Career WC2018 - A 3 Lions Journey - WORLD CUP FINAL RESULT!!!

[Woody]

Hi everyone.

This is just something as abit of fun over the weekend.

As a stout England supporter and proud Englishman i have decided to have a crack at winning the World Cup in Russia.

Now I'm sure the nation will be disappointed the FA have appointed a nobody but i will do my upmost to make the nation/vibe proud(hopefully).

I will attempt to play with the same squad(injuries permitting) and same tactic/formation as Southgate.

I actually love the formation Southgate as picked as it allows alot of fluidity to our play.

It's very similar to my formation in my Samuel Hardy 1k save albeit for this i will be using 2 uptop.

This is the formation and instructions i will be using, obviously i will tweek slightly during home and away games as i see it.(i'm by no means a pro at this).

I know you might think... Woody, why have you gone for 2 AF's?

Well.. my think on this is Kane doesn't play as your conventional TM as he drops deep and moves into the flanks to support and start attacks so i went with the AF trait.

The same with Rashford really as he tends to float more but isn't a DLF or a Treq so AF it is for him to. 

Basically i want everyone working together.

I have finished to qualifying games with relative ease but they are not worth posting so i will post later on as the World Cup starts along with hopefully the exact same squad as Southgate has chosen.

Obviously the groups we get put in will not be the same if it is that would be extremely lucky.

I'm going to use the EME for this fun career as i think i'm starting to get abit better at it and who knows i might actually do well. 😂

So i hope you all like what you see and look forward to the updates over the weekend and if you have anything to say about how i've set up don't be afraid to comment....i know @samhardy won't 😂

 

 

Edited June 17, 2018 by Woody

[Nucleus]

Good luck with this one mate! 😁

[Woody]

4 minutes ago, Nucleus said:

Good luck with this one mate! 😁

Cheers dude.

[Titjes]

Good luck mate

[Rob]

Good luck. Would be interested to see your final qualifying table and goals scored.

[Woody]

43 minutes ago, Titjes said:

Good luck mate

Thanks bud.

25 minutes ago, Rob2017 said:

Good luck. Would be interested to see your final qualifying table and goals scored.

Thanks mate.

[Woody]

WORLD CUP RUSSIA 2018

GROUP STAGE DRAW

GROUP A:

GROUP B:

GROUP C:

GROUP D:

GROUP E:

GROUP F:

GROUP G:

GROUP H:

So that concludes the opening group stage draw.

What do you guys think?

What are Englands chances of progressing from group D?

 

[Titjes]

Not a bad group draw

England should survive the group for sure

[Rob]

First time in years that I’ve been sure that England will get through a group!

[samhardy]

Out in the group stage.

[Woody]

2 minutes ago, samhardy said:

Out in the group stage.

I knew you'd be positive 😆

[Woody]

BREAKING NEWS

PHIL JONES RULED OUT OF WORLD CUP DUE TO INJURY.

Manchester Utd defender Phil Jones has suffured  a slipped disc during training with the club and will miss the World Cup.

Jones is obviously devestated but has wished the rest of the lads all the best for the coming tournament.

It is not yet known who Woody will bring into the squad inplace on the injured Jones but early reports are that Newcastle favourite Jamaal Lascelles will get the nod.

A statement ealier in the season from Woody stated that he was a huge admirer of the Toon centreback and is massively biased.

 

[samhardy]

Jones injured? Maybe you will get out of the group on second thoughts.

[Woody]

GROUP D - SUNDAY 17TH JUNE 2018

ENGLAND v CHILE

Team line ups:

Englands opening game of the tournament was predicted to be a tricky affair.

Cultured nation Chile boasted some top quality players most notably Man Utd's Alexis Sanchez.

1ST HALF.

Spoiler

 

England started the game in nervous fashion with chile having most of the ball and attempts on goal.

As the 1st half progressed England were starting to push on but with out managing to create any real chances untill the 26th minute when a great pass from Henderson sent Sterling clean through who slotted past the keeper to put the 3 Lions ahead.

With Chile still looking dangerous on the counter and the 1st half coming to close England got them selves a free kick just outside the box after a foul on Alli.

