2018 World Cup Thread.

The screaming neighbours
England beat Colombia to reach quarter-final

.Copyright: .
So it's past 10am, you're probably still reveling in the fuzzy feeling (if you're English at least).
If you want to add a chuckle to that inner glow, maybe have a read of this piece we compiled about how the nation reacted on social media.There's some Love Island references in there, some pride, some tears, you name it.

The road ahead...

Do England need three changes for Sweden quarter-final?

4th July 2018 – by Myles Palmer

From sweetscienceN5

Hi Myles,

Really hope you are having every meal on the patio this hot summer.

Long may it continue.

Disagreed with Gareth Southgate’s post-match view that England were better than Colombia.

We staggered and spluttered over 120 minutes, then were saved by Pickford’s saves.
I think three changes are needed for the Sweden quarter-final:

Dele Alli is not fully fit, so his agility is limited, there is no spring in his step, no edge to his game.

Play the fresher Rashford instead.

Raheem Sterling runs but he is not a number 10, he works better wide for Man City.
Replace him with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has that extra bit of power and creativity we sorely missed tonight.

Kane saw too little of the ball, Ruben can remedy this.

And surely time to swap a shaky Kyle Walker for Eric Dier?

Less pace, but better defensive skills and positional sense.

Myles says :

Snacks as well as meals out there.

As I’ve got older, I’ve enjoyed summer more.

After renovating the kitchen and the back of the house in 2004, our Irish builder Jimmy joked about the patio. He said, “It’s the best room in the house.”

In autumn a dozen green parakeets come at 7pm every night to eat the pears.

England’s midfield?

We have energy and blend but not skill.

If Lingard, Alli, Henderson and Sterling could pass as well as Kieran Trippier, we would pulverise Sweden.

Trippier was by far our best player against Colombia.

I could hear Pochettino shouting, “C’mon England!”

Colombia manager Jose Pekerman angry at England players after World Cup defeat
Last Updated: 04/07/18 12:13pm

Jordan Henderson reacts following a headbutt to the chest then chin from Wilmar Barrios
Colombia manager Jose Pekerman has expressed his anger at England's players, accusing them of diving in their World Cup last-16 clash.

Gareth Southgate's side progressed to the quarter-finals after winning a penalty shootout in Moscow on Tuesday evening, but looked set win 1-0 in normal time after Harry Kane won a second-half penalty which was bitterly disputed by the Colombia players.

Yerry Mina took the game to extra-time with an injury-time equaliser, but there were several flashpoints throughout the game including a first-half altercation between Jordan Henderson and Wilmar Barrios which saw the England player go down claiming a headbutt.

And Pekerman was frustrated by the perceived antics of England's players, insisting the officials will come down more harshly on them in Saturday's quarter-final against Sweden.

"Players fall in the box, they collide and fall," he said.

"You have to try and stand in the shoes of these players. They are subject to situations which shouldn't really be present in football.

"These interruptions are bad. When there are so, so many fouls and interruptions I think that's not good.

"We have to try and find the right balance so that football can happen and the two sides can play the match with good intentions.

"We shouldn't only look at Colombian players, people should look at England players. I wish I was wrong, but I think from the next match England will be much more careful.

"Today we were on the receiving end of this but I hope it won't happen again. It's been absolutely obvious, too obvious."

He added: "I think we have to try and defend football and we should do a little more to try to prevent certain situations knowing that they may arise.

"It has been very uncomfortable to play this match knowing that feeling was in the air about refereeing decisions.

"Something is happening in football. There is a lot of confusion. What if the player falls because he fakes a fall or is being pushed by an opponent or they are trying to get the referee to book another player?"

However, England manager Gareth Southgate defended his players, arguing that Colombia committed more fouls in the game.

And he hit back at accusations that his players played with less honour than England teams of years gone by.

"Maybe we are getting a bit smarter," Southgate said.

"Maybe we are now playing some of our game by the rules the rest of the world are playing.

"I think we also kept our dignity, kept our sportsmanship and if we went down it's because we were fouled.

"I thought there were many, many fouls in the game and I don't think we conceded anywhere near the number of our opponents.

"I'm proud of the discipline. We kept our composure in a really difficult environment and we deserved to win."

Meanwhile, nobody seems to be interested in Wimbledon...

