Group G - Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England

[Tangles]

The replacement players like Rashford have a chance to try to force Southgates hand if they play well enough. Motivation for those guys for sure.

 

[Pratters]

Belgium so good.. beautiful goal.

 

[Niall]

This will be a great loss for England if scoreline remains the same, much easier run to the final for second placed side.

 

[Pratters]

This will be a great loss for England if scoreline remains the same, much easier run to the final for second placed side.

Agreed.

 

[Pratters]

How does it make any sense to win this match?

 

[Niall]

Lovely miss that from Rashford, he has studied the draw tbf.

 

[Tangles]

A knockout game vs Columbia isn't a guaranteed win.

 

[Bahnz]

God damn it, if England are going to be this unfussed about losing the least they could do is punt in a few own goals to make it worth watching.

 

[Niall]

A knockout game vs Columbia isn't a guaranteed win.

Its not, but Brazil in the quarter final a little trickier than Switzerland/Sweden.

Colombia for all there talent, haven't really looked that great so far.

 

[Tangles]

Its not, but Brazil in the quarter final a little trickier than Switzerland/Sweden.

Colombia for all there talent, haven't really looked that great so far.

England have been in friendly mode today. Going to have to switch back to tournament mode. The easier path becomes moot if they lose the next game is all.

 

[Furball]

Indeed, if we go to 48 then there's the chance that dross like Scotland will qualify

We would struggle to qualify for a 48 team Euros never mind a World Cup.

 

[Niall]

England have been in friendly mode today. Going to have to switch back to tournament mode. The easier path becomes moot if they lose the next game is all.

They will be able to. They will be strong favs in the next two rounds and then possibly Spain in the semi final. erfect.

Belgium? Easy last 16 and then I assume Brazil and France/Uruguay.

 

[Furball]

I think the discussion about winning the group's so daft.

If you're going to win the tournament, you need to beat the top teams at some point. I'd be concerned that, yet again, when it comes to playing a good opponent, England have come up short.

 

[Burgey]

I wouldn’t be overly concerned playing France, based on what they’ve shown so far.

 

[GIMH]

I think the discussion about winning the group's so daft.

If you're going to win the tournament, you need to beat the top teams at some point. I'd be concerned that, yet again, when it comes to playing a good opponent, England have come up short.

As if you can read anything into that game

I wanted us to win and share your sentiment about beating the top teams, but there’s no takeaway from a game like that.

 

[MW1304]

Kind of the perfect game. Rashford proving why Sterling should always start ahead of him (not that he had a terrible game, just not the finished article); a loss to take some of the unwarranted hype away from the team; not a heavy loss though, Belgium clearly have a much deeper bench but we did have a gilt-edged chance or two of our own; no chance of injuries for our best players; clearly we have the better half of the draw, though ultimately no team from here is going to be particularly easy.

 

[sledger]

Pundits and the like talking about playing the Swiss or the Swedes in the quarters as if beating Colombia is a foregone conclusion. Madness.

 

[marc71178]

For all the talk about how good Colombia are, they only just got out of their group.

 

[MW1304]

Pundits and the like talking about playing the Swiss or the Swedes in the quarters as if beating Colombia is a foregone conclusion. Madness.

It happens literally every time. Never learn.

 

[sledger]

For all the talk about how good Colombia are, they only just got out of their group.

Won as many games as England did.

And besides, I'm not even saying they are that good. It's just that every man and his dog are making them out to be a total walkover which is very unwise indeed imo.