Mexico at The Azteca is Really Something Special

[HV71]

Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres (4,413 feet) above sea level.

The Azteca Stadium is 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level

We've got a mountain to climb then ....

[Eton White]

Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres (4,413 feet) above sea level.

The Azteca Stadium is 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level

I've been to ski resorts lower than that!

[KentFulham]

From what I saw tonight, we will be spanked by Raul and Mexico

[Southcoastffc]

Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres (4,413 feet) above sea level.

The Azteca Stadium is 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level

I've been to ski resorts lower than that!

Interesting - I've skied quite a bit and 2.2k metres strikes me as inconsequential.  I've only really been aware of (not suffered) altitude sickness at Les Deux Alpes and Alpe D'Huez - both around 3.5k metres.  Do you think it is likely a 'real' problem for England?

[Stoneleigh Loyalist]

Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres (4,413 feet) above sea level.

The Azteca Stadium is 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level

I've been to ski resorts lower than that!

Interesting - I've skied quite a bit and 2.2k metres strikes me as inconsequential.  I've only really been aware of (not suffered) altitude sickness at Les Deux Alpes and Alpe D'Huez - both around 3.5k metres.  Do you think it is likely a 'real' problem for England?

Mexico's record at that stadium speaks for itself. It has already been quoted several times and there must be something in it.

[Chi_FFC]

Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres (4,413 feet) above sea level.

The Azteca Stadium is 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level

I've been to ski resorts lower than that!

Interesting - I've skied quite a bit and 2.2k metres strikes me as inconsequential.  I've only really been aware of (not suffered) altitude sickness at Les Deux Alpes and Alpe D'Huez - both around 3.5k metres.  Do you think it is likely a 'real' problem for England?

It is ABSOLUTELY an issue for a squad which is not acclimated to the altitude (like the English on Sunday). Surprised to see Tuchel say (in the 2nd linked article) that they'll be flying in on Friday. I know the USMNT used to try to fly in as late as possible (less than 24 hours) before a match at Azteca as that was considered the best strategy if you didn't have the two weeks (or whatever it is) to fully acclimate. Worth nothing the US hasn't lost a match at the Azteca in almost 17 years (a win and 3 draws since then).

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-mexicos-altitude-advantage-could-025558822.html

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49240312/thomas-tuchel-impossible-adapt-climate-england-mexico-azteca-altitude-world-cup

[Southcoastffc]

Very interesting and different approaches.  I guess the tactics nay involve Mexican fast pace v England slow build up.

[Grassy Noel]

Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres (4,413 feet) above sea level.

The Azteca Stadium is 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level

We've got a mountain to climb then ....

....but Dan Burn is already there.

[blingo]

If our defence performs like it did yesterday, the jumping beans won't need help from the altitude.

As for Jimenez, 100k  pw one year contract would have been well worth our while.IMHO of course, which counts for nothing.

[Eton White]

Ben Nevis is 1,345 metres (4,413 feet) above sea level.

The Azteca Stadium is 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level

I've been to ski resorts lower than that!

Interesting - I've skied quite a bit and 2.2k metres strikes me as inconsequential.  I've only really been aware of (not suffered) altitude sickness at Les Deux Alpes and Alpe D'Huez - both around 3.5k metres.  Do you think it is likely a 'real' problem for England?

You won't get altitude sickness at those sorts of heights, but I'd imagine playing football for 90 minutes will be a lot more difficult if you're not used to it as the air is thinner. It's definitely not going to help us.

[RaySmith]

Not sure I'm a fan of fans messing around outside hotels of opposition teams to give their own team an advantage. Should just be about football. Get why they're doing it, but just not really on or in the nature of sport.

Great to see Raul and Mexico through and will prove a tricky opponent. Know if the match will be in the US or Mexico? May make no difference as lots of Mexicans in US perhaps.

So far though it looks like we've had a clean sweep of players progressing to the last 16, which must be a first? I include Raul in that, as he was a fulham player last season leading into the summer.

I'm not 100% why we let him go though, he's clearly still got it and could do a job for us

As much as I admire Raul I think we all know why we are not re-signing him.
The combination of age, the salary he can still demand and the signing on fee as a free agent he will get is too big a financial burden for us.

Also, possibly clearing the way for a new 1st choice CF is a factor.

I really hope your last sentence is the reason. I'm not confident though!

A BBC 5 Live commentator referred this morning to Raul being shabbily released by Fulham.
Not necessarily my view - I don't know enough about it, but I am sad to see him go, and he obviously still sems to be playing well, but the club maybe had  good reason to let him go, as said here.

[SG]

Atmosphere in the stadium very important, but what truly sets it apart is altitude.  If your body isn't acclimated and I don't see how the England (or for that matter the DRC) team's can be, then that's a major, major problem.  Even for those acclimated, they have to know how to play at altitude, not as individuals but as a team.  The Mexican lads all do. 

Not been to Mexico City, but spent a week working somewhere just a little higher.  Climbing flights of steps was just plain weird.  Shuttle runs? I'd have been unconscious.

I was speaking with a couple of South Africans the other day who were at a loss as to how bad their team was in the opener, then reasonably competent. Altitude.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

Echo this. I spent a week in Quito -8,000 ft above sea level - many years ago when I was a fit younger man. Climbing stairs and walking up a hill were a killer. It's a hell of a challenge for the players

[JimOG]

Mexico haven't lost a competitive match at the Azteca since 2013

And didn't concede a goal in their group stage either

[hovewhite]

Not sure I'm a fan of fans messing around outside hotels of opposition teams to give their own team an advantage. Should just be about football. Get why they're doing it, but just not really on or in the nature of sport.

Great to see Raul and Mexico through and will prove a tricky opponent. Know if the match will be in the US or Mexico? May make no difference as lots of Mexicans in US perhaps.

So far though it looks like we've had a clean sweep of players progressing to the last 16, which must be a first? I include Raul in that, as he was a fulham player last season leading into the summer.

I'm not 100% why we let him go though, he's clearly still got it and could do a job for us

do not understand the clubs decision at all as muniz is prone to injury and isn't reliable scoring wise.

[KentFulham]

Raul playing well against sub par oppersition, he isnt really PL quality anymore outside his pens, so I do see why he has been let go. What I do'nt get is our current plan of Muniz and JKA given Muniz is made of glass and cant score.

[Whitestone]

Mexico haven't lost a competitive match at the Azteca since 2013

And didn't concede a goal in their group stage either

They had home advantage and they played some very poor teams. England are a cut above those teams so there are plenty of reasons for optimism but all I seem to hear is negativity. Player for player we have a better squad. Of course it will be a tough game, but very very winnable.

[Jim©]

Player for player we have a better squad. Of course it will be a tough game, but very very winnable.

Completely agree with that, the squads are incomparable- their team littered with players for clubs like AZ Aalkmaar, PAOK Athens, Lokomotiv Moscow and a large chunk still playing in Mexico.
Out of all the last 16 teams, aside from the stadium we play in, it's in the top couple of draws that we could have.
 

[alfie]

Raul playing well against sub par oppersition, he isnt really PL quality anymore outside his pens, so I do see why he has been let go. What I do'nt get is our current plan of Muniz and JKA given Muniz is made of glass and cant score.

mr K, you don't know that's our current plan,there maybe several irons in the fire, just waiting for the new man.

[cmg]

Many of the Mexican team play, train and live at similar altitude as our players. Often in the same towns as ours.

[Chi_FFC]

Many of the Mexican team play, train and live at similar altitude as our players. Often in the same towns as ours.

Yes, but those players have all been living and training in Mexico City for the last 30-40 days.