World Cup 2018

[Fish]

Maybe a risk should have been taken on Wiltshire or even Shelvey, the creative kind of midfielders that can suddenly unlock a defence with a visionary pass.

I think we will be in a great young, hungry player positions for the Euros especially with this international experience under their young belts.

 

[Beezerk]

Maybe a risk should have been taken on Wiltshire or even Shelvey, the creative kind of midfielders that can suddenly unlock a defence with a visionary pass.

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[Dan2501]

Those picking the teams of the tournament... you do realise it’s just make believe??? Those teams won’t actually play together???

Joking aren't you? I thought I was picking a team to play against my all-time World Cup XI in a real match? FFS, what a waste of time. Could have told me before.

Thanks Captain Obvious, it's just a bit of fun.

 

[User20205]

Joking aren't you? I thought I was picking a team to play against my all-time World Cup XI in a real match? FFS, what a waste of time. Could have told me before.

Thanks Captain Obvious, it's just a bit of fun.

Hilarious, bet your panini album is compete already ! :thup:

 

[clubchamp98]

Joking aren't you? I thought I was picking a team to play against my all-time World Cup XI in a real match? FFS, what a waste of time. Could have told me before.

Thanks Captain Obvious, it's just a bit of fun.

I played Lancaster with a lad called Dan on Monday !
was it you? Your mate left early.

 

[jp5]

Just read that Kane didn't have a shot on target from open play across the whole of the knockout stages must have been a space for Wilshere in that squad to add some creativity and service.

Detached from the media hype, we really were quite average. Is beating a Colombia without their star player and Sweden without any star players a success? Possibly given our history, but games we should win.

What an opportunity to beat a country with a population half that of London to get to a World Cup final! Can't see us getting a run like that with so many big teams going out for a long time, so we are going to have to get a lot better. Ultimately, as a nation we just don't seem to produce players at that world-class level, and we're going to have to figure that out before we can step up.

 

[Dan2501]

I played Lancaster with a lad called Dan on Monday !
was it you? Your mate left early.

It wasn't. What did you think of the course? Played it before?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

One of my old football friends summed up the situation perfectly IMO.

England are a creative midfielder like Iniesta away from being a great team.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

One of my old football friends summed up the situation perfectly IMO.

England are a creative midfielder like Iniesta away from being a great team.

We may be a little more than that but in essence I would agree with you, it would take us to being a very good team at least. We do not have a midfielder who can hold the ball, control the pace, control the middle, dictate play. Souness had a rant after the semi on this subject, you can't win a World Cup if your midfield keep giving the ball away as we did. An Iniesta, Silva, KDB, Modric would make a huge difference and feed the midfield runners that we have. Not many of those though, they are special players.

 

[Orikoru]

One of my old football friends summed up the situation perfectly IMO.

England are a creative midfielder like Iniesta away from being a great team.

The closest we have is Lallana, unfortunately he had a year of injury problems, and now potentially needs a move away from Liverpool since he could struggle to get back in the team. And christ, I've just noticed he's 30 so it's probably too late for him now anyway. That is a shame.

I guess we're relying on Harry Winks then.

 

[Dan2501]

It's a shame Ross Barkley is yet to live-up to his immense potential. He looked the real deal when he burst onto the scene.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It's a shame Ross Barkley is yet to live-up to his immense potential. He looked the real deal when he burst onto the scene.

I totally agree with you. Whoever told him to go to Chelsea was an idiot. He missed his chance to challenge for a World Cup spot, he is going to sit with Danny Drinkwater on the bench getting splinters. I accept he may have needed to move on from Everton, I'd have him back though, but he needs to be playing week in week out. He is a genuine talent, he now needs the right manager to pull him through. He could still be that player he suggested he could be.

 

[Orikoru]

It's a shame Ross Barkley is yet to live-up to his immense potential. He looked the real deal when he burst onto the scene.

