England v Sweden 3pm Saturday
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The last time we played Sweden in tournament football:
dn-K5sZGfI4
That was a great day.
dn-K5sZGfI4
That was a great day.
Original post by Fullofsurprises
So, football experts, will we beat Sweden? Presumably they must be pretty good to have gotten this far, no?
If so, how will we fare against Russia or Croatia? Who is more likely to end up being our opponent, assuming we beat Sweden?
If so, how will we fare against Russia or Croatia? Who is more likely to end up being our opponent, assuming we beat Sweden?
Sweden are a pretty good counter attacking side- except they really lack quality in their final shots. Against Switzerland they looked like they would struggle to hit a barn door, and their only goal came from a lucky deflection. They beat the Netherlands and Italy to qualify and topped a group that looked tough on paper. I think defensively they'll frustrate England, but really England should win, they've got a lot more talent in their squad.
Croatia are likely to beat Russia- they're a quality side, three of their team play for Real Madrid and several others play in top flight Italian teams. However, everyone would have expected Spain to beat Russia so who knows!
If England and Croatia end up playing each other in the semis it will be a real game of youth vs experience- Croatia are the oldest side in the competition. This could work in England's favour, as players could be carrying small injuries or just recover less quickly from games.
Realistically, I can see us beating Sweden but not Croatia. However, it's been a world cup of shocks so far, so who knows what's going to happen!
Original post by SarcAndSpark
Sweden are a pretty good counter attacking side- except they really lack quality in their final shots. Against Switzerland they looked like they would struggle to hit a barn door, and their only goal came from a lucky deflection. They beat the Netherlands and Italy to qualify and topped a group that looked tough on paper. I think defensively they'll frustrate England, but really England should win, they've got a lot more talent in their squad.
Croatia are likely to beat Russia- they're a quality side, three of their team play for Real Madrid and several others play in top flight Italian teams. However, everyone would have expected Spain to beat Russia so who knows!
If England and Croatia end up playing each other in the semis it will be a real game of youth vs experience- Croatia are the oldest side in the competition. This could work in England's favour, as players could be carrying small injuries or just recover less quickly from games.
Realistically, I can see us beating Sweden but not Croatia. However, it's been a world cup of shocks so far, so who knows what's going to happen!
Croatia are likely to beat Russia- they're a quality side, three of their team play for Real Madrid and several others play in top flight Italian teams. However, everyone would have expected Spain to beat Russia so who knows!
If England and Croatia end up playing each other in the semis it will be a real game of youth vs experience- Croatia are the oldest side in the competition. This could work in England's favour, as players could be carrying small injuries or just recover less quickly from games.
Realistically, I can see us beating Sweden but not Croatia. However, it's been a world cup of shocks so far, so who knows what's going to happen!
If we can get to the semis then we can at the very least play for 3rd place, that imo would be a big achievement and sets us up nicely for the Euros too
Original post by rhaegar449
If we can get to the semis then we can at the very least play for 3rd place, that imo would be a big achievement and sets us up nicely for the Euros too
Yeah, getting to the semis would definitely be exceeding expectations! Even if we lose to Sweden, I think we've got a great platform to build on for the Euros and the next world cup.
3rd would be great I agree but the team needs to focus on the Sweden game.
I don't like thinking too far ahead. England could lose against Sweden.
I don't like thinking too far ahead. England could lose against Sweden.
Original post by Et Tu, Brute?
Football coming home...via the easiest route to a WC final in competition history
Who cares, on paper this is one of the worst England squads ever.
Original post by Wilfred Little
What did he do wrong last night? 
Pickford pushes the ball out from what I’ve seen he does not catch and save. This is a weakness of his and can be taken advantage of.
If England lose this game... I want my vocal cords and time back 
Against Sweden? Hell no
Original post by AppleB
Pickford pushes the ball out from what I’ve seen he does not catch and save. This is a weakness of his and can be taken advantage of.
Didn't do anything wrong last night though. His save before their equaliser was one of the best saves I've ever seen and his penalty save was great too. Solid performance.
Original post by Wilfred Little
Controlled the match up until the last 20 mins and first half of extra time.
Colombia's goal wasn't lucky, was a great attacking header tbf.
Colombia's goal wasn't lucky, was a great attacking header tbf.
Trippier should have dealt with their goal though, ended up assisting the ball into our own net.
Original post by Zerforax
I expect Sweden will do what Columbia did in the second half of the game and have a player man-mark Henderson. England played so much better when he was freer in the first half.
Sweden also play a 4-4-2 which was the formation via which Colombia lost control in ET. If they opt to man mark Henderson they will need to move to some variant of a three man midfield. If not it should be pretty easy to find our creative players or pull that back 4 all over the place.
