England Play Costa Rica on Hallowed Ground
posted by The Blue Devil @ 2:33 PM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Thursday, June 07, 2018
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Contributors
Previous Posts
- Russia 2018 Preview - Group D
- Russia 2018 Preview - Group C
- Russia 2018 Preview - Group B
- Russia 2018 Preview - Group A
- Red Devil with the LOB Shield
- World Cup Warm Up #1
- Russia 2018 Predictions Game - Welcome!
- The Future of the US National Team
- Congratulations, Red Devil!
- THE EUROPEAN CUP FINAL!!
110 Comments:
A very good afternoon, chaps. We’re seven days away from Russia 2018. And no matter how loud the rational voice in our head protests that it’s a corporate disgrace that will be full of racism and technology, the little voice says: IT’S THE BLOODY WORLD CUP.
Tonight at Elland Road, plucky England play 2014 quarter-finalists Costa Rica in their last friendly before they head to Russia. After the Expected Wins of 2006 and 2010, the England national team are enjoying an Age of Realism. Most fans accept the last 16 is about par, the quarter-finals would be a good achievement and the semi-finals would justify an open top bus tour.
Good afternoon, Bob. I agree with both statements. Sad, but true. It will be even worse four and a half years from now.
Looked at the list of friendlies being played today and this one seems to be the best of the lot.
Costa Rica in the same group as Brazil , the Swiss , and the Serbs. I don't see them making it past the group stage this time around.
Afternoon, MUR! How are you, mate?
Gareth Southgate made ten changes to his starting lineup. He wants to see how everyone performs. That includes a debut for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Sadly, there is no coverage of this afternoon's match in the States. Not even Deportes. So, I'm marooned in the office following it on the Guardian blog.
Doing well. Trying to stay cool. How are you?
Here are the teams lining up in the tunnel at (sigh) Elland Road now:
England (3-4-2-1) Butland; Maguire, Stones, Jones; Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Delph, Rose; Loftus-Cheek, Rashford; Vardy.
Costa Rica (3-4-2-1) Navas; Waston, Gonzalez, Calvo; Gamboa, Guzman, Borges, Oviedo; Venegas, Campbell; Urena.
The match is being shown on FS 1
Fred says that Bryan Oviedo, of the Ticos, is representing the Black Cats at the World Cup.
This line-up looks very much like the B-team. Still no chance then to see what Kane and Vardy might do up front together as a strike partnership. It seems that Gareth is destined to start Kane up front alone with Sterling and Alli providing support and width.
Is it, now! Wow - I missed that one. Enjoy it if you're watching.
Thanks, mate. I will. Will you be able to watch on one of the FOX links?
Sadly, Southgate will be like previous managers and be more conservative than is necessary.
The Ticos are one of those teams that has MLS representation at the World Cup.
Looks like some Ticos in the away end at ER. what do you think they make of ER and W Yorkshire?
Kaylor Navas, the Real keeper, looks to be the real star player for the Ticos.
They're off from ER!
COME ON ENGLAND!
MARTIN TYLER AND CLIVE ALLEN ON THE MICS.
A miss hit pass from Alexander-Arnold is cleared for an England corner.
The corner is headed out, then some trickery from Rash and a clever back heel to Jones, who passes out of touch
Loftus-Cheek has been fouled twice in a minute. This free kick near the right touch line.
The free kick is whipped in by Delph and Harry Maguire is called for a foul on Navas.
Rash goes on a run and a Ticos defender clears for an England corner. A foul is called as Jones heads just ovr. Actually a corner as the header was finger tipped over by the Real keeper.
GOAL !!!! RASH WITH A LONG Range thunderbolt in the upper 90.
Two Ticos down as they collide into each other.
Rash goes on a solo run and wins a corner.
It's taken short and a cross from Danny Rose leads to head tennis and Navas rushes out to gather as Vardy was about to shoot.
Butland tips over a long range effort from Venegas.
Delph tackled for a corner. Taken quick and short.. The Ticos get possession and immediately give it away
Alexander-Arnold has a pass intended for Vardy cleared for a corner.
The corner from Alexander-Arnold is headed away to Rash, who is the victim of a RAsh tackle by Rangers player, Cristian Gamboa.
The free kick from Alexander-Arnold is headed out for a corner. Taken by Delph and retaken due to some Argy bargy.
The corner from Delph is headed on by Maguire, chested by Rash then Kadoomphed away
A rare attack by the Ticos and Joe Campbell showed why he was never a regular with a really poor delivery.
Wow - I'm back from meeting with a student and see that Rash has put England 1-0 up! Wahay!
Portugal one up vs Algeria midway through the first half.
Welcome back. It was really a spectacular cracker.
You will be interested to note that it's a return to Er for Danny Rose and Fabian Delph.
You know, I'd take this one and the result against Nigeria against our first two opponents. That would put us into the knock-out rounds before we had to meet up with Belgium.
