#131

I’m all for undermining any sense of English achievement, but I’d like it to be a little more artfully done than this.

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#132

Fair enough haha.
You can only beat who you’re playing but if France or Belgium aren’t at full strength in a final people will always bring that up. Regardless of how England do against Croatia I’d imagine at the least yous would want tonights game to go to extra time so both are wrecked for the 3rd place/Final match especially considering Eng/Cro get a day less of rest.

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#134

Go for it, although I’m not trying to undermine our chances, I’m only providing well-reasoned scepticism.

#135

Actually I’d say we’re better set up to deal with rapid forwards like Mbappe than most. Think it’s France’s midfield that’d do us

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#137

Dunno how anyone can seriously make any valid points about the England Belgium group game. 2 completely changed sides with nothing to play for. If they meet again it’ll be completely different

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#138

If every France player bar florian thauvin died on the eve of kick off. And he still took us to penalties. That would be a bit hollow

#139

And other countries too and no doubt quarters of the English press etc. Shit like that will get spouted when Gareth eventually falls from favour - even barring a WC win. Even Alf Ramsey eventually got the sack after all.

#142

Rightly so. Success shouldn’t give someone a job in perpetuity

Wenger.jpg

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#143

I certainly don’t but your average Sun/Mirror etc reader will and thats how tides turn.
Good luck to England by all means and I have no real investment in it. A WC win is a WC win.
If either of the Irish teams were doing what you lads are I’d be fucking loving it!

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#145

Aye.
I’m not arguing it mate, all I’m saying is you know what people are like and what they’ll say but yes as I am also saying: a WC win is a WC win and good luck.

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#147

Eactly this mate. I wasn’t trying to start a row or piss on anyones cornflakes.

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#149

Only time in my life a team has one a world cup looking genuinely decent in every game was 2002, and that had a similarly decimated draw to this year. Basically a world cup winner will always be lucky, nothing unique or special about this year

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#150

Uruguay 2 Holland 3

#151

Think England winning it would be comparable to Portugal in 2016, there’d be a lot of raised eyebrows internationally at the draw but nobody within England would care, and over time people would forget about how they got there and just remember that they won the world cup

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#152

To be honest it makes me want the group stages not to be defined by rank. I’d love them to totally randomise it just once for a laugh.
Some times are always ranked high due to being ranked high already eh, so continue to get easier qualifying groups. Bit self perpetuating eh?

#153

If the WC final is Eng-Fra and its as dogshite as the Por-Fra Euro 2k16 final

I’ll be very dissapointed and no amount of toilet emojis will console me

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#154

Seems quite likely. Would be gutting for France to be done in the same manner in 2 straight tournaments

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#155

Think tonight is 50/50.

Still think France are a lot drearier than they should be and Deschamps is a limited coach, but if they get through tonight I’d make them massive favourites in the final - I don’t think they’ve got another choke in them. He’d set them up in a safety-first basics kind of way and the quality should/would win out probably. He chose Sissoko to start in the 2016 final and left Kante on the bench - bloody hell.

Would be less confident in Belgium, and think they’d be more vulnerable, combustible and unpredictable - but I suppose if they can get past Brazil and France then they shouldn’t mess it up against a lesser team in the final. Who knows with Martinez though?

#156

Bit harsh I reckon. Portugal won one game in 90 minutes all tournament and were pretty dreadful to watch. Only got through a poor group because of a rule change and got to play wales

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#157

let us never speak of euro 2016 again

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