O/t - them!

[GUNBOAT]

Mass hysteria is setting in down south and England are the bookies biggest liability,having started the tournament at 18/1 they have been backed into 9/1.The other day a game scheduled for Talk Sport was shifted over to Talk Sport 2( which is only available up here on digital)so they could spend around 6 hours discussing England.
What they are not factoring in is how easy their group is compared to some of the giants of the game,they are purring over the Germans and Brazil struggling but they have played,Mexico,Sweden,Switzerland and Costa Rica,all of them have a decent world cup pedigree compared to Panama and Tunisia.
Not only did they land in a very weak group they were fortunate to get Belgium last game because i am certain a full strength Belgium in the opening game would have blown them away and put them under huge pressure to get out of the group.Another slice of luck was landing next to group H,i backed against Poland and i never really fancied Japan with their choice of keeper but if they get Columbia i think its 50/50 any of the other 2 still in it and its the quarter finals at least.

[GUNBOAT]

See the so called minnows in this? How many of them would you realistically expect a full stength Scotland to beat?
Comedy replies all acceptable..

Honest reply coming up mate.

Panama we would have beaten.
Tunisia draw(England's group has 2 minnows).
Saudia Arabia draw at best.
Egypt draw at best.
Morocco would have beaten us again.
Iran would have been even harder than 1978,nae points!.
Australia(The Organ Grinder singing waltzing Matilda in the stand) a hard fought draw.
Iceland one point better than England managed .
Nigeria,we could use the excuse that their strips dazzled us as we slumped to defeat.
Costa Rica,its 1990 all over again i'm afraid.
South Korea,thank phuck that country is split in two as we hold out for a draw.
Japan,Tora Tora Tora and nae points
Senegal another humbling fae our African cousin's.

[cybershed]

Calm yer bones James. First proper good team they come up against they'll get found out. They are highly suspect at the back and their central midfield is average at best.

This is where I am. They have got enough about them in an attacking sense to pose a goal threat to any of the remaining teams, but don't think they have a good defence. Their midfield is not awful, but not great either.

We'll be in a better position to assess their threat after the Belgium game. But I'm pretty sure they will be found out when they come up against one of the more decent sides.

[cybershed]

The round of 16 set up is actually a bit of a joke. It's surely not right that in a cup tournament, it's already pre determined who you're likely to get before a ball is kicked. Instead why don't they have a further draw immediately after the groups for the round of 16. Group winners earn a seeding, runners up non seeded. Therefore the incentive is there to win the group and avoid 'match fixing' so as to deliberately dodge a certain team in the next round.

Yeah. Absolutely. And a televised draw could be quite exciting.

[GUNBOAT]

It appears that Belgium could change their whole FN team for the England game.

[japanarab]

It appears that Belgium could change their whole FN team for the England game.

How long between the Colombia group being decided and teams submitting their teamlines? Colombia win, Japan draw and it's Colombia top. Japan win and they're top. Gonna look affy daft if they put out a "B" team, finish second then still have to face Colombia. Senegal could still get there too if they draw with Colombia.

[shedboy71]

Yup GB i think they might - doesnt matter according my media they have won it anyway PMSL

[LSArab]

Colombia are definitely the team to avoid in that group.

If they are second then maybe both England and Belgium may be trying to lose to avoid them.

Could make for an interesting match just each shoot into their own goal assisted by the goalkeeper - a new sport is born. Could end up a bit like Gaelic football

[stokearab]

How long between the Colombia group being decided and teams submitting their teamlines? Colombia win, Japan draw and it's Colombia top. Japan win and they're top. Gonna look affy daft if they put out a "B" team, finish second then still have to face Colombia. Senegal could still get there too if they draw with Colombia.

First games finish just before 17.00 with the second games starting at 19.00 so there is time to amend a lineup. Saying that I doubt many coaches would want to leave their players not knowing if they're playing just 2 hours before a match.

[stokearab]

Honest reply coming up mate.

Panama we would have beaten.
Tunisia draw(England's group has 2 minnows).
Saudia Arabia draw at best.
Egypt draw at best.
Morocco would have beaten us again.
Iran would have been even harder than 1978,nae points!.
Australia(The Organ Grinder singing waltzing Matilda in the stand) a hard fought draw.
Iceland one point better than England managed .
Nigeria,we could use the excuse that their strips dazzled us as we slumped to defeat.
Costa Rica,its 1990 all over again i'm afraid.
South Korea,thank phuck that country is split in two as we hold out for a draw.
Japan,Tora Tora Tora and nae points
Senegal another humbling fae our African cousin's.

A harsh assessment GB but hard to disagree with any of it. We're so far behind its a bit worrying tbh