Other Games 2025-26

[Dave]

A few Konsa / Rogers / Watkins related England stats from qualifying:

Most-used England XI in World Cup qualifying:
Pickford; James, Konsa, Burn, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Anderson; Madueke, Rogers, Rashford; Kane.

Jude Bellingham has actually played the ninth-most number of minutes, but has started only four games to Rogers’ five.

Which England players have featured in all eight games of World Cup qualifying?
Four: Jordan Pickford, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers and Harry Kane.

Number of England players used in World Cup qualifying:
32, with Morgan Gibbs-White, Ollie Watkins and Trent Alexander-Arnold the three players who have featured only from the subs’ bench.

Best pass completion rate for England in World Cup qualifying:
If we ignore Ollie Watkins’ 100% pass completion rate from three passes (and we will), it’s Ezri Konsa with 96.3%.

Most chances created per 90 for England in World Cup qualifying:
Noni Madueke (2.3) emerges from the pack here, proving why he is an early Thomas Tuchel favourite. But Jude Bellingham is not far behind on 2.2, way ahead of his No.1 rival Morgan Rogers on 1.3

I reckon if the World Cup started tomorrow and everyone was available, the team would probably be that most-used one above, with Guehi in for Burn, O'Reilly in for Lewis-Skelly and Saka in for Madueke.

[LeeB]

Still keep seeing every journo assuming Stones will start, and a good few still seeming it unthinkable that Rogers will start over Bellingham.

[VILLA MOLE]

Still keep seeing every journo assuming Stones will start, and a good few still seeming it unthinkable that Rogers will start over Bellingham.

they love their favourites , very loyal

[Bosco81]

Tuchel seems to like Rogers cos he plays where he is told to play, for England that is right sided,

Bellingham seems to think he can play where he wants, dropping deep, and then turning up on the left.

I think Morgan has benefited from playing for Unai, in that you play where he tells you or you don't play at all as Elliott is now finding out, Tuchel seems quite similar to Unai in that aspect.

[Dave]

Still keep seeing every journo assuming Stones will start, and a good few still seeming it unthinkable that Rogers will start over Bellingham.

they love their favourites , very loyal

It's more laziness than loyalty. They don't *actually* care who starts.

However, it's also completely possible that all of Guehi, Stones and Bellingham will start and neither Konsa nor Rogers will. It wouldn't be the biggest shock in the world. It also wouldn't definitely be the wrong decision.

[Brazilian Villain]

I do like France Gall. Dana is the only Irish winner that isn't absolutely terrible.

Whats another year.

CDBF doesn't like it because he knows that he'll never be as cool as Johnny Logan.

[cdbearsfan]

I like him even less now I know he likes Formula One.

[LeeB]

Still keep seeing every journo assuming Stones will start, and a good few still seeming it unthinkable that Rogers will start over Bellingham.

they love their favourites , very loyal

It's more laziness than loyalty. They don't *actually* care who starts.

However, it's also completely possible that all of Guehi, Stones and Bellingham will start and neither Konsa nor Rogers will. It wouldn't be the biggest shock in the world. It also wouldn't definitely be the wrong decision.

No I agree, it's the assumption and incredulity at the alternatives from their persepectives I'm noticing.

[cdbearsfan]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx278m4gm4xo

Play-offs explained.

[Brazilian Villain]

Bolivia lost 10 of their 18 games and are in the inter-confederation play-offs. Hungary lost 2 of their 6 games and are out.

[rougegorge]

...and Sweden haven't won a game in the qualifiers and are also in the play-offs.

[Meanwood Villa]

Don't lose to Ireland is the answer. I'd kick Portugal out too while we're at it.

[Meanwood Villa]

Following the "logic" of smallest ratio of defeats = right to qualify for World Cup, poor old New Caledonia on one defeat from five.

[PeterWithe]

I know this wont meet with popular agreement, but given that Kane now drops onto the toes of our centre halves he's so deep, and hits big passes out to the wings, Bellingham attacking the space Kane was in a moment earlier, is probably a better fit for the team than Rogers.

[Meanwood Villa]

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gabon and Nigeria all lost 1 out of 10.

Edit: in the group stage. Cameroon and Gabon are 2 out of 11 after playoffs, Nigeria 2 out of 12.