England v Colombia Match Thread

Quoted from Grim74

Sorry but this is one of the worst England teams I have seen to have ever reached a World Cup, lets be totally honest we are not going to win the World Cup we couldn’t even must up a shot on target through open play during the first 90 mins against what Ian Wright described as a poor team. The worst thing for me is that if Sweden knock us out the quater finals we will take that as a minor success and tell Southgate to carry on with his bland cautious crap football.

Careful, you're not allowed to a) have an opinion even if it is accurate and b) definitely not allowed to air it on here, unless you welcome horrendous mindless abuse from some moron or other, it is a forum for rose tinted bespectacled idiots only

We did not have a shot on target and the Colombian goalkeeper did not have to make a single save

If our next opponents realise that you can't wrestle players to the ground and the penalties therefore dry up we are copulated

Our top scorer and Golden Boot candidate has out of his total 3 penalties and one he knew absolutely nowt about as it just hit him

Our total inability to score from open play against anyone other than Africas best and Central Americas second best will be our undoing

Southgate has achieved nowt and is being heralded as some sort of genius (bit like Jolley really but at least he avoided relegation) and will no doubt still be the England manager for the next Euros and next World Cup as a simple progression to the last 8 is for some reason seen as a fantastic success

Get a room you two.

Quoted from Ipswin

Careful, you're not allowed to a) have an opinion even if it is accurate and b) definitely not allowed to air it on here, unless you welcome horrendous mindless abuse from some moron or other, it is a forum for rose tinted bespectacled idiots only

We did not have a shot on target and the Colombian goalkeeper did not have to make a single save

If our next opponents realise that you can't wrestle players to the ground and the penalties therefore dry up we are copulated

Our top scorer and Golden Boot candidate has out of his total 3 penalties and one he knew absolutely nowt about as it just hit him

Our total inability to score from open play against anyone other than Africas best and Central Americas second best will be our undoing

Southgate has achieved nowt and is being heralded as some sort of genius (bit like Jolley really but at least he avoided relegation) and will no doubt still be the England manager for the next Euros and next World Cup as a simple progression to the last 8 is for some reason seen as a fantastic success

I really cannot see what there is to argue about there. Perfectly realistic assessment as was Grim74’s. It is all true but the rose tinted chaps just won’t accept it.

You have to look beyond the obvious surely. Just because a side reaches the QFs does not make them world beaters. England may have a realistic chance of reaching the final in some ways but it depends on two things - scoring goals from free play and defending properly against teams who are better than the low ranked sides we have played.

People have mentioned the achievements of Greece and Portugal but forget to say that the overall standard of the tournaments they won was appalling. They had to be, otherwise Greece and Portugal would not have won. Likewise this tournament could be won by England or Belgium or Sweden or .... none of whom are sides I would walk across the road to see play. Yes, there have been so exciting games, yes there are odd flashes of sublime skill but the overall standard so far is as low as any WC that I can remember. In fact the Spain/Russia game must rank as one of the most dire WC matches ever.

Southgate deserves a lot of credit for papering over the cracks as well as he has, covering the lack of class players with effort and organisation, but he is lacking in tactical nous before and during games. His subs are reminiscent of Hurst at BP. Also, for someone who has supposedly drilled the side in rapid fire short passing, England players soon forget his preaching. They spent much of the last match launching the ball hopefully up towards Kane which must have surprised some of his fans on the Fishy. But Saint Southgate has all his eggs in one basket because his subs bench does not include anyone who can change a game so it’s a case of “I’ve started so I’ll finish”.

I don’t rate Sterling but coming off the bench he could make more  impact against a tiring defence than he does running into defenders as a starter. Ali has never been fit from the first whistle against Tunisia but playing him shows how limited the resources and tactics are. But that is only tinkering really. We have what we have and barring injuries there are no better players waiting to come in. The manager has very few options bar hope and prayer.

Last night was exciting, absolutely  riveting, especially at the end, but surely nobody can think it should have got that close. But I’ve seen games just as exciting on Bradley and Barratts. Exciting does not automatically mean the same as great high quality football. If we are at a level of struggling against teams like Tunisia and Colombia then let’s have a bit of realism and stop this silly name calling of those who do not toe the whoopee party line as being negative. We are not negative. I hope we beat Sweden just as much as anyone, more than most in fact because I have followed every WC since 1958 and know what is quality and what isn’t.  But I support England like mad, just like I support Town, regardless of our relative standing and the ability or lack of it on the park.

