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England v DR Congo | World Cup Round of 32 | 1 July 2026
Comments
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Rice at right back didn't look too bad. Maybe get Mainoo in midfield.
We made hard work out of it but to be honest unless your France the same will can be said for the other sides left in the competition2 -
They didn’t really. They managed two shots from inside the penalty area all game. They only had 12 touches of the ball in our box, Panama had 14, Ghana had 10. These teams play for a point from the start, or luckily get their nose in front and go into their shell for 80 minutes.superclive98 said:
DR Congo attacked us in the first 20 mins and showed our defence for what it is, poor.Callumcafc said:
Mexico will attack us. It will suit us compared to these niggly teams like Ghana, Panama, DR Congo. Reckon we will see the England we saw against Croatia from here on.Algarveaddick said:Gonna have to do a lot better in front of 100000 mental Mexicans on Monday…
For all the defensive issues we are meant to have, we are joint 4th for least xG allowed behind only Spain, Argentina and Belgium.
The problem for England has been not having any space in behind teams. They will get that plenty against Mexico.6 -
Its not the temperature in Mexico City - the altitude means it is relatively cool, but you're right. The altitude will kill us. Thats one of the reasons they are so good at home..... they are used to it. Most of their team plays for shite Liga MX clubs and the pedigree of their team is wank..... but there has to be a reason why they perform so well at home.ValleyGary said:I’m hoping this is the trigger to believe we are good enough, but Mexico at 8k above sea level seems a step too far1 -
sam3110 said:First world cup knockout game we've come from behind to win since the '66 final
Incorrect
1 July 199021:00Cameroon 2–3 (a.e.t.) EnglandKundé 61' (pen.)Ekéké 65'Platt 25'Lineker 83' (pen.), 105' (pen.)0 -
I'd play Stones and Guehi at CB, and move Konsa to RB, where he has played before. We badly need some experience at the back, in the absence of the retired Walker and Trippier, and the left out Maguire and Shaw.
And Konsa has to be a better bet at RB than Spence, or sacrificing Rice. Plus he's looked shaky at CB.6 -
Never in doubt, it's coming home2
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Thought James was meant to be back for the last 16 gamekillerandflash said:I'd play Stones and Guehi at CB, and move Konsa to RB, where he has played before. We badly need some experience at the back, in the absence of the retired Walker and Trippier, and the left out Maguire and Shaw.
And Konsa has to be a better bet at RB than Spence, or sacrificing Rice. Plus he's looked shaky at CB.0 -
Nathan is that you? I know we are pretty makeshift at right back, but playing one of the best centre mids in the world at right back from the start is probably a little bit sillyBigRedEvil said:Rice at right back didn't look too bad. Maybe get Mainoo in midfield.
We made hard work out of it but to be honest unless your France the same will can be said for the other sides left in the competition1 -
With equaliser came composure. We were gradually improving as we took Rashfird and Madueke off, but at 1-1 Congo suddenly looked leggy and we actually looked bright.
I personally hope we don't see Konsa or Madueka again, but no idea if the replacements are better. But Gordon looked good and omg Harry Kane! I remember Lineker in Italia 90 and wanting him knighted. Imagine England without Kane!! We needbyo canonise him (or even better, clone him).1 -
Hopefully, but if it's a muscle injury, I wouldn't want to rush him back.DamoNorthStand said:
Thought James was meant to be back for the last 16 gamekillerandflash said:I'd play Stones and Guehi at CB, and move Konsa to RB, where he has played before. We badly need some experience at the back, in the absence of the retired Walker and Trippier, and the left out Maguire and Shaw.
And Konsa has to be a better bet at RB than Spence, or sacrificing Rice. Plus he's looked shaky at CB.0 -
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I think we have to keep telling ourselves that Callum, but it’s hard to stay confident about it.Callumcafc said:
They didn’t really. They managed two shots from inside the penalty area all game. They only had 12 touches of the ball in our box, Panama had 14, Ghana had 10. These teams play for a point from the start, or luckily get their nose in front and go into their shell for 80 minutes.superclive98 said:
DR Congo attacked us in the first 20 mins and showed our defence for what it is, poor.Callumcafc said:
Mexico will attack us. It will suit us compared to these niggly teams like Ghana, Panama, DR Congo. Reckon we will see the England we saw against Croatia from here on.Algarveaddick said:Gonna have to do a lot better in front of 100000 mental Mexicans on Monday…
For all the defensive issues we are meant to have, we are joint 4th for least xG allowed behind only Spain, Argentina and Belgium.