Today key matches :

1. Venus Williams v Dulgheru on Court One at 13:00

1. Karolina Pliskova v Azarenka on Centre Court at 13:00
2. Federer v Lacko second on Centre
3. Serena Williams v Tomova third on Centre

The Best of Round of 16 - A Breathless Finish

FIFATV

Published on Jul 3, 2018

Relive all of the drama from the Round of 16. What were your favourite moments? Tell us in the comments below!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The British press really described the penalty shootouts win as a very big achievement by the English boys

Bad New Brown said:

The British press really described the penalty shootouts win as a very big achievement by the English boys

Click to expand...

True, wait till they got knock out, they also getting a big achievement kana harass by their media like no tmr.
But i must say it seems england have a great chance this wc as many big football country has gone annoymous.

Bad New Brown said:

The British press really described the penalty shootouts win as a very big achievement by the English boys

Click to expand...

tiz wat u get wen engrand is in ze world cup, n overdose of boasts n exaggerations ...

if engrand is not in ze world cup, evryting wil b quiet ...

The England team is overrated just like the A1 score in Engrish of a samstress.

Rogue Trader said:

it won't be Germany. the Germans had never won anything on Russian soil for a long long time

Click to expand...

Very very true and with excellent foresight!

I am hoping the final will be Brazil and England- the Mother of all WC.
It will be a difficult choice to bet as both teams are my favourites . But my head will go to Brazil simply because they play total attacking Football . Every Brazilian player except the goalie is as good a striker as Neymar if given the chance to score .

arbitrarily and summarily deleted

no_faith said:

True, wait till they got knock out, they also getting a big achievement kana harass by their media like no tmr.
But i must say it seems england have a great chance this wc as many big football country has gone annoymous.

Click to expand...

Yes England has a very good chance of going all the way into the finals. This route provided them a lifetime opportunity to enter finals against the likes of Sweden and Russia/Croatia.

1998 lost to Argentina in the 2nd rounds.

2002 lost to Brazil in the quarters.

2006 lost to Portugal in the quarters.

2010 lost to Germany in the 2nd rounds.

2014 finished last in group stages.

If England playing against Argentina/Brazil/Germany or even Portugal, they will have no chance of progressing further.

po2wq said:

tiz wat u get wen engrand is in ze world cup, n overdose of boasts n exaggerations ...

if engrand is not in ze world cup, evryting wil b quiet ...

Click to expand...

Many sinkies are EPL fans mah ...

Wunderfool said:

I am hoping the final will be Brazil and England- the Mother of all WC.
It will be a difficult choice to bet as both teams are my favourites . But my head will go to Brazil simply because they play total attacking Football . Every Brazilian player except the goalie is as good a striker as Neymar if given the chance to score .

Click to expand...

Brazil vs England in the finals will generate stronger interests around the world.

Bad New Brown said:

Brazil vs England in the finals will generate stronger interests around the world.

Click to expand...

The current odds on Spool's website : Brazil 3.70, France & England 4.50, Belgium 6.00, Croatia 7.00, Russia 11.00, Uruguay 12.00 & Sweden 20.00.

On paper, the favourites will prevail but I reckon that there will be more twists & turns in this World Cup drama which will unfold.

Bad New Brown said:

Brazil vs England in the finals will generate stronger interests around the world.

Click to expand...

Agreed or else possible an anti climax final

Patriot said:

The current odds on Spool's website : Brazil 3.70, France & England 4.50, Belgium 6.00, Croatia 7.00, Russia 11.00, Uruguay 12.00 & Sweden 20.00.

On paper, the favourites will prevail but I reckon that there will be more twists & turns in this World Cup drama which will unfold.

Click to expand...

Agreed.
This has been one of the most unpredictable and remarkable WCs I have seen and as much as I hate Putin and the Russian government, I have to concede that Russian have put on a pretty decent effort and the actual football has been entertaining.

Germany, Spain, Portugal, Argentina,Poland already out. Belgium nearly put out by Japan. England actually winning on penalties. It's really anyone's World Cup IMHO
(and we didn't even get to see Italy, Netherlands or Chile).

I would like to see Belgium win,
or may be Uruguay win,
or may be Japan win.
But this 2018 FIFA World Cup has been very unpredictable.
There could be an upset.
As much as I do not like to see Russia win the final,
because it is their home ground, they have the advantage.