Astafjevs

Adams has been the best player in this game by a long distance

The US kit is very pleasing on the eye. Lovely shade of blue. This their home kit?

Not good from England but it's one of those games where their quality and better players will tell, and they'll eek out a 1-0 or 2-0 from nothing, while the US will miss a few good openings

Get the impression the scouting report for England was something like 'US will be blowing after 65 mins, wait it out, make sure they're not winning by then, then take the chances that come'. Because that's kind of how they're playing. If they can go 1-0 up then great, but if not then just make sure US don't have a lead to defend in the last third of the game

McKennie has to score there really

Some of you guys are going to be an absolute mess when you have to play a good team in the QFs, if the thought of a group match against the US is worrying

CJ's Gut Feeling JINX

What? I'm looking at it based on the fact that England are good and Wales are ****. That combination rarely, if ever, leads to a 4 goal loss for the good team.

Wales aren't beating anyone, let alone the best team in the group, by 4 goals. It's the US or Iran for 2nd.

It's GD. So even if that happens, Wales are going to have to win big, and then hope US-Iran is a draw.

England would have to play with blindfolds on to lose to this Wales. It does take a bit of pressure of the US later though, because they know they've essentially got a playoff for 2nd place even if they lose. GD probably isn't going to come into it.

Is this the worst group in World Cup history? England are quality but these other teams are woeful.

Hate these threads at tournaments It's impossible really because some teams have played utter rubbish opposition like Spain and looked great. You'd just say Spain, France and England as the best based on these games, but then you look at the teams they've played and have to factor it in. Portugal looked like they had another gear to go to earlier. So did Brazil just now. I wouldn't change from Argentina to win despite their loss because I think they'll figure it out. England are in a nice groove and you can tell they've all played together loads in competitive games, and seem to have developed an ability to turn it on during competitions. I think they'll give France a closer game than I anticipated originally.

EUH with some pearcey magic in this thread

Ghana don't score again

Tbf they're playing a far, far better team. Serbia are levels above Iran and Costa Rica. Switch one of those two into this game and you'll get a similar result

Doesn't really matter about Maddison, does it? There's enough there to bring off the bench and rotate that he can stay injured for the whole tournament.

Raphinha is guff. Leeds is his level tbh.

Was going to post this. He was actually really good at that part of the game at Milan. His defensive numbers for tackles, interceptions, distance covered etc. was great. It was his lack of contribution at the other end that led to the decision to sell

Ref desperate to give that as well

Never

I don't understand Portugal's system really. Everyone is narrow, which you'd think would give Cancelo and Guerreiro, two really good fullbacks, room to make a difference. But they've not done much. Bruno Fernandes looks either too deep or a bit wide

Yeh it is quite ****. Delete your post sbd

Depends what source you read, but: 0.8-2.6 xG Canada with 22 shots, 18 inside the box (so not just banging shots in from 30 yards and padding the stats with them). They've got loads of pace but not enough guile.

Yeh I think Germany can get through with a draw against Spain. They'll be relying on Japan getting a result against Spain in the final round - unlikely but not impossible. It's difficult to judge some of these teams that have played bad opposition at the moment.