Another clean sheet for Pickford as England top Group B

So:
England win. They win the group and Wales are out.
Draw. England qualify. They win the group if Iran draw with USA.
England lose by up to 3 goals. They qualify. Wales qualify if Iran v USA is a draw.
England lose by 4 or 5, Wales qualify. England qualify if Iran v USA is a draw.
England lose by 6 or more. None of them ever step foot in this country again.

Had to switch BBC Breakfast off earlier than usual this morning. Even by my own grumpy standards.

If being told daily that the world is a bad place and we're all doomed isn't bad enough, watching Sally Nugent and her sidekick trying to be knowledgable about football is a painful watch.

Okay, I'll give Sally her due, she was a Sports correspondent prior to taking up the primary role. But that happy clapper next to her, who has probably never kicked a football in his life winds me. Clearly talking to his brief and notes.

Sorry. I shouldn't watch BBC Breakfast as I keep getting told.

I'm going for England (already practically through) and USA today.

I need to stop watching BBC Breakfast. It's making me sound like Darren.

It needs to be Boxing Day.

Close to my heart. I lost my mother aged 59 in 2007. We buried her 2 weeks before I went to Afghanistan. The following year, my father went. Both to cancer.

I'm always willing to give to good causes.

Lighthearted, but I give enough to the Everton cause!!

Let me know.

dannyefc26@gmail.com

Likewise Gary McKee. That there are people like this in the world makes it impossible for me to maintain my usual cynicism about the human race. Inspirational.

If the Boyo's win tonight and we get passed the mancs in the Cup then I'll gladly buy every ToffeeWebber a pint and I'll fully enjoy doing so too... believe me Blues!!

"National self-perception has also shifted noticeably in the last decade. While just 19.1% of residents identified as “British only” in 2011, that number had surged to 54.8% by 2021, largely at the expense of the “English only” identity, which collapsed from 57.7% to 14.9% in the same period."

I am wondering if the 2012 Olympics helped to boost the idea of Britishness? Also the Brexit? I have always thought of myself as English as opposed to British personally.

Zimmerman is a liability.

I like Zimmerman. He's an old fashioned CB. Berhalter wants CBs who play out of the back - not Z's strength. if not asked to do that, he's solid.

"It's called soccer!"

I'm sorry, I find that hilarious.

I'd replace Weah and put Reyna in. Happy.

DO NOT SIT ON A 1-0 LEAD FFS!!!

Ingurland AGAIN! Amazing what happens when you play Foden!

I need some of that when I wake up in the morning!

That was a tremendous reaction save. His arms were just long enough!

You Yankee boys must be getting just a little nervous. All it takes is one goal….

Final subs, Jamie.

We're now parking a bus where one doesn't need to be parked!

Dangerous stuff m'man!!!

Jamie, I didn't like seeing Zim come on either, but by my count he had eight headed clearances in 19 minutes.

I've said before, I like Zimmerman. I really do. He was immense coming on. Fantastic.

But I didn't like the tactics. We stopped trying to get forward at around the 75th. We're NOT Italy FFS! Terrible tactics. They worked though, fuck it.

With Pulisic and Sargent out, I look forward to a new look front line on Saturday. And I don't care if we get beat or not.

Let's see if we can smash Holland. That would be amazing.

Praying Pulisic recovers, we need him.

Link

However, the two best teams got through as expected and the real stuff starts now.

Senegal without Mane and now Gueye for the next game will still be a tough one. Expect a penalty shootout.

Southgate is winging it and is stubborn with his faves.

They have, as expected gone through in an easy group.

Cannot see them getting past the semifinals though.

Thank you.

If a casual watches that match and complains that "nothing happened," they'll never understand the sport.

The Dutch are tough, but beatable. We're playing with house money now. Go for it, boys!

I changed to the USA game and wished I had have watched it all. Both teams put the effort in, but USA where better. I think the USA are more likely to win World Cup than England.

I look forward to more of your fantastic posts.

1. What's inside a black hole?

2. What is dark matter made of?

3. How could Mount have been starting ahead of Foden?

I'd say #3 is the biggest mystery of all.

I see an even game for 60 minutes, and then fatigue will take over.

Because he's from London. Any time you get a half-decent Londoner, especially from Spurs but also now Chelsea, they get a free pass to the England team. Think Winks, Mason, Livermore. Northerners have to be exceptional to make the squad.

