World Cup 2026

[AustinPowers]

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.

He was up all night  preparing the quiz. Knackered he was

[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.

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.

Neither was Simon Zebo a bad egg, and I'm sure he was plenty good for camp, but the IRFU gaffer didn't bring him for his own reasons, same as the soccer trio. Personally I think Tuchel couldn't be fucked with the hassle of perceived peacocks and would rather grounded pros filled the numbers out, last thing you want is an Austin Healy/Matt Dawson dynamic to derail things. Tuchel certainly doesn't pander to anyone, he plans to go deep and fall over the line, there's not a version of this WC where Eng turn up with a team of mavericks and play everyone off the park which is what the media love to imply

[An Watcher]

Can Scotland do it and not get beat by a cricket score to make the next round?  I hope they get hammered and make the next round to highlight how crap the 3rd place qualifying is

[Capt Pat]

After a poor first half the Swiss score early in the second half. Hopefully that will make a game of it.

Scotland I fear are doomed. They will be hoping to go through on 3 points.

[weareros]

After a poor first half the Swiss score early in the second half. Hopefully that will make a game of it.

Scotland I fear are doomed. They will be hoping to go through on 3 points.

8 out of 12 3rd place teams make knockout, which is nonsense. At least two groups already look like 3rd team won't reach or exceed 3 points, so Scots could make it on a fortunate victory over Haiti unless they get something off a poor Brazil team. 

[An Watcher]

Will be a bit of a joke if they get hammered tonight n still get through.  Beatca minnow 1 nil

[square_ball]

They could well get a hammering if they are going to gift goals like that.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

There have been a load of daft goals like that at this world cup. When will teams learn that playing out from the back is the biggest load of bullshit ever. To be fair after the nonsensical build up from the commentators about making history it was almost inevitable

[Mourne Red]

Jesus Christ.. Idiotic from Scotland

[gerrykeegan]

That's so bad.

[square_ball]

Déjà vu.

At least their fans had a good time anyway.

[RedHand88]

They could well get a hammering if they are going to gift goals like that.

And again!!!

[weareros]

Scots have started like it's an independence referendum.
Edit: Var saved them. Lucky.

[Blowitupref]

A bit of let off for Scotland there.

[gerrykeegan]

Got away with that.