England squad

I watched quite a lot of the Real games in the season or two after Beckham joined and he was generally one of their best players, being involved in a lot of their goals. The one thing I think he was really overrated for was his free-kicks. He was good, but not nearly as good as the very best. That said, I'm not sure we had anyone better to take them during his time in the England squad.

To be fair, Owen did pretty well in Madrid also, even though he was of course past his best even by that point. I was always pleased to see English players travel abroad to play because it provides extra depth to their play from learning a different style(you'd imagine Bellingham will eventually move to English football where he'll be a massive hit). Trippier also improved since his stint in Spain, I think.

Quoted from Maringer

I watched quite a lot of the Real games in the season or two after Beckham joined and he was generally one of their best players, being involved in a lot of their goals. The one thing I think he was really overrated for was his free-kicks. He was good, but not nearly as good as the very best. That said, I'm not sure we had anyone better to take them during his time in the England squad.

To be fair, Owen did pretty well in Madrid also, even though he was of course past his best even by that point. I was always pleased to see English players travel abroad to play because it provides extra depth to their play from learning a different style(you'd imagine Bellingham will eventually move to English football where he'll be a massive hit). Trippier also improved since his stint in Spain, I think.

If you get the chance go to Madrid soon. Their current stadium is nearly finished and the pictures from the final completion look stunning.

As for Michael Owen I was surprised he got released after only one year at Madrid as his goal ratio was good  .

Personally I think we’ll struggle to get out the group.

We have the best squad in the group but recently looked devoid of confidence and lacking creativity.

Iran - Minor footballing nation but will run all day and the conditions will suit them more than us, potential starting draw.

USA - Will fancy it, a draw.

Wales - Could go either way but if we’re under pressure for a result it could be another Iceland.

USA - Beat Wales & Iran
Wales - Beat us and Iran

We go home. I hope I’m wrong.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Personally I think we’ll struggle to get out the group.

We have the best squad in the group but recently looked devoid of confidence and lacking creativity.

Iran - Minor footballing nation but will run all day and the conditions will suit them more than us, potential starting draw
.

Iran surprised me at the last world cup. Gave Spain a really tough game .

Not sure if the Iranian players will exactly be acclimatised to the temperatures in Qatar. It's around the same temperature there in the winter to the UK. Gets hotter in the summer, mind.

That said, I don't think anybody will be acclimatised in this World Cup if the conditions are as bad as they can be (even in the winter months). Temperature is into the 30s this week with high humidity so, if it's the same during the tournament, they are all going to be sweating various bits off.

As positive and optimistic as I am towards Town I am not feeling the same way towards England. I hope they do well but I think their time came and went last time out.

Quoted from Rick12

Iran surprised me at the last world cup. Gave Spain a really tough game .

You have to wonder how much they’ll be affected by events at home too and whether that will impact performance.

Extremist behaviour; border disputes; uncontrolled population growth; economic and government corruption; isolationist government policies; rampant poverty; climatic problems; erosion of civil liberties; widening social disparities between different classes; cultural declines; migrant issues; rising crime; unstable leadership…

…and that’s just England.

I hear things are pretty turbulent in Iran too.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Personally I think we’ll struggle to get out the group.

We have the best squad in the group but recently looked devoid of confidence and lacking creativity.

Iran - Minor footballing nation but will run all day and the conditions will suit them more than us, potential starting draw.

USA - Will fancy it, a draw.

Wales - Could go either way but if we’re under pressure for a result it could be another Iceland.

USA - Beat Wales & Iran
Wales - Beat us and Iran

We go home. I hope I’m wrong.

We’re up against three three fairly unfashionable names in terms of international football historically, but all of them sit inside the top 20 FIFA rankings, and it’s not that long ago since Wales had an outside chance of becoming the highest ranked team in the world (as ludicrous as that sounds). It’s certainly a tougher group in reality that it looks on paper.

All that said, it’s not quite the group of death either; there’s no one side England won’t be favourite to beat. People seem harshly down on Southgate for me; form going into the tournament has been far from ideal but he has won 4 knockout games in major tournament as England manager, something no one else has got close to in recent history.

I think we’ll do alright.

The World Cup is wide open. Every team has a significant flaw. The last 20 years tells you it will probably be a European winner.

I think Southgate should have taken another out and out striker. It’s just Kane & Wilson. Surely in a squad of 26 he could have found room for Toney, Abraham or similar. If he suffer injuries Rashford as a potential lone striker worries me.

We look very weak in defence, Ben White has the chance to establish himself as a genuine world class defender and cement his place as an England regular. Luke Shaw as the only genuine left-back suggests Southgate is thinking about playing 3 at the back which would be a huge mistake.

Sadly we all know Sterling will be an auto automatic starter for game 1 despite his terrible form over the past 15 months.

England going into this World Cup reminds me of Italia 90. Bobby Robson had the guts to make changes in personnel and formation back then. The likes of Paul Parker, David Platt & Paul Gascoigne were brought into the team as the tournament went on and it paid off and was the closest we’ve been up adding another World Cup win.

I just think Southgate will be too loyal to the likes of Maguire and Sterling and won’t be as bold as Bobby Robson was.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

The World Cup is wide open. Every team has a significant flaw. The last 20 years tells you it will probably be a European winner.

I think Southgate should have taken another out and out striker. It’s just Kane & Wilson. Surely in a squad of 26 he could have found room for Toney, Abraham or similar. If he suffer injuries Rashford as a potential lone striker worries me.

We look very weak in defence, Ben White has the chance to establish himself as a genuine world class defender and cement his place as an England regular. Luke Shaw as the only genuine left-back suggests Southgate is thinking about playing 3 at the back which would be a huge mistake.

Sadly we all know Sterling will be an auto automatic starter for game 1 despite his terrible form over the past 15 months.

England going into this World Cup reminds me of Italia 90. Bobby Robson had the guts to make changes in personnel and formation back then. The likes of Paul Parker, David Platt & Paul Gascoigne were brought into the team as the tournament went on and it paid off and was the closest we’ve been up adding another World Cup win.

I just think Southgate will be too loyal to the likes of Maguire and Sterling and won’t be as bold as Bobby Robson was.

i cant look past Brazil for this one, i know its lazy and they are favourites, but the attacking talent they possess just makes me think its their time again
Spain are always there or thereabouts, dont think England, Germany, Belgium have got enough to challenge