How will you feel if England go out of the WC?

[Dr. Furface]

Gutted at first - esp if we go out to Croatia - but looking back afterwards I'll be pleased about the performances (on the whole), the progress the team has made (rapidly) the journey and, most importantly, the fun it's been. I really can't remember having as much fun watching England in any tournament as this one (and I remember quite a few by now) and combined with the great weather we've had its all been a really positive experience.

As a Villa fan, football has largely been a source of misery for me for quite a few years now (and looks like being so with probably worse to come for the foreseeable future) so it's been great to actually feel some joy from supporting a team again. And it's especially gratifying that the man mainly responsible for that is someone who was one of our best and most popular players, Gareth Southgate, who's been impeccable in every way. (And thanks also to Sam Allardyce for being a greedy fool and the journos who exposed him, without whom non of this would have happened - you know it).

Before the tournament I totally expected England to get out of their group (it was obviously a very kind draw - inc the way the games fell) and I thought they could possibly make the QF. And after that, everything's a bonus. As it is for any team - these days nobody should realistically expect to go further than that, and if you do expect to then you're either an arrogant fool or a German - better luck next time meine freunden! (not really).

 

[Voley]

I'd be proud we got this far as I optimistically reckoned quarter-finals was our best hope before the tournament. I'll be disappointed, definitely - this is our best chance since Gazza cried all those years ago - but overall I'd be optimistic about the chances of a young team like this doing well next time round with experience like this under their belts.

Moot points though, as football's coming home obvs.

 

[frogwoman]

I definitely think the lack of arrogant football 'celebrities' this time is a factor in Englands success, the only one I'd heard of before this tournament was Raheem Sterling.

 

[frogwoman]

Maybe I just haven't been following it but I don't think most of them have been in a world cup before have they?

 

[Steel Icarus]

Maybe I just haven't been following it but I don't think most of them have been in a world cup before have they?

Cahill, Jones, Henderson, Sterling, Wellbeck

 

[Wilf]

It won't be as gutting as all the going out on pens over the years (well, unless we do again). Losing an actual game of football will be shit, but fair enough.

 

[Rebelda]

Everyone back home must be going mad.

Not really tbh, because >

I'm less eager to tell everybody that we're going to win it now that there is a slight possibility.

It was funny before.

Most people don't seem to want to say anything or know what to do with themselves. Facebook and the press are hyping up what is really a load of people going 'shit, now what... better get some beers in and bite my nails I suppose '. Kids and publicans are painfully excited mind

 

[donkyboy]

hope this doesn't out to be a wales. once in a blue moon semi and never to repeat. ever. fluke like wales.

 

[Grump]

I'd be disappointed as we are so close and with only teams to play who we should beat, albeit not easily. However I will be pleased we did well, played the game in the right spirit, and that the ultimate winner will not be the loathsome cheating, fouling, play acting Brazilians, Argentinians or Colombians. If football doesn't come home at least it has sent us a postcard saying it misses us.

 

[Wilf]

If/when England do lose, Southgate's demeanour will be a reminder how (surprisingly) fucking charmless Hodgson was 2 years ago.

 

[Wilf]

In a parallel universe:

#SamAllardyceWould... take a bung
#SamAllardyceWould... get filmed by an undercover journalist
#SamAllardyceWould... eat a packet of smokey bacon while taking a shit

 

[oryx]

Somewhere between the 'mildly disappointed...' and 'absolutely gutted...' options.

Football gutted describes what I felt when York City dropped into the sixth tier of football last year. There were no positives. So on this one I'll go for 'mildly disappointed'.

If we go out to Croatia or to France/Belgium it will be really disappointing but there will be lots of positives - it's been a great World Cup (I haven't got so into a tournament since '96) and Southgate (best manager we've had in ages) & the team will have done brilliantly to get so far.

 

[JimW]

You know, Timmy, in a way it has already come home.

 

[LiamO]

I voted 'Glad they are out' but 'Relieved' would be more accurate than 'Glad'.

Whatever happens, it will still be a majorly successsful WC for easily the most likeable/least wanky England team and Manager since Venables mob in 96.

 

[Thaw]

Relieved. And I'll be happy for Slaven Bilic.

 

[nuffsaid]

I was gutted in '90 when we went out because we were so close to beating the Germans, and would have had a chance at winning the final. This time I can see us beating Croatia but I then can't see how we'd beat either France or Belgium and there's been far less expectation this time, so they've already gone above and beyond. To get this close and lose it will be disappointing but you have to admit it's been way above expectations.

Either way there's 2 games left, people forget there's the 3rd place play off game on Saturday. We're playing France or Belgium either way.

 

[Pickman's model]

I've told a kid at school if we win the World Cup I'll eat my own shoes on the playground.

This will end well

 

[cupid_stunt]

I've told a kid at school if we win the World Cup I'll eat my own shoes on the playground.

Invest in some edible shoes.

 

[LiamO]

I'd be disappointed as we are so close and with only teams to play who we should beat, albeit not easily.

On what basis 'should' England beat Croatia, Belgium or France?

They well might. But I can see no 'should' where any of these three are concerned.

All four remaining games are 50/50 as far as I can see... with Belgium and France the slight favourites (whatever English Bookies reckon).

