2018 Football World Cup News and Prediction Tournament

[Big Boy]

Today's little gem :

[PeteC]

Yes, I like that one! But...beware of the wicked witch of the west which would be Belgium?

[caller]

Depends on how you interpret regularly?

John Stones only started 16 premier league games for City last season, with 2 appearances as a sub. He's scored more goals for England than his club. I think he has been outstanding so far. Lother Matthaus said he was the outstanding defender of the tournament! Praise indeed. I suspect he will be a regular for City next season.

Gary Cahill was in and out of the Chelsea team last season, making 27 appearance in all competitions. His biggest weakness is his passing.

Kyle Walker plays as one of three central defenders for England. Whereas, for his club he plays where Kieran Trippier plays. His inexperience shows and I suspect in due course he'll be replaced.

[Dannie Boy]

Depends on how you interpret regularly?

John Stones only started 16 premier league games for City last season, with 2 appearances as a sub. He's scored more goals for England than his club. I think he has been outstanding so far. Lother Matthaus said he was the outstanding defender of the tournament! Praise indeed. I suspect he will be a regular for City next season.

Gary Cahill was in and out of the Chelsea team last season, making 27 appearance in all competitions. His biggest weakness is his passing.

Kyle Walker plays as one of three central defenders for England. Whereas, for his club he plays where Kieran Trippier plays. His inexperience shows and I suspect in due course he'll be replaced.

Another defender who has really impressed me is the other Harry - Maguire. He showed how dangerous he can be in the air with the first goal against Sweden, but he is also very composed on the ball. As mentioned above, Stones is playing as well, if not better than I have previously witnessed - let’s hope he keeps it for at least 2 more games.


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[caller]

I agree about Harry Maguire. He has been a real surprise for me and is looking very good. Let's hope he puts in another good shift against Croatia.

[redzonerocker]

You've baffled me with that statement. While my passion is well below Premiership level, I can't think any of the England WC team, which is fairly well known by now, who don't feature regularly for their club. You'll have to help me with that one please.

Stones, Lingard, Rashford, Welbeck, Cahill, Jones, Alexander-Arnold, Sterling, Loftus-Cheek, . . . . . . none can guarantee to start for their club sides week in week out.
Even Trippier is stretching it if the spuds other right wing back is fit or not suspended (Aurier)

Five or ten minutes from the bench hardly counts for featuring regularly.

Again, just to reiterate, we've done well and we're in the semi final against all expectations and of course we'll all celebrate.
The hype is all good and well but the reality is, we've had easy passage through so far.

I'm beginning to wonder if the money in the domestic game has had an affect on the international game?
Despite being stacked with quality players, some of the teams have under performed massively.

Then there has been the poor showing from Asian and African teams and the shenanigans from the South and Central American teams.
All been fairly entertaining but but definitely lacking in quality.

[Big Boy]

Whoah!!! It's not me querying the talent of the English team. I still maintain, I've been very disappointed with the standard at this year's competition, and England deserve to be in the semis. Which Croatian players would be accepted at club level to replace their English counterparts? I don't there will be more than 1.

Yes, we're talking England, yes, we're used to to disappointment, but FFS, BELIEVE.

It's in the unlikely event of it all going wrong, that we can return to being miserable old farts.

[handdrummer]

You can't expect consistent high quality playing when the players don't play together regularly. The World Cup (WC) is a professional pick-up sandlot game.

[caller]

Which Croatian players would be accepted at club level to replace their English counterparts? I don't there will be more than 1.

Well Klopp has faith in Lovren!

Then there's Rakitic of Barcelona.

And obviously Modric, who would walk into any team, anywhere, right now.

So, I would say two, both playing in Spain.

[redzonerocker]

Whoah!!! It's not me querying the talent of the English team. I still maintain, I've been very disappointed with the standard at this year's competition, and England deserve to be in the semis. Which Croatian players would be accepted at club level to replace their English counterparts? I don't there will be more than 1.

Yes, we're talking England, yes, we're used to to disappointment, but FFS, BELIEVE.

It's in the unlikely event of it all going wrong, that we can return to being miserable old farts.

Subasic - Monaco
Vrsaljko - Athletico madrid
Rakitic - Barcelona
Modric - Real Madrid
Lovren - Liverpool
Mandzukic - Juventus
Brozovic- Inter Milan
Kovacic - Real Madrid
Strinic - AC Milan
Perisic - Inter Milan

There are quite a few champions, CL and Europa league winners amongst that lot, some pretty decent clubs represented too.
From a country that has a population that is not much more than Greater Birmingham, I think that's quite impressive.

Believe? . . . . lets just say I'm extremely hopeful . . . . but, will continue to be a realistic old fart

[Big Boy]

[redzonerocker]

You can't expect consistent high quality playing when the players don't play together regularly. The World Cup (WC) is a professional pick-up sandlot game.

It always has in the past.

I'm wondering how much the amount of money in football has had an affect on the International game?

[dtaai-maai]

Stones, Lingard, Rashford, Welbeck, Cahill, Jones, Alexander-Arnold, Sterling, Loftus-Cheek, . . . . . . none can guarantee to start for their club sides week in week out.
Even Trippier is stretching it if the spuds other right wing back is fit or not suspended (Aurier)

Surely that's not a matter of quality or ability, but a reflection of the larger squads and the rotation policy for the top teams?

[redzonerocker]

Surely that's not a matter of quality or ability, but a reflection of the larger squads and the rotation policy for the top teams?

I agree to an extent, but shouldn't your international players be first choice picks at their clubs? and didn't Southgate say that if players weren't playing regularly for their clubs, they wouldn't be picked.
How can they be match sharp if they're only playing bit parts?

Like I said, I'm not getting into a squabble about it, I just answered the questions posed and offered my opinion.

[Dannie Boy]

Surely that's not a matter of quality or ability, but a reflection of the larger squads and the rotation policy for the top teams?

I agree to an extent, but shouldn't your international players be first choice picks at their clubs? and didn't Southgate say that if players weren't playing regularly for their clubs, they wouldn't be picked.
How can they be match sharp if they're only playing bit parts?

Like I said, I'm not getting into a squabble about it, I just answered the questions posed and offered my opinion.

Well they don’t seem to have done too bad so far, irrespective of the opposition, just ask Germany, Brazil, Argentina etc, they would all swap places with England!!