Quarter Finals

[PITA]

Argentina wont be troubled by a dull Dutch team.
Brazil will sweep aside a Croatian team that's rode its luck.
France will show they have a superior big game mentality to England - though on paper it looks too close to call.
Portugal will have too much attacking threat for a Moroccan team that cant do anything other than sit in their own half.

Sitting on the fence or covering bases. Hello @gavk.

 

[PITA]

We'll have no one left by Saturday night if @[B]davek[/B] is right.

*crosses fingers*

Are you new to this forum?

 

[Joey66]

@Joey66 . Any help would be appreciated.

@davek needs a new iPad lol

 

[carolinablue232]

Still room for 1 or more surprises but I think the only game in the Q/F I have as 50/50 is Eng v France

Do you honestly think it’s 50/50 or are you wearing some tinted specs? Objectively France should win.

 

[carolinablue232]

Netherlands
Brazil
France
Portugal

Think Van Gaal will have a very good plan for frustrating Argentina

Wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if that game is ends up 0-0 or 1-0 with it being a snooze fest. Argentina for all their talent haven’t really been overly impressive.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Basically we have no one at the world cup right now: Pickford is a GK and therefore not a player; Coady is carrying the kits around.

lol not like a GK can make a difference in a game…

I admire the commitment to the character Dave, true dedication!

 

[Kurt.]

My take.. as an observer

Argentina will have enough to beat the Netherlands

Brazil will be Brazil … if they turn up they win comfortably

Portugal will beat Morocco by at least 3 goals

England v France is a tougher call, think it comes down to Southgate’s approach to the game. If he plays to the obvious attacking strengths in his squad they should beat the French, but if he sets up to try and ‘not lose’ rather than going at the game I think France will have too much up front for them. In my humble opinion England need to attack the game and take it to France.

 

[Drico]

France are a good side weakened by injuries. They are beatable. But England - and their players - have to perform. There will be a lot of talk about Southgate, but that's a deflection mechanism. Time for the Fodens and Sakas to turn up when it matters and perform. If the players do that, we can then turn our attention to tactics, etc. But big games are for big players. Let's really see what these lads are made of.

 

[davek]

lol not like a GK can make a difference in a game…

I admire the commitment to the character Dave, true dedication!

It's true. GKs are not players. Never have been and never will be.

 

[davek]

Yes but you are, as we all know, either a cockwomble (it's probably not your fault if true) or a WUM which is actually a bit sad.

What you expect might not happen (although the odds are against it). If it does then chug yourself silly. If it doesn't happen then at least what you expect is that Spain will undoubtedly put England out. Good luck with that cockwomble.

Ahhh.

There there.

 

[Pootsy]

France are a good side weakened by injuries. They are beatable. But England - and their players - have to perform. There will be a lot of talk about Southgate, but that's a deflection mechanism. Time for the Fodens and Sakas to turn up when it matters and perform. If the players do that, we can then turn our attention to tactics, etc. But big games are for big players. Let's really see what these lads are made of.

Kane is the key I believe. We know he'll drop deep but will it be deep enough to unsettle the French midfield and Centre Backs? Will he be effective/creative? If Kane can play a tune the space opens up for Saka/Foden/Rashford et al to explore.

 

[davek]

Kane is the key I believe. We know he'll drop deep but will it be deep enough to unsettle the French midfield and Centre Backs? Will he be effective/creative? If Kane can play a tune the space opens up for Saka/Foden/Rashford et al to explore.

Griezmann will be a key player. He's been dropping back and starting attacks off all world cup. England would need to have someone close to him at all times or that ropey defence will get picked off all match.

 

[Jamo Martinez]

France are a good side weakened by injuries. They are beatable. But England - and their players - have to perform. There will be a lot of talk about Southgate, but that's a deflection mechanism. Time for the Fodens and Sakas to turn up when it matters and perform. If the players do that, we can then turn our attention to tactics, etc. But big games are for big players. Let's really see what these lads are made of.

Up to a point. However, if you remember the Euro final, in the first half, Kane was dropping back and causing all kinds of problems as the wing backs pushed on. The second half, Kane was trying (and generally failing) to win long balls against the most experienced centre half partnership in world football. I'd be very surprised if they weren't following instructions in changing approach.

At the same time, it was hardly Southgate's fault that Sterling had his worst game of the tournament in the final.

 

[Drico]

Up to a point. However, if you remember the Euro final, in the first half, Kane was dropping back and causing all kinds of problems as the wing backs pushed on. The second half, Kane was trying (and generally failing) to win long balls against the most experienced centre half partnership in world football. I'd be very surprised if they weren't following instructions in changing approach.

At the same time, it was hardly Southgate's fault that Sterling had his worst game of the tournament in the final.

At some point the players have to perform - and impact a match as we are told they can. Yes, managers have an influence, but in the end too many are too quick to absolve these multi-millionaires of even the most modest of responsibility for why they always fall short. Compared to your peers (Italy and France), England have a terrible record. Is this, uniquely, because England managers are usually worse than Italian and French coaches? Perhaps. More likely, however, is that the players have been inferior on the big stage. It's a bigger sample size, for starters. Throw in the fact that far smaller countries such as Spain, Holland, Portugal, and Argentina have better overall records, and the evidence points even further at the players.

We hear a lot about the Premier League. Time for the English contingent to prove their worth - in spite of their manager, if needs be.

 

[Jamo Martinez]

At some point the players have to perform - and impact a match as we are told they can. Yes, managers have an influence, but in the end too many are too quick to absolve these multi-millionaires of even the most modest of responsibility for why they always fall short. Compared to your peers (Italy and France), England have a terrible record. Is this, uniquely, because England managers are usually worse than Italian and French coaches? Perhaps. More likely, however, is that the players have been inferior on the big stage. It's a bigger sample size, for starters. Throw in the fact that far smaller countries such as Spain, Holland, Portugal, and Argentina have better overall records, and the evidence points even further at the players.

We hear a lot about the Premier League. Time for the English contingent to prove their worth - in spite of their manager, if needs be.

This is true. You only have to look at club level to see how many managers lose their jobs because it's cheaper to fire one guy than 11.