FIFA World Cup group stages

[dan08]

Chile in 1998 was the last time a team went through with 3 points...

No team has EVER gone through after losing their first 2 games though.

Has anyone ever gone through with 2 draws?

3 points is the lowest a team has needed to go through.

[The Waugh Twins]

Atleast Yoshida is playing for Japan, can enjoy a game.

Japan v Greece, thats about as exciting a prospect as the bbc testcard.

For once I agree with you.

[The Waugh Twins]

I think we can criticism England all we like, but at the end of the day they should have been playing against 10 men, not even a Uruguayan would argue that. Well they probably would.

Yes you have to look adversity in the eye and that's the sign of a great team, but this England are not a great team and their opposition needed no favors or "por favors" as it was from the Spanish ref. Not just the yellow but at least 4 other ordinary calls to put it nicely.

It reminded me of an FA cup tie in a lot of ways with a non league ref whom had been given a couple thousand quid on the side to make sure one particular team had a bad day.

Not the first time we have seen a ref control a game at the world cup(s), and as long as FIFA are in charge it wont be the last. This is what ruins soccer and many sports, but you always hope your team isn't at the hands of it. You just hope you can remain a virgin to corruption and with your keg of beer and tunnel vision enjoy a month of bliss like the chosen ones at this world cup.

I'm trying to come up with an analogy in American sport where a game could be so rigged (excluding drug abuse of course) and yes top basketball players are pampered some what, and certain grid iron players and teams get the odd strange holding calls, but rarely to the extent of being a game changer.

Soccer can be won with a scoreline of 1-0 and the powers that be know how easily a result can be swayed. England were screwed plain and simple and it's time we stop putting up with it and be honest with ourselves.

[The Waugh Twins]

I think we can criticism England all we like, but at the end of the day they should have been playing against 10 men, not even a Uruguayan would argue that. Well they probably would.

Yes you have to look adversity in the eye and that's the sign of a great team, but this England are not a great team and their opposition needed no favors or "por favors" as it was from the Spanish ref. Not just the yellow but at least 4 other ordinary calls to put it nicely.

It reminded me of an FA cup tie in a lot of ways with a non league ref whom had been given a couple thousand quid on the side to make sure one particular team had a bad day.

Not the first time we have seen a ref control a game at the world cup(s), and as long as FIFA are in charge it wont be the last. This is what ruins soccer and many sports, but you always hope your team isn't at the hands of it. You just hope you can remain a virgin to corruption and with your keg of beer and tunnel vision enjoy a month of bliss like the chosen ones at this world cup.

I'm trying to come up with an analogy in American sport where a game could be so rigged (excluding drug abuse of course) and yes top basketball players are pampered some what, and certain grid iron players and teams get the odd strange holding calls, but rarely to the extent of being a game changer.

Soccer can be won with a scoreline of 1-0 and the powers that be know how easily a result can be swayed. England were screwed plain and simple and it's time we stop putting up with it and be honest with ourselves.

Got to say Mark i couldn't have put it better myself.

[The Waugh Twins]

I think we can criticism England all we like, but at the end of the day they should have been playing against 10 men, not even a Uruguayan would argue that. Well they probably would.

Yes you have to look adversity in the eye and that's the sign of a great team, but this England are not a great team and their opposition needed no favors or "por favors" as it was from the Spanish ref. Not just the yellow but at least 4 other ordinary calls to put it nicely.

It reminded me of an FA cup tie in a lot of ways with a non league ref whom had been given a couple thousand quid on the side to make sure one particular team had a bad day.

Not the first time we have seen a ref control a game at the world cup(s), and as long as FIFA are in charge it wont be the last. This is what ruins soccer and many sports, but you always hope your team isn't at the hands of it. You just hope you can remain a virgin to corruption and with your keg of beer and tunnel vision enjoy a month of bliss like the chosen ones at this world cup.

I'm trying to come up with an analogy in American sport where a game could be so rigged (excluding drug abuse of course) and yes top basketball players are pampered some what, and certain grid iron players and teams get the odd strange holding calls, but rarely to the extent of being a game changer.

Soccer can be won with a scoreline of 1-0 and the powers that be know how easily a result can be swayed. England were screwed plain and simple and it's time we stop putting up with it and be honest with ourselves.

