slightly overboard imo.   

It's like anything else though - some people are always going to go overboard - just like how there are folks now piping up and saying Messi is hugely overrated because he's not been able to drag a horrifically set-up Argentine side on his back in the same way Ronaldo has done with Portugal.

 

I don't think anyone sensible is saying Harry Kane's playing like Owen in '98, but he's just in one of those veins of form all good strikers get from time to time where literally everything they do works out. At the moment, it would be silly to drop the guy - he's scored 5 goals in 2 games, for gods sakes!

[Countryfox]

1 minute ago, TeePee said:

It's like anything else though - some people are always going to go overboard - just like how there are folks now piping up and saying Messi is hugely overrated because he's not been able to drag a horrifically set-up Argentine side on his back in the same way Ronaldo has done with Portugal.

 

I don't think anyone sensible is saying Harry Kane's playing like Owen in '98, but he's just in one of those veins of form all good strikers get from time to time where literally everything they do works out. At the moment, it would be silly to drop the guy - he's scored 5 goals in 2 games, for gods sakes!

He'll never get dropped ...   and quite rightly ...   I'm probably more p1ssed off cus nobody mentions Vardy !