#1 collapsed atoms
#2 that's more of a mystery. Maybe the universe is awash in neutrinos
#3 Southgate has his head up his arse.

I chose to watch the USA game and record England, which turned out to be the right one.

Nationalism is fairly new to American sport outside of the Olympics. It is fun to see so many people who know little about football getting behind their team.

I saw the same phenomenon when the World Cup was last played in the US in '94. I think that really turned the game around in the US. I think the next World Cup will be massive here.

The touch-line "coaching" even drowned out the near hysterical mundanity spouted by family and friends also on the side-line.

The boys were robotically faithful to their coaches, and impressively so. Unfortunately all the coaches I saw were dead against any of their boys trying anything "off manual" by way of imaginative/exciting/thrilling football.

To me the States still embody many of those perfunctory qualities, unfortunately.

To me, Foden is our best player… but he's conditioned to (sometimes) playing at his club with as good or better players than him.

For England, that's nowhere near the case, and so I think – despite his massive talent – he may be a cause-celebre too far because of a talent that lesser players cannot assimilate with, and that's sad for him and us.

All-in-all, I think we're average contenders in terms of winning the by now well poisoned "chalice" but, given the general banality of World Cup football thus far, who knows?

My only observation was Jordan Pickford not only coming out of his 6 yard box, but actually coming out of the box in it's entirety to receive the ball.

I suspect he'll be our next sale. But I also don't know where he would go.

Amazing what can happen if the team play a higher line.

Mike @10 – done.

Kieran, you probably know my thoughts given my British Isles mongrel background and serving under the Union Flag, I'm British. No such thing as English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish passport.

Pleased for the USA. My US, well Texan, colleagues are really bought into football (real football) right now, so I'm having some good banter with them online. They're getting brave!

Texans remind me of the US equivalent of Scots. A bit like Bavarians in Germany.

It reminded me of us going away to one of the top six in the Premier League.

Zero interest in trying to win the game and almost there to simply make up the numbers.

I hate teams that do that in football, the game is about entertainment and making yourselves a hero, writing names in folklore, but that kind of mentality just stinks to high heaven.

Grouchoesque. One of your better ones

Stormzy and some Welsh rapper, and then the sudden discovery of Daf Iwan.
Then the praise for Speed and Coleman but no mention of Giggs... of course – it's Cancel Culture.

As for the game, Wales were too reliant on the old guard and Page's battle plan was to hang in and try and nick it late-on.

He should have fired them up and sent them out to go out on their shields.
England, on the other hand, are starting to gel.

I look forward to next week and Daara J rapping followed by Youssou N'Dour.

Okay, they're now at their patronising best on what an "achievement" it was for Wales. Okay, qualifying for their first World Cup in decades was an achievement. But the reality:

Draw against USA with their only goal coming from a penalty.

Bombed against the footballing giant Iran, losing 2-0.

Just didn't show up against an England team that didn't need to step up above 2nd gear.

I don't know why I do it to myself (BBC).

I guess I could say that about Everton.

Like the fool I am, I'm sat watching and listening and being told that I'm turning into a grumpy old man, aged 51. Maybe I finally am!

Is it Boxing Day yet?

Roll on Boxing Day. I only care about Everton and we are dreadful – just like England.

If you're turning into a grumpy old bugger at 51, just give it 15 years and see what they're saying...!

I keep hearing about England's "triumph" over Wales...

I don't believe it!

Thankfully in the 2nd half, England started to move the ball through the lines at pace and what a refreshing difference it made. I think this is the best squad England have had for decades and, if Southgate does eventually let them off the leash, I think this team are capable of great things.

Defensively, they are as good as any squad out here and I would think we have more options in midfield and upfront than many of our rivals. When you think Foden, Grealish, Walker, Arnold, and Rashford didn't start the first game shows the depth in this squad.

I also think Henderson makes a difference when he comes on – not only what he does but the effect he has on the other players – and you can't buy experience.

So looking forward to the game with Senegal and just hope Southgate lets them play like they did in the 2nd half. I don't think any of the other teams would relish playing this England team.

9 goals, 2 clean sheets, top of the group with qualification practically ensured ahead of the third match. A range of forwards getting goals to kick off their tournament. (Kane is just on assists at the moment but I don't think we need to worry about him.)

I think Southgate will be pretty happy with how things are going. They've done exactly what they needed to do.

