World Cup 2018

[Tom]

Just now, Stuart said:

Pinching myself.

That was the perfect game.

Let’s be honest Sweden were gash but we got past them with no drama and no suspensions 

[roverandout]

Fantastic performance controlled..calm..top goalkeeper..naysayers go away

[Audax]

I really wonder how Sweden could have defeated Mexico 3-Nil, what happens to these teams??

WTG 3 Lions.........you get in the final 4, who knows? This year and this Cup is nothing like any other.

 

 

 

[Stuart]

Just now, Tom said:

Let’s be honest Sweden were gash but we got past them with no drama and no suspensions 

Not sure ‘gash’ is accurate. They looked cream crackered though. We were just better.

If we hadn’t won it would have been a travesty. We dominated the game apart from a couple of 5 minute spells.

Hope you and your lad enjoyed it! It’s games and tournaments like this that cement a child’s love of football.

Edited July 7, 2018 by Stuart

[AdamRochina]

Just now, roverandout said:

Shut up..r u scottish? If not u r pathetic with ur attitude

No I'm a realist .. I'm proud of us today but I'm being real ..the way we have performed at times this world cup and the teams we have faced I would fear for us against a full Belgium side or France.  That's if we are not knocked out against a good tactical side like Croatia but that's 50/50

[roverandout]

Well fair enough but we controlled the game today..we were better than colombia..should have beaten tunisia more easily..hammered panama when other big teams have struggled against minnows.  I am enjoying the ride and belgium and france haven set the tournament alight

[Mike E]

28 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

They've been incredibly lucky with the draw, they've got to the Semi's without playing a an elite team side. Despite the media hype this side is not a patch of the sides from 2002 & 2006. 

Who gives a shit?

[roverandout]

Just now, AdamRochina said:

No I'm a realist .. I'm proud of us today but I'm being real ..the way we have performed at times this world cup and the teams we have faced I would fear for us against a full Belgium side or France.  That's if we are not knocked out against a good tactical side like Croatia but that's 50/50

By the way u said u were happy for them and then make smug remarks about how england will get hammered..a true fan wouldnt say that..i think you should stick to rovers

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

5 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Fantastic performance controlled..calm..top goalkeeper..naysayers go away

What are you going to say if we actually play really well next match  ? You've run out of superlatives already 

I thought we blew hot and cold. The final ball was lacking most of the time and a simple long ball through the middle had us struggling on more than one occasion. Off for a pint now. More considered thoughts later.

Edited July 7, 2018 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, Mike E said:

Who gives a shit?

What an eloquent & thoughtful response 

[roverandout]

Just now, Mike E said:

Who gives a shit?

Because some people are pillocks who love bashing england

[AdamRochina]

Just now, roverandout said:

Because some people are pillocks who love bashing england

Not bashing us ..i loved the game today and how we played I just feel France and Belgium will be a step to far and be to good for us.  England have looked laboured and slow alot of this tournament..today yes we looked pretty good and very comfortable. If we play like that in the next game we stand a Very good chance of the final. 

[Mike E]

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

What an eloquent & thoughtful response 

It's as eloquent and thoughtful as the sentiment deserves.

Where are all those elite teams you mention? On the plane home.

We can only beat what's in front of us, and we've done it. The WC semi final is a great achievement and something we couldn't achieve in either of the years you mentioned. We've only done it twice before in our history, so I (and right-minded folk across England) will enjoy it instead of dumping on it.

[DE.]

In 2002 Germany qualified out of a group including Ireland, Cameroon and Saudi Arabia. Their route to the final was Paraguay, the USA and South Korea.

Who remembers all of this? Nobody. All people remember is that Germany played in the final against Brazil. 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Its becoming a reality...seeing England in a World cup final.This appears a highly motivated England side,young and hungry.

Holiday for Wednesday going in!

[JacknOry]

I would say our best performance of the WC so far. Sweden were not all that but I thought we controlled the game. 

