Jude Bellingham ‘everywhere’ for England as ‘turgid’ label torn up | OneFootball

England were actually pretty good v Panama and Jude Bellingham was particularly brilliant, though England still lacking a pausa.

Send your thoughts on England, Brazil, Germany and more to theeditor@football365.com

Watch it again; England were pretty good v Panama

The way we perceive performances is so weird. I watched it in the local and I came away feeling we had been pretty turgid.

I didn’t really notice Bellingham have as good a game as the media was saying the next day, I thought Rogers was non-existent, same for Kane. I felt like I must have been watching a different game.

So I watched it again at home on my own and my perception of the game was completely different. We actually played quite well, and were it not for Panama players making blocks here there and everywhere we could have won by 4 or 5.

Yes, they could have scored a couple as well and our defence still looks weak as well hydrated p*** but I definitely felt we were better on second viewing. Bellingham was everywhere, Rashford was running at defenders, Rogers looked to be knitting things together and Kane was, indeed on the pitch and managed to get involved more than he did against Ghana.

There were quite a few occasions where we took one touch too many, which speaks of either a lack of conviction, confidence or whatever. There was one instance where Bellingham was through and I was half expecting an early, proper Ronaldo style, toe poke but he took a touch and the chance was gone.

Not sure where we are at with defenders, but it does feel like we are making that bit up as we go along. Konsa has done okay but I think we are missing Stones’ composure on the ball.

The confidence of a few of the pundits in England going all the way is weird, constantly saying we are a team built to beat better teams with no evidence whatsoever. G-nevs assertion that we are a counter attacking team gives me the heebies when you see how open we are at the back.

Someone will have a field day against us at some point, but for now – anything feels possible, albeit not probable! Tom, Overinandover

It reminds me of the “if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle” – except she wouldn’t would she?

The problem with these theories is that the game might have been different based on the shortcomings of those same theories which no one addresses. Trent being a poor defender. Maguire being butter on toast against the Ghanaian counter attacks.

The match against Croatia was one of the best I’ve seen England play in years, Ghana was not bad given we didn’t lose. And Panama was actually enjoyable seeing how Bellingham really put in a shift.

This is the first time, and it comes with age and deciding to enjoy the process, that I actually am enjoying watching England play. Tom Joe (maybe that’s because I’m a Spurs fan finally enjoying England playing better than my own team)

Rashford v Gordon on the left

Revisiting the Ghana match, we can now see that Ghana probably are not in fact the 12th best team from Africa. Nine teams hailing from Africa got through to the round of 32. We can also see that Ghana are approximately one of the better 32 teams globally today.

This puts the “turgid” narrative to bed. Ghana have a good tactical manager in the former assistant to Sir Alex too. Ghana might beat Columbia and make round of 16.

So, what do we make of Gordon and Rashford in the light of Ghana’s game against Croatia?

If DR Congo punishes England, the very same journalists who ignored or deleted Anthony Gordon’s 0.29 xA stat against Ghana to hype up Marcus Rashford to get him started against Panama will write pre-packaged articles blaming the hysteria for switching to Rashford from Gordon. A decent winger working a shift, a Player who did make well weighted passes to Bellingham (against Ghana) that were whiffed shanked and scuffed. Watch the match again if you don’t believe it.

It’s best to rotate the two players. One is flashy with little to no end product, the other is efficient and keeps possession. Dan McG LFC

Where’s Mainoo?

Midfielder who can track back ✅️ Midfielder who can play one touch passes forward✅️ Someone who doesn’t run around like a headless chicken✅️ Midfielder who makes intelligent runs and positions✅️

Bring forth the Kobbietine!! (early 90’s brit hip hop ref👍🏽) Amrick

Third man and more…

As I understand, third man run is when player A plays a 1-2 with player B and sends a through pass to player C who started his run during the 1-2. He usually passes the ball to player A first. Usually, a winger and a midfielder put a FB through.

As someone alluded to earlier in the mailbox, English midfields lack the pausa.