Jesus Christ. We comfortably got through the group stage. Won three matches, got the penalties monkey off our backs. Why not just enjoy the moment. Be critical afterwards as much as you like, but I'm enjoying every minute of this. Stop trying to spoil it.

It is Tournament football,
,

If you win the Premiership or even League 2 then, imo, you are the best side and deserved winners.

To win a cup is totally different, you need to win a few one off matches. That is where England are at present. They could win 3 on a trot, it isn't about being a fantastic side it is just about winning through the next tie.

I have just browsed this thread, and am surprised at the amount of flak given to England.

We have been impressive - so much better than usual. The low point for me was when we played Italy in the Euros and we spent the entire 120 minutes playing the ball between the back 4 then booting it upfield  to Pirlo so he could start another Italian attack. That night I wondered if we would ever, ever get the hang of international football and the importance of not just keeping the ball but all the intent and movement and interaction that goes with it.

We are far from perfect now, but it has been a breath of fresh air to see us play out from the back with pace and purpose, and we have every chance of going further in the competition. There is the small matter of other countries best players trying to stop us playing to take into account.

Some players get on my nerves when playing for their clubs, especially Sterling, but once they pull on the England jersey all that is forgotten surely?  This is tournament football, and the only thing that matters is winning; some of the most attractive teams in the world have already gone home and it is just about getting the right results when it matters and England have done well so far.

Quoted from Grim74

Greece, and Portugal were not the best team on paper but by winning the tournament they rightly became the best team at the respective tournaments, and from what I remember especially of Greece they were playing some great football. We finished top of the group stage unbeaten in 66, we beat Mexico France, knocked out Argentina and Portugal, and then beat the Germans and having watched the final I’d say convincingly, we won the World Cup because we were the best team.

No we weren't the best team in '66.

We were the most successful team in that particular tournament though. Portugal who had Euisebeo were a better footballing team than us, and Pele and Brazil got roughed up but they were a fantastic side as well. The best teams sometimes win a tournament if things go their way, but just often the winners are those that have been the most effective at winning the games as they come up. Mexico and France were nothing like they are today of course - both were pants in '66.

We're a young team with a young manager. I don't think anybody would claim we're the best team in the world but we're a lot better than we were 4 years ago.

Enjoyed it all and looking forward to Saturday though expecting a tight and tense game. Still pleased Peter Crouch and Andy Carroll aren't in the squad and still will be whatever happens.

Agree Rodley. The team's playing better than i expected (but then i hardly know the players because I don't watch the premier league) and better than 2 and 4 years ago. And we've got the best chance of getting to the final for a very long time. Not because they're a great team, just because of the way the draw has panned out (fixed to give Russia the best chance too?).

But Swin is being his usual 'look at me I've got a different opinion self. And RRFC and Grim have joined him. Fair enough, England are not a great team, but give them some credit guys. Young squad with a young manager, all with great potential in the future. Yeah, we've been let down before, but FFS, smile you miserable fornicators!

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

No we weren't the best team in '66.

We were the most successful team in that particular tournament though. Portugal who had Euisebeo were a better footballing team than us, and Pele and Brazil got roughed up but they were a fantastic side as well. The best teams sometimes win a tournament if things go their way, but just often the winners are those that have been the most effective at winning the games as they come up. Mexico and France were nothing like they are today of course - both were pants in '66.

Oh yes we were! we started slow and got progressively better. We beat Argentina who were on a par with Brazil in those days. We beat Portugal comprehensively in the semi-final. Admittedly Norbert Stiles would be red carded today but we only made one mistake the whole game for their goal and both our goals came from sweeping moves of which we made many. Two years later, don’t forget, Man U comprehensively whopped Eusebio and Benfica.  It was not the best tournament for football, 1970 was better, but we were the best side regardless of home advantage. We had real quality players to spare in those days like George Eastham, Ron Flowers, Bill Foulkes and Greaves of course, who didn’t even make the side.