World Cup 2018: England should go all-out to win Belgium clash and Arsenal fans will cheer Harry Kane
Alan Shearer and Ian Wright give their insights into the Group G finale, plus look at Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi
ALAN SHEARER and IAN WRIGHT only come together at the World Cup with The Sun.
They talked to head of sport SHAUN CUSTIS about England v Belgium, Arsenal fans’ attitude to Harry Kane, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
SHAUN CUSTIS: I don’t know what to make of this Belgium game. Should we go for it or conserve energy, make sure we’re injury free, and just see what happens?
ALAN SHEARER: I’ll tell you how to approach it, the same way as any other game. You go out and win it and top the group. Keep the momentum going, keep the players in the groove.
IAN WRIGHT: How do you play a game not trying to win? I’m not interested in what Roberto Martinez wants to do and rest a few. We’ve just got to go and win. I don’t like people even talking about it, it’s just negative.
AS: I’ve never heard anything more ludicrous in all my life than people trying to plot whether we should finish first or second. It’s absolute nonsense. Win the group and whoever you face you face.
SC: The likes of Roy Keane, are taking the mickey about the fact England pundits and fans are already getting excited about the possibility of getting to the final and winning it. Have we gone a bit over the top?
IW: Look, against Panama we beat an opponent very well, who we should beat, for one of the first times in a long time. We beat them in every department we scored goals, we had creativity on set-pieces, great movement, players like Jesse Lingard were fantastic.
Why wouldn’t you get excited about that with everything Gareth’s done? There’s a lot of pressure on.
People don’t even want you to be happy about England winning and want to surpress you. Well that’s not happening with me.
AS: We’re told Belgium are one of the World Cup favourites and we’ve done what they’ve done against the other two opponents. We’re full of confidence so let’s embrace it.
SC: Neither of you two would ever want to be left out of any game. But should Kane not be rested and let Jamie Vardy have a run so he’s match sharp?
AS: Kane will play and rightly so. If he gets a goal or two and we can afford to take him off with 15 minutes to go then so be it.
IW: At some stage Vardy will have a big part to play at this World Cup. He might come on and win us a game. He’s just got to be patient and wait like any of them. Anybody can be the hero.
SC: You once got left out Alan and it got Ruud Gullit the sack. What do you say to a a manager who wants to leave you out?
SC: There’s a dilemma for Arsenal fans trying to support England but finding it difficult to cheer Kane.
IW: While the game is on they can’t help but support Harry because they know he’s our biggest hope of going as far as we can. As soon as the game’s over the jokes start with them accusing each other of loving Harry.
I’ve been face-timed watching Arsenal fans jumping up and down when Harry’s scored! There’s a couple singing 'He’s one of our own' and then others are going 'I’m not singing that'.
But they have to love him even if they are finding it hard. They’ll find it harder next season if he’s scoring goals against us.
AS: When Arsenal fans are in the Dog and Duck cheering England they’ll all be Harry Kane fans deep-down. And when he’s rising like a salmon to head in that ball they’ll be jumping around.
SC: From what you’ve seen of Japan, Senegal and Colombia, who should we fear most in the second round?
AS: Colombia. They had to play with ten men for nearly the whole game against Japan and nearly got something.
In the second game they looked very good in beating Poland 3-0. But if we are thinking that about them what are they thinking about us after our first two performances?
SC: Messi is through but Maradona was in the spotlight. What did you make of his behaviour?
AS: I just thought it was sad. Once the TV director saw how he was acting he should not have kept cutting back to him because he obviously wasn’t right.
"We are seeing this iconic footballer in such a bad way and we shouldn’t be seeing him like that.
"I’ve met him before, two or three months ago. He was great fun, the life and soul of the party and you would have to say, mad as a hatter.
IW: Maradona is someone who never hears the word ‘no’ from anyone.
He’s such a legend, an iconic figure of football and one of my heroes.
"He was an amazing player and now to see him totally out of control and his country can’t keep him in check, he is embarrassing the whole of Argentina.
SC: The team isn’t so embarrassed now, though. Messi’s first goal was sensational.
AS: First of all it was a great ball over the top but his first and second touch were so good as was his finish. It was nothing short of breath-taking.
Rather than arguing about who is best between Messi and Ronaldo we should be grateful we can see them both in action here. Messi is the artist, Ronaldo is a machine. They are two totally different players with very different personalities but unbelievable performers.
IW: There’s that saying about making it look easy which he did without breaking his stride. It was simple genius.
AS: Can you imagine what the pressure is like on Messi and Ronaldo to perform? Portugal are average with Ronaldo and Argentina are very average without Messi. These two guys have the weight of the whole country on their shoulders.It’s a big weight to carry for anyone.
SC: We have a laugh if Argentina struggle but for the tournament it’s great that Messi is still in it?
IW: What would have been sad is that if Argentina had gone out in the manner they played the first two games with a whimper. Argentina should be doing better with the team they’ve got and Messi is now taking control of it.
AS: I think Messi is running the team looking at the talk he gave them in the tunnel before the second half.
SC: How’s the World Cup shaping up so far?
AS: It’s been fantastic. Normally we can say who’s going to win it but I don’t think anyone can say that at the moment. It’s impossible.
IW: One of the moments I liked is seeing Falcao score for Colombia after what he went through, his struggles at United and Chelsea and his two ACL injuries.
"Stories like his help add to the World Cup. He missed it in 2014 and has had to wait another four years. It was a nice moment, very emotional.
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AS: I can’t believe we’ve gone so far through this conversation and we haven’t talked about VAR yet. So can I talk about it.
IW: I think the kinks in it will work themselves out in the end.
AS: Honestly I like it when it’s used properly but in this World Cup it’s not. It’s the biggest competition and it feels we’re still trialling it.
SC: We’re going to get to the World Cup final and lose it in the 90th minute on a VAR decision. It’s will be the new penalties for us, I just feel it.