Whether they're up to the sterner challenges ahead is another question, but they've given themselves every chance so far.

I'm still enjoying this World Cup, there's been enough in it to keep me interested, but the pundits have been a new level of unwatchable. And now I see they're dragging Stormzy out to lecture us about something – I don't know what, because I've taken to just turning the sound up when the teams come out onto the pitch. Half-time, it's get the kettle on; full-time, I switch off before they start spouting bollocks again.

You get more sense about the match spoken on ToffeeWeb, and that's astonishing considering what a bunch of knobheads post on here, eh?

On to the later stages, I think there is a mixed bag of decent teams. I don't see a great team, and England can win it. If they do win it, I hope they do it with style, but they can't do that with Southgate so may the best team win it.

I can never get excited watching England and I got more worked up wanting the USA to win last night than I have done for England. The thought of how the media will react to an England World Cup win is not worth thinking about after their reaction to a previous semi-final appearance, not to mention the European final one, which they lost after beating average teams to get to that position.

England have a chance. I still fancy France, Brazil or Spain, in that order. But I don't bet. However, England have a chance.

Lynn, you've just given me another reason to grumble at the BBC in the morning!!

" I don't do the England thing", I really don't get why ENGLISH born and bread don't support their national team. I don't care what sport whether its Cricket or Rugby or any other sport I always want England to win.
Have you never listened to the Irish, Welsh and Scots talk about hating England. I always find it great especially when we beat Scotland had to listen to someone playing the bagpipes this morning to celebrate St Andrews day. Yet come St Georges day nothing, in fact you would think St Patrick was the patron Saint of England the way this country goes overboard about it.

Think some are getting more like that lot across the park booing the National anthem. I would much prefer our National anthem be Jerusalem but how do you boo your own countries National anthem.

As for why a lot of the English don't do the England thing, it could be because of the politics of the past decade, which have made us pariahs to the rest of Europe.

It might not be palatable, but England and the English have raped, dominated and brutalised the other countries. England tried to erase our cultures, our native languages, our very identities. Some go on as if devolution somehow undoes those issues, ignoring that Westminster still ultimately control those other countries, in terms of their economies and foreign policies.

It stuns me when English people are amazed at the Celtic distaste for England (we do distinguish between England and the English). "We support them, why don't they like us?", completely oblivious to a long history of cruel brutality, exploitation, and present-day control.

I think the reason, for me, is England have always been very conservative when it came to selecting their players and definitely when it came to choosing the manager, it explains why Brian Clough was never chosen to manage England although it was patently obvious he was the best around at the time.

So while I don't hate the English team I find it very hard to like them and care little if they lose.

With regards to the way some of the Scots, Irish and Welsh population have a strong dislike of the English is strange when the working class population of each of the four countries is treated with disdain by whichever political party is running the country, a fact that was brought home to a good mate of mine when he was boxing for England, at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, against Scotland. He went down to the ringside for one of the early fights to support one of his team mates, he couldn't believe the abuse and the venom given to theEnglish lad. He told me, I said to myself, “ There is no way I'm getting beat tonight, they'll have to carry me out on a stretcher before I lose, when it was his turn to fight he gave his Scots opponent a battering for the three rounds it lasted to win a unanimous decision.

When it came to football,Jimmy my mate, wasn't all that fussy on England!!

I'm second generation Liverpool Irish on one side, Northern Irish Grandfather and Glaswegian Grandmother on the other. I served the Union Flag for 28 years, not St George's Cross.

England needs it's own national anthem, not stealing the UK one.

Maybe just me and the crowd I hung around with, but England was never a thing. Just Everton and Liverpool.

Without wanting to go political, I think the UK missed a trick with Devolution in the 90s. As well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the English regions should have been given their own assemblies. It's what has led to Westminster being increasingly seen as an English Parliament. And more so one that is London and south east focussed.

I didnt in any way infer that I wanted other nations to be put in their place as you put it. I was merely saying I didnt understand why Danny couldnt support our national team the way that most other countries do.

I didnt go into a political argument and being an avid socialist and have been all my life, I don't need any lessons in the terrible political decisions that our governments have under taken. And not just in the last decade as you imply but for hundreds of years. Also the Scots, Welsh and parts of Ireland were part and parcel of our colonisation of large parts of the world. Our illegal wars that people many people like Danny fought in, I don't know Dannys political views as to whether although commissioned to fight in these wars he actually agreed with them.

