World Cup Qatar

[Eddie]

2 hours ago, G STAR RAM said:

I wondered if anyone even bothers listening to the s**** these commentators come out with, unfortunately you've proved that they do.

Listened to the match in a pub where you couldn't here the commentary tonight, such a much more pleasant experience.

 

One of the great benefits of being deaf - I couldn't hear that gobshite Roy Keane even if I wanted to.

[kevinhectoring]

8 minutes ago, Andicis said:

We need to see more like tonight from Foden in an England shirt for him to be a guaranteed starter for England.

He’s on a different plane. I think he’ll start every game from now on in. Not at his very best tonight. He could put the French defence to the guillotine  

[Andicis]

4 minutes ago, Henrycav81 said:

So your saying he played well tonight but you would still drop him but on the other hand you say he doesn’t play regularly because he doesn’t play well for England when would you play him then 

I'm saying I think every game is different. Playing Senegal, when you likely have a lot of the ball vs playing France when you likely don't aren't comparable games. 

I'm also saying that Foden is certainly not an automatic starter for England as he hasn't got a great body of work to back up such a position. 

Not sure the conclusions you are drawing are particularly close to my words. 

[kevinhectoring]

11 minutes ago, Eddie said:

One of the great benefits of being deaf - I couldn't hear that gobshite Roy Keane even if I wanted to.

I loved the female commentator on the France Poland game who in her exasperation just ended up telling Dion Dublin that he was lamentably wrong.

I’m pretty deaf but am hoping for significantly more hearing loss before I next encounter Ally McCoist 

[Anag Ram]

7 hours ago, kevinhectoring said:

He’s on a different plane. I think he’ll start every game from now on in. Not at his very best tonight. He could put the French defence to the guillotine  

Not at his best but involved in all three goals ?

He’s so inventive. Not everything comes off but when you face the best, you need something special and he’s one who can produce that.

[G STAR RAM]

10 hours ago, Stive Pesley said:

He does. Especially compared to Foden - who comes across like he still has to write L & R on his boots to make sure he puts them on the correct feet

So you can judge someone's intelligence from a post match interview now, you're getting very good at judging people aren't you...

[Norman]

Rashford cannot start against France, imo. We need to keep possession as much as possible. Also, he is useless at tracking his man back. 

Have a look at the Wales game and you will see him lose his man from their goal kick multiple times by about 20 yards. Ward kept pinging it out to his man.  He's just not switched on enough defensively and he doesn't keep the ball well enough, imo.

Would definitely bring him on after 70 mins if the scores are level - or we are behind - ahead of Grealish, though. If we are ahead, Grealish comes on for me just for the ball retention.

Bellingham is an amazing talent, but also seems to have the complete respect of the rest of the squad, too. If only we had a world class CB to put next to Stones. Maguire has done better than expected, but he was still making silly errors last night.

[Crewton]

Rashford's goals in Qatar have masked the fact that his all round play has been sloppy - that's why Foden and Saka will get the nod over him against France. If we're chasing the game, the likes of him, Grealish and Sterling are ideal subs, but they're not ideal when control of the game is essential. 

I was surprised that Wilson didn't replace Kane at 3-0 to protect him, because in previous sub appearances he's proved to be mobile, energetic and unselfish - a reliable replacement. 

Bellingham is a genuine superstar in the making. Him, Kane and Rice are the guaranteed starters in any game. 

One thing Southgate MUST do against France is instruct the CBs to use the ball like they did in the last hour and not the first 30 minutes, otherwise Mbappe will put the game out of reach before HT. 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Crewton

[SSD]

Koulibaly - When you order Darren Moore from Wish. 

I thought he was meant to be a half decent centre back? 

[Ghost of Clough]

Saka will start at RW due to his defensive work more than anything else. Walker will no doubt need some help with Mbappe. LW is the only position which isn't nailed down for me. But, I think Foden gets the nod.

Same starting XI as last night.

[Stive Pesley]

1 hour ago, G STAR RAM said:

So you can judge someone's intelligence from a post match interview now, you're getting very good at judging people aren't you...

I know that all nuance passes you by, but my comment was in relation to the original poster making a point about how they thought Bellingham seemed very intelligent in his interview.

I don't care what a players IQ is. It doesn't matter. All i care about is whether they can play football or not. I was doing irony. Look it up! 

[RoyMac5]

 

[Srg]

1 hour ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Saka will start at RW due to his defensive work more than anything else. Walker will no doubt need some help with Mbappe. LW is the only position which isn't nailed down for me. But, I think Foden gets the nod.

Same starting XI as last night.

I’d be very surprised if he changed it, too. 

This is the biggest test we’ve ever faced under Southgate. This French squad, even missing big players, is still way ahead of even the better teams we’ve faced. 

[Animal is a Ram]

Yes, Mbappe is a huge threat, but I think nailing down Griezmann will be the challenge. If our midfield can stop France playing through him, then that will help with Mbappe.

 

[ketteringram]

27 minutes ago, Animal is a Ram said:

Yes, Mbappe is a huge threat, but I think nailing down Griezmann will be the challenge. If our midfield can stop France playing through him, then that will help with Mbappe.

 

Mbappe does seem to be very good at kicking the roundy thing straight into the net thing, really really hard. Doesn't seem to mind where the keeper is, as he's not going to stop it, even if he's in the way of it. I'd like to know what speed the ball was travelling at for those goals. Bruce Rioch style .

[DarkFruitsRam7]

2 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

 

I’ve definitely noticed more of an “us and them” vibe from the England camp this tournament. Declan Rice’s recent interview is similarly feisty in its response to other players being criticised.

It’s absolutely warranted as I think that England fans are, on the whole, entitled bells online. But it seems to be a change of approach from the “all in it together” mentality of previous years.

Whatever works.

[PistoldPete]

15 hours ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

England aren't top 4.

Mainly because we have been so crap in the nations league

Oh nobody cares about that. Last two major tournaments we’ve finished at least in the top 4. 

[therealhantsram]

15 hours ago, ariotofmyown said:

Think there are just 8 seeds, one in each group. Which group winners meet in QFs is random.

Quite right. But also a bit of a shame these two are meeting so early. For my money the best two teams in the tournament. Would make a great final.

[therealhantsram]

Weird conflicting reports on this today.

BBC: “A spokesperson for Sterling said the burglary was carried out by armed intruders while his family were home.”

But also:

“Surrey Police said no-one was at home at the time and no threats of violence were involved.”

[Bris Vegas]

1 hour ago, PistoldPete said:

Oh nobody cares about that. Last two major tournaments we’ve finished at least in the top 4. 

Because we avoided playing anyone good until the last four.

Our reward for finishing behind Belgium in 18 in the group was to avoid France, Brazil, Belgium, Portugal and Argentina on that side of the draw. That was pure luck.

In 20 we avoided France, Italy, Portugal and Spain on the other half.

Ultimately you could be the second best team at the World Cup but be knocked out at the 1/4 stage if you ultimately end up losing to the champions at that stage.