England's simply cannot win the World Cup...

[NR_Royal]

I've just realised that we would have by far the most difficult route to the final if we are to win tomorrow.*

Assuming we win against Germany, we are likely to face Argentina (who should beat Mexico) in the quarters.
Assuming we win that match, we are then likely to face Spain (who should beat Portugal and probably Paraguay) in the semis.
Assuming we win that match, we are then likely to face Brazil in the final (who should beat Chile, Holland and Uruguay).

That is a mental set of potential fixtures. Having to beat Germany, Argentina, Spain and Brazil is a monumental task.





*Of course, should we lose tomorrow, then this can we well and truly disregarded...

[PEARCEY]

At least you scored 2 goals in the group stages

Whichever route you look at would be hard. You could have played Ghana tonight. Would you have won? I'm not so sure. Then Uruguay in the Q'F's...a real dark horse of a side. From what I've seen of Uruguay I think they would have beaten England..but say you won that it would then be Brazil in the semi-final in all likelihood and maybe Spain in the final. There really isn't much in it either way.

[Rex]

Weeeeellll that is a given. Meat and potato football set up to absorb and limit other teams. No wing play and no clearly defined goal scorer who is on top of his game.

Too much chest beating going on could be fun tomorrow.

*drives over the broken hearts and flags laying in the road.

[readingfc13]

Anyone else not that impressed with Brazil thus far?

[Arch]

I'm impressed with their ability to score really good goals. Argentina have certainly been more complete.

[cmonurz]

Anyone else not that impressed with Brazil thus far?

Said like a true England supporter.

They might not have gone right through the gears yet, but even so, their touch on the ball, passing, pace and flair is light years ahead of the England side, or of much else in the tournament, imho. They remain one of the favourites to win.

[Ian Royal]

Ghana & Uruguay wouldn't really worry me significantly. Good, but very beatable for us IMO.

England simply don't have the mental strength to face top team after top team and beat them all. Seriously. We'd have to beat teams with a grand total of about 10 or 11 world cup titles between them AND the pre-tournament favourites.

Not beating the US or Algeria and only scoring one against Slovenia is really going to haunt us in what looks like it's going to have been a tournament so perfect as to have almost been designed to give England about the easiest route to the Final we're ever likely to see.

[FiNeRaIn]

Anyone else not that impressed with Brazil thus far?

Said like a true England supporter.

They might not have gone right through the gears yet, but even so, their touch on the ball, passing, pace and flair is light years ahead of the England side, or of much else in the tournament, imho. They remain one of the favourites to win.

Agreed.

[Jackson Corner]

It makes me laugh after 3 totally inept performances in an easy group they are going to turn in to world beaters 4 days later?

[FiNeRaIn]

It makes me laugh after 3 totally inept performances in an easy group they are going to turn in to world beaters 4 days later?

Its not until the world cup comes around you truly realise why everyone dislikes us from the other home nations so much. England fans are amongst the worst on earth, the press is the worst on earth and to top it off we have we have a bunch of dicks as our players making comments about peoples " cup finals", moaning at their own fans ( rooney) and failing to turn up due to confidence issues when so called lesser teams manage it fine. Our players are only worsened by France but at least their generation won things.

Out come the papers and posters babbling on about world wars when everyone else has got over it years ago and the Germany/England rivalry is reminiscent of Qpr/Chelsea. We hate them far more than the other way around, its kind of sad.

Expect to get knocked out tomorrow and then have riots in various city's and towns round England. Joy.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Well if England were to win the WC this year they would have proved beyond doubt they are the best rather than sneaking into the final with a load of easy games like the Germans did in 2002 before losing to the first difficult team they played.

Still as we know we aren't the best and will most likely not even get beyond half time today before the run is as good as over.

Brazil v Argentina final for me.

[boycey]

It makes me laugh after 3 totally inept performances in an easy group they are going to turn in to world beaters 4 days later?

Its not until the world cup comes around you truly realise why everyone dislikes us from the other home nations so much. England fans are amongst the worst on earth, the press is the worst on earth and to top it off we have we have a bunch of dicks as our players making comments about peoples " cup finals", moaning at their own fans ( rooney) and failing to turn up due to confidence issues when so called lesser teams manage it fine. Our players are only worsened by France but at least their generation won things.

Out come the papers and posters babbling on about world wars when everyone else has got over it years ago and the Germany/England rivalry is reminiscent of Qpr/Chelsea. We hate them far more than the other way around, its kind of sad.

Expect to get knocked out tomorrow and then have riots in various city's and towns round England. Joy.