I saw that - welcome back, boys!
A minute of stoppage time.
Not sure how Harry Magiure will hold up to a better quality of striker than Joel Campbell. He seems a bit static and limited. Do you rate him?
England one up at the half thanks to that spectacular goal from Rash.
He's a decent back up , but not a starter for sure.
Peep peep! England have controlled the game and deservedly lead through a spectacular goal from Marcus Rashford. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
Second half underway as the Ticos version of the Phantom of the Opera kicks it off.
Geoff Hurst and Mick Jones in attendance.
Portugal two up at the half vs Algeria.
Butland with a comfortable near post save from Urena off a soupy pass from Campbell.
Waston with a foul from behind on Rash. Perfect position to whip a cross into the box.
Gamboa clears away the free kick from Alexander -Arnold then the same player has a cross headed away. The Three lIons keep possession.
Arnason gives Iceland an early lead vs Ghana.
Hendo has a shot just outside the box pushed around by Navas. Straight to him, but lots of power. Harry Maguire has a header cleared off the line off the corner./
Bryan Oviedo, the lone Black Cats player in the World Cup with that goal line clearance.
Gamboa not too far over with a long range effort.
Matarita on for Bryan Oviedo and Christian Bolanos for Joel Campbell.No more Black Cats representation for Fred.
Wellie on for Vardy
I'm back again after another meeting with a student. How's it been?
Sounds like Vardy was a bit quiet tonight. Shame for him, as he's right on the bubble. Rash might have just played his way into a sub role.
Loftus-Cheek drags an effort well wide oof a nice run.
Delle Alli on for Hendo, Trippier on for Alexander-Arnold, Nick Pope on for Butland for his international debut
Gary Cahill on for John Stones.
Welcome back. It's beena quiet second half for the most part.
Loads of subs on now!
Bolanos on for Venegas, not Campbell.
Correct. Fred is not pleased.
Matarita booked for a foul from behind on Loftus-Cheek. A tad cynical.
Boris Yeltsin Tejeda on for David Guzman as the free kick from Trippier went wide.
Sounds like the substitutions have somewhat disrupted the flow of the match now.
I'd like to see a second goal to seal this one about now.
Costa Rica with a change as Ian Smith is on for Cristian Gamboa.
Not sure that I like Hendo and Dier playing together. Surely against this sort of opposition we don't need the cover of two defensive middies. I'd prefer to see another attacking player on.
Agreed with both statements, mate.
Danny Rose with a miss hit volley wide of the mark.
GOAL !!! WELLIE DONE AS HE DIVERTS A CROSS FROM DELLE ALLI WITH A CLOSE RANGE HEADER. DELLE PLAYED A ONE TWO THEN WHAT LOOK LIKED AN INTENDED SHOT WAS DIVERTED WITH HIS HEAD BY WELLIE
That's what the doc ordered.
Wahay! Welly with England's second goal!
Portugal three up vs Algeria/.
Yes, it was. Good work from Rash again feeding Alli who crossed for Welly to nod home.
Agreed that England doesn't need an extra defensive middie unless they're [protecting a large lead. I'm sure they will have that vs Belgium
I would like to see Portugal get stuck into Spain in their opener, but I predict a boring 0-0er.
Lindy on for Tongue N' Cheek.
I'm thinking a one niller in that match.
Sure - I have no problem with playing it cautious against Belgium or some of the bigger teams in the knock-out rounds. But surely opening up the floodgates and scoring 3 or 4 against lowly Tunisia in the opener would be a tonic for the boys.
Lindy has a shot blocked for corner after Bolanos gifted England possession.
They should also hit the cynical Panama for a cricket score.
Lindy comes on and nearly scores right from the off. England do have some weapons, if Gareth chooses to use them.
I agree - Panama are pants.
Bolanos volleys well wide off a cross from Matarita . Decent move from the Ticos.
Yeltsin Tejeda more like Boris with that long range effort.
Sounds like the game is petering out a bit.
Iceland goes two up vs Ghana. Finnbogason with the goal.
Iceland could be a surprise package again.
It is. Both teams look ready for the final whistle.
It will be tough for them with the Argies and Croatia in the same group, but they have a chance.
a triplet of stoppage time minutes.
Would love to see Iceland turn over the Argies in that opener.
Three minutes of stoppage time to come now.
I wish the US could put the Ticos to the sword like England have done tonight.
England defeat the Ticos 2-0 with a professional if not spectacular performance.
Iceland two up at the half vs Ghana.
That's it then. Very satisfying win for England. And no injuries in the camp. Gareth and the boys should feel quietly confident flying off to Russia this next week.
Agreed, Bob. A shame that the U.S. will not be involved.
Agreed. That should set England in the right frame of mind heading to Russia.
I'm off home then, mate. Nice chatting with you.
Cheers. Great chatting. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Post a Comment
<< Home