My main worry is how that back 3 is going to hold up against the long ball aggressive two man strike partnership. You would hope Maguire is okay but traditional centre half aerial play is not Stones or Walker's strong point.
Original post by Et Tu, Brute?
Football coming home...via the easiest route to a WC final in competition history
Firstly, you can only beat who is put in front of you.
Secondly, all the teams left in it are good teams. You have to be to still be in it.
Yes, I'd say the group was one of the easiest, if not the easiest groups, but the conventional wisdom was that Colombia was more difficult than Japan. I fail to see how a team that has knocked out The Netherlands, beaten France and beaten Italy in this World Cup process can possibly be seen as "easy". I suspect most people aren't surprised to see Croatia at the quarter-final stage. I don't think they've played that well but I'm not surprised they are there. Russia are probably the only massive surprise and they knocked out Spain.
So, if you define easy by the fact that these countries aren't the "big" countries then, yes, it's easy but that's a ridiculous definition and some of those "big" teams aren't here because of these "easy" teams.
Talk of easy routes is nonsense. All games can be easy and all games can be difficult.
Original post by TheMagicRat
Firstly, you can only beat who is put in front of you.
Secondly, all the teams left in it are good teams. You have to be to still be in it.
Yes, I'd say the group was one of the easiest, if not the easiest groups, but the conventional wisdom was that Colombia was more difficult than Japan. I fail to see how a team that has knocked out The Netherlands, beaten France and beaten Italy in this World Cup process can possibly be seen as "easy". I suspect most people aren't surprised to see Croatia at the quarter-final stage. I don't think they've played that well but I'm not surprised they are there. Russia are probably the only massive surprise and they knocked out Spain.
So, if you define easy by the fact that these countries aren't the "big" countries then, yes, it's easy but that's a ridiculous definition and some of those "big" teams aren't here because of these "easy" teams.
Talk of easy routes is nonsense. All games can be easy and all games can be difficult.
Secondly, all the teams left in it are good teams. You have to be to still be in it.
Yes, I'd say the group was one of the easiest, if not the easiest groups, but the conventional wisdom was that Colombia was more difficult than Japan. I fail to see how a team that has knocked out The Netherlands, beaten France and beaten Italy in this World Cup process can possibly be seen as "easy". I suspect most people aren't surprised to see Croatia at the quarter-final stage. I don't think they've played that well but I'm not surprised they are there. Russia are probably the only massive surprise and they knocked out Spain.
So, if you define easy by the fact that these countries aren't the "big" countries then, yes, it's easy but that's a ridiculous definition and some of those "big" teams aren't here because of these "easy" teams.
Talk of easy routes is nonsense. All games can be easy and all games can be difficult.
Very true.
I think what he/she was talking about was in regards to specific opponents like you mentioned. There are the teams who have upheld a ‘tough’ stigma. Eg. For as long as I have lived, I can’t remember Germany not qualifying for the quarter-finals. Therefore, a lot of people would be more inclined to think that Germany is a strong and fortifed team.
guys I have terrible news well its good news but not for you guys. I got a new job for the summer they are going to pay me £400 a week plus tips. but they said I can watch the games but have to work before and afterwards.
this means I wont be able to be on to long before the game and I wont be able to be on to rub it in your faces after the game. I know how upset you will all be to hear this.
this means I wont be able to be on to long before the game and I wont be able to be on to rub it in your faces after the game. I know how upset you will all be to hear this.
Original post by Wilfred Little
The last time we played Sweden in tournament football:
dn-K5sZGfI4
dn-K5sZGfI4
That was a great day.
Eh, I prefer
Original post by Luke7456
guys I have terrible news well its good news but not for you guys. I got a new job for the summer they are going to pay me £400 a week plus tips. but they said I can watch the games but have to work before and afterwards.
this means I wont be able to be on to long before the game and I wont be able to be on to rub it in your faces after the game. I know how upset you will all be to hear this.
this means I wont be able to be on to long before the game and I wont be able to be on to rub it in your faces after the game. I know how upset you will all be to hear this.
Honestly is it possible to ban this kid from commenting on posts like this?
Luke, where even are you from? You took about 10 L's yesterday and still counting O:
Original post by Fullofsurprises
So, football experts, will we beat Sweden? Presumably they must be pretty good to have gotten this far, no?
If so, how will we fare against Russia or Croatia? Who is more likely to end up being our opponent, assuming we beat Sweden?
If so, how will we fare against Russia or Croatia? Who is more likely to end up being our opponent, assuming we beat Sweden?
Croatia are a much better team and you'd expect them to win. However, the same was said about Spain...
Sweden are a bit like England in that nobody expected them to get to the Quarter Finals. They're a defensively minded team who will look to counter and nick a goal from a set piece/penalty. If England go 1-0 down, they're in trouble.
(edited 5 years ago)
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