Spence in (Spud, jaw); TAA out!
Surprised Plug didn’t get the call.
Full squad at 11.
Tony
Spud? TAA? Plug? Lost on me!
I’ll get my prediction in early. England’s No 4 FIFA ranking looks very, very generous to me.
a) England don’t beat decent teams. An AI search tells me the last top 10 team England beat in a tournament match was Germany in 2002. In the last few tournaments they have been flattered by incredibly generous draws. Then they play a decent side…
b) England will wilt in the heat. End of season fatigue, players not entirely fit etc will make them look ponderous.
c) Other teams from ‘less fancied’ nations always seem to have more appetite and desire. English players=club first not country. Not the same for other nations.
So a 1/4 final at most. Or home whenever they meet a team ranked in the top 10. Or maybe 15
Bruce
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What a relaxing World Cup for me without Italy: armchair, cocktail and popcorn…
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I’ll be watching none of the group stuff live. Life is too short. Probably record the highlights programmes but only watch if it sounds like there’s something to see. Might watch some of the knock outs but it’s not really a tournament which inspires any love of football and the excess of post season stuff is just too much. I like my Summer break to be exactly that nowadays.
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Very arguable, but perhaps sensible, to leave the out of form Foden & Palmer at home.
Very strange to me to include Stones & not Maguire. Both excellent on their day but Stones has only played 3 full games for City since November, is injury prone & can’t possibly be fully fit. Harry has had a very good season &, regardless of club form, has never let England down. He also has the habit of scoring important goals on occasion.
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Toney in. Tuchel cleverly planning for the inevitable penalty shoot out v Brazil in the 1/4 final.
Well, as a Spud, I agree. I really don’t rate him (I wish I could).
I agree about Maguire’s omission and Stones’ inclusion. Mcguire is a solid, in form, defender and is a real threat at England’s set pieces. While I agree that Foden is out of form and therefor should have no complaints at omission, Palmer has that X factor that can create something from nothing, as Gazza used to have. I would have included him.
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I agree. Spence can be occasionally great in an attacking role but a liability at his core job in defending. World class forwards are likely to exploit that.
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First WC ever that I’m not sure I can be arsed to be bothered!
I’ll probably change my mind at some point in the early group stage but really, what a sh;tshow.
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Feel similar. too many nations, too many games
Bruce
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….and in the wrong place (Trump’s USA)
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From what little I have seen lately of Palmer, he seems to have, hopefully temporarily for England, lost the X factor.
Two seasons ago he was beginning to look like a world beater who would be a perfect replacement for Kane.
Hopefully, for England, he will rediscover his form before the next Euro’s & following World Cup.
It was clear for some time he was fed up carrying the team and in his own words was sick of getting the ball and going backwards and sideways
And although he was polite, I’m not sure he was a big fan of Maresca, less so of Liam. Add in injuries etc. and his mojo just left him. Was looking a little happier. And then he was asked to backtrack and cover in the Cup final. A job he did well but clearly was bored of in the 2nd half. Given his job is to piss his way through the opposition midfield and defence.
Hopefully Xabi will bring in some fresh and distinct reliability into the Chelsea squad so that Cole Palmer can be left to play his naturally creative self rather than to a ‘system’. Then perhaps he will be a force for England in Euro 28, assuming he gets picked this time. Can’t believe it was two years ago we lost to Spain…
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I hope the change of club manager restores his mojo.
I fear England will miss the player he has been in America & will desperately need him at his best by the time of the next Euro’s when I suspect Harry Kane will be well passed his best & may not even be an England player by then.
I don’t see any English players of the stature of Kane coming through between now & then unless O’Reilly develops exceptionally quickly.
Without Cole in the USA I really think Bellingham needs to ditch the pre-madonna ego & start to show that he is as good as so many say he is.
What a brilliant reading key is yours!
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Even out of form Palmer offers a lot more off the bench than Madueke. Not inspired by the squad in the slightest or any of Tuchel’s England games. Boring.
World Cup 2026 will feature 48 teams, an increase from the previous tournament’s 32 teams. England will be in the weakest group (Group L). Unfortunately, Scotland will be out after the 1st round.
I approach every World Cup hoping to see Brazil play like the 1970 model. Unfortunately the competition itself has gone the same way as the European club competitions. Too many games involving too many average or worse teams. Cup competitions should be about sudden death football. Every game should carry jeopardy.
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6 out of 10 England fans think that England are going to win the World Cup,
The other 4 aren’t pissed yet!
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