World Cup 2018

Have to agree regarding Sterling. Would like to see Rashford up there, or even Welbeck. I'm still not 100% on Vardy either, however, that "other" Harry from Leicester was brilliant last night, he's a big chap too....
 
I think the master plan last night was to fall over clutching bits of the body enough times to get the entire Colombian team booked and sent of so there wouldn’t be enough of them to take the penalties.
 
gerry s said:
That could only have been from deluded arsenal fans.
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He's no longer an Arsenal player. Why cannot people appreciate the fact that he does have "something" that our current midfield lack. He's great at bringing the ball forward, and often wins free kicks etc because he has quick feet. Now, I know he's not been blessed with the best ankles in the world, but when he's fit, he's a great addition to the squad. He could have taken one of the spots taken by Delph or Loftus Cheek....
 
gerry s said:
I think the master plan last night was to fall over clutching bits of the body enough times to get the entire Colombian team booked and sent of so there wouldn’t be enough of them to take the penalties.
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Really? The Columbians were nothing more than animals. Trying to sabotage the pen spot? I would love FIFA to take action but doubt they will.
 
cambsno said:
Really? The Columbians were nothing more than animals. Trying to sabotage the pen spot? I would love FIFA to take action but doubt they will.
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indeed it took about 3 minutes from penalty being given to being taken and similar for one of the free kicks. This coupled with the VAR question again seemed to turn last nights game into pretty much all that is wrong with football. In most other sports the actions of the Colombian players interacting with the ref and opposition players would have seen many players dismissed, why does football accept it.
 
I've watched England in World Cup's since 1966 (in B&W) and have to say I have seen some awful games, at one point I refused to watch them as they were so awful but this new young lot seem pretty good;
they play the ball out of defence as opposed to getting the goalie to hoof it up field straight to the opposition
I think they play with a calm confidence all across the pitch and above all they WIN, possibly not the best individual players in the World but they play as a Team and full credit to Southgate for looking the part of a professional in his waistcoat and tie too and not looking like some scruffy hooligan, I think he sets the tone well.
They won a penalty shoot-out last night, our first at a World Cup, they did well and deserve full credit for that.

I dont think they will win this World Cup, much that I hope they do, but I'm not ashamed of this team as I have been before when we had a plethora of 'stars'.

Good luck to them all and they have done us proud so far.
 
There really is a sense of humour failure in this thread isn’t there.... that plus a load of patriotic twaddle
:)
 
At least when Wilshire goes down injured its probably true

Actually think it was a mistake when he was left out, so lacking in midfield creativity and anyone who can go past people.
Shame the other ex Arsenal player who went to Liverpool got injured (sorry name completely eludes me, sign of getting older)
 
That’s true... trouble is it happens to often, great potential never realised because of dodgy health, that and a manager that didn’t take a chance with him.
 
tijuana taxi said:
That's the chap, thank you, looked a different player at Liverpool, mind you would he have made the squad.
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I think he would have been there ahead of Delph, and actually may well have been a real threat to Alli, Lingard and Sterlings places.
 
cambsno said:
I think he would have been there ahead of Delph, and actually may well have been a real threat to Alli, Lingard and Sterlings places.
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You've gotta wonder how many chances Southgate is going to give Sterling. He's obviously a very good player, but he just doesn't perform for England. Two goals in 40 games, the last one in 2015, isn't good enough, not for a player who's expected to contribute with goals. I suppose Southgate hopes scoring one will open the floodgates but theres not much evidence to support that.
 
badlywornroy said:
Top teams don’t wilt’ like we did after they scored ? Was that fatigue (same for both teams) more probably a ‘mental’ thing which they simply have to cure. You cannot expect to dominate an entire match against teams at top level but goodness for a period there in extra time we couldn’t string two passes together.

I thought at the time Wiltshire should have been picked ? No ‘guile’ in midfield or the ability to ‘run past’ a defender.

Don’t think Southgate has got much wrong but Wiltshire a big miss.
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agree there,we dont have anyone to run past a defender except maybe Harry Maquire,says it all :D
 
Amazes me how much grief Sterling gets from so called fans and a media that's supposed to get behind the team. The clue is in the word 'team' but that would involve armchair experts actually studying his game as opposed to jumping on the bandwagon every time he does something wrong.

You have to wonder why other players don't get singled out in this way.

I'm not for one minute suggesting he's a ballon d'or candidate, far from it, but simply put, in this world cup with him on the pitch England are currently 8-1 up, once he's been taken off we're 2-1 down.