Sterling...he is dangerous because of his pace and directness but his composure and decision making infuriate me. Square it to Kane and its 2-0.

We seem to be slowly getting there and putting in better performances as we go - dare I say German-esque-like? So I would say that I am confident we can give Croatia a game. 

[Norbert Rassragr]

Polonium salad for the England team if Russia win tonight though. I'd expect cast iron penalties turned down and a crazy red card for Kane as the ref hears a bunch of scary guys are sitting outside their house.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Just now, Norbert Rassragr said:

Polonium salad for the England team if Russia win tonight though. I'd expect cast iron penalties turned down and a crazy red card for Kane as the ref hears a bunch of scary guys are sitting outside their house in Bio-Hazard suits!

[Commondore]

Pfft, we would have won that if it weren't for Pickford.

 

...in all seriousness though, a solid example of how a counterattacking team runs into trouble if the other team scores first. Bad decision to bring off Forsberg for Olsson as well, our best period of the game ended there and then.

 

[Audax]

Croatia has looked good but not overwhelming; but hey, all of these teams are on the big stage, I do think Russia will bow out...but it may be very close. I don't know who England would rather face, the more vaunted Croatians or the host team Russia. Russia has looked very good. You can't deny that.

Edited July 7, 2018 by Audax

[rigger]

37 minutes ago, AdamRochina said:

Am I? ? A team like Panama cut us open a couple of times.  Sweden had a few today but Pickford was inspired.  Belgium and France would murder this England side end of discussion ..we have been lucky to avoid all the big boys 

Or the big boys have been lucky to avoid us.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

If we played France at wembley, you would expect to win or draw.  In France, draw or lose.  Either team capable of beating the other.  Same with Belgium and Croatia.  Anybodies tournament this.  Belgium and France have the strongest squads but first eleven are pretty evenly matched.

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, Mike E said:

It's as eloquent and thoughtful as the sentiment deserves.

Where are all those elite teams you mention? On the plane home.

We can only beat what's in front of us, and we've done it. The WC semi final is a great achievement and something we couldn't achieve in either of the years you mentioned. We've only done it twice before in our history, so I (and right-minded folk across England) will enjoy it instead of dumping on it.

If you bothered to read another post of mine you would have seen that I said that the standard of international football seems to have been on a downward curve for a while now if the last 5 World Cups are anything to go by as there is now a lack of top sides. The only team in this tournament that could potentially measure up to previous winners is France & they have only shown it in patches.

I was just highlighting that the Fake News media would have you believe that this is a great England side and that Southgate is a genius, whereas the reality is we have had an incredibly lucky draw. Why deny that when its clearly true?  Who wouldn't rather play Sweden & Colombia than the likes of Uruguay, Spain, France, Belgium, Brazil. This is a decent England side but that's all. 

 

Just now, DE. said:

In 2002 Germany qualified out of a group including Ireland, Cameroon and Saudi Arabia. Their route to the final was Paraguay, the USA and South Korea.

Who remembers all of this? Nobody. All people remember is that Germany played in the final against Brazil. 

No one remembers that German team either. People only remember that Brazil side that was miles ahead of everyone else in that tournament. Well that and the rather suspect refereeing for the Koreans.

[DE.]

4 minutes ago, Audax said:

Croatia has looked good but not overwhelming; but hey, all of these teams are on the big stage, I do think Russia will bow out...but it may be very close. I don't know who England would rather face, the more vaunted Croatians or the host team Russia. Russia has looked very good. You can't deny that.

I'd take Russia. Host nation or not we should beat them. I'd be worried about what Croatia's midfield could do to our defence. 

[Ewood Ace]

4 minutes ago, Audax said:

Croatia has looked good but not overwhelming; but hey, all of these teams are on the big stage, I do think Russia will bow out...but it may be very close.

Croatia much like England a decent side, steady and solid all over the pitch with a couple of top quality players a 50/50 game that would be. Both sides will never have a better chance of reaching a World Cup final.