R16 July 3 Colombia v. England [R]

I hope you're right Kev, I hope you're right. My wife thinks the same as you and she's always right.

 

Maybe but there are so many teams in the way that can stop them.

I think they will win this game and I tip them for the final but I don't think they will win.

Brazil or France can still beat them and Pickford hasn't been great at the back. Uruguay can beat them as well and we aren't even talking about Croatia or Colombia.

 

England have to put their money where their mouth is.

 

Its no longer 1984.

 

This is a crazy World Cup... any other World Cup, I'd say England, but given this one... here it goes, Columbia to win!

Erm, I mean Colombia

 

The reason people think that England and English fans are arrogant is because they can read English. Perhaps they don't fully understand English humour either (all the It's coming home memes are jokes even the original 1996 song lyrics were pessimistic). If they could read a number of other languages they might form a similar or worse opinion of those who speak them. I can think of several nations who have a much greater sense of entitlement to win.

This is an intriguing game tonight. I'm nervous as hell.

 

Its a 50/50 game..it comes down to the best 2 players on the pitch, kane and james (if he plays) which ever one of those 2 gets the best service wins. Though im not sure how colombia will deal with the movement of lingard and ali. Both could find massive holes in the colombia defence. Im terrified of the height of mina at set peices and the long range shooting of james. If only we had a tony adams at the back. Also tonight sterling HAS to finally turn up. Im going for 2-1 either way

 

Hmm i hope England wins today!
Europe in my heart.

 

England under Southgate looks radically different. In the group stage, they have been effective attacking unit, flexible and well balanced. They are better as a team, workrate and positional discipline plus Harry Kane probably the most clinical finisher in the box at the moment, he's full on, has a great first touch, but they are facing a bit more experienced and skillful team. Colombia have more capable players in their team individually in Quintero, Falcao, Cuadrado and James (might miss this match).

Should be an interesting match.

 

With a fully fit James I would fancy Colombia to get to the final. Without him I think they are slight outsiders against England. I predict 1-0 win England although I root for Colombia.

 

After extra time.

 

I doubt that we're gonna use him; frankly, it's stupid how much we have been in the dark about his injury and frankly if they still haven't announced his status and wait until the last minute, it's not worth risking him at all.

Long term investment is letting him rest and let Quintero continue doing his job for him

 

I think people are focusing a bit too much on James. (Which is understandable since he is a fantastic player who when healthy is the best creative midfielder on the planet in my eyes.)

However, we have a secret weapon who has not played much in this tournament who may get some minutes if James is out. Luis Muriel is pretty darn good on the left wing. He was running up and down the field against a team like Barca in la Liga and made them very nervous. He also was a reason why Colombia defeated France in France.
After facing back lines like Barca and France and making them look bad at times with his pace and his dribbling I am certain he is not afraid of the relatively inexperienced English back line.

I hope he shows the world what he can do tonight.

 

You know, I never finished our match with Senegal and didn't know how he played.

 

Showed a lot of hustle and heart out there. Shot the ball that lead to a corner. Was a menace to their back line when they tried to pass the ball out.
Did not have good chemistry with the guys out there though (understandable since he did not play since the France match) and Senegal was very organized when he tried to attack.

 

You're getting repped by England fans, with good reason. People around the world (in the US particularly, given the common language as you say) seem to think that the UK tabloid media is a true reflection of average England fans. Those papers trade on hype, outrage and xenophobia. One of them is famously boycotted in Liverpool because of how it covered the Hillsborough disaster. That is, real football fans in opposition to the messages coming from the tabloids.

Anyway, should be a fascinating finely balanced game. Hope both teams live up to their potential.

 

Curious to see how the colombian backline will handle the speed of kane delle alli sterling and lingard and then rashford vardy

 

No the reason people think that English fans are arrogant is that up until about five years ago, they were. Frankly, it's true, England is actually lovable now, which is kind of a shock.

 

Not true..we have always been realists..the media try to speak for the fans and they dont..i have never met anyone who thought we were serious contenders since 1990. We have had some great teams like 98..06..but we have never had luck. Even though most are optimistic tonight we just know england will blow it

 

England is Sweden's familiar team and easier to play with...

 

I predict England 4 Colombia 1. Kane, Alli, stones and Sterling to score for England and Falcao for Colombia. Colombia won’t be able to handle the movement of Sterling, Kane, Alli or Lingard.

Colombia also have davinson Sanchez and Mina, who are clumsy centre backs so I can see them being sent off

 

Nope, last time England fans thought we were any good was 2004 and 2006. 2010 we thought we were average at best. Media is always behind the curve as they just repeat what has worked for them before. Until it doesn't and they have to work out why. They're in their own bubble and a lot of the people on the news side of things aren't football fans. Social media might give them a bit of a heads up now but they probably just follow themselves like a snake eating its tail.

I do understand American fans thinking some are arrogant when dismissing MLS and USMNT. I thought the US fans in Brazil were great but that is just me.

 

No james not even on bench

 

Stereotypical nonsense, if you want 'arrogance' then I suggest you look at all the 'boards' on this website, Italians seem the most arrogant to me but even then to claim that a nation is 'arrogant' is arrogance itself and if anything somewhat xenophobic! The English suffer BY FAR from the most xenophobic comments on this whole bloody site.

 

If I am not mistaken history shows that Sweden is if anything Englands 'bogey' side.