How far will England go in the FIFA World Cup 2018?

[MenInG]

England squad looks strong on paper but then they always do ahead of World Cups!

[Mueez]

My prediction is that England will reach the quarter-finals.

[DeadBall]

Think round of 16 as usual and then out.

[Robert]

Scrape into the playoff phase and get knocked out immediately.

[hadi123]

Last 8.

[nextover666666]

Round of 16 might take a risk and say they might not even make it out the group granted they have weaker opponents in Tunisia and Panama but with England we never know

[WC-Passion]

Round of 16, they'll probably face Columbia and get knocked out.

[Saj]

Group stages for me lol.

[Arham_PakFan]

Last 16.They have a decent squad,then again they always have a decent squad,but they always choke.

[adil_909]

Shame that England has never produced a midfielder like Iniesta, Xavi, Pirlo, Fabregas, Ozil, etc. Players that can control the flow of the game but also change games by themselves. Last such player was Scholes but he was forced out of the team for the failed Gerard Lampard experiment. This will be their downfall again. Thought was maybe Wilshire could develop into that player but we saw how that turned out. So...not sure how far they'll go. Anything beyond round of 16 would be fantastic for them. They have to find a way to create chances for Kane who is a great talent.

[Hasan123]

Quater final but depends on who they get in the final 16.

[Varun]

I don't watch football, but find it hilarious how England hype themselves up prior to every tournament and then get knocked out very early on.

Every. Single. Time.

[Junaids]

This is our year.

First semi-final since 1990!

[Rayyman]

They will go the distance.

[hadi123]

Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson will be competing for one midfield place in England's starting XI at the World Cup, says manager Gareth Southgate.

Both have captained the Three Lions, with Tottenham's Dier starting 12 of Southgate's 16 games in charge and Liverpool's Henderson starting nine.

Dier played in Saturday's friendly win over Nigeria, while Henderson will start against Costa Rica on Thursday.

"I think we will only want to play with one 'pivot'," said Southgate.

"I would be amazed if the two of them are not important figures for us during the tournament, but there is clearly the possibility they might not both play in every match.

"It is a key decision, but that is management, isn't it? You either select players, or you choose your system and pick the best people to fit into it. They are the tough calls."

Southgate has preferred to play a system with three central defenders, two wing-backs, a holding midfielder, three attacking midfielders and a lone striker.

That means captain Harry Kane is most likely to start up front on his own, with Manchester City's Raheem Sterling playing closest to the Tottenham striker, leaving Leicester's Jamie Vardy on the bench.

Southgate added: "We have looked at it in training [Kane with Vardy] and at the moment we have not gone with it. We have had Harry with Raheem - we liked the look of that."

The friendly at Elland Road in Leeds is the last before the Three Lions head to Russia.

Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland will start and Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold will be given his international debut.

England begin their World Cup campaign against Tunisia in Volgograd on 18 June, with further Group G matches against Panama and Belgium.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44391862

[Navdeep Srivastava]

Depends upon the opponents they faced.
I think in last few wc, england team of 2002 was good and that team could have been the one of the strongest for this wc

[James]

Quarter finals.

[James]

I don't watch football, but find it hilarious how England hype themselves up prior to every tournament and then get knocked out very early on.

Every. Single. Time.

This post is outdated, since the Golden Generation passed their peaks / retired there has been very little hype or expectation.

[Varun]

This post is outdated, since the Golden Generation passed their peaks / retired there has been very little hype or expectation.

Come again - there was a "Golden Generation"? What did they win?

[Hasan123]

This is our year.

First semi-final since 1990!

Have you seen our defence and central midfield? @MMHS will tell you about sir Henderson's ability.

Hope you are right anyway.

[Junaids]

Have you seen our defence and central midfield? @MMHS will tell you about sir Henderson's ability.

Hope you are right anyway.

My fear is a lack of creativity.

We can field a defence with 3 of the 4 players from Man City: Delph, Walker and Stones with perhaps Maguire.

It won’t happen, but my team would be:

..................Kane...................
.......Rashford......Sterling......
.............Alli.....Henderson....
Delph.........................Walker
...........Maguire...Dier...........
.................Stones................,
................Butland..................

That’s 5-4-1 in effect, with Dier and Stones as twin sweepers! And when attacking it becomes first 3-6-1, then 3-4-3!

[Hasan123]

My fear is a lack of creativity.

