World Cup.. Russia 2018.

[Saxo1man41]

Correct ....and Gareth Bale. A champions league winner on numerous occasions. Apart from that winner, your correct.
England have absolutely no winners. And players with huge ego's. Like Alli and Sterling who you simply cant depend on. Wales didn't have any ego's and one match winner, who turns up in big games.
England don't have that mentality. No team spirit, just lots of hugely over-paid players who specialise in failure.
We could not be far removed from wales. They have a world class player. Greece is a far better example, who had no quality players, but a very good team unit (who also won the Euro's unfaniced) or Denmark (who also won it unfaniced) .....the list is pretty long. Even South Korea once got to a WC quarter final. Its not even that big of acheivement. I wouldnt hold your breath expecting our hugely over-paid Spurs players to do something they have never managed before, being winners.

The trouble/difference over here in comparision to Greece, Denmark, wales etc .....you are paid £250k a week to not be any good. Finish 4th or 5th is considered an achievement. Once these young lads get into a tournament we will be exposed. As we will only have one style of play. Anyone half decent will soon figure us out. And out we will go with a whimper. And I struggle to get alongside Kyle Walker running around like a headless chicken with no footballing brain whatsoever. We are an international Spurs. We talk the talk, we don't walk the walk. Masters of failure.

Well I'm not talking about winning it, that's a massive ask. I'm just talking about giving a good account of themselves, ala wales, which I believe they could do.

[champs95]

Well I'm not talking about winning it, that's a massive ask. I'm just talking about giving a good account of themselves, ala wales, which I believe they could do.

We have only won one game at a tournament in over 12 years, vrs Wales.
Just winning a game would be an achievement, which hopefully we can manage vrs Panama.
More than we have managed against the likes of Russia, Uraguay, Italy, Iceland, Costa Rica, Slovenia ......

To get out of the group would be an achievemet, which is pretty pathetic considering what we have to call on in this country. We get told we have the 'best league in the world' often enough. In my entire lifetime we have only ever won a handful of games at any tournament, normally vrs very very poor sides. Maybe this time it will be completely different? We have half a chance ....until we play anyone half decent.

[champs95]

all I'm saying is ...its a WC ....at some point we will need to face someone decent.
What's changed this time to show that we will out-fight them? Out wit them tactically? Out play them with great confident football?
We always do well in qualifying. That's not changed. We look ok in friendlies, nothing changed there.
We are getting excited because we beat Nigeria and Costa Rica in 2 home games. And won a few qualifiers.
Although it sounds like I'm Engerrrrrlund bashing ....I'm just seeing what I always see. Only this time instead of Wayne Rooney playing out wide left not in his normal position, I see Rashford being played out of position.

[Saxo1man41]

all I'm saying is ...its a WC ....at some point we will need to face someone decent.
What's changed this time to show that we will out-fight them? Out wit them tactically? Out play them with great confident football?
We always do well in qualifying. That's not changed. We look ok in friendlies, nothing changed there.
We are getting excited because we beat Nigeria and Costa Rica in 2 home games. And won a few qualifiers.
Although it sounds like I'm Engerrrrrlund bashing ....I'm just seeing what I always see. Only this time instead of Wayne Rooney playing out wide left not in his normal position, I see Rashford being played out of position.

I'm a bit more hopeful southgate will allow players to play in the positions they are used to, that's part of the reason I'm feeling a bit more positive. I am cautious in my optimism though. The first sign he's trying to do something 'different' or 'clever', you know, like harry Kane taking corners, I'll give up!

[champs95]

I'm a bit more hopeful southgate will allow players to play in the positions they are used to, that's part of the reason I'm feeling a bit more positive. I am cautious in my optimism though. The first sign he's trying to do something 'different' or 'clever', you know, like harry Kane taking corners, I'll give up!

I do like Southgate, I think thus far, he has pretty much got everything right. Apart from picking Kane as captain, he's created a bit of spirit. And has found a decent enough formation. All I think is, its limited. Once we come up against anyone decent, they will easily suss us out. If a side matches us tactics wise, I don't see us breaking them down. I do agree, he seems focused on playing players in their best positions.

[Despair]

I’m with Champs (yet again) 😉

Ours is the best league in the world, and that translates over to our national team contenders ?
Our prima donnas are so full of themselves it’s untrue.
It’s the legacy of decades of Sky.
Buy buy buy, don’t bother developing.
Prem is what it’s all about, sod the rest.

I won’t be bothering to tune in.

Rant over. I feel better for that😉

[champs95]

Honestly, I'd love for them to go really far. It would be great right now for everyone to get a lift in these unsettling times.
In Euro 96, things seemed quite unified for a while. Back in Italia 90 it really grew into a national drama. I want to really believe, and get behind it all. But I'm just wary, as we've had this so many times before. And now more than ever, money rules. More than anything else. To me, we need a new dawn. A complete change in mentality, and go a different way. But that would mean only the national side being strong and the English league clubs not earning the hundreds of millions they are now. So sadly, it won't ever change.

Another disappointing thing, from a football and political standpoint, it's an absolute disgrace we are setting foot in Russia. We should have pulled out and put pressure on the other big nations to follow us. The time was now, to form a break away group and depart from FIFA. The money us, Germany, Italy, Spain , France have. We can easily find our own tournament. And football union.

[Saxo1man41]

I won’t be bothering to tune in.

With no other football for months? Pull the other one!

Unless you like tennis and cricket..

[Acido]

I'm really looking forward to the Belgium game, Saxo. I'm glad we're playing them last, because of our tendency to start tournaments slowly. It would be nice to see them come out fired up, and take a game by the scruff of the neck. As Champs was implying, though, I'm not sure we've got a real terrier-type leader in midfield.

And remember Aucks it will be almost 28 years ago to the day since we last played Belgium in the World cup.
Remember in Italia '90, Tuesday 26th June, David Platt's last minute volley against them at the end of extra time, that was almost our first ever penalty shoot out by the way!!. Ohh, and it WAS my 19th birthday as well. Thats why that match will always go down as my favourite all time England international memory.

Surely we will get through this group, but there is pressure on us because of the expectation to do better this time around.

[Saxo1man41]

And remember Aucks it will be almost 28 years ago to the day since we last played Belgium in the World cup.
Remember in Italia '90, Tuesday 26th June, David Platt's last minute volley against them at the end of extra time, that was almost our first ever penalty shoot out by the way!!. Ohh, and it WAS my 19th birthday as well. Thats why that match will always go down as my favourite all time England international memory.

Surely we will get through this group, but there is pressure on us because of the expectation to do better this time around.

Theres a fair bit of arrogance about a few of these players. I don't think characters like that feel pressure too greatly. The only question then is, do they have the ability?