England v Belgium

[mattitouk]

England Ladies hockey team just beat Belgium 2-1 !!

Does Lightning strike twice??....Hope so!!

 

[Benfleet A1]

Japan or Columbia await.

 

[RobM]

Just seen on the BBC, Gareth Southgate has made 8 changes for tonight's match!!

Anyone else thinking, 8 changes is a bit extreme?

No, we've qualified and the other players need match-time.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Just seen on the BBC, Gareth Southgate has made 8 changes for tonight's match!!

Anyone else thinking, 8 changes is a bit extreme?

Perhaps they do want second place in the group and a game against Colombia.

 

[RHB]

Just seen on the BBC, Gareth Southgate has made 8 changes for tonight's match!!

Anyone else thinking, 8 changes is a bit extreme?

It would be most unlike the BBC to tell stories, but they did say they thought there would be changes. They may be right, they may not.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Pickford
Jones Stones Cahill
Alexander-Arnold Dier Delph Rose
Loftus-Cheek
Rashford Vardy​

 

[mattitouk]

True.

But to be fair, if there was ever an opportunity to make changes, it would be this dead rubber match.

After this, it has to be playing the strongest XI in each game.

 

[mattitouk]

And Belgium have made 9 changes!!

So a combined 17 changes between the two teams.

I do wonder how this will pan out.

 

[South Bank Hank]

England B versus Belgium B

Should still be an interesting one with 22 players keen to get selected in the upcoming fixtures.

 

[mattitouk]

England B versus Belgium B

Should still be an interesting one with 22 players keen to get selected in the upcoming fixtures.

As exactly as i predicted it to be.
Bored to death.
Nobody has learnt anything.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Dreadful in every way. Especially the England "band" who should be rounded up and sent to a gulag in Siberia.

 

[RHB]

As exactly as i predicted it to be.
Bored to death.
Nobody has learnt anything.

Not sure about that Matti. I reckon Southgate now knows exactly who's pushing for a starting place against Colombia. I reckon Loftus Cheek will now edge it ahead of Deli Ali, and Danny Rose could easily start as the left wing back.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Watch out for the Colombians. They're a useful team.

 

[buffalowolf]

Just watched the delayed telecast here in Manila , all i can say is how boring that match was, England just one shot on goal.Yes i realise both teams made many changes , but the ones coming into the side had a great opportunity to press home there claims for a starting berth.On that display they will be lucky to progress past the round of 16 . sorry.Only bright spot for me was seeing so many young players in the team , augers well for the future .

 

[OldBlueLady]

Worse than I thought it would be, expected a bore draw. Pickford showed he's capable of a blunder, Vardy ran about like a headless chicken due to getting zero service and Dier lived up to his name. Cahill showed his experience in saving a certain goal after Pickford spilled it. Loftus-Cheek has something raw about him but needs to hone his skills before he can be considered a proper contender as a full time England team player.

Still say Dan Bentley is equally as good if not better than the keepers we've taken out there.

 

[superblue24]

I agree with all of the above, we were awful and god help us on Tuesday!

 

[RHB]

Tuesday will be a test of Southgate's first choices, and not a lot of those were on display last night. I don't think we should fear Colombia and I don't think they will turn us over. The game will, however, be our first real test of our capabilities when our best players are out there and doing the biz. We have never said that we are a team of world beaters, but I haven't seen too much from the other remaining sides that suggests we are too far behind.

I'm really optimistic that we will give a good account of ourselves, which may just give us the opportunity to progress further. If we lose but doing it giving our best, then the team will still have surpassed most supporters expectations from before the tournament began.

 

[superblue24]

Watch out for the Colombians. They're a useful team.

Agreed, and a steal at 14/5 on Tuesday. We've played 2 very poor teams and a game last night I can't even describe as anything but a "friendly". We've done nothing at this World Cup, nothing.

 

[RHB]

Agreed, and a steal at 14/5 on Tuesday. We've played 2 very poor teams and a game last night I can't even describe as anything but a "friendly". We've done nothing at this World Cup, nothing.

We've actually won two group games and qualified for the knock out rounds. Hardly nothing even to an optimist like yourself.

 

[Blueronron]

FFS if we had played a strong team and Kane ,Ali got injured then all hell would break on the press and people who badly want Southgate to fail

The so called reserve team, got a full run out and whos knows they may have needed it for match sharpness, would have loved to see us win and top the group, but we did not and got the harder of the teams in Columbia, who I am happy as we will need to be top of our game, Japan totally unknown and like 1966 maybe the Korea of the tournament

This WC is wide open, we have reached the knock out stages, scored a hatful of goals v Panama and yet still moaning they are a poor side, bet if had been Brazil, you would be drooling they are class

FFS get behind England once ever four years and maybe just maybe we can dream its coming home

With supporters like some people, I'm surprised you don't wear a Brazil or German shirt to boast how WC you have won

Come on England