| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! 11:03 - Jun 28 with 2747 views | unstableblue |
Another right back injury
So team for DR Congo (with their Panama FotMob ratings):
Pickford (8.0)
Spence (6.3) Konsa (7.4) Guehi (7.8) O’Reilly (7.8)
Anderson (8.0) Rice (-)
Saka (7.5) Bellingham (9.1 motm) Rashford (7.3)
Kane (7.8)
Thoughts? I quite rate Spence, and he’s looked good in some friendlies, but needs to step up now at the tournament.
Given the kick off time being at the AT&T Stadium is a big plus for England against an African nation.
For reference DR Congo FIFA rankings compared to who we have played and potential next round Mexico
9th - Mexico
13th - Croatia
41st - DR Congo
45th - Panama
65th - Ghana
Congo a nice next step to the Azteca.. build patterns and confidence |  |
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| Azteca would be 6pm local on Sunday July 5th, 1am…. on 11:17 - Jun 28 with 2662 views | unstableblue |
… Monday 6th in London
Current Mexico City weather prediction is 25c with showers (feels like 24c).. so not crazy. But that could change.
Do think Ecuador will give Mexico a match, riding on a lot of emotion.
My work here is done. [Post edited 28 Jun 11:20]
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 11:29 - Jun 28 with 2582 views | brazil1982 |
I think we will blunder to a close win against Dr. Congo and go out v Mexico. |  | | |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 11:32 - Jun 28 with 2551 views | bournemouthblue |
Ghana are ranked as low as that, wowzas! |  |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 11:41 - Jun 28 with 2516 views | unstableblue |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 11:29 - Jun 28 by brazil1982 |
I think we will blunder to a close win against Dr. Congo and go out v Mexico. |
I think we’ll have an impressive win and performance against DR Congo in the cool. The nation will start believing.
Then the cauldron of Mexico noise and rabid support will disturb us at the Azteca. Agree will be a big challenge to come through it.
Win there and England will go into an optimistic frenzy.
You need good full backs to prosper at these tournaments though. | |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 12:26 - Jun 28 with 2392 views | Trequartista |
Rashford was dreadful in the second half. Constantly gave the ball away. |  |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 12:34 - Jun 28 with 2371 views | itfcsuth |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 11:32 - Jun 28 by bournemouthblue |
Ghana are ranked as low as that, wowzas! |
Had a terrible few years, not qualifying for the last AFCON was a low point, off the back of that and then not having games to in AFCON to gain points saw them fall right down.
The squad they have is far better on paper than their ranking, but as they say, the games not played on paper. |  | | |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 12:44 - Jun 28 with 2330 views | unstableblue |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 12:26 - Jun 28 by Trequartista |
Rashford was dreadful in the second half. Constantly gave the ball away. |
Rashford a stand out player in first half though? Gave us impetus and carved two decent chances.
Agree he faded second and was error strewn.
What have you made of Jed Spence so far? Spurs mate thinks he’s been OK at World Cup. Not a bad season at Spurs, although at left back. He is meant to be a right back.
Was surprised Quansah was chosen ahead of him. We’ll need Spence to step up against these tougher teams. He does have pace. | |
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| DR Congo bring Premier Stars beyond Axel… on 13:00 - Jun 28 with 2264 views | unstableblue |
DR Congo boast significant Premier League experience in Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa, West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Burnley centre-back Axel Tuanzebe and Sunderland left-back Arthur Masuaku.
Some decent quality there. | |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 13:20 - Jun 28 with 2194 views | Ftnfwest |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 11:29 - Jun 28 by brazil1982 |
I think we will blunder to a close win against Dr. Congo and go out v Mexico. |
If we do beat Congo, which I think we’ll stumble through, it’s Mexico on their home ground or Ecuador who would have had twice the altitude prep and a warm up game in the Aztec stadium |  | | |
| DR Congo bring Premier Stars beyond Axel… on 15:06 - Jun 28 with 2069 views | C_HealyIsAPleasure |
| DR Congo bring Premier Stars beyond Axel… on 13:00 - Jun 28 by unstableblue |
DR Congo boast significant Premier League experience in Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa, West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Burnley centre-back Axel Tuanzebe and Sunderland left-back Arthur Masuaku.
Some decent quality there. |
With all due respect, Wissa was woeful all of last season, Wan-Bissaka plays for DRC as he wasn’t good enough to make the grade for England, Tuanzebe is a good Championship defender and that’s about it, and Masuaku played approx 2 games for Sunderland before being loaned out in Jan
Pretty much every team at the World Cup has a few recognisable names such is the global nature of football, however we couldn’t hope for much kinder opposition at this stage and any team with designs on winning the tournament should be winning games like this fairly comfortably
Mexico on the other hand will be a much tougher test, arguably more so than a number of the perceived bigger teams given the location
EDIT: assuming Mexico beat Ecuador of course, as another poster has rightly pointed out [Post edited 28 Jun 15:07]
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 15:08 - Jun 28 with 2049 views | Illinoisblue |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 12:26 - Jun 28 by Trequartista |
Rashford was dreadful in the second half. Constantly gave the ball away. |
More like Gashford in the second half. He and Anthony Gordon on that left hand side have been mostly average at best. |  |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 15:14 - Jun 28 with 2016 views | MK1 |
Pickford.
Spence, Konsa, Guehi, Chalobah.
Rice, Henderson.
Saka, Bellingham, Rashford.
