closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Results 1 to 39 of 39

Thread: The official "England have no hope at the World Cup" thread.

  1. #1
    Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester
    Posts
    7,722

    The official "England have no hope at the World Cup" thread.

    To all the pessimistic windbags moaning about how bad our football team is, REJOICE, for here is the thread you've been looking for!

    Instead of pouring your shite on the other threads about how England "probably won't make it through the group stages" or "Definitely won't make the knockouts, and even if we did we'd probably go out on penalties", please feel free to leave your ramblings below.

    The thread will also double as the "I don't watch football, it's like watching paint dry" thread. (super interesting, by the way - why did you open a thread about F****NG FOOTBALL YOU DOPEY ****ER????)

    Just to save the rest of us who enjoy the spectacle a couple of months of moaning, please PLEASE leave your bile in this thread, where it can be contained and (hopefully) deleted after the World Cup has finished.

    To the rest of the footie fans of the forum who have a little bit of hope and a good dollop of National Pride, see you on the other threads.

  2. #2
    Master Seiko7A38's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    S.W. England
    Posts
    4,438

    Yawn

    Quote Originally Posted by kevkojak View Post
    The thread will also double as the "I don't watch football, it's like watching paint dry" thread.
    Count me in - Promise I won't bother opening it EVER again, Kev !

    And I quote:

    I'll follow that first paragraph by openly stating that I am not a fan of the so-called 'beautiful' game of English Football (Soccer) and especially not of the ludicrously overpaid primadonnas that play it and the morons that follow it so slavishly.
    Last edited by Seiko7A38; 16th May 2018 at 12:06. Reason: OK I lied - edited to add quote from my forum

  3. #3
    I’m one of your pessimistic windbags, but I’m still looking forward to it: excitement, some jubilation and the inevitable trauma. There’s always surprises and giant-killers, let’s hope it’s England that pull off the shocks this time.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    It is most bewildering is that there is always some kind of expectation that England might do well or are realistic competitors - what is this based on? Having the richest football history? Winning it once half a century ago? What?

    The squads England have had over the last few tournaments have been objectively worse than the 4/5 usual suspects and even less so have they had any sense of 'team' to compensate.

    There really is a comical level of delusion at times like this.

    Very much looking forward to the spectacle in general though and seeing some high quality and/or interesting matches.

  5. #5
    Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester
    Posts
    7,722
    Quote Originally Posted by Complex View Post
    It is most bewildering is that there is always some kind of expectation that England might do well or are realistic competitors - what is this based on? Having the richest football history? Winning it once half a century ago? What?

    It is more bewildering to me that people in England write England off before the tournament has even started, despite a formidable run in the qualifiers (8 wins and 2 draws) and a reasonable run in the recent friendlies.
    All this despite a lot of shuffling team and formation (which is the purpose of friendies after all!) and whole lot of uncertainty with squad selection with some "wet behind the ears" players making their international debuts.

    We're by no means the favourites by a long way, but neither are we the rank outsiders.

  6. #6
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    352
    I think the current level of expectation is quite refreshing. I don't think the current squad is drastically worse than what has been to tournaments in the recent past but the level of expectation is generally a lot lower.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    I actually think with the very low expectations England could get to the Quarter-finals the only concern is of the superb u-19s,U-17s,etc.,not many of those are first teamers or getting even decent playing time unless they drop down divisions.

  8. #8
    Squad announced
    Quote Originally Posted by BBC
    Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley).

    Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Kyle Walker, John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Leicester), Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Phil Jones, Ashley Young (Manchester United).

    Midfielders: Eric Dier, Dele Alli (both Tottenham Hotspur), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Fabian Delph (Manchester City), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).

    Forwards: Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) Harry Kane (Tottenham).

    Standby: Tom Heaton, James Tarkowski (Burnley), Lewis Cook (Bournemouth), Jake Livermore (West Brom) and Adam Lallana (Liverpool).

  9. #9
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    North and South.
    Posts
    30,575
    Personally I've been stocking up on paint and decent quality brushes for a while, ready to slap it on and watch that 'bad boy' dry.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Complex View Post
    It is most bewildering is that there is always some kind of expectation that England might do well or are realistic competitors - what is this based on? Having the richest football history? Winning it once half a century ago? What?
    Usually based on having a decent squad of individually talented players that have performed well, week in week out in the most competitive league in the world. Unfortunately when these players put the England shirt they don't seem to play well together. And we've yet to final a National Team manager that can solve that problem.

  11. #11
    Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Berks
    Posts
    2,031
    Yawn

  12. #12
    Master
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    By the TOLL Road
    Posts
    4,987
    Blog Entries
    1
    We (England) are shite and won’t make it out the group, it’s what we do

  13. #13
    Grand Master mart broad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    12,033
    Blog Entries
    5
    Watching England is like buying a lottery ticket you are always hopeful but deep down inside you know that it will end up in the bin

  14. #14
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    East Sussex
    Posts
    15,915
    Quote Originally Posted by kevkojak View Post
    It is more bewildering to me that people in England write England off before the tournament has even started, despite a formidable run in the qualifiers (8 wins and 2 draws) and a reasonable run in the recent friendlies.
    All this despite a lot of shuffling team and formation (which is the purpose of friendies after all!) and whole lot of uncertainty with squad selection with some "wet behind the ears" players making their international debuts.

