England vs. Belgium (2018 World Cup)

[Joe Jones]

Tonight England wrap up their Group G campaign at the 2018 World Cup with a clash against Belgium in Kaliningrad.

There was some anxiety beforehand about if England had to get a result to qualify against one of the most star-studded teams of the tournament, but with both sides having won both their group games so far, the pressure is very much off.

Indeed, there is now a very weird scenario in which the losing team will arguably benefit more, as they will end up in the easier of the two knockout routes, and with Group H being so weak, it's not like facing the winner of that group will be an especially taxing prospect.

So let's get your thoughts - how/where are you following the game? Who would you like Gareth Southgate to pick for his starting XI? Should England opt for a weakened team and perhaps even seek not to win (although that's very contentious ground and would lead to the team being pilloried by the press and potentially get in trouble with the FIFA overlords), or should victory always be sought?

[liampie]

i think if england lost those annoying woodwork fans will come out saying they knew the team is not good enough and how failing to win the group is shocking. i don't mind either way, i think the game will end up a draw anyway.

england need to put on a good performance, the result does not matter as much but belgium are a nothing nation.

very over hyped imo.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

Sadly I’ve got a meeting tonight so I can’t watch it live but will watch a recording around 10pm hopefully not knowing the score, so I won’t be on here until I’ve seen it or indeed anywhere on the Internet, I won’t be answering texts or phone calls just in case someone mentions it. Anyone remember the likely lads episode similar?

I reckon it’ll probably be a boring draw, I hope we keep a strong team and give a good performance to keep the momentum going.

[BromPie]

England have to win tonight, it's not about winning the group but going into the knockout stages with confidence.

I think if they lost or drawn it might impact the camp because they seem to believe in their own ability, so I would hope the defence can handle the questions asked of them by Belgium tonight.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

All England have to do is take out Belgium's impressive midfield from the game.

Press them back, retain the ball, cut them off and retrieve the ball as quickly as possible and ensure that any long balls are dealt with at the back. I think we can greatly reduce their chances if we are organised and prepared, an early goal would do our lads confidence wonders. Belgium's defence isn't as good as people claim, but from there on they an be lethal if allowed to play.

My heart says it will be a 2-2 draw, yet I think 2-0 England would be fantastic.

It's my heart v brain folks!

[Anti-Red]

Make me proud England! I want to see us top of the group especially now Germany have finished bottom of theirs!

[TM1993]

I feel quite tense and nervous, win, lose or draw I will be happy with the lads if they give 100%.

It would be great to see England top of the group and for me it would be something that would give confidence. Nobody really expected England to do what they have so far, let's see if they can convince more tonight.

2-1 is my prediction.

[super_pie]

We have proberbly lost 92 mind in.

 

[ScottyP]

Awful game, it reminded me of Notts.

No responsibility for marking, leave everything until the last minute and isolate your strikers.

[CliftonMagpie]

Neither team played that well but Belgium did better, I think England wanted to relax and avoid playing the harder teams which winning the group would have been. Some of the misses otherwise would have been criminal!

[allardyces tash]

The performance was a bit insulting to the travelling fans and yes it reminded me of Notts.

Lump the ball forward and hope for the best, rush play and just look disconnected. Gareth Southgate should not have change the squad so much, yes rest Harry Kane but stick with the 3 defenders and lone striker.

[liampie]

i think the england keeper saved us from it being worse, he played well but everyone else seemed like they had never played with each other before. it was terrible to watch. same old england!!

[TM1993]

It went wrong from start to finish but at least it was only 1-0.

I think England did well for the most part defensively because Belgium could have had at least 4, Pickford did amazing to deny them twice too. Just the worst performance you could have seen considering the amount of talent England still had on the pitch.

[Magic magpie]

Not impressed with the way we played what manager would allow his team to play like that and loose momentum.. Hodgeson retesting take the easy way and look what happens we all went to Iceland 

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

I got back home from a meeting at 10pm I didn’t know the score so I watched it as if it was live, what a waste of time, I wish I’d gone to bed!

[TheSkipper 𝕏 TheSkipperNCFC]

England failed to control the midfield and just allowed them to move forward, I do think they defended well in key parts but why we never pressured them is beyond me. I don't think Belgium looked anywhere near good enough until they made changes and Southgate killed the momentum by changing the squad so deeply. Alexander-Arnold played very badly.

All his set pieces and crosses just lead to nothing, it was very wasteful to continue letting him do it.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

I'm worried about the goalkeeper Pickford, he punched a couple of balls out back into the penalty area, on another day mistakes like that would have been punished, if he has to punch he needs to make sure it goes to the side or over the bar for a corner not straight back into the danger area.

[theMagpies]

England fans need to get right behind them in the next game, its much better that we didn't win the group because we have avoided some very big teams.

If we play in the right way, we could make the semi finals again.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

The trouble is that the further we go the bigger the disappointment when we finally get knocked out, or is that me with a half empty glass?