world cup

[Mice!]

It's been enjoyable that's for sure, just lacked a bit of creativity. While sterling has worried with his pace he just won't shoot or pass?

I thought they passed backwards far to much in all games and think France would have caught us out big time.

certainly looks brighter for the future and it was refreshing not knowing who some players were, trippier and Maguire for instance who both had a brilliant tournament.

well done lads

[bruno22rf]

I'm no great Football fan but from where I'm standing I would say that Croatia didn't win last nights game - we lost it. We only got to the semi's because of other countries being unusually knocked out and I cannot recall any particular England performance that made them look like World Cup Winners.

[Deker]

1 hour ago, bruno22rf said:

I'm no great Football fan but from where I'm standing I would say that Croatia didn't win last nights game - we lost it. We only got to the semi's because of other countries being unusually knocked out and I cannot recall any particular England performance that made them look like World Cup Winners.

 

I think they just ran out of ideas (stamina maybe) about 60 minutes in, until then there was only one side in it.

 

But Gareth certainly proved a lot of people wrong (me included) and picked a squad that played with passion and actually being genuinely upset that they lost (unlike the last few world cup squads were players seemed to be more interested in their sponsorship & tv deals) 

 

[panoma1]

10 hours ago, Mice! said:

It's been enjoyable that's for sure, just lacked a bit of creativity. While sterling has worried with his pace he just won't shoot or pass?

I thought they passed backwards far to much in all games and think France would have caught us out big time.

certainly looks brighter for the future and it was refreshing not knowing who some players were, trippier and Maguire for instance who both had a brilliant tournament.

well done lads

I agree with the above, Trippier and Maguire were excellent........at least being knocked out 2 : 1 by Croatia saved us from the drubbing we may have suffered, at the hands of France!.....in their last match they looked like champions in waiting.

[Westward]

I'm not a footie fan; I find it generally boring and as a zero tolerance proponent I loathe the rule bending, lack of fair play and particularly the feebleness of most of the refs. Consequently there are about 20 things I'd rather do than watch a game of football, but I did watch the Croatia, Sweden and most of Columbia games.

Both Columbia and Croatia seemed to want to physically intimidate our guys with off-the-ball assaults when the ref had looked away and sometimes even in full view of the ref and I think it worked for Croatia last night. Once our team realised the ref wasn't going to send anyone off for deliberate, cynical and injury threatening fouls the game swung progressively in Croatia's favour. Kane was a particular target of course and he was getting tripped, mown down, kicked and charged from behind even when he was nowhere near the ball and I'm convinced it affected his play adversely.

Despite that we had a great team spirit with no evident personal rivalries and everyone very much pulling together - not a comment that normally applies to England at international level. But what we didn't seem to have much of was flair or imagination and no one seemed to be able to come up with strategies to open up the opposition other than set pieces. It's all very well passing the ball around at the back then finally to the keeper to smack the ball up field but if the rest of the players are standing around watching and waiting, nothing much is going to happen to put pressure on the opponents.

All 3 of the teams we played in the knockout stage worked out how to open up our static way of playing and in each game it was clear that the longer it went on the more threatening they became and the more likely we were to lose. None of them passed back to their keepers more than once or twice and their attacking players were continually moving into space to gain territory and looking to set each other up. I believe the technical term is creating chances. Something our boys didn't really do, presumably because of the set piece mentality.

 

[KFC]

My mate texted me last night to say "raaay, 1-0 to England"!!!

Little while later I texted back "England giving away too much possession, I think they may come unstuck".

Sure enough?

Like others, I'm not much of a football fan but I can't understand why, for every England team I've ever seen, do they insist on hoofing the ball forward hoping it's going to find a striker?

Surely they could pass the ball between them in triangles, like my grandaughters team used to do and win most games, because, if they don't have the ball then they can't score goals.

As others have said, Croatia didn't win the game, England gave it to them.

I'll stick to shooting and fly-fishing?

[Seadog1408]

I hear the fellow third world nations in Africa are going to donate €2 a month to get Scotland to the next World Cup.

[Retsdon]

For most of the tournament, England couldn't create chances. Last night they created chances but couldn't convert them. It's hard to win the World Cup when you can't score from open play,

 

[Hamster]

I'm no expert by any stretch but after the previous games convincing performances and the early goal against Croatia which was world class, as the game wore on it seemed there was no killer instinct. To my untrained eye it appeared that individual's skills in the opposing team while in possession were superior to that of England, which begs the question why pay them so much. 

[walshie]

Let's not get bogged down by 'oo lost to 'oo.

England were the only home nation to even qualify which is an achievement in itself and will finish the tournament as 3rd or 4th.

