World Cup 2026

[Puckoon]

Panamanian #6 Martinez - looks like a Honeybadger and has played with the ferocity of one as well. Gave every Croatian their absolute fill of it. Some shift, would be good to see them nab an equalizer. 

[Aaron Boone]

With typical English revisionism, they would have beat Ghana had Cole Palmer, Phil Foden or Morgan Gibbs-White been in the team. All 3 not picked by Tuchel.

[Milltown Row2]

With typical English revisionism, they would have beat Ghana had Cole Palmer, Phil Foden or Morgan Gibbs-White been in the team. All 3 not picked by Tuchel.

Don't forget Harry Maguire would have knocked in at least 2 of those corners

[statto]

England need Palmer or Foden to unlock Ghana.

Gibbs White for me should have been the one most annoyed at not making the squad had fantastic run towards end of season.  I found it strange that Tuchel played Rogers in every qualifier then went to Bellingham for first game, I would have been inclined to start with Rogers and make Bellingham work his way into the team for the knock outs or make him the big impact player. 

[square_ball]

Djed Spence at least done something good last night by not shaking Thomas Parteys hand before the game. Rice was full of hugs for Partey afterwards.

[gallsman]

With typical English revisionism, they would have beat Ghana had Cole Palmer, Phil Foden or Morgan Gibbs-White been in the team. All 3 not picked by Tuchel.

I'm not sure it's that "they would have beaten Ghana" but you really have to question what Toney is doing there if he's not going to come on it a game like that. Is the plan purely to bring him on in the 120th minute ahead of a shootout? Or was the plan to have first place wrapped up after two games and rest Kane for the final one? Rice looks utterly spent and was really suffering towards the end last night. Does he have any intention of using Henderson or Mainoo?

I think those are all perfectly valid questions for England fans to ask at this point. That said Palmer and Foden had poor seasons, but MGW was very unlucky.

[thewobbler]

With typical English revisionism, they would have beat Ghana had Cole Palmer, Phil Foden or Morgan Gibbs-White been in the team. All 3 not picked by Tuchel.

I'm not sure it's that "they would have beaten Ghana" but you really have to question what Toney is doing there if he's not going to come on it a game like that. Is the plan purely to bring him on in the 120th minute ahead of a shootout? Or was the plan to have first place wrapped up after two games and rest Kane for the final one? Rice looks utterly spent and was really suffering towards the end last night. Does he have any intention of using Henderson or Mainoo?

I think those are all perfectly valid questions for England fans to ask at this point. That said Palmer and Foden had poor seasons, but MGW was very unlucky.

Maguire is still the big omission. If an opponent is going to cede midfield to you then you're going to end up with lots of corners. If same opponent is stacked full of six footers, then you need a proper aerial threat.

[statto]

Djed Spence at least done something good last night by not shaking Thomas Parteys hand before the game. Rice was full of hugs for Partey afterwards.

With typical English revisionism, they would have beat Ghana had Cole Palmer, Phil Foden or Morgan Gibbs-White been in the team. All 3 not picked by Tuchel.

I'm not sure it's that "they would have beaten Ghana" but you really have to question what Toney is doing there if he's not going to come on it a game like that. Is the plan purely to bring him on in the 120th minute ahead of a shootout? Or was the plan to have first place wrapped up after two games and rest Kane for the final one? Rice looks utterly spent and was really suffering towards the end last night. Does he have any intention of using Henderson or Mainoo?

I think those are all perfectly valid questions for England fans to ask at this point. That said Palmer and Foden had poor seasons, but MGW was very unlucky.

I think you are right about Toney great penalty taker, but you would expect that Watkins is next man up and his gametime will be limited.  Would Kane not be viewing the next game as a game he can get 2,3,4 goals in and play anyway?

Mainoo would be ahead of Henderson you would expect. 

[nrico2006]

With typical English revisionism, they would have beat Ghana had Cole Palmer, Phil Foden or Morgan Gibbs-White been in the team. All 3 not picked by Tuchel.

I'm not sure it's that "they would have beaten Ghana" but you really have to question what Toney is doing there if he's not going to come on it a game like that. Is the plan purely to bring him on in the 120th minute ahead of a shootout? Or was the plan to have first place wrapped up after two games and rest Kane for the final one? Rice looks utterly spent and was really suffering towards the end last night. Does he have any intention of using Henderson or Mainoo?

I think those are all perfectly valid questions for England fans to ask at this point. That said Palmer and Foden had poor seasons, but MGW was very unlucky.

Palmer had an injury hit season but still should have been brought ahead of Henderson.

[tiempo]

Palmer had an injury hit season but still should have been brought ahead of Henderson.

No chance. Henderson is brought to set and maintain standards especially at training and among the rank and file, numbers 15-26, and I'd suggest he might be bullish enough to call out any primadonna nonsense from the likes of Bellingham too which is never far away. He's also the only active English player that has lifted the PL and CL titles, he knows a thing or two about winning big games. The likes of Palmer, Foden, Trent would be unnecessary distractions. I've no doubt if England don't open up and play some decent football against Panama then Tuchel will pivot to an ultra pragmatic/Arsenal style approach in order to get the job done, no place for mavericks in that domain.

[square_ball]

A 26 man squad should allow room for a Cole Palmer or TAA instead of bringing lads that are good for morale.

I still think they'll go close enough. There's not many great teams in the tournament. That defence is poor though and I think will be their undoing towards the latter end.

I do enjoy how the English supporters and media think its the end of the world after a poor performance.

[square_ball]

Palmer had an injury hit season but still should have been brought ahead of Henderson.

No chance. Henderson is brought to set and maintain standards especially at training and among the rank and file, numbers 15-26, and I'd suggest he might be bullish enough to call out any primadonna nonsense from the likes of Bellingham too which is never far away. He's also the only active English player that has lifted the PL and CL titles, he knows a thing or two about winning big games. The likes of Palmer, Foden, Trent would be unnecessary distractions. I've no doubt if England don't open up and play some decent football against Panama then Tuchel will pivot to an ultra pragmatic/Arsenal style approach in order to get the job done, no place for mavericks in that domain.

Bring Henderson as a coach then if he's not going to be playing. And there has never been any suggestion that Palmer/Trent/Foden are bad eggs in any of the tournaments they have been to over the years.

[gallsman]

A 26 man squad should allow room for a Cole Palmer or TAA instead of bringing lads that are good for morale.

I still think they'll go close enough. There's not many great teams in the tournament. That defence is poor though and I think will be their undoing towards the latter end.

I do enjoy how the English supporters and media think its the end of the world after a poor performance.

Don't think that's been the general reaction at all tbh. Mostly qualified criticism of a poor performance (like Spain, Portugal etc did) whilst acknowledging they'll likely still win the group.

[NAG1]

A 26 man squad should allow room for a Cole Palmer or TAA instead of bringing lads that are good for morale.

I still think they'll go close enough. There's not many great teams in the tournament. That defence is poor though and I think will be their undoing towards the latter end.

I do enjoy how the English supporters and media think its the end of the world after a poor performance.

Don't think that's been the general reaction at all tbh. Mostly qualified criticism of a poor performance (like Spain, Portugal etc did) whilst acknowledging they'll likely still win the group.

It's probably a bit of a false equivalence, Ghana are not a bad side but the English see all these other teams wiping the floors with the lesser teams and expect the same.

Too many dopey teams in the groups, we won't see how teams are actually playing likely until the quarters.

[Armagh18]

Bellingham a lucky boy not to see red for the hand over his mouth? Although a joke of a rule enforce for all or for none!