Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales

[Martin Alvito]

He’s been weird today, popping up wife left and deep positions but a couple of great assists

What is wife left? Never experienced that one.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

People kept saying that but what is/was OK about them?

They were good enough to qualify, so there's that

Concacaf can be nasty as well, lot of tough places to go

USA were basically playing in a paddling pool in a tropical storm for their last game in that campaign

 

[TheBigIguana]

Gap between European/South American teams and everyone else seem so big, even African teams seemed to regressed in last few World Cups.

I genuinely wonder will we ever see anyone else come close

They'll advance when they stop bringing crap European managers to manage them

 

[PhilM]

People kept saying that but what is/was OK about them?

Well, they played in a WC qualifying group that had South Korea, UEA, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and topped it. That ain't shabby, to be fair.

They also have, on paper, a very good coach and a team with a decent-ish heritage or at least compared to many of their neighbours.

They're not a great team, but I'm surprised we've waltzed past them so easily.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

The Welsh will tear these Crusader frauds apart.

That being said, I think England will already have 4/6 points by then so it won't really matter

 

[PhilM]

Like I said, after England go on a run to the knockout stage, the narrative will change noticeably from a human rights outrage, to potentially the most successfull world cup ever held.

To be fair, you ain't wrong.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Well, they played in a WC qualifying group that had South Korea, UEA, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and topped it. That ain't shabby, to be fair.

They also have, on paper, a very good coach and a team with a decent-ish heritage or at least compared to many of their neighbours.

They're not a great team, but I'm surprised we've waltzed past them so easily.

If you care about the rankings then Iran are rated quite highly

 

[MikeH72]

People kept saying that but what is/was OK about them?

They qualified ahead of the USA didn’t they? What a funny soccer nation the USA are.

 

[Kurt.]

What is wife left? Never experienced that one.

I wish mine would ?

 

[Shibbywiggles]

What is wife left? Never experienced that one.

I’m sure you can guess I meant wide left and not he’s been sadly recently divorced ?

 

[TyphooToffee]

He’s been weird today, popping up wife left and deep positions but a couple of great assists

You can understand he's under-performing if his wife's left.

 

[ToffeeDan]

Gap between European/South American teams and everyone else seem so big, even African teams seemed to regressed in last few World Cups.

I genuinely wonder will we ever see anyone else come close, i mean Qatar is champion of Asia and they looked like absolute pub team

Europe and South America have a head start with well established youth schemes and infrastructure.

 

[TimHowardsBeardJuice]

Just dropping by to say that there is no way that the Iran keeper should have been allowed to keep playing. He had no idea where he was. Legit scared for his life.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Europe and South America have a head start with well established youth schemes and infrastructure.

And there's a lot less 'poaching'.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

"The official attendance of this match is 45,334. The stadium has a 68,000 capacity. Oh Fifa."