Skip to main content

England versus Belgium: To win or not to win?

Moscow: To win or not to win? That is the question that England head coach Gareth Southgate and his Belgian counterpart Roberto Martinez are probably asking themselves right now as the draw for the next stages of the World Cup opens up ahead of them.

England and Belgium are already assured of a place in the last 16 of the World Cup after impressive wins over Tunisia and Panama. The European heavyweights will face each other in their final Group G game, with a tie against Senegal, Colombia or Japan waiting in the last 16, reports Xinhua news agency.

All three possible rivals present a difficult challenge, although not an insurmountable one, but if you look beyond the last 16 the panorama changes drastically. The way things stand the winners of Group G would (if they get through to the last 16) have a quarter-final against either Brazil or Germany, with Mexico or Switzerland awaiting the side that finishes second.

Both the Mexicans and the Swiss have impressed and the Germans and Brazilians are having disappointing World Cups by their high standards. That being said, England and Belgium would probably prefer a quarter-final against Mexico or Switzerland rather than the defending champions or the World Cup's most successful team.

"Everyone wants to look at a possible pathway," Martinez said on Monday, before adding, "I don't think as a professional you can go on a pitch not wanting to win."

Southgate echoed that sentiment. "I don't know how we would go into a game not wanting to win and play well, so I think that's dangerous territory if we start trying to plot and predict where we might end up," the England coach said.

"We want to win every game of football we go into," he added, reminding people not to get overconfident after their two opening wins. At Euro 2016 England thought they had a favourable draw in the last 16 but lost 2-1 to Iceland.

"We had a really favourable draw, we all thought, in the last tournament and it didn't work out that way... We just have to keep playing as well as we can, keep preparing the team the right way, keep the momentum," he concluded.

If the game between England and Belgium ends in a draw, fair play would decide which of the two ends up as the winner of the group.



via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2KqoDVR
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Manchester United to do everything to get Rashford ready for Liverpool clash

Leeds [UK], Jan 16 (ANI): Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said they will do 'everything' they can to get Marcus Rashford in shape for the Liverpool clash. Rashford sustained a back injury on Thursday during the FA Cup clash against Wolves on Thursday and left the field. "He's a quick healer and he'll play through some pain, definitely, if he's capable, if it's not a bad, bad injury. But we've seen that he's struggled lately - but more when he's been tired," Goal.com quoted Solskjaer as saying. "He wasn't on long enough to be tired so I think it might have been something that just happened there and then. He's been absolutely top this season so we'll do everything we can to get him fit for Sunday. If he's not then we'll play without him," he added. Manchester United secured a 1-0 win against Wolves with the help of Juan Mata's strike. Manchester United will take on Liverpool in Premier L...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pogba is one of best players when in form: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Leeds [UK], Dec 7 (ANI): Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised midfielder Paul Pogba, saying that he is one of the best players in the world when he is in good touch. "Paul is going to play when he gets his fitness. He is one of the best players in the world when he's in form and we just need to give him time to be 100 per cent fit," Goal.com quoted Solskjaer as saying. Pogba has endured a frustrating 2019-20 campaign to date, having only managed five Premier League appearances in total due to a string of fitness issues. He is currently recovering from an ankle injury and last played for the club on September 30 against Arsenal. Solskjaer had said that the France international will be out of action till December. "It might be 45 minutes in the first game, it might be half an hour, it might be 90. It depends on what game he comes back in and I'm looking back to get Paul back to where I had him about a year ago," Solskjaer said. ...
Post a Comment
Read more