LOL. Did you have to put down the Daily Mail while writing that?
What a load of shite.
Enjoy the match,

[Maguire]

It's the last 16 in the world FFS - the game's are supposed to be difficult!

Of course we probably won't win but we have a chance. This is tournament football and anything can happen (Spain 0-1 Switzerland FFS). Just got to take every game as it comes - I bet there are some upsets somewhere down the line so the semi-final line-up isn't what you think it'll be anyway.

[NR_Royal]

It's the last 16 in the world FFS - the game's are supposed to be difficult!

Of course we probably won't win but we have a chance. This is tournament football and anything can happen (Spain 0-1 Switzerland FFS). Just got to take every game as it comes - I bet there are some upsets somewhere down the line so the semi-final line-up isn't what you think it'll be anyway.

FFS. FFS. FFS.

[LUX]

I reckon we'll scrape it today. Cannot wait. Might do a raiding party into Germany if we do. Definitely won't if we go out

[sheshnu]

Every team at this World Cup is capable of losing to any other. I don't really care if England win the thing or not, but to write them off and at the same time tip Uruguay as 'dark horses' or Brazil as potentially quite good when they haven't really shown anything yet strikes me as just knocking England for the sake of it. Even the amazing Argentina haven't played anybody good yet and Mexico have it in them to beat them; if the World Cup was played on paper every year then we all know who would win before the tournament even started. Germany are bricking it at the prospect of playing England, and the Argies (or Mexico!) are not looking forward to playing the winner at all.

Just hope the best team on the day wins, and that there are some entertaining matches along the way. Nothing will ever rival Zidane's headbutt, but we might see some good goals and a bit of drama.

[Maguire]

I reckon we'll scrape it today. Cannot wait. Might do a raiding party into Germany if we do. Definitely won't if we go out

I love your pro-England stance and how at odds it is with your general HNA persona.

*no homo*

[Ian Royal]

Every team at this World Cup is capable of losing to any other. I don't really care if England win the thing or not, but to write them off and at the same time tip Uruguay as 'dark horses' or Brazil as potentially quite good when they haven't really shown anything yet strikes me as just knocking England for the sake of it. Even the amazing Argentina haven't played anybody good yet and Mexico have it in them to beat them; if the World Cup was played on paper every year then we all know who would win before the tournament even started. Germany are bricking it at the prospect of playing England, and the Argies (or Mexico!) are not looking forward to playing the winner at all.

Just hope the best team on the day wins, and that there are some entertaining matches along the way. Nothing will ever rival Zidane's headbutt, but we might see some good goals and a bit of drama.

Only in so far as Brazil are capable of losing to Team Hob Nob with me in goal.

[From Despair To Where?]

It makes me laugh after 3 totally inept performances in an easy group they are going to turn in to world beaters 4 days later?

Its not until the world cup comes around you truly realise why everyone dislikes us from the other home nations so much. England fans are amongst the worst on earth, the press is the worst on earth and to top it off we have we have a bunch of dicks as our players making comments about peoples " cup finals", moaning at their own fans ( rooney) and failing to turn up due to confidence issues when so called lesser teams manage it fine. Our players are only worsened by France but at least their generation won things.

Out come the papers and posters babbling on about world wars when everyone else has got over it years ago and the Germany/England rivalry is reminiscent of Qpr/Chelsea. We hate them far more than the other way around, its kind of sad.

Expect to get knocked out tomorrow and then have riots in various city's and towns round England. Joy.

LOL. Did you have to put down the Daily Mail while writing that?
What a load of shite.
Enjoy the match,

Seems to me Finerain was writing about attitude rather than ability and from where I'm sitting, he's spot on.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Anyone else not that impressed with Brazil thus far?

Said like a true England supporter.

They might not have gone right through the gears yet, but even so, their touch on the ball, passing, pace and flair is light years ahead of the England side, or of much else in the tournament, imho. They remain one of the favourites to win.

I agree they are far ahead of England (Algeria's passing and movement was ahead of England's) but I don't agree about their passing and flair being ahead of everyone else as well. Germany were far more impressive v Australia than Brazil were against North Korea, for example. Argentina are just as impressive. Spain had a scare, but still look very talented.

This Brazil team doesn't even play with flair. It's a team based around strong defense, that happens to have a lot of talent up front. And that really is the difference at this world cup.

It will be a big shock if the winner comes outside those four, but all four are beatable. Whether England can beat any of them is a different matter. I doubt it personally. We have no width. We can't play long or cross with this ball. And we struggle through not knowing the kind of short passing game to pass through a defence.