The problem for England has been not having any space in behind teams. They will get that plenty against Mexico.
On the defensive frailties point, I would urge you to put aside the stats for one moment and use your own eyes.The xG is surely skewed by the fact 3/4 of England’s games have been against sides whose main priority has been to get men behind the ball and stop England. Despite that, particularly the two African sides, have had real moments where it has been too easy to get in behind England, especially in the fullback areas. Let’s not forget Congo also hit the post today and Ghana were denied a clear penalty. It doesn’t really matter if the xG is low only because you don’t give up many chances, but the few chances you do give up are really good chances.
The defence quite plainly looks a bit disorganized and very “get-at-able”, not helped by someone like Madueke doing next to nothing to protect the2nd3rd4th choice fullback behind him.
It’s not that these problems aren’t solvable but it’s silly to try and suggestion they aren’t real.1 -
It's knockout football... lose and it will be too late. Need to play our best possible side in every game now if there is any chance a player is fit.killerandflash said:
Hopefully, but if it's a muscle injury, I wouldn't want to rush him back.DamoNorthStand said:
Thought James was meant to be back for the last 16 gamekillerandflash said:I'd play Stones and Guehi at CB, and move Konsa to RB, where he has played before. We badly need some experience at the back, in the absence of the retired Walker and Trippier, and the left out Maguire and Shaw.
And Konsa has to be a better bet at RB than Spence, or sacrificing Rice. Plus he's looked shaky at CB.2 -
It will be difficult but the main reason they win at home at a lot, is they play a lot of shit concacaf games thereDamoNorthStand said:
It’s not the temperature in Mexico City - the altitude means it is relatively cool, but you're right. The altitude will kill us. Thats one of the reasons they are so good at home..... they are used to it. Most of their team plays for shite Liga MX clubs and the pedigree of their team is wank..... but there has to be a reason why they perform so well at home.ValleyGary said:I’m hoping this is the trigger to believe we are good enough, but Mexico at 8k above sea level seems a step too far5 -
That would explain it.Rothko said:
It will be difficult but the main reason they win at home at a lot, is they play a lot of shit concacaf games thereDamoNorthStand said:
It’s not the temperature in Mexico City - the altitude means it is relatively cool, but you're right. The altitude will kill us. Thats one of the reasons they are so good at home..... they are used to it. Most of their team plays for shite Liga MX clubs and the pedigree of their team is wank..... but there has to be a reason why they perform so well at home.ValleyGary said:I’m hoping this is the trigger to believe we are good enough, but Mexico at 8k above sea level seems a step too far
I just looked at their team and on paper it looks guff.0 -
It's England - we are condemned to suffer.But, of the 48 teams that started the finals, 32 will have gone home after this round completes, and we are not one of them.There's still hope.11
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DR Congo hadn’t conceded two in a competitive game in their last thirteen matches. The reason sides are in the World Cup is generally because they’re pretty good at something. DR Congo are good at defending and hitting you on the counter, Mexico are good at using their home and altitude advantage. Neither is a guarantee of victory6
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Yep spot on for me. Mexico not a given but we’ve got a chance. If we beat the Mexicans on their own turf, the belief will begin to kick in.fenaddick said:DR Congo hadn’t conceded two in a competitive game in their last thirteen matches. The reason sides are in the World Cup is generally because they’re pretty good at something. DR Congo are good at defending and hitting you on the counter, Mexico are good at using their home and altitude advantage. Neither is a guarantee of victory3 -
Yeah, they are undefeated for a long time but it’s worth digging into it a bit deeper.Rothko said:
It will be difficult but the main reason they win at home at a lot, is they play a lot of shit concacaf games thereDamoNorthStand said:
It’s not the temperature in Mexico City - the altitude means it is relatively cool, but you're right. The altitude will kill us. Thats one of the reasons they are so good at home..... they are used to it. Most of their team plays for shite Liga MX clubs and the pedigree of their team is wank..... but there has to be a reason why they perform so well at home.ValleyGary said:I’m hoping this is the trigger to believe we are good enough, but Mexico at 8k above sea level seems a step too farFrom 15 matches, since 2020, Canada, USA, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Portugal have all come away with draws and you would hope England would beat all those teams, except (maybe) Portugal.If you go further back and look at 2010 to 2019, from 21 matches at the Azteca, USA (twice), Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, and Spain also all got draws and Honduras even got a win.