    We're by no means the favourites by a long way, but neither are we the rank outsiders.
    We went in to Euro 16 with ten straight wins and look where that got us!

  15. #15
    Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    End of the world
    Posts
    3,460
    Blog Entries
    9
    England general always do well in qualifying but then.....

    No huge superstar names this time, have a feeling they might surprise people.

  16. #16
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    sussex uk
    Posts
    15,483
    Blog Entries
    1
    oh, i see Eddie has appointed a moderator.......oh wait...........

  17. #17
    Master MakeColdplayHistory's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    5,870
    It's our year, boys and girls.
    We're going to win it, I know it. Don't ask me how but I do.

  18. #18
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Wakefield, West Yorkshire
    Posts
    22,498
    I pay little attention to football thesedays, but at the age of 60 I`m able to remember England winning in '66 and the euphoria surrounding it. Over the years my interest in football has gradually waned, but I remember Mexico '70 when there was a very high level of expectation, we genuinely believed England would win. As the years have gone by the memory of England winning has diminished and realistically we've rarely had much chance. Despite doing well in '90 we never really looked like a good side, but losing on penalties to the Germans was unfortunate to say the least. 2006 was the best opportunity in my opinion, probably the best squad we've sent to a World Cup, but as we all know it just didn`t happen.

    I can`t see England making much impact this time. This may upset the purists but I question the relevance of international football thesedays, do we still believe it really is the highest level in the game? Real Madrid or Manchester City would probably beat any international side, club football has reached a higher level than international in my opinion, and it's a whole lot more entertaining too.

    I`ll be glad when the World Cup's over, I don`t find all the flag-waving appealing, it's what I call the 'Engerland' culture and it isn`t pretty. It wasn`t like that in '66!

    Paul

  19. #19
    Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester
    Posts
    7,722
    Quote Originally Posted by seadog1408 View Post
    oh, i see Eddie has appointed a moderator.......oh wait...........

    No no, just another member with the fantastical ability to........ create new threads. It's mind-blowing.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Complex View Post
    It is most bewildering is that there is always some kind of expectation that England might do well or are realistic competitors - what is this based on? Having the richest football history? Winning it once half a century ago? What?

    The squads England have had over the last few tournaments have been objectively worse than the 4/5 usual suspects and even less so have they had any sense of 'team' to compensate.

    There really is a comical level of delusion at times like this.

    Very much looking forward to the spectacle in general though and seeing some high quality and/or interesting matches.
    Where is this expectation you talk about? Has anyone said England will win the world cup?

    What I find more comical is this deluded notion amongst the other home nations that England fans getting excited about the world cup and waving a few flags apparently means we think we're dead certs to win it.
    Last edited by watchcollector1; 16th May 2018 at 20:19.

  21. #21
    Master Wolfie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Leicester
    Posts
    7,086
    Blog Entries
    1
    More my kind of thread

    I haven’t given a flying fiddlestick about England since Italia 90 (maybe Euro 96?)

    I will watch it of course, but, don’t have any expectation and don’t feel at all excited... I have no connection to this side and feel ambivalent at best...

  22. #22
    Master
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    By the TOLL Road
    Posts
    4,987
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by walkerwek1958 View Post
    I pay little attention to football thesedays, but at the age of 60 I`m able to remember England winning in '66 and the euphoria surrounding it. Over the years my interest in football has gradually waned, but I remember Mexico '70 when there was a very high level of expectation, we genuinely believed England would win. As the years have gone by the memory of England winning has diminished and realistically we've rarely had much chance. Despite doing well in '90 we never really looked like a good side, but losing on penalties to the Germans was unfortunate to say the least. 2006 was the best opportunity in my opinion, probably the best squad we've sent to a World Cup, but as we all know it just didn`t happen.

    I can`t see England making much impact this time. This may upset the purists but I question the relevance of international football thesedays, do we still believe it really is the highest level in the game? Real Madrid or Manchester City would probably beat any international side, club football has reached a higher level than international in my opinion, and it's a whole lot more entertaining too.

    I`ll be glad when the World Cup's over, I don`t find all the flag-waving appealing, it's what I call the 'Engerland' culture and it isn`t pretty. It wasn`t like that in '66!

    Paul
    I was 11 and remember 66 very well, those players were hero’s. By the way, we lost one of the team this week, a great full back Ray Wilson

  23. #23
    Master tiny73's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Back in Blighty
    Posts
    3,963
    But we’ve already won this sometime in the past and therefore have it for ever, no? I thought the last 50 years of competitions were merely ceremonial for the other fellas?

  24. #24
    Apprentice
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    London
    Posts
    5
    Quote Originally Posted by Scottd View Post
    I think the current level of expectation is quite refreshing. I don't think the current squad is drastically worse than what has been to tournaments in the recent past but the level of expectation is generally a lot lower.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I dont know - man for man it's a noticeably weaker squad than the 'golden balls' generation and they couldn't do very much!