Personally, I hope the German people cheer for their team, just as most English people cheer for their team. Whatever their respective histories.

Germany, a country I've lived in, is a nation of states. Sixteen of them, each with their own Parliaments.

On the question as to whether I agreed with what I was sent to do. It came down to having signed on the dotted line. I didn't care for the politics, just doing the job and bringing the boys and girls home as best we could (not always unfortunately) as well as trying to make a difference to people facing real poverty, destruction, and potential oppression that we gave them respite from until we abandoned them.

Apologies for going deep.

Always baffles me how hated the English are in the year 2022 for things that happened centuries ago, days from even before our grandparents were born.

All countries have xenophobic people who moan about other nations, but I'm not sure any other country has so many people who moan so much about their own fellow-citizens.

Me, my grandparents weren't even born here, but I'm happy to support the English team, especially the lads like Rashford, Saka, Phillips, Wilson, Sterling, Rice, Grealish etc who - like me - were born in England of immigrant stock.

Obviously you don't seem to understand about the difference between socialism and communism.

Stalin wasn't a Socialist.

Maybe you can quote some Scandanavian Social Democrat Dictators?

"It stuns me when English people are amazed at the Celtic distaste for England."

This is the thing that annoys me. Anything bad that happens is the fault of the "English".

Ireland came under the control of the Normans (French) at the request of an Irish King in the 12th century.

The Reformation was started by a Welsh family (Tudors), reversed temporarily by the daughter of the King and his Spanish wife.

It was then really kicked off again by the Scottish Stewarts.

Then we had the Glorious Revolution led by a Dutch King at the behest of Scots Irish.

The USA rebelled against a German King.

Disraeli's family were Italian, Churchill's mum American, Ramsey, Balfour, MacDonald etc all Scottish prime ministers. Yet somehow everything bad is the fault of "England".

We have had a United Kingdom for hundreds of years. Regardless of devolution, we've had Welsh, Irish and Scottish parliamentarians and generals. So again, why is everything bad the fault of England?

And what even is England but a country of people who are of Saxon, Celtic, Norman, Dane, Irish, Welsh and Scottish mixed ancestry? I support England, I was born there, my Dad was, three of my Grandparents were not. Every country has its history, good or bad.

And Stalin was a Socialist.

Come on, Lyndon, it took Stones's header to give him something to do last night and against the USA.

As much as they deserved to win, I don't think Jordan had to make any saves. Maybe he will get some deserved accolades later in the tournament!!

Traditionally, England has been a nation (not nation state) that has attracted immigration, from all over the British Isles and from all over the world.

Liverpool as a city reflects this. Where I live now has a significant Polish population.

But as a nation with a population of about 58 million that is made up of a complex but healthy mix of immigrants and regional differences, it's no wonder there is indifference in some areas.

England accounts for 85% of the UK population.

Merseyside has an almost similar population to Northern Ireland but doesn't have its own regional parliament or assembly.

Not that they are capable of sorting themselves out because of bigotry.

This is his comparison to the so-called Socialist Stalin:

● Re-organization of the judicial institutions to minimize corruption;
● Introduction of state-owned grain storages to balance out the grain price;
● Assignment of farmland to peasants;
● Re-organization and reduction of the army;
● University reforms;
● Reform of the state-owned medical institutions.

Other reforms included the abolition of capital punishment for theft.

I don't understand the rationale about England's demographics being a reason for people not to support the team. You could say the same for any country really. Switzerland for example Italian, French and German now with huge numbers from other nations. America, various natives peoples and immigrants from around the world. Belgium, Franks, French, Dutch, Germanic now with lots of African immigrants. Germany, has only been a country for 150 years and it's borders have changed several times with a mix of Poles, French, Scandinavians, now a healthy contingent of Turks and Syrians. But people support the national football teams in these countries and don't have some artificial rationale that doing so is someone wrong because Marseille has a lot of Tunisians, or Miami has a lot of Cubans.

One thing:

Kieran -

The USA rebelled against a German King

Explain that one to me, please. Are you referring to Hitler and WWII?

If so, ok. I assumed you were referring to our Independence, and we certainly didn't win that fighting a German King!

Those Irish boys who dumped tea in the hah-buh? They didn't throw any bratwurst! 😜

I am referring to the German Hannover dynasty that ruled England and America.

