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*** The Official 2022 World Cup Thread ***

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Denmark, you are going home!

Superb defending from the Aussies, but Denmark were lack lustre and toothless. They have massively underperformed.

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6 hours ago, TheGunnShow said:


It's also odd - I think the English media have a habit of overrating their team and underrating their manager.

Think this is fair.

There's certainly room to criticise Southgate as a coach, in particular his in-game management. @Virtual realitywas quite right to note that he didn't seem to have the answers as the Croatia and Italy games slipped away.

But I think he is a brilliant manager. For virtually my whole life, the England football team has seemed a really dysfunctional environment, with players who seemed out for themselves and not really committed to England. 

Southgate's squads seem to have a real togetherness, epitomised by the fact that it doesn't seem to matter who starts and who's on the bench. Grealish, for example, looks like he's having the time of his life. And, as you say, there are a few players in this team who play far better for England than their clubs. Southgate has clearly created an environment where the players support each other and thrive. For my money he's done it better than anyone since Venables, and possibly since Ramsey. 

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1 hour ago, keelansgrandad said:

These boys had the wrong coach. There were two or three world class players in that team.

Think it also didnt help that they brought club rivalries with them to the England camp/team, most of them hated one another and they spent most of their nights snorting lines and downing pints

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29 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

So you don't think Gerrard was as good as Keane? Don't think I agree with that. And Lampard came a bit later than that pic.

That wasn't what I said, I said the midfield was unbalanced and it needed a more purely destructive sort in there, and Keane was the template of that midfielder. Think of it as a far better version of the Norwich midfield - we look creative and decent going forward in spells, but can be vulnerable to being pressed out of games or be a bit open down the middle.

Obvious solution to that is a Keane. 

That England side didn't keep the ball too well. That's one thing Southgate's done very well, actually - drilled it into his players that keeping hold of the ball is a good defence. As for Lampard, he may have been a little later than that picture, but the conversation was regularly about which of those two, Lampard or Gerrard, would you field. For me that highlighted some of the balance issues.
 

7 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Think it also didnt help that they brought club rivalries with them to the England camp/team, most of them hated one another and they spent most of their nights snorting lines and downing pints

Could be the biggest reason of the lot. Definitely heard that before - didn't Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard essentially admit this?

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1 hour ago, Midlands Yellow said:

France not up for it today against Tunisia, bit of naughtiness going on maybe. 

Already through to next round. Squad game. Give all the definite starters a rest and get the squad (the so called fringe) players on song. 

Brazil have already named team for next game (friday), saying that even the second team if you can call it that , is still pretty strong 💪 and more than capable .

The next two games up next  today will be mega competitive,  everthing to play for.

 

Poland: Poland qualify with a win or a draw against Argentina. They are not necessarily eliminated if they lose, provided Saudi Arabia don’t beat Mexico.

 

Argentina: Argentina must beat Poland to be sure of going through. A draw will be enough if Saudi Arabia and Mexico draw, or unless Mexico win that game by four or more goals

 

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia qualify with a win. A draw will be enough if Poland beat Argentina.

 

Mexico: Mexico qualify if they win and Poland beat Argentina. If Poland and Argentina draw, and Mexico win, it has to be by four goals or more to overhaul Argentina’s goal difference.

 

GOOD  STUFF 👍 👍 

 

 

Edited by Mengo

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1 hour ago, TheGunnShow said:

That wasn't what I said, I said the midfield was unbalanced and it needed a more purely destructive sort in there, and Keane was the template of that midfielder. Think of it as a far better version of the Norwich midfield - we look creative and decent going forward in spells, but can be vulnerable to being pressed out of games or be a bit open down the middle.

Obvious solution to that is a Keane. 

That England side didn't keep the ball too well. That's one thing Southgate's done very well, actually - drilled it into his players that keeping hold of the ball is a good defence. As for Lampard, he may have been a little later than that picture, but the conversation was regularly about which of those two, Lampard or Gerrard, would you field. For me that highlighted some of the balance issues.
 

Could be the biggest reason of the lot. Definitely heard that before - didn't Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard essentially admit this?

I think all you to do, assuming abilities are similar is to keep your position.

Ollie showed us that 2 seasons ago. Hardly a Vinnie Jones but stayed in his position. Players would rather pass than taking on and he knew by staying firm he would slow down or stop the move.

Give me a Dunga, Matic, Ollie any day.

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54 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

I think all you to do, assuming abilities are similar is to keep your position.

