#59 Sweden 0-2 England - Quarter Finals

[S-H]

Going to be very interesting. Sweden have been incredible with at very weak side on paper. It’s going to be tight, and definately not a stroll for England. The English arrogance never denies itself.....

So predicting or wanting our national team to win, is arrogance?

No one seriously thinks it'll be a stroll, we are English, we are pessimists, but so what if they did, its harmless optimism, not arrogance.

[fmgod]

Sterling needs to be dropped and if Ali plays he needs to be basically upfront for when Kane drops deep, he was sort of out on the left yesterday most of the time that didn't suit him.

Got to get tight on Forsberg, boy is a player, like a Kevin De Bruyne light,

[Patito]

Their back 4 absolutely love defending you can tell watching them. It will be very difficult to break them down, could be 0-0 after 120 mins then penalties as their strikers are pretty average. Can't see us getting much change out of them at set pieces either they are a big side and strong in the air.

[e17]

Sterling needs to be dropped and if Ali plays he needs to be basically upfront for when Kane drops deep, he was sort of out on the left yesterday most of the time that didn't suit him.

Got to get tight on Forsberg, boy is a player, like a Kevin De Bruyne light,

I was just about to say I’d drop Ali, not Sterling.

Aside from his confidence issue with scoring, I actually thought Sterling was one of the more lively options yesterday. We operate far better when he’s in there, as he consistently drags players with him when he’s on the pitch.

Ali on the other hand simply does not look fit.

[fmgod]

I was just about to say I’d drop Ali, not Sterling.

Aside from his confidence issue with scoring, I actually thought Sterling was one of the more lively options yesterday. We operate far better when he’s in there, as he consistently drags players with him when he’s on the pitch.

Ali on the other hand simply does not look fit.

It's a hard one as Ali on the left wing is a complete waste/doesn't work but Ali infront of/in behind /Kane is where he plays week in week out

Sterling is always "lively", it's just what he actually does.

As I said last night it's just gutting we don't have one upper level midfielder like a James, Modric, even an Isco etc who has that knack of playing vital passes or scoring long balls.

[S-H]

I was just about to say I’d drop Ali, not Sterling.

Aside from his confidence issue with scoring, I actually thought Sterling was one of the more lively options yesterday. We operate far better when he’s in there, as he consistently drags players with him when he’s on the pitch.

Ali on the other hand simply does not look fit.

Completely agree.

[Puff Daddy]

They pose no attacking threat and they know that. So, they will pack the and defence and midfield by putting 10 men behind the ball and rely on a set piece of their own

[fmgod]

They pose no attacking threat and they know that. So, they will pack the and defence and midfield by putting 10 men behind the ball and rely on a set piece of their own

A little bit harsh on them? I haven't watched all their matches but scored against Germany, stuck 3 past Mexico and one past Switzerland last night

[Voronin]

So predicting or wanting our national team to win, is arrogance?

No one seriously thinks it'll be a stroll, we are English, we are pessimists, but so what if they did, its harmless optimism, not arrogance.

I’ve seen loads of people saying you will breeze past us. We’ve eliminated Holland, Italy and Germany so far. And beaten France, no team has had an easy game against us, and you surely won’t. Of course you are favourites to win on saturday, but you’ll need to perform a lot better to back upp all this ”it’s coming home” business.
Anyway, really looking forward to saturday, and I’m 100% certain that the Swedes will make me proud, regardless of result.

[bobcar]

Going to be very interesting. Sweden have been incredible with at very weak side on paper. It’s going to be tight, and definately not a stroll for England. The English arrogance never denies itself.....

I have to say I really haven't seen any signs of "English arrogance". There was some OTT optimism in the non sporting media after the victory over Panama but most people recognised that match for what it was.

The way the penalty shoot out victory was celebrated was certainly not arrogance, arrogance would have been expecting to go through and underestimating the opposition.

[nickkarkie]

Sterling's technique is shocking, it just negates all the pace he has and good runs he makes, surely he works on kicking the ball with his left foot and his touch. Alli just doesn't perform for England no matter where he has been played, even behind Kane, hard to figure out why, yesterday as FM says he was more inside left but still he is not getting involved enough.

[S-H]

I’ve seen loads of people saying you will breeze past us. We’ve eliminated Holland, Italy and Germany so far. And beaten France, no team has had an easy game against us, and you surely won’t. Of course you are favourites to win on saturday, but you’ll need to perform a lot better to back upp all this ”it’s coming home” business.
Anyway, really looking forward to saturday, and I’m 100% certain that the Swedes will make me proud, regardless of result.

f*** it.

