The Football Thread 2017-18

[DML]

Thing is the frustration at England is totally understandable.

Doesn't mean I'm not excited to see them at a World Cup regardless. I mean its the World Cup!

[Moggy]

Thing is the frustration at England is totally understandable.

Doesn't mean I'm not excited to see them at a World Cup regardless. I mean its the World Cup!

The World Cup is exciting.

Gareth Southgate’s England are not.

[DML]

Thing is the frustration at England is totally understandable.

Doesn't mean I'm not excited to see them at a World Cup regardless. I mean its the World Cup!

The World Cup is exciting.

Gareth Southgate’s England are not.

To be honest I'm more interested in England then I have been in recent years because we're getting to see some new faces get a try - and by all accounts doing alright. I was nearly crying tears of boredom when we were playing Gerrard/Lampard for the eighth year in a row.

I'm not sure what people were expecting against Brazil last night, a thumping 3-0 win? They had some good chances from what I saw. Southgate's team is certainly not as boring as Hodgson or Capello.

[Drumstick]

I think Southgate is beginning to figure things out. It's good that he's willing to experiment with his personnel and formations now and honestly I was quite interested in seeing how the youngsters and newbies got on. Some of them I thought did very well.

That Brazil game was boring as sin, however.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

What concerns me is that England have been a bit better without most of our first team players but the missing players will clearly be recalled as soon as available.

I did quite like our back three though. Hope cahill, smalling and Jones don't just walk back into the team.

[Drumstick]

Cahill in particular is a player whose deficiencies were hidden slightly by playing alongside JT for so long.

He would probably not be in my starting XI.

[Dangerblade]

I can’t bring myself to support England these days so I am stuck now that Ireland have failed to qualify.

I will probably just support the underdog in every match. Although that will mean supporting England so maybe I just wont bother watching.

Iceland is the obvious choice, especially with the defender City signed in the summer.

[PaperMacheMario]

I’m pretty pleased with the Germany and Brazil games - admittedly not vintage performances, but we drew 0-0 with two nations who are superior to us whilst playing lots of younger inexperienced players, especially compared to their squads. I don’t think that’s to be sniffed at.

It’s happening, isn’t it? We’re going to win the World Cup.

[Photek]

I’m pretty pleased with the Germany and Brazil games - admittedly not vintage performances, but we drew 0-0 with two nations who are superior to us whilst playing lots of younger inexperienced players, especially compared to their squads. I don’t think that’s to be sniffed at.

It’s happening, isn’t it? We’re going to win the World Cup.

I literally can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not sans the last line.

[Drumstick]

#believe

[DML]

I’m pretty pleased with the Germany and Brazil games - admittedly not vintage performances, but we drew 0-0 with two nations who are superior to us whilst playing lots of younger inexperienced players, especially compared to their squads. I don’t think that’s to be sniffed at.

It’s happening, isn’t it? We’re going to win the World Cup.

I literally can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not sans the last line.

Gotta be in it to win it!

[Saint of Killers]

As far as positives go getting no score draws against Germany and Brazil are on the shittier end of the scale, but they are positives nonetheless. Especially when you consider the fact England were missing many experienced players *and* fielded many players without much PL experience.

[Photek]

They were Friendlies....

[DML]

They were Friendlies....

Pipe down. You got pumped 5-1!

Sorry for finding some scarce positives in a 'gooseberry fool England team' holding Neymar Eleven to a draw, friendly or not.

[bear]

I feel a little bit sorry. England finally look like they are in a halfway decent position heading to a World Cup with a solid combination of low expectations and some good young players coming through but they went and made the mistake of getting a few good results against strong teams so the dreaded hype train is starting to creak into life.
He is well strawberry floated if they get a decent draw for the tournament and people start going hyper altogether.

[Corazon de Leon]

There's no shame in being excited to see your country in a world cup, even if they play shite football. It comes around once every four years - it's not an everyday occurrence. Be optimistic, be positive about the chances of success.

Of course, England will limp to the last sixteen and lose to a smaller nation on penalties, but what's the point in having a world cup if you can't get excited about the potential?

[DML]

I feel a little bit sorry. England finally look like they are in a halfway decent position heading to a World Cup with a solid combination of low expectations and some good young players coming through but they went and made the mistake of getting a few good results against strong teams so the dreaded hype train is starting to creak into life.
He is well strawberry floated if they get a decent draw for the tournament and people start going hyper altogether.

What hype? Surely no-one believes that this team can win the World Cup?

Doesn't mean people don't think the team maybe capable of a surprise and go a bit further than people expect. At the end of the day its knockout football.

[Oblomov Boblomov]

We're definitely going to win the World Cup .

[Photek]

They were Friendlies....

Pipe down. You got pumped 5-1!

Sorry for finding some scarce positives in a 'gooseberry fool England team' holding Neymar Eleven to a draw, friendly or not.

Referencing Ireland's defeat doesn't change the argument that England will be awful next summer. Unless something is different in this team that wasn't in the last Euro's, the World Cup, the previous Euro's etc. etc. for about 20years.

[Benzin]

No Rooney for a start automatically helps as we'll actually have 11 players on the pitch...