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Be disappointed to lose to Croatia. On the evidence just of this WC, I genuinely think England are a better team.

I think Belgium and France are a degree better in class than either England or Croatia. But France were a degree better than Portugal in the Euros too and lost.

 

[Wilf]

On what basis 'should' England beat Croatia, Belgium or France?

They well might. But I can see no 'should' where any of these three are concerned.

All four remaining games are 50/50 as far as I can see... with Belgium and France the slight favourites (whatever English Bookies reckon).

Heard we are 2nd favourites, but I presume that's only the way odds work i.e. summat along the lines that France and Belgium have to play each other.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Heard we are 2nd favourites, but I presume that's only the way odds work i.e. summat along the lines that France and Belgium have to play each other.

Went over this on a different thread. That doesn't really follow, cos the winner of France/Belgium doesn't have to play France or Belgium in the final, but the other team does. You can't win this WC without beating either France or Belgium. Think England are only second faves because so many people bet on them. I make France and Belgium the favourites. Can't quite decide which comes first.

 

[LiamO]

Heard we are 2nd favourites, but I presume that's only the way odds work i.e. summat along the lines that France and Belgium have to play each other.

Only because so many punters are backing England with their hearts rather than their heads - and the bookies are hedging their bets. As per.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Only because so many punters are backing England with their hearts rather than their heads - and the bookies are hedging their bets. As per.

It's a pretty established phenomenon, that. You never get value odds on England.

 

[Wilf]

Went over this on a different thread. That doesn't really follow, cos the winner of France/Belgium doesn't have to play France or Belgium in the final, but the other team does. Think England are only second faves because so many people bet on them. I make France and Belgium the favourites. Can't quite decide which comes first.

Dunno but... surely this is about putting bets on now. If so, France or Belgium have a serious impediment to getting to the final. They have to get there to get to the point where they are clear favourites (over England or Croatia). Yes, certainly odds are about how many people bet on a thing, but also about the overall likelihood of it happening.

Have said that I know nowt about betting... or maths.

 

[Wilf]

Only because so many punters are backing England with their hearts rather than their heads - and the bookies are hedging their bets. As per.

Yeah - see above - I get that, odds are imperfectly linked to what is likely to happen.

 

[LiamO]

Be disappointed to lose to Croatia. On the evidence just of this WC, I genuinely think England are a better team.

Croatia have beaten Argentina (usually beat England), Nigeria, Iceland (Usually beat England), Denmark and the host nation (that's a tough ask in itself).

England have beaten Tunisia (with a last minute goal), Panama (a country with ONE grass pitch - the national stadium) Colombia and Sweden .

Croatia have faced and beaten better teams than England. And they have one of the most exquisite midfielders ever in Modric. No shame in losing to them. Cept their legs might have gone a bit after two Extra-time matches to Engand's one.

 

[mrs quoad]

So long as they make it to the final, that’s an extra 2-3 hours I get to spend somewhere nice doing something enjoyable with about 75% less crowds

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Croatia have beaten Argentina (usually beat England), Nigeria, Iceland (Usually beat England), Denmark and the host nation (that's a tough ask in itself).

England have beaten Tunisia (with a last minute goal), Panama (a country with ONE grass pitch - the national stadium) Colombia and Sweden .

Croatia have faced and beaten better teams than England. And they have one of the most exquisite midfielders ever in Modric. No shame in losing to them. Cept their legs might have gone a bit after two Extra-time matches to Engand's one.

No shame, no. But Croatia were very poor against Denmark and shaky against Russia. They've stuttered against ordinary opposition. Meanwhile England cruised past Sweden.

Argentina were crap. Nigeria improved but weren't great - I wouldn't put Nigeria much above Tunisia. Iceland, ha! But this is not that England team. Croatia put out their reserves for that match too and still won. Panama - I'll give you that, they were out of their depth.

Just on the evidence of this tournament, I think England have been a better team than Croatia. I'm a huge fan of Modric, but he's struggled to make an impact really. He can't do it all on his own. I think Croatia have the capability to improve a huge amount on their last two outings. Whether they will or not, I don't know. England just need to maintain the level of their last match. On that basis, I do make England favourites for that game, but I'm by no means assuming a walkover.

fwiw if I had to bet on it, my 1-4 would be:

Belgium
England
France
Croatia

But I think there is a realistic chance any team could occupy any of those positions in any of the permutations possible in this draw. There are no mugs left.

 

[Wilf]

A

Croatia have beaten Argentina (usually beat England), Nigeria, Iceland (Usually beat England), Denmark and the host nation (that's a tough ask in itself).

England have beaten Tunisia (with a last minute goal), Panama (a country with ONE grass pitch - the national stadium) Colombia and Sweden .

Croatia have faced and beaten better teams than England. And they have one of the most exquisite midfielders ever in Modric. No shame in losing to them. Cept their legs might have gone a bit after two Extra-time matches to Engand's one.

I also have a feeling Croatia will win, unless the fatigue really kicks in. England are playing at close to their potential as a team, despite a couple of the players not firing, Sterling/Rashford particularly. Getting close to your potential whilst also improving as a side is pretty good. I'm not used to this level of positivity, it's very . Same time, yeah, I'm not sure they've got too many gears to step up for France of Belgium.