Scanning is not merely turning your head and looking like the world class midfielder does.

Essentially, where is the Odegaard to the Rice?

But you have Bellingham who is everything and more. Whoever thought he is not the first name on the sheet. Madrid fan

VAR better at this World Cup

Despite the politics, the disgraceful finances and all that is awful about FIFA, I can’t help myself but get caught up in the sheer global joy that is the WC. The best part of it – and I honestly cannot believe this – has been the officiating.

There are so many changes that categorically make football better. The minute off if you’re ‘injured’. The countdown on throw ins and goal kicks. The automated offside. The speed of VAR decisions. Reviewable yellows. Even carding a player after he gets caught diving!

Which leaves me with the very obvious question: how are the PGMOL going to take all the wrong lessons from this and make Premier League officiating even more insufferable? Ryan, (halftime in the Canada/S Africa match, if it was a prem match we’d still be waiting on Stockley Park)

Saliba squared

Having watched the Canadian team at the World Cup, I was wondering if the Canadian Saliba could join the French Saliba at Arsenal. What a great signing and time that could be for the Gunners! Yiembe (Mombasa, Kenya)

On Canada and the usual rant about Romano

I know you had some ambivalence about Canada v South Africa, as see in Dave Tickner’s article headlined ‘World Cup gets rest day by proxy as Canada provide perfect bridge to the knockout stage’, but I see it as the expanded WC delivering on Infantino’s suggestion that increasing the number of smaller teams who could qualify being a boost for the sport ( I know the real reason is to increase FIFA’s revenue, which will in turn increase money distribution to FIFA members and guarantee his re-election!).

What it has done in Canada is increase the visibility of a minority sport and inspire youngsters to get involved (both my daughters already play in youth teams) and getting to the last 16 will help in both these regards. We are actually visiting the UK later this year, and Canada (and England) are playing in the Women’s U20 WC in Poland, so we may try to catch some games whilst over that side of the Atlantic. By my reckoning it will cost about £10 (50 PLZ) for a family of four to see two games (example: on the 5th September each ticket lets you see Brazil v Tanzania + Canada + England) which is super value for money!

Moving onto Romano, if anyone has ever read my previous mails they will understand that I do not like/have any time for him or other bullshit merchants of his ilk, and your article ‘Liverpool turn attention to World Cup star after Diomande snub as Romano reveals ‘open’ situation’ is a perfect example of why. Is begins with quotes from ‘French journalist Fabrice Hawkins’ explaining why Diomande would prefer to move to PSG (basically they are his Dad’s team, better chance of winning things, working with Enrique etc) all perfectly understandable stuff.

It then continues with Romano parroting this stuff to his 427 billion YouTube subscribers, but with weasly worded excuses for previously telling us Diomande was moving to Liverpool, how he still could, why Liverpool may now try to sigh Bradley Barcola instead and some fantastic self-justification. I’ll just post some excerpts, showing why I think this:

– In football, you should never say never, so let’s see whether Liverpool attempt to re-enter the race’

– ‘As I have said many times when discussing Liverpool’s search for a winger, do not forget the name Bradley Barcola’

– ‘Barcola was already a player Liverpool admired during the summer of 2025, and he remains on their shortlist for the summer of 2026. My position on that has not changed. Bradley Barcola remains a concrete option for Liverpool.’

– Many sources in France insist that Barcola is not leaving PSG. My information remains different’

– ‘I made a video back in May explaining this exact scenario. Liverpool could move for Barcola while PSG focus on signing Yan Diomande’

So basically he doesn’t really know either way and is hedging his bets, whilst trying to prove his worth by saying he didn’t know and was hedging his bets previously.

I know Romano isn’t alone in doing this, but have no idea why you publicise him so much when he is doing it himself via his billion of YouTube and X subscribers, especially with headlines including the word ‘reveals’ when he reveals absolutely f*** all and makes excuses for being wrong previously, and possibly in the future! A, LFC, Montreal