Don't think we should mess with the formula personally - we're doing better than I for one anticipated.
 
jakeblu said:
You've gotta wonder how many chances Southgate is going to give Sterling. He's obviously a very good player, but he just doesn't perform for England. Two goals in 40 games, the last one in 2015, isn't good enough, not for a player who's expected to contribute with goals. I suppose Southgate hopes scoring one will open the floodgates but theres not much evidence to support that.
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Totally agree. I think Rashford would give us more in that position, maybe Sterling could benefit coming on 20 mins to go and running at tired defenders. He looks low on confidence too. Or maybe you move Lingard higher up a little and bring in Cheek.
 
pooley said:
Amazes me how much grief Sterling gets from so called fans and a media that's supposed to get behind the team. The clue is in the word 'team' but that would involve armchair experts actually studying his game as opposed to jumping on the bandwagon every time he does something wrong.
.
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He's supposed to be a goal scorer, he hasn't scored since 2015. He's not even making any, or very few assists. Undoubtedly he's a good player, 24 goals for MC last season and 13 assists. In his England career he's scored two goals with 3 assists. Thats poor form and he really should be dropped imo. To be honest I really don't see what he offers the national side.
 
You think we should change a winning side? Look at the last line in my previous post, the team simply works better with him in it.

I've always liked Rashford for England but he didn't take his chance against Belgium
 
We beat Colombia after penaltys with a very suspect ref!! We’ve only played one decent side (Belgium) and lost.... I hope as much as anybody we’ll win but we don’t have a winning formula against decent sides and there are still at least 3 of them left. We have to seriously think about who is working for us and for a start it isn’t sterling.
 
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pooley said:
You think we should change a winning side? Look at the last line in my previous post, the team simply works better with him in it.
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Yes I do, as I said earlier, I don't see what he offers the England team.

pooley said:
I've always liked Rashford for England but he didn't take his chance against Belgium
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No he didn't and had he scored against Belgium, I think that he would have started against Colombia.

The problem for Sterling is that this is not a dip in form, he simply doesn't produce for England and rarely does.
 
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Fair enough, you have your opinion, as we all do, but you can't deny that the team is performing well with him in it, and in my opinion it would be just stupid to change what has so far been a winning team. Honestly, if you ever get chance to see him live as opposed to seeing the 1/4 or so of a pitch that TV shows then you'll realise what he offers.

God knows he frustrates me at times, especially in shooting positions, but he adds a huge amount to a team
 
Your team won, yet you all still complain regarding choices of players.

What would you have typed if they lost, like Argentina, like Germany, like Portugal, like Spain, not to mention Italy & Holland.

Be happy for heavens sake.

Yell on Saturday when they lose to bogey team Sweden.:p
 
pukkagen said:
Your team won, yet you all still complain regarding choices of players.

What would you have typed if they lost, like Argentina, like Germany, like Portugal, like Spain, not to mention Italy & Holland.

Be happy for heavens sake.

Yell on Saturday when they lose to bogey team Sweden.:p
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We are happy but fans/manager/footballers are looking to 'be better' what is wrong with that ? always look to improve, Don't you get it ? :(
 
jakeblu said:
Yes I do, as I said earlier, I don't see what he offers the England team.



No he didn't and had he scored against Belgium, I think that he would have started against Colombia.

The problem for Sterling is that this is not a dip in form, he simply doesn't produce for England and rarely does.
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Had Rashford scored against Belgium we would not have played Columbia, we would have played Japan in the tougher side of the comp.
 
canonrebel said:
Had Rashford scored against Belgium we would not have played Columbia, we would have played Japan in the tougher side of the comp.
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Ah, I see you spotted the deliberate mistake :D
 
Great game between Belgium and Brazil, the best first half of the tournament. Cannot believe Uruguay had eleven players on the pitch at the end, well done France.
 
Seems the central and South American teams play to different rules. Was interesting to hear what Alan Shearer had to say about the mentality of winning at all costs.
 
Neymar is nothing short of a disgrace. Seriously, his play acting should be dealt with by FIFA. Sadly, he is big name player and a role model for millions who will now roll over 91 times when tackled or go down when someone brushes past them
 
cambsno said:
Neymar is nothing short of a disgrace. Seriously, his play acting should be dealt with by FIFA. Sadly, he is big name player and a role model for millions who will now roll over 91 times when tackled or go down when someone brushes past them
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I agree, but he's not on his own, even some of ours started doing it in the last match. Until they are red carded for trying to cheat this will continue, and until FIFA grow a set that won't happen. Unfortunately the players have become bigger than the game, and it's the they were reminded that without the game, most of them would probably earning a month what they earn in an hour! Football is the archetypal example of money ruining a sport.
 
rick448 said:
I agree, but he's not on his own, even some of ours started doing it in the last match. Until they are red carded for trying to cheat this will continue, and until FIFA grow a set that won't happen. Unfortunately the players have become bigger than the game, and it's the they were reminded that without the game, most of them would probably earning a month what they earn in an hour! Football is the archetypal example of money ruining a sport.
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I agree with what you say about cheating. Harry Maguire threw himself on the floor and then probably realised his error and got up very quickly. Henderson got head butted and had a ‘delayed reaction’ fall. Maybe others are far worse but we need to cut it out. Sadly Ref’s are cupable, they are inclined to play on if players retain their feet. Win with humility or lose with honour.
 
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Puzzled ? are England playing to a masterplan ‘ slow, slow, quick, quick slow ‘ but cannot get the ‘quick’ bit going ?
 
BBC Commentary “ Leicester’s Maguire is the toast of all England” this Leicester lad loves it.
 
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Bring Rashford on and we might get one!
 
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