Kane despatched the freekick into the top right of Bravo's goal to take England into the half time break 2-0.

 

2ND HALF.
 

Spoiler

 

Having taken a solid 1st half lead, England looked to take the game by the scruff of the neck and breeze through the half.

Chile on the other hand thought differently and made a really good effort to create chances and dominate England from the get go.

England struggled to get going and in the 66th minute an excellent bit of one touch football between Sanchez and Orellana down Englands left side forced Rose into conceding a corner.

From the resulting Sanchez corner Bustos rose highest to power home a header to bring Chile within a goal with 24 mins to play....just what they deserved.

Unfortunately England defended stoutly and despite not having a single shot of note on goal managed to wind down the game to win their opening game of the tournament 2-1.

Woody stated in his post match press conference that he wasn't happy with the teams inability to break down the Chile back line. "Yes they sat back rather deep but we should of done more". Despite this Woody was delighted to start of the tournament with a win and hopefully rid them selves of any opening day nerves.

 

 

Edited June 9, 2018 by Woody

[BatiGoal]

Looks fun ☺ 

Holland for the win! 

[FuddledFox]

Nice start to he tournament👍 Really liking the update style as well.

[Woody]

19 minutes ago, BatiGoal said:

Looks fun ☺ 

Holland for the win! 

We shall see....

3 minutes ago, Foxy said:

Nice start to he tournament👍 Really liking the update style as well.

Thanks Foxydude 😆

[Nucleus]

Yeah I second Foxy, love the update style. Great start too!

[Woody]

3 minutes ago, Nucleus said:

Yeah I second Foxy, love the update style. Great start too!

Thanks mate appreciate it.

[Woody]

 

GROUP D - FRIDAY 22ND JUNE

AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND

Team line ups:

AUS                              ENG

GK Ryan                      GK Pickford

RB Beadling                RWB Trippier

LB Meredith                CB Walker

CB Gallifuoco             CB Stones

CB Wright                    CB Maguire

CM Burgess                 LWB Rose

CM Smith                     CM Alli

RW Inman                    CM Henderson

LW Williams                CM Lingard

AMC Mooy                  AF Kane

TM Ikonomidis           AF Rashford

With England scraping an opening day win they have a potentially sticky game with Australia.

With just 2 of Australia's 1st eleven boasting Premier League experience fans were hoping England win comfortably.

1ST HALF.

Spoiler

 

England flew out of the blocks right from the whistle piling the pressure onto the Aussie back four.

A back pass from Beadling and poor control from Ryan allowed Kane to disposess the Aussie number one and slot home from around 10 yards to put England infront.

Just 2 minutes later Beadling again was lacking composure and instead of clearing upfield he passed the ball infield which was intercepted by Rashford who danced past Wright and smashed Englands 2nd goal past a defenceless Ryan.

The 1st half fizzled out after that and England went into the half time break 2 goals up.

 

2ND HALF.
 

Spoiler

 

The 2nd half was abit of a drap affair with England starting bright...Rashford seemingly being England brightest light.

It was indeed Rashford who extended England's lead in the 62nd minute with a superb bit of skill from Alli who skipped past 2 players before a lovely little dink into Rashford's path who shot across Ryan and into the bottom right hand corner.

England practically took their foot of the peddle after that allowing the Aussie a few luxury attempts at goal without really troubling Pickford's goal.

A solid 2nd win for the 3 lions without really flattering anyone.

Woody spoke to the media after the game and having been questioned on wether he was worried about England's overall form so far he replied "winning is a habit, a good habit. We have won our opening two games and practically guaranteed a place in the 2nd round, our next game against Mexico will prove how far this team has come" a strong response there from the England boss and i'm sure the nation will be hoping they continue this form going into the Mexico game.

 

 

Edited June 9, 2018 by Woody

[Woody]

GROUP D - WEDNESDAY 27TH JUNE

MEXICO v ENGLAND

Line ups:

*taken after the game as i forgot*

Englands next game saw them take on a strong Mexico side.

1ST HALF

Spoiler

 

England really struggled to get going from the whistle and Mexico took the game to them and found them selves in front in the 17th minute from a Lozano cross and tapped home from 6 yards by Dos Santos.