I hope we smash you to pieces.

It's coming home, etc.

Vindaloo!!

[swash]

Don't think Alli has been fit since the start of the tournament, Southgate is not usually afraid of making the big decisions, but for me he's got to leave Alli out of this one.

Sterling drives us all mad, but you can't blame Southgate for having his head turned by his record at City this season, added to which Rashford always seems more effective coming off the bench than as a starter.

So I would bring in Loftus-Cheek for Alli and keep the rest of the team the same.

[Kludgehammer]

The big problem with Sterling, IMHO, is that he's been pretty good/great in an absolutely dominant side in the league, but looks really average in an average side in Internationals.

Against which, I thought he actually had some moments yesterday - drives me mad the number of times he loses the ball, usually by trying to dribble the ball through someone's leg* and then collapsing to the floor (aka "doing a Wilshire"), but he did move their defence around a bit with his pace.

Alli on the other hand, was a passenger.

I'd drop Alli and probably Stirling for the Swedes - RLC for Alli (assuming he's fit), and I might have a punt on Welbeck up front with Kane. Yes, Welbeck. I know he's been cack in the league for the last couple of years, but Rashford and Vardy had a chance with the B team against Belgium and did absolutely nothing (albeit without brilliant service), while Welbeck has history of being far better for England than his club form, which is pretty unique among England players. He also has a knack for getting in behind the defence and causing chances, which we've got no-one doing at the moment. Also, he's the last person the Swedes will be expecting, so they'll be unprepared for him

[Harry Hound]

Sterling's technique is shocking, it just negates all the pace he has and good runs he makes, surely he works on kicking the ball with his left foot and his touch. Alli just doesn't perform for England no matter where he has been played, even behind Kane, hard to figure out why, yesterday as FM says he was more inside left but still he is not getting involved enough.

I agree with this absolutely, Sterling produces very limited results and it's the end product "goals" that's important as a forward and he just doesn't score or assist enough, he also appears to be very lightweight. Lingard is far less technical but produces more and is hard-working and tenacious. Loftus-Cheek should start before either Sterling or Ali as should Welbeck.

[Harry Hound]

I might have a punt on Welbeck up front with Kane. Yes, Welbeck. I know he's been cack in the league for the last couple of years, but Rashford and Vardy had a chance with the B team against Belgium and did absolutely nothing (albeit without brilliant service), while Welbeck has history of being far better for England than his club form, which is pretty unique among England players. He also has a knack for getting in behind the defence and causing chances, which we've got no-one doing at the moment. Also, he's the last person the Swedes will be expecting, so they'll be unprepared for him

Couldn't agree more

[DasNutNock]

Going to be very interesting. Sweden have been incredible with at very weak side on paper. It’s going to be tight, and definately not a stroll for England. The English arrogance never denies itself.....

I need to correct you here - what you are talking about is not arrogance, but "perceived arrogance", and that is a reflects poorly on you, not "the English".

[Patito]

I’ve seen loads of people saying you will breeze past us. We’ve eliminated Holland, Italy and Germany so far. And beaten France, no team has had an easy game against us, and you surely won’t. Of course you are favourites to win on saturday, but you’ll need to perform a lot better to back upp all this ”it’s coming home” business.
Anyway, really looking forward to saturday, and I’m 100% certain that the Swedes will make me proud, regardless of result.

That's strange because I haven't seen a single person saying it's going to be easy etc. Are you still based in Goteborg, Voronin?

[Voronin]

That's strange because I haven't seen a single person saying it's going to be easy etc. Are you still based in Goteborg, Voronin?

I am mate. Tbf it’s mostly on twitter etc. but a few posts in this very thread suggested the same. And all this ”let’s lose to Belgium to get to the final easier” sounded quite arrogant to the rest of the world. Fwiw I like the new attitude among the young english players, they are much more fearless, and joyful to watch. Just not good enough to win.

Really looking forward to saturday!

[bobcar]

I am mate. Tbf it’s mostly on twitter etc. but a few posts in this very thread suggested the same. And all this ”let’s lose to Belgium to get to the final easier” sounded quite arrogant to the rest of the world.

That's not arrogance it's realism. Surely Swedes think that England then Croatia/Russia is easier than Brazil then France? That's not arrogance either.

Easier doesn't mean easy, easier can still be difficult.