Last night they were just outplayed by a better team. 

[KFC]

Anyway, it's only a game?

[andrewluke]

33 minutes ago, KFC said:

Anyway, it's only a game?

it's not about winning it's the taking part?

[thebigH91]

cant agree with Retsdon about creating chances, England had 2 shots on goal in 2 hours football, would we be happy with our own teams if they did that in the league ( I may be as im a sunderland fan) but well done to Croatia

[Scully]

1 hour ago, walshie said:

Let's not get bogged down by 'oo lost to 'oo.

England were the only home nation to even qualify which is an achievement in itself and will finish the tournament as 3rd or 4th.

Last night they were just outplayed by a better team. 

This. 

[Dave-G]

At least we don't now have to listen to a bunch of sado's out in the street incessantly singing mind numbing Engerland and footballs coming home 'songs' all weekend.

[toontastic]

Apparently I'm an idiot who knows nothing about football, but IMO England lacked a few key things. A truly world class player who can make things happen, a proper captain and an ability to change playing styles when the need arises.

But I've also seen some positive things Trippier has been a revelation as has been Maguire. Most of the team will get a crack at the euros, if the management focus on the negatives and learn from the mistakes hopefully 2020 at Wembley will bring us some glory.

[Mungler]

1. I like the manager - he's a thinker not the usual dodgy geezer. He has the correct professional approach

2. I like the squad's demeanour in general - no more dentists chair, nights out before a game or the whole WAGS distraction. They appear more workmanlike and like Germany 10 years ago.

3. Kane was used tactically to soak up markers, but that didn't work last night because we needed him scoring goals.

4. Sterling couldn't score in a brothel. I know lots of people like him, but for me he's gone on any reshuffle.

5. Defence and keeper are actually very good but that one momentary loss of concentration was all it took to lose.

6. It's a great start and the right path for a better future for English football. Bring on the Euros.

[Walker570]

I see Selmayre he of the overpaid creeps in Brussels has tweeted about the result.  Even nice wuffly duffly tree hugger Lib Dem guy Tim Farron has called him a WASSOCK, which I thought was very kind.   Another good reason to get out of the EU. I object a penny piece of my money going to pay these ....well I'll have to use WASSOCKS, not to offend the computer.

Not a football fan at all but congratulate them on getting where they did and their manager seems a nice guy, going to losers on other teams and commiserating with them.

[Jbob]

I love football (amongst other sports too). I had the same view as Alan Shearer wrote in his column recently in that I didn't expect England to go as far as they did. I would liked a quarter final maybe? All I wanted to see was progress from the side humiliated by Iceland in the last euros. I saw plenty of progress and I am really encouraged by this young group of players who are professionally representing their country by a manager who is as equally professional and showing great leadership skills.

For me the FA picking G Southgate was a risk, a calculated risk but still a risk. His squad choice may have been risky too but its all paid off. If we can keep these lads together and maybe add some bright stars over the next 2 yrs the next Euros is a good shout for some silverware. 

[toontastic]

Let's not forget when the euros come around in 2 years time the final is at Wembley. So what more incentive is there than the chance of silverware on your own patch.

[Smokersmith]

15 hours ago, poontang said:

It was a close game so should really be played again until we get the result we want. That's how these things work... isn't it?

I was really hoping Croatia would have just conceded after 50 minutes as they were outclassed ... b*gger !!

[motty]

1 hour ago, Jbob said:

I love football (amongst other sports too). I had the same view as Alan Shearer wrote in his column recently in that I didn't expect England to go as far as they did. I would liked a quarter final maybe? All I wanted to see was progress from the side humiliated by Iceland in the last euros. I saw plenty of progress and I am really encouraged by this young group of players who are professionally representing their country by a manager who is as equally professional and showing great leadership skills.

For me the FA picking G Southgate was a risk, a calculated risk but still a risk. His squad choice may have been risky too but its all paid off. If we can keep these lads together and maybe add some bright stars over the next 2 yrs the next Euros is a good shout for some silverware. 

Yep, glad it was Southgate. It could have been Allardyce!

[dead eye alan]

Congratulations to the whole team on a great effort, from here the only way is up. World champions at under 17 and 21 we have a great future ahead.

[Mice!]

And the thing no one has mentioned, players with left feet!!! Seems we still can't find someone who can run down the left and cross the ball, they all need to cut back inside and use there right???

[panoma1]

56 minutes ago, Mice! said:

And the thing no one has mentioned, players with left feet!!! Seems we still can't find someone who can run down the left and cross the ball, they all need to cut back inside and use there right???

Ashley Young being a case in point!