We can field a defence with 3 of the 4 players from Man City: Delph, Walker and Stones with perhaps Maguire.

It won’t happen, but my team would be:

..................Kane...................
.......Rashford......Sterling......
.............Alli.....Henderson....
Delph.........................Walker
...........Maguire...Dier...........
.................Stones................,
................Butland..................

That’s 5-4-1 in effect, with Dier and Stones as twin sweepers! And when attacking it becomes first 3-6-1, then 3-4-3!

Not a bad team but would rather see Rose start. Delph isn't convincing as a full back.

Also Butland distribution isn't as good as Pickford.

[MenInG]

[source : https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/s...ear-3v2hxczc7]

[DHONI183]

Well, I predict England to participate in the tournament.

[MenInG]

High Hopes!

[TeymurBlake]

As an Englishman I really think we will do well this time round I wouldn't be surprised if England get to Quarter Final or even Semi Final. Some of the players picked are very suspicious and the defence doesn't give me any confidence despite Walker playing CB. Walker, Stones, Jones and Maguire don't really impress me. Would prefer Tarkowski and even Cahill who I don't rate whatsoever as they are decent defenders. I think they problem we will have with our defence is that we don't have out & out defenders, more ball playing CB. Jones can play CB and seems like a player who will just put everything on the line. Walker is one of the finest RB's today and would do much better than Trippier at RB.

[Abdullah719]

Too soon? pic.twitter.com/LW8j8iEPHW

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 18, 2018

[DeadBall]

As bad as Tunisia's defence was, Eng's finishing was even worse. Even Russia managed to score 5 goals against Saudi Arabia fgs.

[Robert]

Scrape into the playoff phase and get knocked out immediately.

Changed my mind, they have a relatively easy run until the last eight.

[shaz619]

Am concerned about our defence but should still sneak into the semis and from then on I believe it's 50 / 50 and a final would be a real possibility. Will never lose hope till the end and this squad of spring chickens has my confidence for the first time in years

[Rayyman]

They will go the distance.

Good win. Looking sharp.

[hadi123]

How can they play against Panama?

[James]

Well everyone who said they would go out in the group stages or scrape through the group was wrong.

[Hasan123]

Should get to the quater final from here.

[AssassinatedDevil]

Gareth Southgate: ‘Let Germany defeat be a warning for England’

Gareth Southgate was roughly five minutes into his press conference to preview England’s match against Belgium when the news filtered through that Germany – football royalty, as far as the World Cup is concerned – had been dethroned and he was asked for his thoughts about a result that could probably encapsulate what is known as schadenfreude in the country that invented the term.

The England manager’s first reaction was to express his considerable surprise and if, deep down, there was a measure of excitement about the World Cup losing one of the teams that historically leave England with an inferiority complex, he suppressed it well. He was in Russia last summer, he pointed out, to see Joachim Löw’s team win the Confederations Cup and, two days before that victory, he had flown to Poland to watch Germany beat Spain in the final of the European Under-21 Championship.Southgate is such an admirer of Germany’s national team, indeed he has trawled through hours of tapes to study their secrets, right down to the small details such as how many free‑kicks the five-times world champions concede in their own half (answer: very few). “We’ve learned an enormous amount from studying Germany, not least last summer, and implemented that,” the England manager said. “Indirectly, they’ve had a big bearing on what we’re doing now.”

Ultimately, though, the prospect of meeting Germany in the quarter‑finals is no more. “In sport and in life you have to keep evolving,” was Southgate’s take. “They’ve been ahead for about a minute and a half, in total, of their three matches and it’s unusual to see them struggle as much as they have. But they have played teams who have been tactically very good. They were close to the wire against Sweden and they have not been able to break Korea down. It just shows that any team can be vulnerable.”

More than that, Germany’s final position as the wooden-spoon team in Group F – their worst performance at a major tournament since Franz Beckenbauer accused them of “tired, junk football” at Euro 2000 – validates Southgate’s views about the practicalities of trying to plot a route through the tournament and why, specifically, his policy all the way along has been that “you can’t take anything for granted”.

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Ever since England beat Panama to seal qualification for the knockout stages he has faced questions about whether it would be better to finish as Group G runners-up, the logic being that it would mean avoiding Germany or Brazil in the quarter‑finals.

