England Forum - FIFA World Cup 2026: Other Teams Thread

My lord the japs are technically good

 

They are but this Dutch defence seems too big and physical for them. Probably one of the best defences in the tournament.

 

The dutch team as kids

 

Neither team have any cutting edge.

 

The Dutch really look like a Southgate-managed England team.

I don't mean that in a derogatory sense, just the way they move the ball and their style of play is extremely resemblant of England under Southgate during some of the better times.

 

You're totally right, and its probably more the other way around. England under Southgate, slowly moved away from the old direct, transition-obsessed style of England and started to look more 'Dutch'.

Probably because we finally had the player profiles to play that way.

 

A nothing game so far

 

Japan should be ahead

 

Tempo is significantly down for this match compared to the Brazil and Germany games. It's a snoozefest.

 

This is reminding me a little bit of the England v Japan friendly in March, England dominated the ball and Japan scored on the counter..

 

When we complain about rashford or Gordon on the left at least we don't have gakpo

 

Part of the reason Liverpool were shit last season. Ngumoha should have played a lot more.

 

He's about as penetrative as a monk in a brothel

 

It's mental the Dutch have ended up here when you consider the type of player they typically used to produce.

I wonder if they have any exciting attackers in the pipeline because it's been a while since they had one.

 

Xavi simons?

 

Nice player but not someone who's likely to be able to lead a World Cup winning attack in the future imo. You never know I guess though.

 

Yeah we currently have some talents who probably look more 'typically Dutch' than the current Dutch team have in their pool; like Mainoo, Nguomoha, Palmer, Bellingham and Dowman etc

Although where Southgate was trying to push England towards a more Dutch identity. Tuchel has us trying to look more 'German'.

It's a whole other topic of debate, but it's a very interesting one at that.

 

The problem is the stronger sides steal their best young players and they do t have a chance to perform together like in the Ajax days

 

Yeah I pretty much agree with your summary here but I know I’m generally quite pessimistic about England and our chances but I find myself worrying about this game with Croatia and the Ghana game. I just can’t somehow shake this uneasy feeling about those two games for some reason.

 

This gives me anxiety as a former sports bettor

 

Dutch's only real way of scoring from a set piece

 

His teenage phenom hype hasn't quite translated which is usually the case for most in that situation. Martin Odegaard is one whose lived up to the hype bestowed upon him when he was 15.

 

Japan will have to go for it now.