So unlike the previous years it looks like most people are sceptical about England's hopes of reaching far in the World Cup...I think that it's a very solid team though.

It does look like England could pass the group stage, but then again even Costa Rica could put up a fight against England in the past.

The squad is really balanced, attack is strong with Vardy and Kane having 25+ goals per season there is also Rashford and Sterling all good talents.
Midfield that can back them up is also pretty good maybe not as good as some other countries have but Wilshare,Hendersen,Alli,Chanberlain,Dier are solid.
The defense is maybe the weakest part of the team but it's not that bad at all, Walker, Stones are part of the best defense in the league...

How far can England go?

@Marcus

I live in Canada, but I'm not Anglo-Saxon. :)

I'm not really sure about that, but is it true that the number of tickets sold at this World Cup is less than half of what it was in Brazil in 2014 ? I guess politics are to blame in this one if it's true.

England will disappoint again. No doubt it was a decent team.

@Dynast:

Yep, I happened to only be fairly young at the time. Wouldn't have remembered that game anyways.

Then don't comment on it.

But it's an isolated incident, and I've seen the replay. Very clear to me that it's a red card, regardless of intention.

Then you disagree with the ref, who didn't give the card for the foul. Why is it that you disagree with a FIFA official?

I apologize for the fact that I'm younger than you.

Being younger isn't the point. The point is that you're not very well qualified to talk about games which took place before you were interested in the sport, which you never watched, and are therefore misinformed as to what actually happened in them.

You even got your analysis of the red card wrong despite it being displayed right in front of you on video.

But I guess that's what they teach you in England. :)

Hating England is what they teach you in Canada, so....

@Dynastian:

Ah, the good ol' colonist mindset. And you wonder why half the world hates Britain.

They don't. That's why the Commonwealth still exists. When you travel around the world, Britain is quite popular (and certainly moreso than the US, which is why I nearly always use my British passport instead of my US one).

It's just poorly educated people in Canada who seem to pride themselves on commenting on a country, people and history they don't understand. :)

Ah now I remember why many people on this forum disliked you. Classic arrogant, condescending Lodatz.

Classic racist, cowardly Dynast, running away from the point because he knows Lodatz is right and doesn't want to admit it.

I remember now why you don't deserve a shred of respect from me, although I do smirk to myself whenever I see you copying my opinions after I'm gone (and after you argued that I was wrong).

Why is it so hard for you to have integrity? Oh, and please stop being a bigot.

Classic racist, dishonest, unapologetic, hypocritical

Wow, I couldn't have described you better.

running away from the point because he knows Lodatz is right and doesn't want to admit it.

Okay, let's go back to the point then.

• Rooney stamps on Carvalho's testicles and ankle (whether it was intentional or not)

As far as I'm concerned, any bit of stamping is a straight red. In what way do you say it's not a red card? What is your justification of Rooney seeing only yellow or getting away with no booking? It was frankly dangerous play.

although I do smirk to myself whenever I see you copying my opinions after I'm gone (and after you argued that I was wrong about).

Aww, another one of Lodatz's fabrications. Sometimes it feels like you spin stories better than Dickens and Orwell, albeit with a tenth of their intelligence. :)

Wow, I couldn't have described you better.

That's because you're not very good at describing things. After all, I'm the one who calls out racism, I'm the one who tells the truth, I'm the one who can admit when he is wrong, and I'm the one who sticks to the point.

It's such a shame that you have to resort to bigotry and lies.

Just so everyone understands what is going on here:

Dynastian is someone who regularly posts racist crap to my wall, and then pretends he's done nothing wrong. He also constantly refuses to admit when I have demonstrated his argument to be incorrect, nearly always calling me 'arrogant' simply because I've been watching football twice as long as he has and understand it better than he does (and then funnily enough, a year or so later, he'll be making the same point I made, and against which he argued so disingenuously).

A long time ago, I asked him to apologize for his hurtful racist remarks. That's all I wanted, for he and I to be cool. As ever, he refused.

Still waiting for that apology. Instead, you just give me more of your racism.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not actually racist towards Englishmen or Americans. I just find it amusing to see you riled up, and I know what ticks you off. Enjoyed the entertainment for today, though, I'll be back on the forum tomorrow. Thanks again, Lodatz. :)

Rooney stamps on Carvalho's testicles and ankle (whether it was intentional or not)

Which is a foul.

As far as I'm concerned, any bit of stamping is a straight red.

Who cares what you're concerned about? The ref gave a foul, nothing more, as he should have done. He gave the red because Ronaldo came demanding a card in his face, and Rooney gave him a gentle shove in outrage.

That is the point you are refusing to engage, because you know I'm right.

What is your justification of Rooney seeing only yellow or getting away with no booking?

The fact that it was accidental. That's why the REFEREE only gave a foul.

Aww, another one of Lodatz's fabrications.

Sure thing, bud. Why don't you go ahead and tell me how much you dislike Ray Hudson now, when at first you thought he was a really good commentator? Why don't you tell me how Modric and Bale are actually world-beaters, when you previously said they were crap?

Seems like I report as accurately as Reuters. :)

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not actually racist towards Englishmen or Americans. I just find it amusing to see you riled up, and I know what ticks you off.

Racism does rile me up, why shouldn't it? So in other words, you're a racist troll.

Congrats. See you tomorrow, racist troll. :)

What this argument looks like from the outside:

@Sun: hey it doesn't have to be this way.

Take a look at the pattern: Lodatz makes a reasoned argument, which Dynast/Golazo ignore because they don't want mean ol' Lodatz to be right, and so they ruin the conversation. Dynast even admits as much.

I keep asking the mods to clean the conversation up, so we can reset, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to fire back in the meantime and expose them for what they are.

Once I saw you guys insulting one another instead the points you were discussing I stopped reading lol so idc

Honestly Dynastian98 are you for real?? Youve called someone out for being racist and bigoted yet ive gone back to a comment you posted on Lodatz wall yesterday where you use the term "British filth". That is disgusting. This is a forum to talk about football. Not a place for vile name calling. If Lodatz has done the same towards you then that is bang out of order too but this needs to stop.

Golazo111 grow up. All I ever see from you are trolling comments like this. Honestly what is the point?

Lotadz is a big * liar that invents *** all the time, big loser as well...

If you switch on the internet intentionally to troll people then already you need to re-evaluate your life choices. But then to go 1 further and spew hate (racist, bigoted, homophobic or anything else) then you should be absolutely ashamed of yourself and should have no part in a community of any sort in 2018.

Now if you're here to talk football and exchange views and opinions on this game we love so much then great. Stay, talk, connect with new people, make friends. But if you're here to troll, abuse and spew hate then do everyone a favour and just leave.

I won and I'm standing on the right side of history,

In every single regard, this statement is false.

That's all from me,

We can only hope. Anyway, moving on:

Against Tunisia I thought we played well overall. The first half especially was very encouraging, even if we were very wasteful in front of goal. We pressed their back line very effectively, and created numerous chances, only to scuff the finishes.

Glad we won the 3 points, and hopefully we'll get the same against Panama. Not taking anything for granted though; they will be desperate to get at least a point after the Belgium game.

Come on England!

@Golazo Pleast stop it man, I really don't want to ban you over this but you are seriously ruining the forum. Leave the past dead man and live in the today.

If this keep up, I will also close the thread so please guys, try to chill.

Hey guys England played today!

Oh wait. Wrong thread.