Bragging rights at stake for the 2 forum stalwarts, although @KRG is more liekly to care what music the teams will come out to.
Winner has the “harder” path to the final. What will happen?
Oh quelle surprise
One of the comments is exactly what I was thinking this morning 
Better if we finish second. The thing is Belgium will have the same thoughts. Neither side will want it and the group could be sorted by fair play . A cunning ploy - put Sterling on the bench, if it’s heading for a draw - bring him on in the last 15 minutes and get him to headbutt the ref. Sterling sent off and unable to play in next game. England second due to more yellow/red cards.
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Ahem…
From Not bored thread last night even Southgate had beaten you t o that joke!
I am firmly in the who gives a fuck. We haven’t won a knock out game for 2,467 years anyway. Let’s just enjoy the ride.
Equally, much as hate him, Martin Samuel nails this point in his column today
Psychological frailty has blighted England teams in recent major tournaments. This young group, excellently coached by Southgate and Steve Holland seems to have genuine optimism, self-belief and synergy. Imagine the dressing room, ahead of the Belgium game, then. ‘Lads, don’t worry about the result today. Gareth doesn’t fancy us in that half of the draw.’ What would that do to optimism and self-belief? Doubts enter with a bang. Norfolk Blue, United Kingdom.
Exactly. What message does it send if the manager is as good as telling the players he thinks they are inferior to Germany or Brazil. Maybe they are, maybe we will find that out, but don’t introduce that thought yourself. They’re young, they have scored more goals already than Spain did to win the thing in 2010, they will be feeling good about that, why break the spell?
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Looking forward to this game. I can only agree with Phil’s point of view above - we haven’t won knockout match in any tournament since 2006 (twelve years FFS), so let’s not start getting ahead of ourselves about this one. Plus, of course, this particular tournament has already thrown up a few surprises, so who knows what’s in store?
And I’m looking forward especially to grinding KRG’s face in the dirt. Metaphorically, of course - I wouldn’t really do such a thing to anyone. With the obvious exception of Bletch, that is.
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With all this talk of teams wanting to lose - I realise I’m in quite the quandary.
By virtue of being English, and ‘randomly’ being drawn Belgium - I’d ‘ordinarily’ be in a no lose scenario where I can cheer for both teams.
However, due to the significantly easier half of the draw, I now perhaps want both teams to lose?
So essentially I want both teams to win and both teams to lose.
This is spiralling out of control, I’m not smart enough to work this out.
All I do know is, fuck @Fowllyd
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FWIW, I do agree with others. Fuck all this trying to come 2nd bollocks.
Iceland dumped us out the last Euros. We came home from Brazil without a win against Italy, Uruguay & Costa Rica. We couldn’t beat Algeria in 2010. It’s such a fierce return to English arrogance.
Go out and win, if we are going to win the World Cup (which I doubt we will, obviously) we are going to have to beat some of the ‘big boys’. Keep winning, keep Kane scoring. As these teams in the 2nd round have already demonstrated, they ain’t no mugs. Senegal, Columbia, heck even Japan have looked decent. The pace of Senegal & Columbia would still cause us problems.
Besides, how can you motivate your players if you tell them to throw a game because you are scared of who you may play after? That’s not exactly filling them with confidence for when they do eventually come up against a big team. So fuck it, play to win.
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Hmmm
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Really looking forward to the game.
Feeling oddly confident.
Can I just say that if Belgium win and @KRG gloats in any way, shape or form , he will be silenced.
The only problem is the oddly uncomfortable feeling of rooting for @Fowllyd too.
Predictions
- England win
- Belgium win
- Draw
0 voters
Teams are in but format is shite
England Belgium
Jordan Pickford Thibaut Courtois
John Stones Thomas Vermaelen
Gary Cahill Dedryck Boyata
Phil Jones Leander Dendoncker
Danny Rose Marouane Fellaini
Eric Dier Thorgan Hazard
Fabian Delph Youri Tielemans
Ruben Loftus-Cheek Adnan Januzaj
Trent Alexander-Arnold Mousa Dembele
Jamie Vardy Nacer Chadli
Marcus Rashford Michy Batshuayi
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We need to win this group now to get Japan in the next round and then Mexico in the quarter finals.
That way Madness leads.
We need to win this group because…
[Bletch puffs out chest and apes Brian Blessed]
…WE ARE ENGLAND! 
Just made it home.
What have I missed?
Delph is shite.
Fellani’s not yet booked.
Well you predicted a Belgium win.
That’s the only news.
Pickford juggling with a bar of soap.
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This is more like it! Wonky defending and hoofball.
He’s been so good but two dodgy saves now.
Get him off.
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