[Football] Keep winning or look for the easier knockout games?

[Stat Brother]

Simple enough.

As we all know already, half of the draw, going forward, will be stacked with favourites while the other will be deemed 'easier'.

What should England do:-

Keep the momentum with another good win.
Or
Throw the Belgium game in order to make the path through to the final easy?

Oh and I do know this is all a bit bloody silly.
But we all know this is going to be pretty much the only thing that'll be on the schedule of Talkspite and 5Live, so I see no reason why we shouldn't have a go as well.

 

[btnbelle]

There will be great teams ahead at some point, so I would prefer a win to keep up momentum.

 

[Eeyore]

That wouldn't look very smart if England then lost their second round match.

It seems that some folk are forgetting that there is a second round match.

 

[Beach Hut]

Keep that winning habit

 

[Bodian]

After the experience of being pleased that we sorted an 'easier' draw against Iceland in Euro 2016, I would say keep on winning. However, a hard-fought draw against Belgium with us picking up a couple of bookings more, would maintain the momentum and still achieve the 'easier' route through.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Rest a few players, but still go for the win.

 

[studio150]

Just keep winning

 

[Sheebo]

I really don’t know.. but as [MENTION=29192]Brighton Lines[/MENTION] says - there is a tricky 2nd round match to come. I wouldn’t fancy playing Columbia or Poland despite their first results - and with the Senegal / Japan result, one of Columbia or Poland could still qualify.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Win. Win. Win. Win. Win. Lift Cup.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

don't really care who we play in the knock out stages tbh

anything could happen

as long as we don't lose on pens

that would be a sickener

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Intrigued by the idea this is pitched as a straight up choice.

Personally I think Belgium could really bring England back down to earth.

 

[Trevor]

Voted to try to win the game. I don't know how you would know that coming second is more favourable. Need to try to win all games and see how far we can get. That having been said I expect a number of changes for the Belgium match. Wouldn't want to risk a suspension or a player with a slight injury

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

By the time we kick off against Belgium, we will know who we play next in the event of a win or loss. Then we can decide whether to beat Belgium or not. It’s that simple.

 

[Triggaaar]

By the time we kick off against Belgium, we will know who we play next in the event of a win or loss. Then we can decide whether to beat Belgium or not. It’s that simple.

Right, but assuming Brazil have won their group, and Germany haven't won theirs, finishing second in our group would mean avoiding them. That has to be a good thing. It goes without saying that if Brazil finish second in their group instead, we should try and win our group.

Our last 16 game will be against any one of the 4 from group H, and it doesn't matter much which one, they're all of a similar level. We have to hope we can win that, and if we do, we want to do whatever we can to avoid Brazil in the next game.

 

[Triggaaar]

Voted to try to win the game. I don't know how you would know that coming second is more favourable.

You look at the fixtures.

 

[DavePage]

Intrigued by the idea this is pitched as a straight up choice.

Personally I think Belgium could really bring England back down to earth.

Ummm, I was thinking it will be the other way around.

All those quotes of Belgium showing us what we couldn't do against Tunisia.
Didn't we just do that against Panama?

 

[Triggaaar]

Intrigued by the idea this is pitched as a straight up choice.

Personally I think Belgium could really bring England back down to earth.

Of course they could. But Southgate should be thinking whether he wants to do everything he can to win that game, or give some players a rest and if we lose, ah shucks.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It has been a while since someone posted a new poll. I like this one, and voted 'win'.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Given Brazil and Germany are far from form, what is the easier side of the draw? They’re bigger names but that doesn’t mean they’re stronger than the suggested other teams. Keep winning and see how far it goes.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Ummm, I was thinking it will be the other way around.

All those quotes of Belgium showing us what we couldn't do against Tunisia.
Didn't we just do that against Panama?

I think quite obviously England and Belgium have done as well as each other in their first 2 games, which is made clear by the fact that they can't even be separated on goals scored. Both Tunisia and Panama are clearly very poor sides who each put up a much better fight in their first game than their second. I think it's as you were before the tournament regarding them playing each other.