Yet he has never wavered from his view that the only policy should be to keep winning, keep building momentum and if Belgium are taking a different view, as appears to be the case, let them feel that way. England, in Southgate’s mind, would be making a dangerous mistake if they started thinking too far ahead of themselves. “We’ve not won a knockout game since 2006,” he said. “So, why we are starting to plot which would be a better venue for our semi-final is beyond me really.”

The message was clear before a game between two sides who have already qualified with victories from their opening fixtures and have identical goal difference. England are ahead because of the fair-play rules, with only two bookings compared to Belgium’s three, and Southgate joked that “if I go and headbutt Roberto [Martínez] in the last five minutes” the English public would know he was being disingenuous about wanting to win the group.

More likely, he is being true to his word. Harry Kane trained with a first‑team bib in England’s morning session and, as such, is expected to start even though Southgate has given serious consideration to withholding the player whose five goals puts him at the top of the golden boot scoring chart.

Southgate never announces his team officially until an hour before kick-off but he is acutely aware that Kane wants to be involved and has had to balance his captain’s wishes with the possibility England’s first knockout game could take place on Monday, four days after the Belgium game.

Martínez has taken the view that this is a time to rest elite players such as Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, whereas Southgate has already made it clear he will make changes, with Eric Dier, Gary Cahill, Phil Jones and Trent Alexander‑Arnold all likely to be involved for the first time in the tournament. Marcus Rashford is expected to take Raheem Sterling’s place and Dele Alli is available again after training for the past two days. “We are in the fortunate position,” Southgate said. “We do not have to risk him but if he is ready we will put him in.”

It almost seems to have been forgotten that before England should start thinking about the quarter-finals they will have a tie in either Moscow or Rostov against one of the teams from Group H. They will have a clearer idea by the time they kick off against Belgium but, as Southgate spoke, it could be one of Japan, Senegal or Colombia.

“We have no idea who, when or where we will play,” he said. “We’re just pleased we’re in the next round. We’re building a team that everyone back home can see are passionate to play for England, that want to win every time they go out and are improving every time.

“We want to win. That would mean we top the group and then we can move forward. I go back to the fact we’re trying to develop a winning mentality and I can’t imagine a situation where I talk to the players about anything else. It just wouldn’t be authentic for what we’ve been trying to build for the last two years.”

https://amp.theguardian.com/football...mpression=true

[TeymurBlake]

England now face Belgium and I for one am confident that they could win. With that being said facing Japan would be a good game but again I would be confident that England could win that game as well. Now with Japan it would depend on who plays.

[Hasan123]

We have a real chance of getting to the semis.

[James]

For me, they will now either go out in the Last 16, or they will get through to the Final.

[KingKhanWC]

For me, they will now either go out in the Last 16, or they will get through to the Final.

England will have to beat Spain or Croatia in the semi to reach the final so I find this highly unlikely. A win against Columbia will give England massive confidence but the Columbians are looking very good atm.

I hope I'm wrong but England will play their last match next Tuesday.

[MenInG]

One of the following teams is guaranteed to play in this year's World Cup final:#RUS#CRO #DEN#SUI #SWE #COL#ENG

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) July 1, 2018

[James]

England will have to beat Spain or Croatia in the semi to reach the final so I find this highly unlikely. A win against Columbia will give England massive confidence but the Columbians are looking very good atm.

I hope I'm wrong but England will play their last match next Tuesday.

Columbia is a rock solid tie for England, no doubt about that, but the winner has a great chance of making the final.

They would get Sweden or Switzerland in the QF, and then Croatia or Russia in the semis. Croatia suddenly looked very vulnerable and flat tonight at times, and the other three teams are more than beatable.

My prediction: France versus Colombia, England or Croatia in the final.

[KingKhanWC]

Columbia is a rock solid tie for England, no doubt about that, but the winner has a great chance of making the final.

They would get Sweden or Switzerland in the QF, and then Croatia or Russia in the semis. Croatia suddenly looked very vulnerable and flat tonight at times, and the other three teams are more than beatable.

My prediction: France versus Colombia, England or Croatia in the final.

It all depends on how the teams shape up. Sometimes its easier to beat the giants as we have seen recently due to them having huge pressure on them and therefore have to come out attacking or playing good looking football. With the likes of Swiss, Sweden or Russia they may not have great great players but are well drilled and organised. And if goes to Pens, you can never back England lol.

