World Cup 2018 countdown!!!!

[TitoFan]

Either a lot of underachieving teams, or a lot of OVERachievers, depending on how you look at it.


Overachieved? or Underachieved? What do you think?

Egypt-Uruguay (EGY overachieved)

Argentina-Iceland (ARG underachieved)

Germany-Mexico (MEX overachieved)

Brazil-Switzerland (BRA underachieved)

England-Tunisia (? -- didn't see it)

[Beanz]

Fucking have it. Can't complain at the amount of chances we made even if we did not convert enough. People will always up their game and play every trick in the book against us but this team didn't let that stop them playing. Yes it is only Tunisia but despite having a myopic ref and a similarly short sighted cohort of linesmen and TV watching officials we did what we needed to. C'mon England.

[TitoFan]

So far Spain has looked the best, even though they tied with Portugal. Wouldn't be surprised to see them in the final game.

[Master]

So far Spain has looked the best, even though they tied with Portugal. Wouldn't be surprised to see them in the final game.

So far that is the match of the tournament Spain v Portugal.

England started really well, like Man City pressing the play and forcing the mistakes and should have finished the game in 20 minutes. After that they tired but were still the better side.

The penalty against Walker was a joke especially when you compare the assault on Kane at each set peice.

[Memphis]

I like Southgate and all he's done/doing. He's creating a different mentality around the England camp and that's got to be a good thing. The game should have been over in the first half, some better finishing and it would have been. McGuire is getting a bit of stick for a few wayward passes, but I'd accept that in exchange for the progressive football he plays. For years I've been wanting someone in an England shirt to regularly move the ball forward positively and he does it. I thought Lingard, Sterling and Ali were all a bit off the pace. He put in a few decent crosses but Im not sure about Young either.

I think he'll play the same team against Panama and Belgium then change it for the last 16. Rashford is hot right now and has to start for the knockout stages which we WILL make no problem.

Over all Im made up we got of to a winning start, we just don't do that. We would have choked that game in years gone by with arguably better players.

[Master]

The England team that played Tunisia 1998 were better

Seaman

Southgate, Adams, Sol Campbell
Anderton (sick note) Le Saux

Ince Batty

Scholes

Shearer Sherringham

Sub (Peak) Michael Owen

[X]

Either a lot of underachieving teams, or a lot of OVERachievers, depending on how you look at it.


Overachieved? or Underachieved? What do you think?

Egypt-Uruguay (EGY overachieved)

Argentina-Iceland (ARG underachieved)

Germany-Mexico (MEX overachieved)

Brazil-Switzerland (BRA underachieved)

England-Tunisia (? -- didn't see it)

Back in the day, there was a huge difference between the top teams and the minnows. The big boys were more professional, trained and practiced together and developed tactics. The small teams were much more amateur and unfit (which gave the favourites more time and space on the pitch, leading to predictable results and some whopping score lines)

Nowadays, qualifiers for the World Cup are all full time professionals, many of whom play with and against the top boys overseas. So, internationals are much much closer and the gap between minnows and sharks is very small indeed

[Mark TKO]

well 3 points but typical England experience

some promising signs - and chances missed that you can't at that level

Tunisia didn't deserve a point and the fact we got it in injury time will give us a massive boost - those fouls on Kane were criminal


My expectations still very low

[TitoFan]

Colombia - Japan up next. Let's see how Colombia looks.

[TitoFan]

No sooner did I post that and the roof caved in on Colombia. Player gets red-carded for blocking a shot with his arm, and Japan converts the penalty shot. 1 - 0 Japan.

[TitoFan]

One man down and barely 5 minutes into the match. Tough mountain to climb.

[Master]

Thanks for the update, I am in an office at work with no access to the football.