Got to say Mark i couldn't have put it better myself.

Well actually you could have Steve, i should be capitalized.

[sussexpob]

Think of the positives,......after next week we never have to see Steve Gerrard in an England shirt again.

Once again he was terrible, couldnt pass, didnt tackle, showed no attempt to track back, hardly moved in either phase and didnt land a single set piece......

100 caps too much for his career, ask anyone outside England and they would laugh at the suggestion he is anything but a fairly above average player..... great in pressure moments too it seems recently, either assisting the opposition to put us out world cups, or slipping over to give Man City the title. Born a bottler.

To think we wasted Paul Scholes on the left wing to accommodate this clown for a decade... and we wonder what happens with the national team?

[The Waugh Twins]

Think of the positives,......after next week we never have to see Steve Gerrard in an England shirt again.

Once again he was terrible, couldnt pass, didnt tackle, showed no attempt to track back, hardly moved in either phase and didnt land a single set piece......

100 caps too much for his career, ask anyone outside England and they would laugh at the suggestion he is anything but a fairly above average player..... great in pressure moments too it seems recently, either assisting the opposition to put us out world cups, or slipping over to give Man City the title. Born a bottler.

To think we wasted Paul Scholes on the left wing to accommodate this clown for a decade... and we wonder what happens with the national team?

Yeah it was a sad ending for Gerrard and England. He was a little uninspiring. Was he captain?

[shankycricket]

bad defending, poor delivery, poor finishing. we just aren't good enough.

Amen......

So much for Suarez being injured. I said that even a 50% fit Suarez would be too good for our hapless defence. I mean, seriously, how bad can it get? Henderson and Jagielka looked out of their depth. Johnson and Baines are decent in attack but poor in defence.. Cahill had a shocker yesterday too. But the worst player in the side was Gerrard.. He has never done anything useful for England in World Cups but yesterday was incompetence on another level. Absolutely woeful. Rooney did finally break the jinx but also missed a lot of easy chances. Sterling looked well below his best too.

Have I missed anyone?


All in all, a very poor performance... Defending at his very worst!

[shankycricket]

I hope Hodgson isn't sacked though. He has built a good young side here. Deserves a 4 year cycle. Especially when the alternative is as bad as 'Arry. Just need to be more flexible. Hope we don't see Gerrard in an England shirt again and completely revamp the defence. The likes of Shaw need to be given more chances to develop.

[shankycricket]

Just came across this... Interesting article... http://www.firstpost.com/sports/drop-ge ... 79693.html

In fairness, Rooney was our best player yesterday and with 1 assist and 1 goal in 2 matches, this is already by far his best World Cup but he was starting from a low base and would be past his prime at the next World Cup (if he isn't already). If he couldn't deliver in his prime, should we keep faith in Wazza for 2018?

Also perhaps a change of strategy? Reverting to a 3 man midfield rather than the 2 man midfield we have right now?

[shankycricket]

Who'll be the new captain btw? Not that it really matters in the manner it does in Cricket but still.......

[Gingerfinch]

Unless somebody better comes along, then I'd stick with Rooney. He won't be to old in 2018. and of course we have the Euro's in two years time.

[mikesiva]

I believe we should bestow captaincy the way the Italians or Germans do it....the player who has the most caps is captain, regardless of who it is. I mean, what exactly does a captain do in football? Aside from shake hands while the coin is being spun....

[Gingerfinch]

I believe we should bestow captaincy the way the Italians or Germans do it....the player who has the most caps is captain, regardless of who it is. I mean, what exactly does a captain do in football? Aside from shake hands while the coin is being spun....

A good captain can make a difference, like a Tony Adams, or Roy Keane.

[shankycricket]

Unless somebody better comes along, then I'd stick with Rooney. He won't be to old in 2018. and of course we have the Euro's in two years time.

Probably fair. Need not necessarily drop him immediately but hope our plans for the World Cup or even the Euros are not built around him.

Need to find a better goalkeeper too. Hart is nothing more than okay. I grew up watching David Seaman in goal for England. This is quite a decline in quality. Only saving grace is that Hart is better than Green.