England’s World Cup 2018 finished on a somewhat bum note, as the Three Lions suffered a 2-0 defeat against Belgium on Saturday in the third-place play-off. In truth, the game was one that both sides could have done without playing.
However, they played, and Belgium showed their extra class with a victory in the end. The Belgium defeat and other experiences are important to the future of the English national team.
This England team have won the fans back
The critics who claim that England were in the comfortable half of the draw certainly have credence. No doubt Gareth Southgate’s side had an easier route to the semi-final than they could have had. The fact they fell to defeats when facing decent opposition is also a concern.
However, there are more positive…
European football giants England, Holland and Spain have all booked their places at World Cup 2010. All three countries have 100 per cent records in their groups and have brushed aside every team that they have played in qualification.
100 per cent records are not the only thing that these three great footballing countries have in common. All three teams are also World Cup underachievers. There is only one World Cup crown between them and that was back in 1966 when England triumphed on home soil.
Holland and Spain have both won European Championships since then. The great Dutch side of the 1980s prevailing in Euro 88 including beating England on the way to glory. Apart from that the Dutch national side has enjoyed limited success at recent major tournaments.
Dur…
Fiorentina were one of the most disappointing teams in the 2018-19 Serie A season. Despite having a talented squad that could have challenged for a European spot, the Viola side ended the campaign near the relegation zone and quite far from what they were looking to achieve. But things might be different during the upcoming season.
Vincenzo Montella wanted to upgrade his squad on both sides of the ball ahead of the 2019/20 season. And with the league campaign set to begin this weekend, it’s safe to say Fiorentina have accomplished that. We only need to take a look at their transfer activity to realize they can be a much better side this time around.
What has been Fiorentina s transfer activity during the summer?
Fiorentina lost Vitor Hugo, Christian Norgaard and Ricc…
Harry Kane s second goal against Southampton saw the Tottenham striker overtake Lionel Messi as Europe s top scorer in 2017 with 55.
The England international scored a hat-trick in Saturday s 3-0 win over Burnley to move to 53 goals for club and country in the calendar year.
That treble put him one behind Barcelona superstar Messi, who earlier that day scored a penalty in his final game of 2017 – a 3-0 defeat of Real Madrid in El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Kane moved level with Messi by heading his first against the Saints at Wembley on Tuesday – breaking Alan Shearer s record of 36 Premier League goals in one year in the process.
And a stunning 12 months for the 24-year-old was capped off with his second, a simple tap-in from Son Heung-m…
The 2010 summer transfer window has been as exciting as ever and the columns kept filling up with the latest deals, but seeing the window has just closed, this looks like the perfect time to assess clubs’ dealings in the transfer market and see which deals are expected to prove the most profitable. In addition to that, the future candidates for the transfer flops of the season will also feature here.
Best summer signings
5.) Simon Kjaer (Palermo to Wolfsburg, €12 million)
After arriving to Palermo, Simon Kjaer quickly established his reputation as one of the brightest talents to have emerged from Denmark during the last decade and after two impressive seasons at Renzo Barbera, as well as a formidable showing at World Cup 2010, the 21-year-old became one of …
Gareth Southgate labelled Marcus Rashford at the World Cup as a completely different player to his England performances during the delayed Euro 2020.
The Manchester United forward missed a spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out in the European Championship final defeat to Italy before a wave of online racial abuse was targeted at Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho.
Rashford appeared out of form following the Euro 2020 heartbreak but impressive club performances for United ahead of the November break saw him secure a place in Southgate s 26-man squad for Qatar.
The 25-year-old scored as a substitute in the 6-2 victory over Iran and celebrated a brace after starting in Tuesday s 3-0 win over Wales to send England through as Group B winners.
That made Rashfo…
Both the Washington Football Team and Buffalo Bills tasted playoff football last year but they’ve both started the 2021 season with a .500 record.
With Ryan Fitzpatrick out injured, the Football Team will have to rely on their acclaimed defense to defeat Josh Allen and his Buffalo Bills.
It’s not Sunday without reading our free NFL betting picks and predictions, so make sure you’re ready for the Washington Football Team vs. Buffalo Bills and read them now.
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The Los Angeles Rams head to Raymond James Stadium to face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in NFL Divisional Round action on Sunday afternoon.
Both of these teams are coming off easy victories on Wild Card weekend but oddsmakers are expecting a closer battle this weekend with NFL betting lines installing the Buccaneers as 2.5-point home faves.
The Rams beat the Bucs earlier this season but can they repeat that success against the defending Super Bowl champions in hostile territory? We let you know what we think with our best free NFL picks and predictions for Rams vs. Buccaneers on January 23.
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Discovering how to watch New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles has never been easier! Bettors on both sides of the border can watch or stream this intriguing NFL Divisional Round showdown on a variety of traditional and digital platforms.
Choose the method that’s right for you below.
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The New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars kick off NFL Week 7 odds in the Thursday Night Football spotlight, but Trevor Lawrence’s knee injury at the weekend has brought some gloom, with the NFL odds in limbo.
Lawrence hasn’t missed a game since being drafted by the Jaguars and the smart money says he’ll be under center, but his health for this showdown has removed a little of the gloss for a Jacksonville team riding a three-game win streak and sitting at 4-2.
After playing four of their first six games on the road, the Saints are an uneven 3-3 but they’ll still be one of the more popular NFL picks this week as the tiniest of home favorites in our Thursday Night Football odds.
If the Lawrence uncertainty steers …