BagoBorealis
Well-Known Member
Working in England, at least I won't have to feel so bad taking my sweepstake winnings with France next week.
'Arry will be disappointed
Let's be brutally honest.
The only reason these two teams are contesting a world semi final is due to the big nations being well below par...….Argentina,Brazil,Germany and Spain......this is also a world cup without strong Dutch and Italian sides.
England beat Tunisia and Panama in the group stages then Colombia and Sweden to reach the semis.....they will be lucky to get this chance again.
1-0 up inside 5 minutes...…...dress it up any way you want this was a massive failure.
I think dele Ali is incredibly over rated. When you look at Belgium France and Croatia they all have great playmakers and England don’t.Harry Kane & Dele Alli were non-existent.
I'm hoping the Croats beat the frogs in the final mind you.
England had no killer instinct.
England’s World Cup:
Beat Tunisia 2-1
Pumped a pub team - still conceded
Lost a friendly to Belgium
Went through on penalties against a Columbia side missing their best player
Beat a poor Sweden side
Created very very little against Croatia
The commentator said he looks forward to seeing what England do going forward.
I’m sorry, all the “it’s coming home stuff” has been fun, but masks that the team are pretty poor overall.
Tell us this, what team of genuine quality have England beaten, thay were expected to beat a mediocre Tunisia, a very poor Panama and got through on penalties against a weakened and uninspiring Colombia and then beat a Sweden side starved of genuine quality. When they came up against a team of real quality they were found wanting. they got to the semi-final with a very easy route, fair enough that they got there but let's not go overboard about them, they couldn't hack it when the real games came on.England can be proud. What an effort they have made. It wasn't to be this time, it's painful to lose, but England's players represented brilliantly. Well done to them all. Commiserations to our English bears, and any England supporters using FF. Next time !
Croatia will test France. They are a very, very good side and deserve to be in the final. Beating Russia, and beating England is no small thing. Croatia v France will be a fantastic final.
'Arry will be disappointed
Outstanding summary.If they're going to play a back 3 then they need 2 proper wingbacks. They don't have that and probably only have 2 of a solid back 3.
The guys playing behind Kane need to do a power of work. Does Sterling fit the bill? Alli should but I'm not sure he has the game intelligence yet to really play that role properly. Midfield they have a guy who will sit and protect the back 3 or who will break up opposition attacks but one of the pundits I heard before the tournament started lamented their lack of a playmaker who can put his foot on the ball, look for a team mate and then find him with a pass that gets an attack going. It's telling that they were most dangerous from set pieces rather than from open play. Nobody was taking control of things in the middle of the park.
They're probably a centre half, 2 proper modern wingbacks, another attacking midfielder and a playmaker away from being the finished article. I'd have Dier in the middle of the park ahead of Henderson - he was hiding in the CL final and he hasn't had a particularly good world cup - and perhaps the likes of a Wilshire beside him is a better balance? Alli would be wasted playing deep but in that more advanced role he needs to be better at using the ball.
They'll be stronger in 4 years time. The Argentinians are facing a transition with the loss of Messi in the near future. Same for Portugal with Ronaldo. Germany probably need another overhaul as their lack of a plan B was badly exposed this tournament. Spain will also have to bring through some new players in key positions.
I think the big thing for England that would be a barrier to them going even further next time would be France and the emergence of Mbappe. France have a very good squad. Umtiti is still young. Kante will be 31 at the next world cup and still in his prime. They have Greizmann and Mbappe who will be world class for years t come.
Unless they can step up in 4 years time then I'd expect them to find at least France too good, even if some of the other big rivals will be looking to rebuild.
I don't think anyone has mentioned Scotland on here, as far as I can see. England were average at best. And if you do want to mention Scotland then England could only draw at hampdump.To the folk saying England are sh!te....it’s probably worth remembering they could have 2 or 3 up af half time in a World Cup semi final.
Meantime we will struggle to qualify from a group containing Israel and Albania.....it’s like people who say Celtic are sh!te when clearly they aren’t .
The let’s bury our heads in the sand approach the SFA have adopted for years now........
My heart bleeds for the plastic Nigel’s, still riding another countries coat tails to a semi final isn’t too bad either.
In all seriousness England did well, and Southgate deserves immense credit, but tonight was the first time England were really tested with any genuine quality.
Working in England, at least I won't have to feel so bad taking my sweepstake winnings with France next week.
To the folk saying England are sh!te....it’s probably worth remembering they could have 2 or 3 up af half time in a World Cup semi final.
Meantime we will struggle to qualify from a group containing Israel and Albania.....it’s like people who say Celtic are sh!te when clearly they aren’t .
The let’s bury our heads in the sand approach the SFA have adopted for years now........
No they gave the English and the plastic little Englander wannabes a cheer the rest of us waited our inevitable moment as usual, it arrived.
Walker didn’t go for a diving header. He merely put his head down. Perisic’s foot was clearly dangerously high and the goal should not have stood in a million years. It was a clear foul.
Colombia was their death knell...the whole penalties thing...the media jumped on it.
You have just got to laugh at this pish.
Every team in the world cup would have beaten Scotland.
Scotland are utter pish.
Fellow Brits/plastic nigels. Depends on your take I guess
Harry Kane & Dele Alli were non-existent.
I'm hoping the Croats beat the frogs in the final mind you.
England had no killer instinct.
The ITV curse strikes again.
The truth is England just aren't a good enough team to be the world champions.
How many of them should be in the team of the tournament?
Maybe the keeper, nobody else.
....and daft Scottish birds jumping up and down on ambulances
Aye ok mate! What a wanker comment.Absolutely.
Don't forget England also chose the easier route themselves by deliberately losing to Belgium, not to say the could have beat them if they tried. That was a cowardly act