Don't rate him personally. He has a lot of work to do anyway. Good technical talent but no brain whatsoever. Makes the wrong decisions repeatedly. Shoots from miles out when he should pass, takes players on when he should release the ball. Joining Chelsea was the worst thing he could have done as he needs to be on the pitch to gain experience and sort out his decision-making.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Probably most, like me, have very little interest in the Belgium match tomorrow, but, do you think Southgate will make 11 changes from the SF or mix and match, ie, play Kane in the hope he can score and try to secure the golden boot. What formation will he play? Stick with 3-5-2 or .........
Will Martinez play the B team again.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I was going to ask this question, mainly because I lumped big into Belgium for my fantasy team in my league against my son. If Martinez keeps the same team then I could still come good .

I would be surprised if Kane plays. He looked done at the end of the game and another match so soon after the efforts of Wednesday could bring about muscle strains. Play the lads who haven't had a match, the game means nothing.

 

[Orikoru]

Probably most, like me, have very little interest in the Belgium match tomorrow, but, do you think Southgate will make 11 changes from the SF or mix and match, ie, play Kane in the hope he can score and try to secure the golden boot. What formation will he play? Stick with 3-5-2 or .........
Will Martinez play the B team again.

Would say Kane is 50-50. He'll want to play to secure the golden boot, but if reports of him not being 100% are true, Gareth will surely give Welbeck a start as the only outfield player who never got one.

I think there will be a lot of changes. Butland or Pope to start I think, Trippier got that injury so can see Arnold playing RWB. He'll give Rose a start I should think. Dier, RLC, Delph in midfield. Probably Rashford too in all honesty. I expect him to change most of the players. If Martinez does the same, it will be a carbon copy of our group game almost! With them it's the same deal - Lukaku may want to play to try and get the golden boot, but Martinez will be considering giving Batshuayi and the other back-ups another run out.

 

[Hobbit]

Probably most, like me, have very little interest in the Belgium match tomorrow, but, do you think Southgate will make 11 changes from the SF or mix and match, ie, play Kane in the hope he can score and try to secure the golden boot. What formation will he play? Stick with 3-5-2 or .........
Will Martinez play the B team again.

A discussion we were having last night over a few beers. Is it a 'dead rubber' this time, or is there huge money for coming 3rd instead of 4th? Will it seriously add to world ranking points?

I'd like to think it will be the best teams available to both managers rather than lets give the rest of the squad a day out.

 

[Beezerk]

A discussion we were having last night over a few beers. Is it a 'dead rubber' this time, or is there huge money for coming 3rd instead of 4th? Will it seriously add to world ranking points?

I'd like to think it will be the best teams available to both managers rather than lets give the rest of the squad a day out.

This.
Yes it’s an overrated friendly but pride is at stake and coming away with a win in the final, albeit pointless, game would be a nice touch.
I expect Southgate to put out a strong team and forget sentimentality regarding Welbeck etc, oh and Kane starts for me.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

A discussion we were having last night over a few beers. Is it a 'dead rubber' this time, or is there huge money for coming 3rd instead of 4th? Will it seriously add to world ranking points?

I'd like to think it will be the best teams available to both managers rather than lets give the rest of the squad a day out.

Difference of just over 1.5 million, 18 mil to 3rd, 16.5mil to 4th, money goes to the relevant FA’s. So not about money, player pride? Kane Golden boot, Pickford Golden glove?
I reckon he’ll go with 6-7 changes and the other 5-6 being used as subs, resting the remainder of the first 11.

 

[Orikoru]

A discussion we were having last night over a few beers. Is it a 'dead rubber' this time, or is there huge money for coming 3rd instead of 4th? Will it seriously add to world ranking points?

I'd like to think it will be the best teams available to both managers rather than lets give the rest of the squad a day out.

I think the only people making huge money here are Fifa. Every ex-player who's played at a tournament says the very last thing you want to be doing is playing a 3rd place play-off. Once you've lost the semi-final there is nothing to be gained from it, the players just want to go back home and relax for the upcoming season. So to that end, I suspect he will just give a run out to the players who clocked the least minutes. Especially as the first team has only had two days rest since the semi-final, which went to extra time of course.