Interesting post. I don't believe this indifference towards England games was prevalent before Sky TV came along. I remember the country came to a halt in 66. I also remember everybody being gripped by world cups in Mexico (70) Argentina (78). We also went mad for Italia 90.

I think the problem with English Football fans is, we simply cant put aside our differences.. Particularly in the North. We spend all season hating upon players from other clubs and we find it impossible to support them when they are on international duty. I distinctly remember feeling a bit sick when Slippy G scored a goal against Germany.
"We" won 5-1 (I think) against our so called sworn enemy and every Evertonian I know was walking around with a gob like a smacked arse.

When Victoria succeeded to the throne, the association ended as Hanover wouldn't accept a female.

Hanover later went to become part of the Prussian dominated drive to unify many separate states as what we now call Germany.

I'll maintain my view and consistency. I have no British team to follow. I'm a proud UK citizen. But English? Never felt it.

Everton. Yes.

It also brought out the decision that all FA Cup semi-finals were to played there instead of more neutral grounds with reasonable travel for the 4 teams' supporters to travel. Instead, it is now just an advantage for London teams' supporters.

Sounds like The River Plate Stadium!

I am a bit confused. When I was growing up in the '80s, England played all their games at Wembley. More recently, since they built the New Wembley we've seen games shifted around to Wolves, Southampton etc.

Under the Old Wembley, the only game I can remember not being played there was in about 1995 a friendly versus Sweden at Elland Road. It was a 3-3 draw as I recall.

I think there's something in what you say.

I would add two other points:

- Games have mostly been played at Wembley, and possibly as a result Southern fans have identified more with the England team;

- There has been a traditional, clear Southern bias against selecting players from the North.

I was at a get-together with the late, great Andy King and he alluded to it saying that there was no doubt amongst his peers that, even though he hailed from the South, the fact that he played for a Northern team reduced his selection chances for England.

He's wearing a Mackem shirt.

Sorry to disappoint you, but they should have scored seven. They didn't. Their untested defence looked weak; even with that, they are lucky they are meeting Senegal in the next round, but have to be careful of over-confidence. I actually fancy the USA against Holland.

Anyway, on those silly meetings at free-kicks, they deserve all they get.

More grieved with the semi-finals of the FA Cup having to be played at Wembley,

The southern thing, specifically Spurs, is true. Anthony Gardner, Ryan Mason, Steven Caulker, Dawson, Winks, Jake Livermore etc – would anyone of them have got a look in if they were at Everton? Were they better than Hibbert?

Osman got I think just one cap. If Tom Davies, Michael Branch etc were Spurs, they'd have been capped. Hell – Cadamarteri (based on his first handful of games) would have been a starter. Think Hudson Udoi by comparison.

And that's just Everton; the likes of Lee Clark at Newcastle never got a look in. Pretty much anyone English with a handful of Spurs appearances gets capped by default. Not forgetting Andy Sinton (Graham Stuart anyone) Paul Stewart (Rideout?) or Paul Walsh (Wayne Clarke... Heath... even bloody Mike Newell).

No worries, mate, I spent all day today making plans for my day tomorrow Friday. Only now at 9 pm do I realize today is actually Wednesday.

Are you a British citizen or a subject of the Crown? I might be wrong but I always thought it was the latter albeit it does say British Citizen in the old blue passport.

I've lived in Australia for some years now and, while I still like to see all British Isles teams and the Socceroos do well, I can't feel the same way about the Australian cricket team as I've seen the damage their attitude does to kids teams and their coaches.

I also side somewhat with the thought that the England football team are a team that plays in London. A 1966 semi-final, anyone?

You make a good point and one I've mentioned previously. England would do well and reach more if they followed the German model in rotating the international matches around the country rather than it being a London-centric thing.

It doesn't bother me too much, but I think they would reach out to more of the population if they done that.

I think it's similar with Italy and Spain.

You've sparked a memory.

I went to London University. One evening, I was in a roomful of students watching an England game televised from Wembley.

Every mistake or misstep made by Bob Latchford was booed or laughed at.

I guess any manager picking a Northern player over a Southern-based player might have felt he risked the disapproval of the home crowd.

It always surprises me how people claim to not get behind their country.

How can you not be proud of the country of your birth?
Each to their own though.

Got to love these teams!