Other Games - 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup Edition (+ warm-up matches): Villa-watch

[Dave]

I’d argue Bellingham has quite a way to go to be considered World Class.

He'd be in the first eleven for every single club and country in the world. In the position that he plays, if he isn't then who is?

Would he? He struggled to get in Reals team at times this season.

I'd say so, without any real doubt at all.

He plays in Real's strongest side and has done since he joined them. The only times he doesn't really play are when they're resting the bigger players against Oviedo and the like.

[PeterWithesShin]

He's a petulant little shit but he's a world class player.

[Rico]

Last time I saw a management decision as baffling as last night was back in the dark days of Paul Lambert against Bradford in the league cup. Truly baffling!

[brontebilly]

He is but also a tactical problem/opportunity. The same way Gerrard was. Don't have the tactical discipline to play in midfield at the highest level. Tuchel fell into that trap at least twice during the tournament, Croatia and Norway, by moving Bellingham in there. Nyland throwing one in glossed arguably worse decisions on the sideline than last night.

[LeeB]

He is but also a tactical problem/opportunity. The same way Gerrard was. Don't have the tactical discipline to play in midfield at the highest level. Tuchel fell into that trap at least twice during the tournament, Croatia and Norway, by moving Bellingham in there. Nyland throwing one in glossed arguably worse decisions on the sideline than last night.

I fully agree. He's an absolute powerhouse but he just plays how he wants and his decision making is suspect. If you're a coach facing him, someone like Unai, you're going to have a field day exploiting the gaps he leaves all over the pitch. I said earlier in the tournament that him and Kane are the cause and the cure of England's problems, and that's fine for dealing with all but half a dozen teams in the world but it always leaves us gasping against the best.

He reminds me a lot of Gerrard.

[Meanwood Villa]

I don't think England deliberately went defensive after scoring, just Argentina changed it and started slamming quality balls into the box and Messi dropped from striker to play maker instead. All that forced the play back but we still managed to get close to their box a few times but the wrong option was taken. Then the hydration break happened and Tuchel fucked it with his changes as an additional outball was needed.

Yeah, the ten minutes after the goal was more England - Rogers run and shot and Kane shooting at Emi.

It might have been the nerves kicking in but it felt like we retreated immediately after the goal. I'd forgotten the Kane shot, was that and the Rogers run both before the hydration break?

[Meanwood Villa]

He is but also a tactical problem/opportunity. The same way Gerrard was. Don't have the tactical discipline to play in midfield at the highest level. Tuchel fell into that trap at least twice during the tournament, Croatia and Norway, by moving Bellingham in there. Nyland throwing one in glossed arguably worse decisions on the sideline than last night.

I fully agree. He's an absolute powerhouse but he just plays how he wants and his decision making is suspect. If you're a coach facing him, someone like Unai, you're going to have a field day exploiting the gaps he leaves all over the pitch. I said earlier in the tournament that him and Kane are the cause and the cure of England's problems, and that's fine for dealing with all but half a dozen teams in the world but it always leaves us gasping against the best.

He reminds me a lot of Gerrard.

Also agree. You can't knock the bloke getting six goals in a World Cup and winning us matches but he needs someone like a Gareth Barry in beside him to do the ugly stuff. I suppose it's meant to be Rice but didn't really happen this tournament.

[tomd2103]

Tuchel fucked it by going defensive 15 mins too early.
Went full on Southgate

Seen a lot of references to Southgate, but not sure about thst comparison as Southgate stood by and did nothing as you could clearly see the momentum in games changing.  Tuchel made changes tonight which actuslly caused the momentum of the game to change. 

The comparison is that he went defensive.

I don't think Southgate was particularly defensive.  My main gripe with him was that he wouldn't react when you could clearly see momentum changing in games.  The Croatia World Cup semi-final and Italy Euros final were two that immediately spring to mind. 

[Stu]

Chelsea’s official x account posting about Enzo Fernandez 💥 was hilarious, only for the same player to then hold up that Falklands banner at the end…I’m sure it’s going to go well for him.

[Somniloquism]

I don't think England deliberately went defensive after scoring, just Argentina changed it and started slamming quality balls into the box and Messi dropped from striker to play maker instead. All that forced the play back but we still managed to get close to their box a few times but the wrong option was taken. Then the hydration break happened and Tuchel fucked it with his changes as an additional outball was needed.

Yeah, the ten minutes after the goal was more England - Rogers run and shot and Kane shooting at Emi.

It might have been the nerves kicking in but it felt like we retreated immediately after the goal. I'd forgotten the Kane shot, was that and the Rogers run both before the hydration break?

They had the Spence tackle and the Pickford save and us keeping them out closer to the halfway line. We had the Kane ball out to James who should have first timed it in to Rogers but laid it off to Rice for an easy save, then straightaway the win back by Rice and Kanes 30 yard attempt instead of better options.

They then had the Pickford save from Mac Callister just on the Hydration break which might have been then when Tuchel decided the extra defender was needed. However they also took off Simeone and brought on De Paul who was dangerous on the Left and freed up Messi even more to wander into dangerous areas. The exact same space that Gordon would have been occupying.

The final chance we had before they took the lead was Rogers who took the wrong option with the defence closing him down. I think it came as he went over to the left to stop De Paul but it also showed the option of having the attackers 40 yards out rather then 20 yards out.

[Monty]

There's a difference between defensive and passive. Mourinho teams, or the great Italy teams, whatever, they would be defensive but proactively, they'd be affecting the shape of the game with their defending. We were just wait and hope from the coach down - and, as is being pointed out endlessly, it's not the first time from this team.

[AV82EC]

Chelsea’s official x account posting about Enzo Fernandez 💥 was hilarious, only for the same player to then hold up that Falklands banner at the end…I’m sure it’s going to go well for him.

I think it was noticeable how a few English based Argentinians were nowhere near that. I can quite well believe Fernandez did that on purpose as he desperately wants out of Chelsea doesn’t he?

[PeterWithesShin]

Didn't he lead the racist France song last time?

[Monty]

Re the Falklands/Malvinas - what an utterly smalltime Burger of Nothing to build your nationalist mythology around. Couple of rocks with a couple of sheep, a tiny territorial anomaly, a seriously-who-gives-a-fuck shadow of a shadow of an issue. You think about Gdansk/Danzig, Konigsberg/Kaliningrad, the Ionian islands, Taiwan, and you as a culture have the amour propre to turn the fucking Falkland Boulders into your irridentist cult. Beatriz Sarlo was right, it's all totally bizarre.

[LeeB]

None of the Falklands stuff really bothers me, but Fernandez does, he's a proper little shit. I'd find it hard not resist the urge inflict maximum pain upon him if I was facing him.