Might as well make a thread for them.

 

10 hours ago, wanderer1984 said:

Just out of interest... who had the hardest games in the world Cup? All seem to be much the same to me.

R16

France v Argentina

Uruguay v Portugal 

Spain v Russia 

Croatia v Denmark

Brazil v Mexico 

Belgium v Japan

Sweden v Switzerland 

Colombia v England

 

QF

Uruguay  v France 

Brazil v Belgium 

Sweden v England 

Russia v Croatia 

 

 

 

 

Much the same?

England' avoided all favourites never have as favourable a draw in world cup again

1 hour ago, Max Cherry said:

Much the same?

England' avoided all favourites never have as favourable a draw in world cup again

Yes much the same. My opinion.

Our group this world Cup looks the easiest on paper I've ever seen.

 

I think the expanded format plays its part in this as it seems easier to qualify rather than not nowadays.

Fuck me we lose one game without a full strength team against a team of shit houses who shithoused themselves half way through the last tournament and the knives are out.

It was just one of them nights. 

Get a grip ffs.

As for the booing mounts, maybe you should do some research on Hungarian politics and whats going on there before cheering on racists litte gobshites booing our players?

Full blown Nazi movements are taking place over there. They subejected our own players with racist abuse at our last game there ffs. Their 3rd political party is making massive gains, they are currently trying to get bank holiday passed to honour men killed fighting for the Nazis.

Them kids booing is utterly fucking frightening. They should have been there in shame, not celebrating the reason it was just kids in the first place. Racist little cunts.

 

And as for this tiresome bollocks about pathways in our last two tournaments, do people not realise theres a reason we got those pathways? We avoided groups of death becasue we won every single game in qualifying. 

What should Southgate do, say nah we want to play some big boys and ask for a harder route? 

We didnt waste fuck all, we got to the semi of a world cup and within 3 shit penalties away from winning the euros. We beat anyone put in front of us, and didnt lose a game in the euros.  

Fuck me we stumbled our way to a semi in italia 90 and euro 96, but folk wank themselves senseless over them.

Think we need to get a petition going, we want our group changing for Qatar. We want Brazil, France and the harlem fuckin globetrotters first up, so all our negative Nellies cant moan the moment we lose a final.

 

Spot on Goonzo

Goonzo for mod

Bloody hell Gonzo who’s rattled your cage lol 

27 minutes ago, gonzo said:

And as for this tiresome bollocks about pathways in our last two tournaments, do people not realise theres a reason we got those pathways? We avoided groups of death becasue we won every single game in qualifying. 

What should Southgate do, say nah we want to play some big boys and ask for a harder route? 

We didnt waste fuck all, we got to the semi of a world cup and within 3 shit penalties away from winning the euros. We beat anyone put in front of us, and didnt lose a game in the euros.  

Fuck me we stumbled our way to a semi in italia 90 and euro 96, but folk wank themselves senseless over them.

Think we need to get a petition going, we want our group changing for Qatar. We want Brazil, France and the harlem fuckin globetrotters first up, so all our negative Nellies cant moan the moment we lose a final.

 

Great Post Gonzo but.... its over!

We'll never get a easier chance ever again.

10 minutes ago, Rizlar said:

Bloody hell Gonzo who’s rattled your cage lol 

Wandering round my kitchen like this guy

Top post.

Dreadful against Ireland and Egypt, almost beat by Belgium and Cameroon and lost to Italy in 3rd place. But England at Italia 90 are looked back on in heroic, iconic terms.

And rightly so in my opinion, as a fan it's about the journey and the memories you make whilst experiencing it and if you progress through these massive tournaments by beating supposed weaker teams on route then so bloody be it!

I think a lot of criticism of Southgate stems as much from what he does with England off the pitch as on it, rightly or wrongly.

17 hours ago, Mounts Kipper said:

Highlight was the kids booing the knee. 

Your highlight

Just so we’re clear

Is a stadium full of kids with parents who were banned for racism, booing a few lads showing solidarity with their ENGLISH mates who received racist abuse?

I didn’t see the game, but if that’s your highlight then I think your problem with yesterday wasn’t the football.

43 minutes ago, Marc505 said:

 

I think a lot of criticism of Southgate stems as much from what he does with England off the pitch as on it, rightly or wrongly.

Posted about it earlier in the thread. His work off the pitch has been every bit as important as on it.

Yes, a more tactically astute coach would have seen us over the line v Italy/Croatia. A big name manger like Jose, Ancelotti would've had the knowledge and ingame management to see it through. But that knowledge only comes through learning on the job. Even Pep cant get city over the line in the biggest of games in CL.

However a more tactically astute big name like those would never have got us to where we are now in the first place.

Weve tried that method, it simply doesnt work with our complex sqaud derived from such a strong league with big clubs and even bigger names.

Southgate has somehow managed to bring all that together and created a togetherness and ethos within the sqaud like no other since 1996. 

Yes hes got stuff to learn, so have the young sqaud. But they are learning together and progressing at every single level, tournament by tournament.

 

17 hours ago, Mounts Kipper said:

Highlight was the kids booing the knee. 

One of the most depressing posts I've ever seen on here.

6 minutes ago, DazBob said:

One of the most depressing posts I've ever seen on here.

