Finishing 2nd Would Be a Good Thing

If I were manager or a player for England, I'd be focused on getting a tie whilst picking up more yellow cards than Belgium so that we finish 2nd.

Would England rather play the winner of Sweden-Switzerland, or Brazil-Mexico? Seems pretty obvious to me. A lot of people mention losing to Iceland, and I'm not saying Colombia or Sweden/Switzerland are easy games at all. But people that use the Iceland argument, what does that have to do with England against Brazil?

People also mention being positive, and to not try to avoid games. Well.. This is the world cup, a knockout competition. You cannot "avoid" games, but you can do your best to have that game at a later stage. World cup 2002 for example, you can argue England were a better team than Germany yet Germany were in the final, England lost in the quarter-final.

I don't know, guys. Whatever happens I'm staying happy & positive, it's just a thought though haha.
Plus if we finish first we get Japan in the next round instead of Colombia which arguably is the less tough game, it's just the winner most likely faces Brazil rather than Switzerland or Sweden. I'm aware that aspiring champions shouldn't care who they face at any round, too. But like I said, you'll face everyone regardless of what route you take to get there. Just getting yourself into those semi-finals or the final, anything can happen. You guys got any thoughts on this?

 

They'll finish where they finish. I'll be pleasantly surprised if they get a quarter final. Would be a huge over achievement with the players at their disposal. Spoken to a few people who've been actively watching it though and they've suggested that most teams have been very poor, so who knows, somebody might win it who never has, or haven't for a very long time.

It's quite good when we get knocked out though... get fantastic beer deals at the supermarkets ;-)

 

Its a mistake for us to be thinking about a so called better route, remember we havent even won the 2nd round match yet whether it be against Colombia or Japan. If its Brazil then fair enough and who knows, we might offer them more than a few problems if we meet them.

 

There should be a seeded system implemented benefiting the country that wins the group . Wanting to come second just defeats the object .

 

2-1 england

 

Play to win every game.
Then when we win the cup, all those negative so-and-so's won't be able to say "Ah, but we didn't play any decent sides on our way to the final".

 

Belgium have stolen my idea, they're stacking up fouls and yellow cards. Don't want those Neymar problems.

 

No one says that

 

We need to avoid Brazil but I don't think Columbia and Sweden would be easy. I'd prefer those two to Japan and Brazil though. It's looking very much like 1990 at the moment if we finish second and 2002 if we're top.

Tonight's match isn't giving us any indication of how good we can be. Rose is doing ok but the forwards haven't had much of the ball. Belgium have been the better team but I sense neither team's that bothered.

Given what's just happened can I add that I was talking about the first half only. #TypicalEngland

 

Danny Rose wtf

 

Perhaps the best system would be if the winner could choose the "route" that they want to take.

 

All this talk of avoiding Brazil doesn't take into account that we'll probably lose to Colombia.

 

If we lose to Colombia then we'll definitely avoid Brazil.

 

They've no chance against Colombia.. BoS

 

That team won't be playing Columbia

 

Our first XI have a fantastic chance of beating Columbia.

 

We won't have the young Liverpool lad taking set pieces for starters lol

 

Look at the world cup bracket
https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/bracket

I know which side I'd rather be on. This is England's best chance to be in a world cup semi final for years. It's not that Colombia and Sweden or Switzerland aren't very tough games, they are. But it's not like it's France, Belgium, Brazil or Portugal.

 

Agree with this completely. Our best chance to get to a semi final in ages. And plus, I’m not sure how fit James Rodriguez is for Colombia so that also works in our favour.

 

I’d have gone with a strong side today, confidence to me is everything, especially with a young side still getting used to playing with each other & the system.

Also, Colombia are getting massively underrated, had it not been for a daft sending off in the 3rd minute against Japan they’d have more than likely won all 3 games & they beat 2 teams in Senegal & Poland who are far superior to Tunisia & Panama despite having to force it after the Japan loss.

I’d say it’s a 50-50 shot where as I’d have seen the Japan game as probably 80-20 in England’s favour.

It’ll look even dafter it a Mexico side who can be outstanding on their day knock out Brazil.