COLOMBIA FIRST UP ON THE SO CALLED ‘EASIER PATH’
So the dead rubber against Belgium is done and England now move forward to face Colombia in Moscow this coming Tuesday (3rd July). In a strange game, where both teams made wholesale changes and which in my opinion neither side really wanted to win. It was Belgium who decided to twist first to take the lead and when push came to shove Gareth ‘GS’ Southgate showed his true thoughts and stuck as while England were chasing the game looking for an equaliser, tournament top goalscorer Harry Kane was left on the bench. The actions of a manager happy to finish second in the group, so they end up in the so called ‘easier’ half of the draw and avoidance of a number of proper big guns before any potential final appearance.
MOMENTUM LOST?
England were on a high after their important last minute win over Tunisia and then the thrashing of Panama. The thought is that the upwards trajectory the team were on has been stunted and this may well effect their future performances, just because they wanted to be in the half of the draw that means a potential quarter final against Sweden or Switzerland instead of Brazil. Let’s be honest it is a slight gamble by Southgate and we will know the answer on Tuesday and then hopefully for the English the following Saturday (7th July). I said in a previous blog that minimum requirement for ‘GS’, due to very beneficial draws (luck is part of any progress in a tournament) was to reach the last 8, but now they have strategically put themselves in the half of the draw they wanted, then anything other than the last 4 will in my opinion be seen as a disappointing return.
TUNISIA TEAM?
There would have been a few players who turned out against Belgium who’d have thought they had a chance of possibly forcing their way into the team for the round of 16 match. Unfortunately they fluffed their lines big time. Danny Rose was abysmal for the Belgian goal and Marcus Rashford missed a guilt edged chance to equalise, I have a feeling that their manager was not too disappointed mind. I can see the same 11 that took the field against Tunisia in the first match starting in Moscow. Dele Alli is still a doubt, but the manager is desperate for him to be fit, especially as judging by his last 2 performances (from the start) – Ruben Loftus-Cheek looks like he would do a better job as an impact substitute as we stand.
THE OPPOSITION
Colombia will be a test and England will most definitely not be taking them lightly. In the last World Cup they lit up the tournament, but unfortunately they came up against the hosts in the quarter finals and a disgraceful officiating performance hell bent on keeping the hosts in the competition. They have already been playing knockout football to some extent as due to losing their opening match against Japan they basically had to win their remaining games to stand any chance of qualifying from their group. This was achieved in differing styles with a 0-3 demolition of Poland and then a battling 0-1 victory of Senegal. Jose Pekerman’s men are already battle hardened and will be ready and waiting for the English challenge.
PREDICTIONS
This match is as close to a 50/50 split as we can get. England have gained plenty of plaudits for their performances in this World Cup, but did let themselves down slightly against Belgium. Southgate can bleat all he wants about how there was no plan to come second in the group but he knows if he does not win this game, he will get (and will deserve) the criticism and flak that will come his way. It is very likely that the South Americans will be without their star playmaker James Rodriguez, who has aggravated a calf injury and is a major doubt for the game. How they reconcile this may well be crucial to their hopes, maybe it is the time for their other real creative force Juan Quintero to step up in his absence at this crucial stage of the tournament. For what its worth, I think the game will begin slowly and will only open up once a goal is scored and then we will see a free flowing end to end game. It is a close one to call but I feel England’s freshness may just give them an edge – 2-1 to the Three Lions and huge relief for ‘GS’ as his team make the final 8.
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