[Abdullah]

Won't get a chance like this in ages.
Tuesday just got BIGGER

[PetroDollars]

if england dont win this they never will.

alot of people over hyping columbia but they dont have better players than us, england should walk past them.

[Rayyman]

They will go the distance.

I still believe

[Robert]

We came from behind to win a penalty shootout!

Sweden here we come.... rated 24th in the world, England rated 12th.

Southgate is impressive, keeping his lads calm.

Ok.... I predict the semis will be France-Brazil and Russia-England.

[MenInG]

We came from behind to win a penalty shootout!

Sweden here we come.... rated 24th in the world, England rated 12th.

Southgate is impressive, keeping his lads calm.

Ok.... I predict the semis will be France-Brazil and Russia-England.

England in Semis ok but will Russia join them?

[AZulfi]

England have been lucky in this tournament. They have reached the semis without facing top teams such as France, Germany, Spain, Argentina or Brazil etc. Italy did not even qualify. They beat B teams such as Tunisia, Panama, Colombia and Sweden (even Sweden not as good as the aforementioned teams).

The 1-0 loss vs Belgium in the last group game meant they avoided top teams such as France, Brazil and Belgium before the final.

Whichever team wins the SF clash between France and Belgium (deserved to be the final) will win the world cup imo

[PetroDollars]

England have been lucky in this tournament. They have reached the semis without facing top teams such as France, Germany, Spain, Argentina or Brazil etc. Italy did not even qualify. They beat B teams such as Tunisia, Panama, Colombia and Sweden (even Sweden not as good as the aforementioned teams).

The 1-0 loss vs Belgium in the last group game meant they avoided top teams such as France, Brazil and Belgium before the final.

Whichever team wins the SF clash between France and Belgium (deserved to be the final) will win the world cup imo

Not true.

Firstly you claim Sweden isnt good but they did beat Italy to qualify here and as you mention B teams, it was also B and even C teams that beat the likes of Germany, Spain and Argentina struggled as did Brazil who scraped through victories against these B teams you talk about.

England on the other hand have looked confident and good playing those teams part from a 15 minute disaster against Columbia, they have looked the most confident team in the tournament.

Also as you mention the loss to Belgium, it wasnt luck it was just an art, both teams tried to lose it and get an easier route, and looking at the way Brazil were struggling to score throughout the tournment i would have had England to beat them anyway.

[aloo paratha]

It's not "coming home" boys. Mighty Croatia is gonna destroy England tomorrow!

[AZulfi]

Not true.

Firstly you claim Sweden isnt good but they did beat Italy to qualify here and as you mention B teams, it was also B and even C teams that beat the likes of Germany, Spain and Argentina struggled as did Brazil who scraped through victories against these B teams you talk about.

England on the other hand have looked confident and good playing those teams part from a 15 minute disaster against Columbia, they have looked the most confident team in the tournament.

Also as you mention the loss to Belgium, it wasnt luck it was just an art, both teams tried to lose it and get an easier route, and looking at the way Brazil were struggling to score throughout the tournment i would have had England to beat them anyway.

Lets see what happens

There isn't much separating the top teams in this world cup (one-goal advantage in most games). There is no single standout team, a good header or free kick or a fatal defensive lapse (3rd Belgian goal vs Japan) effectively deciding the outcome of most games. We have not seen many free flowing moves let alone open goals

This Brazilian team is overrated. The rhythm just wasn't there. We have seen much better Brazilian teams in the past such as the one in 2002 comprising Ronaldo and Ronaldinho

[PetroDollars]

Lets see what happens

There isn't much separating the top teams in this world cup (one-goal advantage in most games). There is no single standout team, a good header or free kick or a fatal defensive lapse (3rd Belgian goal vs Japan) effectively deciding the outcome of most games. We have not seen many free flowing moves let alone open goals

This Brazilian team is overrated. The rhythm just wasn't there. We have seen much better Brazilian teams in the past such as the one in 2002 comprising Ronaldo and Ronaldinho

Brazil have only been over ratred due to there previous generations especially in 90s but they have been rubbish since atleast 2006, even then an old Zidane smashed them single handily. Now they can only hype up average players who like doing step overs like Robinho and Neymar to keep football alive in there country.

[James]

Excited for tomorrow. England have had a good run. Obviously I want them to win, but if the worst happens then they can still return home in credit.

[hadi123]

Semi - finals it is Gutted but we done better than many predicted.