England v Belgium

Where to start with this one? Oh my. So England royally cocked up when they stuck that sixth goal in against Panama didn’t they? We now top the group based on disciplinary record and face the prospect of going into the top half of the draw as Group Winners unless something changes in the final match.

That would mean a last 16 fixture against Japan, Colombia or Senegal, before facing either Brazil or Mexico, and then meeting one of Uruguay/Portugal/France/Argentina in the semi-finals. It looks tough to say the least.

The runner-up from the group will have a similar looking Last 16 match, but would then meet Sweden or Switzerland in the quarter-finals, before Spain/Croatia/Russia/Denmark in the semis. I know which side of the draw I’d prefer to sit in.

So the first key question in this one is whether Belgium want to score? There’s plenty of opinions out there to read. Martinez has been talking about the permutations and so has Southgate, and it’s fair to say both are well aware. My personal view on that question is "they probably aren't overly bothered".

The draw has been shortening – into 21/10 now with Bet365. I can’t see past it personally to be honest. But if a draw is coming, its not exactly unlikely that its because neither side tries especially hard to score a goal. No Goal Scorer is available at 15/2 widely and that’s got loads of appeal to be fair, despite the likes of Kane, Hazard, Sterling and Lukaku all potentially being involved.

For a bet in this one, that’s where we’re going to stick for now, but in the run up to the match, we’ll have a look at the first player carded market (targeting any fringe players, playing in defensive positions, who aren’t already on a yellow in the tournament). If anything comes up, we’ll chuck it out there.

2pts Match to be a Draw at 21/10 (Bet365)

2pts No Goal Scorer at 15/2 (General)

#Football