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by JohnGeorge View Post
    I dont know - man for man it's a noticeably weaker squad than the 'golden balls' generation and they couldn't do very much!
    Did you read the interview with Rio F? There wasn’t much team unity amongst the players from the big clubs and the coaches weren’t up to scratch: Sven E, Steve Mc., Fabio C.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  26. #26
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    352
    Quote Originally Posted by BillyCasper View Post
    Did you read the interview with Rio F? There wasn’t much team unity amongst the players from the big clubs and the coaches weren’t up to scratch: Sven E, Steve Mc., Fabio C.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Was a lot of picking individuals without any thought of how they would operate as team instead of looking for a cohesive unit.

    I still feel a lot of the 'golden balls' generation were overrated as well. Performing to a high level in your home league does not necessarily make you world class.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  27. #27
    Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Felixstowe, UK
    Posts
    1,309
    Quote Originally Posted by Chicken Pox View Post
    Squad announced
    Cahill, Stones, Jones = not the faintest chance of progressing past Germany in the quarters


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  28. #28
    Grand Master jwg663's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    21.5 km From Moscow
    Posts
    16,881
    Quote Originally Posted by JohnGeorge View Post
    I dont know - man for man it's a noticeably weaker squad than the 'golden balls' generation and they couldn't do very much!

    I reckon that seven or eight of the squad are no more than makeweights.


    (I know that's what a 'squad' is, BTW. Good players mixed with, ahem, less-good. There seems to an over-abundance of the latter, IMO.)
    Last edited by jwg663; 17th May 2018 at 10:46.
    ______

    ​Jim.

  29. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Scottd View Post
    Was a lot of picking individuals without any thought of how they would operate as team instead of looking for a cohesive unit.

    I still feel a lot of the 'golden balls' generation were overrated as well. Performing to a high level in your home league does not necessarily make you world class.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    To be fair though some of those players also performed at a high level in European club competition.

  30. #30
    Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Lancashire
    Posts
    2,562
    I will also use this thread for F1 as that is also like watching paint dry...

  31. #31
    Banned
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Peterborough
    Posts
    2,841
    Blog Entries
    1
    Although I don't really do football these days, I will support my national team as for as long as they remain in the competition... and then I will switch my allegiance to Iceland who have the most impressive fans ever.

    FWIW, I think we may have a chance of doing quite well. Gareth Southgate has made a brave decision to take players who are currently performing well for their clubs rather than a bunch of prima donnas who think they belong in the squad because their egos say so. I don't even know who half of the squad even are, but I'd much rather that they were selected on merit than being part of the boys' club.

    I will still laugh at the w##nkers who put bloody En-ger-laaaand flags on their cars, though
    tw#ts.

  32. #32
    Journeyman
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Cardiff, UK
    Posts
    105
    I would like to wish England good luck in the World Cup...but I'm Welsh and bitter that we didn't make it!

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  33. #33
    I was going to say that no hope is harsh...then I realised this wasn’t a rugby thread! Couldn’t care less about football. Glad I can continue to avoid all related threads 👍🏻

  34. #34
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Manchester,UK
    Posts
    627
    Cool

    I am a fervent English fan but title is right.

    Sigh 😔

  35. #35
    Master Steve748's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    2,053
    Quote Originally Posted by BillyCasper View Post
    Did you read the interview with Rio F? There wasn’t much team unity amongst the players from the big clubs and the coaches weren’t up to scratch: Sven E, Steve Mc., Fabio C.
    It must have been so painful to be all matey with the guy you were trying like **** to kick the shit out of.. only a couple of weeks before....

  36. #36
    Grand Master Rod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Co. Durham
    Posts
    10,239
    I'm not an ardent fan of football but I'll watch a World Cup, it's only every 4 years.
    England? well the 66 team had the passion and not the money, the 2018 team have the money but not the passion. That gets knocked out of them at school now. I've no high expectations of them but I hope they do well.

  37. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by chrisparker View Post
    Usually based on having a decent squad of individually talented players that have performed well, week in week out in the most competitive league in the world. Unfortunately when these players put the England shirt they don't seem to play well together. And we've yet to final a National Team manager that can solve that problem.
    Fair enough. However in the context of the competition (as in, the obvious favourites for the World Cup) I would not regard a lot of England's first 11s of the last few years to be especially talented and more importantly they frequently have large holes in certain positions where talent is very lacking, something which the other main competitors seem to suffer a lot less.

  38. #38
    England teams are never very organised and very few players can think for themselves or adhere to a system that works, enthusiasm only gets you so far.
    It will be the usual win/lose/draw and go through second to be spanked by a proper team.

    I never understand why the fans get so gutted at never progressing to the sharp end? I mean what is different this time round? Absolutely nothing so why expect a better result?

  39. #39
    On the other hand , as I do in most of the World Cups , hope England do really , really well .........all the way up to the semi-final , where hopefully either a disallowed goal for them , an offside goal for the opponents is allowed , or penalties sees them put out .

    No other drama is quite like it .....can't wait.

    If England are put out at the group stage it will be a sh!te World Cup

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information