2018 World Cup Thread

[Louis]

Maybe I jinxed it.

[brucie]

You just cannot make anything of tonights game at all. A tougher game in the last 16 against Columbia but a realistic chance of making the semi final.

[PhilGull]

Disappointed. I actually think this side is tougher - Croatia are my tip to win the whole thing.

[Dave]

This world cup was about having your expectations in check before it started, I believed a quarter-final place for England would be a success, seen nothing to change my mind, this world cup may have come a couple years to early to some of our talented, emerging youngsters , and think we're still a couple players short in terms of quality to be genuine contenders.


Bruice is right, can't take nothing from the Belgium game, yes both sides made changes, but look at players Southgate could have brought on when they fell behind, but didn't. The only thing that disappointed me about this game from an England point of view was, a number of so called second string players were brought in, they should have stamped themselves on this game, given themselves an opportunity to knock the managers door down and shout 'pick me' but they didn't, this game proved Southgate's original starting line was about right.

[Louis]

Getttttinnnnnnnn

[Trojan 67]

Getttttinnnnnnnn

Felines on the shirt . . .

[Trojan 67]

Here it is on the eve of the biggest England game for a generation . . .

[Plainmoor78]

Here it is on the eve of the biggest England game for a generation . . .

We were last in the quarter final 12 years ago. Does that really count as a generation?
We used to get to quarter finals on a regular basis and nobody got excited then.
The only time I can remember people getting excited over a quarter final was in 1990 and because we drew Cameroon everyone expected us to walk it; it nearly went tits up so we should be a little weary of Sweden, a team we have a quite a poor record against.

[Trojan 67]

Biggest game for a generation Remoaner '78.

[Plainmoor78]

Biggest game for a generation Remoaner '78.

It is now.

[cambgull]

I am strangely optimistic about England getting to the semis on the basis they play like a team rather than individuals like France. Then again, I also tipped Torquay for the play offs.

You starting looking like Mystic Meg then, but sadly finished looking like Septic Peg.

Good effort though!

[happytorq]

We used to get to quarter finals on a regular basis and nobody got excited then.
The only time I can remember people getting excited over a quarter final was in 1990 and because we drew Cameroon everyone expected us to walk it; it nearly went tits up so we should be a little weary of Sweden, a team we have a quite a poor record against.

1966: Yes
1970: Yes
1974: No
1978: No
1982: Yes. No. Well, maybe (there wasn't a quarter final)
1986: Yes
1990: Yes
1994: No
1998: No
2002: Yes
2006: Yes
2010: No
2014: No

from 13 tournaments, that's 6 (or 7) times failed to get to the quarters.

Not exactly on a regular basis. It's about half.

[Plainmoor78]

1966: Yes
1970: Yes
1974: No
1978: No
1982: Yes. No. Well, maybe (there wasn't a quarter final)
1986: Yes
1990: Yes
1994: No
1998: No
2002: Yes
2006: Yes
2010: No
2014: No

from 13 tournaments, that's 6 (or 7) times failed to get to the quarters.

Not exactly on a regular basis. It's about half.

When I made that statement by "used to" I meant prior to 2010 (which was the worst World Cup finals performance i can remember). Also we reached the quarter final in 1962.
So from 1962 to 2006 we reached the last eight on 8 times out of 12, 75% of the time (we were ranked 6th by FIFA in 1982).