That’s ok.. you have an opinion on taking the knee and I have mine. 

Edited June 5, 20223 yr by Mounts Kipper

2 hours ago, gonzo said:

And as for this tiresome bollocks about pathways in our last two tournaments, do people not realise theres a reason we got those pathways? We avoided groups of death becasue we won every single game in qualifying. 

What should Southgate do, say nah we want to play some big boys and ask for a harder route? 

We didnt waste fuck all, we got to the semi of a world cup and within 3 shit penalties away from winning the euros. We beat anyone put in front of us, and didnt lose a game in the euros.  

Fuck me we stumbled our way to a semi in italia 90 and euro 96, but folk wank themselves senseless over them.

Think we need to get a petition going, we want our group changing for Qatar. We want Brazil, France and the harlem fuckin globetrotters first up, so all our negative Nellies cant moan the moment we lose a final.

 

We are discussing Southgates attributes as a manager and while you have to take in his win record into account which is decent it is also true most of his wins are against teams we should be beating, the key factors for me are the decisions he made in the penalty shootout, which were abysmal, and the negative way he went about beating Italy, we luckily took the lead and he completely bottled it from there on in. That’s where he should be judged not on a raft of piss easy fixtures against the likes of San Marino and other lightweights that didn’t exist in Ramsey’s day. 

Edited June 5, 20223 yr by Mounts Kipper

I thought, the nations league was all about looking at a larger squad, to see the options for the World Cup later in the year.

 

My problem with Southgate has nothing to do with his work off it want to make that clear. He has been exemplary in that respect. Also really hope he proves me wrong in Qatar.

4 minutes ago, Max Cherry said:

My problem with Southgate has nothing to do with his work off it want to make that clear. He has been exemplary in that respect. Also really hope he proves me wrong in Qatar.

Don’t we all, although one of his excuses last night was the heat. 🙄

It's a conundrum. Have to acknowledge his success in getting to Euro final and WC semi final by whatever route. Many before him got nowhere near and I can't believe that it was simply the 'luck of the draw' on both cases.

Absolutely a yes man/stooge of the FA however and his constant 'nanny state' preaching on his/the FA's line on virtue signalling issues grates. He is there to produce and manage a successful international football team and should stay the fuck out of political and social issues in my opinion. I don't listen to his interviews any more for this reason - I don't need the England football manager telling me how I should think.

On the fence. Not disappointed to see him stay (until the England team fails miserably in something of importance - not last night, that just looked like a bunch of very tired blokes after a long, tough season having to take on some plucky young upstarts on their own midden) and wouldn't be distressed to see him go, either voluntarily or pushed (the latter being highly unlikely when he is such a subservient lapdog).

It would be nice to have a talented and highly respectable manager like Bobby Robson again. Not sure they are allowed to develop or even exist in todays world.

2 hours ago, Mounts Kipper said:

We are discussing Southgates attributes as a manager and while you have to take in his win record into account which is decent it is also true most of his wins are against teams we should be beating, the key factors for me are the decisions he made in the penalty shootout, which were abysmal, and the negative way he went about beating Italy, we luckily took the lead and he completely bottled it from there on in. That’s where he should be judged not on a raft of piss easy fixtures against the likes of San Marino and other lightweights that didn’t exist in Ramsey’s day. 

Theres a massive middle ground between piss easy fixtures v San Marino and the finals of tournaments. That middle ground manager after manager has failed to overcome for decades till now.

Why do we have a devine right to be beating anybody? 

Theres shit loads of better countries since the days of Alf Ramsey btw. 

He had it on a plate and needed a bent goal to beat Germany then fucked it in 70 if you want to play that game.

 

4 hours ago, Marc505 said:

Top post.

Dreadful against Ireland and Egypt, almost beat by Belgium and Cameroon and lost to Italy in 3rd place. But England at Italia 90 are looked back on in heroic, iconic terms.

And rightly so in my opinion, as a fan it's about the journey and the memories you make whilst experiencing it and if you progress through these massive tournaments by beating supposed weaker teams on route then so bloody be it!

I think a lot of criticism of Southgate stems as much from what he does with England off the pitch as on it, rightly or wrongly.

Was pretty much having this conversation on a WhatsApp yesterday afternoon. 
 

I really hated the ‘golden generation’ team individual by individual but I think Southgate has played a big part in turning that round. They all seem to want to be there or majority (I’ll get to that) As for the yes man stuff, he just seems a reasonable bloke to me.

Seen a scouse twitter wanking em selves at Alexander Arnold not singing the anthem. It started me thinking:

Do they have to play for England if they don’t want too?

Do they lose a lot of money on contracts and endorsements?

Ive no issue if they sing or not but if they are scouse not English for example (not saying Alexander Arnold is) you rarely hear of players refusing call ups till much later in their careers. Chris Sutton the last?

I’ve seen us in 2 major semis and a final in the last 5 years 

Some of the best (and worst) feelings in football. But I wouldn’t trade any of that for the shit that went before it 

England manager and his players making public statements that you dont racially abuse any one of us without hurting all of us and we arent going to tolerate it

Yeah, who needs this virtue signalling

Who even listens to managers press conferences anyway ffs.