The Spain and Portugal results stand out but they are also friendlies and I imagine there’s some former colonial power rivalry element to the Spain match that would make Mexico up their game. The only European teams they’ve beaten, during that period, at the Azteca, are Scotland in a 2018 friendly and Czechia last week who they beat handily, but the Czech’s have looked poor in all their matches.Looking at that record, it’s clear they are not easy to beat at the Azteca but they’re also not the invincible powerhouse that the headlines suggest.
It’s England, so of course we’re worried, but no way Spain, Argentina, Brazil, or France would be too concerned about playing them there and neither should we be, really.7 -
Mexico should come out fast against us. Weather the initial storm and hit them on the counter and we should be fine.
Raul Jiminez is a championship player next season - if we can’t deal with him then we’re screwed anyway.3 -
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Did anyone see Rooney doing his pundit gig earlier where he said in all seriousness that Tuchel should have contacted Walker before the first game and asked him to come out of retirement??? If ever you needed proof that the bloke is an idiot there it is lol2
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Rashford and madueke should be making Gordon and to a lesser points Saka’s coco tonight, because the pair of them were shit, end product was league 12
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Team I would play for Mexico:
Pickford
James (if fit - Konsa if not)
Stones
Guehi
O Reilly
Anderson (though am tempted by Mainoo)
Rice
Saka
Bellingham
Gordon
Kane0 -
These are all problems of Tuchel’s own making. The wide players/wingers aren’t good enough and he’s left Palmer, Bowen (Foden?) sat at home.Exiled_Addick said:Pleased for Gordon to have an impact with two assists. Rashford has been more involved that Gordon managed in the first two games, but wants the point of being involved if you just waste every opening you get with a bad pass, wayward shot, or dribbling down a blind alley?
Really hope they can somehow squeeze enough juice out of whatever is left in Saka’s lemon. If not, they must figure out an alternative to Madueke as he’s looked barely Championship quality and has been a huge weak link producing nothing in attack and exposing the right back defensively, regardless of who has played there.
He can’t change system because he doesn’t have the defenders for it - Maguire, Trent, Hall all sat at home.He doesn’t seem to want to play Rogers much as an alternative central option. Gibbs-White sat at home.1 -
This will be the way I hope. Or you could drop Anderson and play Rice and Mainoo and find a right back from somewhere (Konsa?) - whatever he does, it’s time for Mainoo. He moves the ball quicker and wants to play positive football.BigRedEvil said:Rice at right back didn't look too bad. Maybe get Mainoo in midfield.
We made hard work out of it but to be honest unless your France the same will can be said for the other sides left in the competition0 -
Doesn't scan, you need an extra syllable in the first and second lines, and one less in the third.jimmymelrose said:Due to my lack of appreciation of the Royal Family, I sing the anthem with the words 'God Save Harry Kane.' I invite all England fans to do likewise. You know it makes sense.1 -
Bellingham’s reaction to Kane’s second goal. Dropped to his knees in relief.5
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Laddick01 said:Mexico should come out fast against us. Weather the initial storm and hit them on the counter and we should be fine.
Raul Jiminez is a championship player next season - if we can’t deal with him then we’re screwed anyway.
We are not weathering a rain shower, let alone a storm with that back four mate. Shocking. Not a dig at you, btw. Just thought we looked shite at the back and Pickford iffy2 -
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Of all the players to leave at home….Gibbs-White is unforgivable IMO4
