The Official 2018 Russia World Cup natter

[ApOrbital]

I'm happy with our group.

[nealeh1875]

ApOrbital said:

I'm happy with our group.

Indeed and maybe the next round if we get through..

If Gareth Southgate's side make the last 16 they will meet Poland, Senegal, Colombia or Japan on July 2 or July 3.

[viggyp]

Ayahuasca said:

Not that sorry that Italy failed to qualify.

Why's that? I'm gutted due to the fact I am of Italian origin.

[Ayahuasca]

viggyp said:

Ayahuasca said:

Not that sorry that Italy failed to qualify.

Why's that? I'm gutted due to the fact I am of Italian origin.

Apart from one less major rival, I fear the Italian's susceptibility to dramatically executing a pirouetting triple half-piked swan dive in the area in the 90th minute to earn a match-winning penalty.

[ApOrbital]

[Ayahuasca]

Anyone going?

Just looked up where the Panama match is, and it is a looong way away.

[Blackpuddin]

Looks like it's gonna be a goal-race between us and Belgium to nab the no 1 seeding for the next stage. And unless we play some of our keen young lads I can't see us getting as many goals as Lukaku, De Bruyne, Hazard etc.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

So this is how the WC pans out.

Belgium win all their games and finish on 9 points. Panama lose all theirs and finish on zero. England & Tunisia draw so finish on 4 each. So 2nd place is decided on goal difference, whoever suffers the narrowest defeat to Belgium combined with putting the most goals past Panama. I suspect we might just achieve that, so well go thru.

In the round of 16 we play whoever finishes top of group H, probably Poland or Japan. Either of those will knock us out, probably on penalties!

You heard it here first. I shall quote this post to make myself look very clever when it comes to pass.

[gadgetmac]

Looks like we can't avoid one of Brazil or Germany in the QF

[TwigtheWonderkid]

gadgetmac said:

Looks like we can't avoid one of Brazil or Germany in the QF

Yes we can...by not getting that far.

[Ayahuasca]

gadgetmac said:

Looks like we can't avoid one of Brazil or Germany in the QF

If you want to win the World Cup you have to play the big boys sooner or later.

[Leroy902]

Ayahuasca said:

gadgetmac said:

Looks like we can't avoid one of Brazil or Germany in the QF

If you want to win the World Cup you have to play the big boys sooner or later.

Getting through the group stage would be a shock/achievement.

[mcelliott]

Can't see England getting out of the group stages, they'll do what they usually do in big tournaments of recent years - st their pants on the big stage and an early flight home.

[Yipper]

England's average placing in the WC since 1950 has been 8th. Roughly the quarterfinal stage.

But in the past 20 years, the average WC placing has slipped to 12th. Roughly the group stage.

England has only won 5% of all WCs since 1930. And won 0% of WCs abroad.

One thing is certain -- England will not win.

[viggyp]

Ayahuasca said:

viggyp said:

Ayahuasca said:

Not that sorry that Italy failed to qualify.

Why's that? I'm gutted due to the fact I am of Italian origin.

Apart from one less major rival, I fear the Italian's susceptibility to dramatically executing a pirouetting triple half-piked swan dive in the area in the 90th minute to earn a match-winning penalty.

Hehehe. I get you there bud and believe me when I say that I feel embarrassed when that sort of thing happens.

[SCEtoAUX]

I predict that Brazil will slip up and come second in their group. They then play and lose to Germany.

Meanwhile we win our group, then beat Senegal, then beat Sweden or Mexico before losing to Argentina in the semi final.

[MissChief]

I can see England needing a result against Belgium in the last game after a 0-0 draw and a 1-0 win. And then getting humped 3 or 4-0.

[darren f]

MissChief said:

I can see England needing a result against Belgium in the last game after a 0-0 draw and a 1-0 win. And then getting humped 3 or 4-0.

Absolutely- Watching the draw yesterday my immediate thought was we needed to play Belgium first as they are notorious slow starters. Which, if it is the case next summer, could well mean both they and us go into the last game needing a result. Which historically doesn't tend to end well for us.

[Russian Troll Bot]

On the plus side it can't possibly be worse than the previous World Cup and that game against Iceland can it?


Can it..............?

[Blackpuddin]

darren f said:

MissChief said:

I can see England needing a result against Belgium in the last game after a 0-0 draw and a 1-0 win. And then getting humped 3 or 4-0.

Absolutely- Watching the draw yesterday my immediate thought was we needed to play Belgium first as they are notorious slow starters. Which, if it is the case next summer, could well mean both they and us go into the last game needing a result. Which historically doesn't tend to end well for us.

To take a glass half full approach, we could conceivably give Panama and Tunisia a good thumping and then try a few of our young players in the 'dead rubber' game against Belgium. That would be interesting.