Ollie showed us that 2 seasons ago. Hardly a Vinnie Jones but stayed in his position. Players would rather pass than taking on and he knew by staying firm he would slow down or stop the move.

Give me a Dunga, Matic, Ollie any day.

And there wasn't one amongst those England midfielders. Which is why I maintain it was imbalanced. You had a bumper crop of attacking midfielders with varying strengths (Lampard was a goalscoring threat, Beckham had his set-pieces and Scholes was the most imperious in possession), and in Gerrard a genuine box-to-box one.

Keane became a master of that role in front of the defence when he was a little older and not the thunderous box-to-box presence of his earlier days.

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Argentina pushing Poland back here. Seeing Matty Cash's name in there looks odd. Maybe he Anglicised it from Mateusz Kaczynski or something?

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Really makes me laugh when they say “England’s footballers”, it sounds as if those 25 or so who went to Qatar are the only ones in existence…. there are English players in the lower leagues as well as those who play for England!. It’s also stolen from Cricket as in “England’s Cricketers”, which was used for years before then.

The MSM getting all trippy all over last night, I fear might be the death knell of our chances as it seems to affect the team going by past experience. Rio Ferdinand once said that the “Golden Generation” tag put them under pressure and thus affected performances.

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7 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

And there wasn't one amongst those England midfielders. Which is why I maintain it was imbalanced. You had a bumper crop of attacking midfielders with varying strengths (Lampard was a goalscoring threat, Beckham had his set-pieces and Scholes was the most imperious in possession), and in Gerrard a genuine box-to-box one.

Keane became a master of that role in front of the defence when he was a little older and not the thunderous box-to-box presence of his earlier days.

But football wasn't obsessed with formations then. 4-4-2. Totally different. Two wide and two central midfield players and move around as a four. 

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Glad to see it's not just my red and white tinted specs that say that was a disgusting penalty decision. 

Sczeszny is having a wonderful tournament so far. Hes been outstanding.

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9 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

But football wasn't obsessed with formations then. 4-4-2. Totally different. Two wide and two central midfield players and move around as a four. 

Sure, but it still helped if you had reasonably balanced skillsets within that midfield unit. That golden generation in midfield didn't quite have the defensive nous or the ability to keep the ball under pressure at elite levels.

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2 minutes ago, kick it off said:

Glad to see it's not just my red and white tinted specs that say that was a disgusting penalty decision. 

Sczeszny is having a wonderful tournament so far. Hes been outstanding.

He looked a potential worldie as a youngster at Brentford. Looks like his seasoning alongside Buffon has really refined his game.

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2 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

He looked a potential worldie as a youngster at Brentford. Looks like his seasoning alongside Buffon has really refined his game.

Yeah he's really establishing himself as a top drawer keeper now. 10 clean sheets in 15 for Juventus this season. Was surprised when Juve took him but it looks like it was a perfect situation for all parties. Buffon really brought him on significantly.

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I genuinely despair with VAR now, it's got to be put in the bin, its just has to. How on Earth though can people who are supposed trained professionals look at that and even contemplate it being a penalty??? One of the worst decisions I have ever seen. 

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12 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

That’s a disgraceful penalty decision - justice 100% done. 

I have seen the incident and just wonder what is going on. Why should VAR be able to take over? It wasn't a penalty and so was not an obvious howler. Why did they message the ref? Are they just trying to justifying their existence. Roy Keane was right. 

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No one other than Messi gets that penalty. It was a poor pen though, nice height for the keeper.

Poland sloppy in possession, what little they've had. 

We need a goal in the other game to liven this one up as it's been pretty poor so far.

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Just now, keelansgrandad said:

I have seen the incident and just wonder what is going on. Why should VAR be able to take over? It wasn't a penalty and so was not an obvious howler. Why did they message the ref? Are they just trying to justifying their existence. Roy Keane was right. 

FIFA want Messi/Argentina to progress as it looks better for the tournament. Ref was told he had to give it, I've no doubt about that.

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1 minute ago, keelansgrandad said:

I have seen the incident and just wonder what is going on. Why should VAR be able to take over? It wasn't a penalty and so was not an obvious howler. Why did they message the ref? Are they just trying to justifying their existence. Roy Keane was right. 

It's a disgrace. These idiots in that VAR box are pressuring the referee  into giving a pen alty. 

AND the whole world sees the stupidity of it all.

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Even I'm baffled at that penalty decision. Classic example of officiating by freeze-frame instead of a holistic approach to matters.

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Good news, not much chance of the Qataris organising it so their equally corrupt Saudi neighbours progress either as Mexico are two up.

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