Kane. |  |
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| DR Congo bring Premier Stars beyond Axel… on 20:09 - Jun 28 with 1790 views | unstableblue |
| DR Congo bring Premier Stars beyond Axel… on 15:06 - Jun 28 by C_HealyIsAPleasure |
With all due respect, Wissa was woeful all of last season, Wan-Bissaka plays for DRC as he wasn’t good enough to make the grade for England, Tuanzebe is a good Championship defender and that’s about it, and Masuaku played approx 2 games for Sunderland before being loaned out in Jan
Pretty much every team at the World Cup has a few recognisable names such is the global nature of football, however we couldn’t hope for much kinder opposition at this stage and any team with designs on winning the tournament should be winning games like this fairly comfortably
Mexico on the other hand will be a much tougher test, arguably more so than a number of the perceived bigger teams given the location
EDIT: assuming Mexico beat Ecuador of course, as another poster has rightly pointed out [Post edited 28 Jun 15:07]
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Very fair comments
I do think Ecuador will give Mexico one hell of a game | |
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| DR Congo bring Premier Stars beyond Axel… on 20:27 - Jun 28 with 1751 views | Perublue |
| DR Congo bring Premier Stars beyond Axel… on 20:09 - Jun 28 by unstableblue |
Very fair comments
I do think Ecuador will give Mexico one hell of a game |
Ecuador will have no issues with the altitude and have an incredible defence. Penalty win for them wouldn’t surprise me .. Mexico are worse these days than when they were generally average…. Which was always. |  |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 06:24 - Jun 29 with 1548 views | Blue_Heath |
Spence v Vinicius Jr will be interesting assuming we can beat Doctor Congo and Mexico. |  |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 07:11 - Jun 29 with 1477 views | chicoazul |
Reece James; it’s boring when people talk about my injuries
Also Reece James; injured |  |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 08:18 - Jun 29 with 1416 views | JammyDodgerrr |
Not sure if Saka is fit enough to start again, and Rashford wasn't great against Panama so wouldn't surprise me to see them go back out to the original two.
Other than that, it pretty much picks itself at this point. He does like Stones but again it's a fitness question. |  |
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| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 11:11 - Jun 29 with 1282 views | _CliveBaker_ |
I'm not especially worried about DR Congo. Credit to them, they battled to a draw against a pretty toothless looking Portugal and have done well to get through the group, but neither them or the conditions concern me. Of course anything can happen, but we should have too much for them.
James & Rice will be big players in whatever comes next (if there's to be a next) and there has to be half an eye on that on Wednesday while also putting our best foot forward. Wissa is rapid, that would be in my thinking when it comes to a back line.
I'd go with your line up, although a part of me would like to see Eze deployed on the left. He's played more in the 10 for Arsenal but he can play there and he's yet to have his say at this World Cup. He's such a dangerous player on his day. A front 4 of Saka - Bellingham - Eze and Kane has a nice ring to it, with Rashford coming off the bench. |  | | |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 13:11 - Jun 29 with 1164 views | gsoly |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 11:11 - Jun 29 by _CliveBaker_ |
I'm not especially worried about DR Congo. Credit to them, they battled to a draw against a pretty toothless looking Portugal and have done well to get through the group, but neither them or the conditions concern me. Of course anything can happen, but we should have too much for them.
James & Rice will be big players in whatever comes next (if there's to be a next) and there has to be half an eye on that on Wednesday while also putting our best foot forward. Wissa is rapid, that would be in my thinking when it comes to a back line.
I'd go with your line up, although a part of me would like to see Eze deployed on the left. He's played more in the 10 for Arsenal but he can play there and he's yet to have his say at this World Cup. He's such a dangerous player on his day. A front 4 of Saka - Bellingham - Eze and Kane has a nice ring to it, with Rashford coming off the bench. |
I think Eze's lack of pace rules that one out. He's the one Tuchel pick that doesn't seem to make much sense - a square peg in his round holes.
If we get past Mexico and Brazil then we'll be favourites IMO. Very, very tough ask. |  | | |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 14:21 - Jun 29 with 1083 views | dirtyboy |
Get past DRC and Mexico @ 7,000 feet....
That's the altitude a number of top Olympic swimmers go and train at for weeks. It's absolutely likely to have an impact.
Obviously no idea how many Mexicans are used to playing at that altitude either, but we'll want to be controlling the ball for sure! |  | | |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 16:36 - Jun 29 with 993 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 13:11 - Jun 29 by gsoly |
I think Eze's lack of pace rules that one out. He's the one Tuchel pick that doesn't seem to make much sense - a square peg in his round holes.
If we get past Mexico and Brazil then we'll be favourites IMO. Very, very tough ask. |
Potential semi vs. Argentina after that too, ouch. Mind you I'm not sure I'd fancy being on the other side either with France, Germany, Spain and Netherlands.
It's opened up nicely for the Argies. After a group of Austria, Algeria and Jordan they've now got Cape Verde. Then Australia or Egypt. Quarter final vs. 1 of Switzerland, Algeria, Ghana or Columbia. No guarantees but that's about as kind a path to a world cup semi as you could ask for. | | | |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 16:44 - Jun 29 with 972 views | gsoly |
| Quansah out, Rice rested, Rashford showing some energy.. CONGO! on 16:36 - Jun 29 by _CliveBaker_ |
Potential semi vs. Argentina after that too, ouch. Mind you I'm not sure I'd fancy being on the other side either with France, Germany, Spain and Netherlands.
It's opened up nicely for the Argies. After a group of Austria, Algeria and Jordan they've now got Cape Verde. Then Australia or Egypt. Quarter final vs. 1 of Switzerland, Algeria, Ghana or Columbia. No guarantees but that's about as kind a path to a world cup semi as you could ask for. |
Crikey, I hadn't realised that. Yeah, quite similar to 2022. And Messi - inexplicably - looks better now at 39 than he did then! | | | |
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