World Cup. England Vs Panama.

[Togo]

Not long to kick off now. Are you ready? A good win would send a message today. We have Belgium to play on Thursday and I note that Lukaku is out and Hazard is, with others, carrying a knock. Don't like to wish injuries on any team but I suppose we can take advantage of them gratefully. I have had a little punt on Kane first scorer and 3-0 & 4-0. With the same scorelines and Sterling scoring first. He owes us a goal. Notice that the Cricket is going well and hoping that Lewis can prevail later making it a good weekend for all England fans. :))The beer is cold and the sun is hot as well.

[Arksided]

Of course they beat Panama, now let's see them beat the big boys !
Yes lets ;-) With Belgium and England both having qualified I do suspect a few of the 'key players' will be rested from both sides... in answer to an earlier post I think that Gareth should stick with his first team choices and keep their confidences high.

[Sqad]

A good result but was disappointing with the second half sloppy, ill disciplined performance. Second half taken in isolation would have been a 1-1 draw.
England v Belgium....neither side wants to win this as the winner may come up against Columbia who are a class act.
He should not persevere with Sterling who is not up to it.

[Arksided]

I'm not getting overexcited about them (Although I've noticed few ST George flags popping up since yesterday) we'll have to wait and see what heppens in the other group. I have to agree when it comes to Sterling... no club rivalry or anything I just agree with you. He's not up to it

'Enland top the group by a single yellow card' (Talksport)

[Togo]

Been looking at "speculative" routes for England to progress. One rag gives these possibilities.

If England top group............…….If England come 2nd.

Last 16 Senegal........................…Last 16 Japan.

Q Final. Brazil/Germany..............Q/Final Mexico/Switzerland

Semi. Russia/Portugal............….Semi. Spain/Uruguay
/France/Nigeria...…………………/Croatia/Denmark.

Final. Spain/Belgium...............….Final Germany/France.

Now that is all well and good unless Columbia turn in a performance like the one against Poland and either win or come second in Group H. The bonus for Southgate is that the matches that will decide the final positions in Group H take place on Thursday afternoon, 4 hours before we play Belgium. So Southgate will know who we face before we kick a ball agaist Belgium. Both teams could be trying to come second. It might be a bit like the boxing match in Porridge, where the opponents are in a race to see who goes down first. :))

[Sqad]

"Both teams could be trying to come second. It might be a bit like the boxing match in Porridge, where the opponents are in a race to see who goes down first. :)) "

LOL.....but true.

[kvalidir]

Oooh a possible final between us and Germany we could all get really flag waving and nationalisty then ( hope we beat em though ;-)

[Arksided]

Big lol... I love that episode.

[aelmpvw]

i switched over from the england game to the queens tennis final and the commentator said the football match had just finished with a tennis score, that must have been very annoying for anyone that had recorded the football

[Arksided]

I've being slapped on the wrist for giving away football scores etc... on here but do respect that others don't know. For a commenter to say that. they should be hung drawn and Quartered!

[Cloverjo]

I bet it was Andrew Castle. He's a hopeless commentator.

[aelmpvw]

^ some of his conversations with john inverdale sound like an alan partridge sketch ...

[Arksided]

Why does Phil Neville always sound out breath? When commentating.

[douglas9401]

More potential euphoria later tonight as Phil Taylor takes on Stevie Wonder in a best of seven exhibition match. :-)

[Flonska]

Stevie Wonder once challenged Tiger Woods to a game of golf and wagered $50,000 he would win. Woods took up the challenge and asked when Stevie was free to play. Stevie replied "any night when there is heavy cloud cover."

[Ken4155]

I still say that, come Thursday evening, Southgate will not so much have his eyes on who we may play in the knock out round, but which half of the draw we will finish in if we win the group and which half if we come second in the group. If that makes sense?

[Flonska]

So Ken - "it's a game of two halves, then?"

[Cloverjo]

I hope they don't both try to come second. Reminds of the farcical badminton match at the 2012 Olympics. Both teams were disqualified after trying not to win.

[Togo]

Makes good sense to me Ken. But Martinez will also be thinking along the same lines. As we know he is no mug himself. Hence my daft comment at 11.44. But many a true word spoken in jest.