Mexico continued to dominate and Englands stubborness to try and play through the middle simply wasn'f working and the half ended with the 3 Lions a goal down.

 

 

2ND HALF

Spoiler

Woody neede to change his tactics if England were to get back into the game.....

It seemed he did just that, abandoning the play through centre ploy they used in the 1st half and went for a more mixed approach.

This obviously worked as England started to exploit the Mexico flanks.

Englands joy turned into solid gold as a busy Vardy latched onto a Rose upfield pump to smash England level.

Only 3 minutes had passed as Henderson disposessed Pineda in the centre of the park and a lovely through ball to Vardy who cracked it in from the right hand side of the Mexico box to put England 2-1 up.

England were in control after that and wore the game down to hold a 1-2 victory.

The post match press conference was buzzing as Woody tried to explain how he managed to turn the game around. "We were just not getting any joy through middle and mexico were too dominant, Alan(Shearer) and i decided to try and exploit the space so we went with a more conventional approach and it worked. I'm pleased the lads have done well and we progress to the 2nd round with a 100% record". Woody clearly pleased with how things have gone upto now and i'm sure the England fans will be too.

 

 

Edited June 10, 2018 by Woody

[Woody]

WELCOME TO THE DRAW FOR THE 2ND ROUND..

UKRAINE v ALGERIA

USA v SPAIN

COLUMBIA v ENGLAND

CHILE v ITALY

WALES v HOLLAND

BELGIUM v PORTUGAL

GERMANY v FRANCE

URUGUAY v BRAZIL

So how do you think England will do?

And what do you think of the draw?

Edited June 10, 2018 by Woody

[Woody]

23 hours ago, Rob2017 said:

Good luck. Would be interested to see your final qualifying table and goals scored.

Here you go mate final group table.

[Woody]

WELCOME TO THE WORLD CUP 2018 2ND ROUND.

COLUMBIA v ENGLAND

During the pre match press conference both managers gave very frank answers to the questions coming from the worlds press.

What England fans wanted to know was how England were going to set up for the game.

Woody has decided to stick with the same team that beat Mexico apart from a change at right back due to an injury for Alexander-Arnold. Trippier will take his place and Kane is still out injured.

Woody did note that he will be making minor tactical changes to the instructions for the players to follow.

The teams for todays match are as follows:

Spoiler

 

The stadium erupted into a chorus of three lions as England kicked us off...

The 1st half was a very tense affair with both side unwilling to venture forward too much and leaving them selves vulnerable.

England had the best of the early oportunities. A free kick to Columbia after a foul on Sanchez by Henderson gave the South Americans a chance as the half came to a close...unfortunately Quintero's effort crashed off the right hand post and spun out for a goal kick.

From the resulting goal kick Henderson picked up a loose ball and played in a wide open Vardy who shot from the right side of the box to put England ahead in 1st half injury time. 0-1.

The 2nd half started without any changes to either side and Columbia shot out of the blocks and began piling the pressure on England.

Shot after shot from the Columbians peppered the England goal but nothing could get past the impressive Pickford.

England defended resolutely throughout the remaining half and managed to hold onto the 0-1 lead to progress to the next round.

Woody was in bouyant mood infront of the press after the game, peticularly in praise of his outstanding back 3 who defended with honor.

"I can't and couldn't praise them any more, infact the whole squad have been amazing and i hope the fans back home are proud of what we have achieved so far".

 

 

Edited June 12, 2018 by Woody

[Nucleus]

A tense affair! I’m curious to know how my team got on against those orange frauds?! 😝

[Woody]

1 hour ago, Nucleus said:

A tense affair! I’m curious to know how my team got on against those orange frauds?! 😝

A great effort mate.

[Titjes]

You're going to make England World Champions mate  

[Woody]

1 hour ago, Titjes said:

You're going to make England World Champions mate  

Lets hope so mate 😆

[Woody]

WELCOME TO THE DRAW FOR THE QUARTER FINAL STAGE OF THE 2018 WORLD CUP RUSSIA...

 

Edited June 16, 2018 by Woody

[Nucleus]

Couldn’t have asked for better. Now I just hope Mahrez scores 14 goals to break your hearts 😁