World Cup 2018

[J*B]

Nikola Kalinic. Refused to come on in the group stages. Got sent home by the manager. Misses the opportunity to play in the World Cup final. It could be worse.

[AllRoverAsia]

Off to bed. It's 4.45 am here. No sweet dreams tonight. I hate bloody football ... sometimes.

[Husky]

58 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

Nonsense. We were beaten by a far superior side. 

You're one of the BBC drones here aren't you.

Stick to MOTD highlights.

[chaddyrovers]

Gutted but very proud of England, Southgate and players. 

Overachieved massively

[DE.]

Two current starters we need to improve on (imo at least) are Henderson and Young. The pair of them just aren't quite up to standard. I'd rather have seen Rose ahead of Young throughout the tournament in honestly as it felt like Young was only there for his set piece delivery and we came a bit unstuck in the end by relying on that so much. Henderson is industrious but I just don't see him as international class starting player. I hope we'll find somebody to challenge him for that position going forward.

[Ladyboys of Bank Top]

Ultimately, we lost to the first good team we played. We weren't good enough to bring it home. 

Southgate, however, deserves a lot of credit, as do the players. Gallant losers is what we do best. 

[jim mk2]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Gutted but very proud of England, Southgate and players. 

Overachieved massively

 

For once, you're right. Mediocre team, albeit a well managed one, hit its ceiling.  

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, DE. said:

Two current starters we need to improve on (imo at least) is Henderson and Young. The pair of them just aren't quite up to standard. I'd rather have seen Rose ahead of Young throughout the tournament in honestly as it felt like Young was only there for his set piece delivery and we came a bit unstuck in the end by relying on that so much. Henderson is industrious but I just don't see him as international class starting player. I hope we'll find somebody to challenge him for that position going forward.

Yeah, I agree.  Rose got forward more in the little cameos he had than Young did in all the time he had out there. Regarding Henderson my son said to me - " Garry Flitcroft was better ".

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, Ladyboys of Bank Top said:

Ultimately, we lost to the first good team we played. We weren't good enough to bring it home. 

Southgate, however, deserves a lot of credit, as do the players. Gallant losers is what we do best. 

I thought Southgate got out thought by the Croatian coach in the second half. When plan A stopped working we had no plan B , they had.

Edited July 11, 2018 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[philipl]

So many positives for England to take from this World Cup.

We have found a Manager worthy of the title.

Almost all of that squad will be available for selection in four years' time while there are new generations of players coming through who have the winning mentality and experience of winning tournaments repeatedly at junior level. 

OK they didn't show tonight but players like Kane have the potential to mature into world beaters.

At least there is one club in the Premier League in Spurs which seems to have the ability to produce a string of competitive England international players on the world stage.

To be honest, I had felt that facing France in the Final was going to be one game too many and we might have faced a national humiliation. As it is Croatia will lose in all probability but are likely to pose a different quality of challenge than we would have mustered. We might still get right royally humped by Belgium in the third place game.

Tonight was all about not getting at least a two goal advantage in the first half then not having the legs or the guile to control Modric in the second half- what a fabulous fabulous player he is.

 

 

 

 

  

[tomphil]

Actually said at half time that England are one of if not the best short passing team in the tournament they bossed it in the first 45 but you just cannot miss chances time and again at that level. Totally outdone tactically and finally ran out of steam in the 2nd half but it was probably to be expected.

Southgate has done brilliant but made a few wrong calls in that second half especially taking Sterling off who loses everything he touches but constantly stretches and menaces opposition defenders. Kane has been disappointing for me the last two games although he's been well marked and that has opened up space for others but although he played his part he hasn't yet looked world class in this for me.

Great effort and great tournament, never mind actually winning it I never thought i'd see England in a World Cup semi again so i'm over the moon. Don't think we'll ever win it to be honest but England should always be in the mix of quarters and semis so hopefully it's the start of a bit more consistency.

We can and should have won a Euro by now though so over to you boys !

[Ladyboys of Bank Top]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I thought Southgate got out thought by the Croatian coach on the second half.

Disagree. Croatia had better players. They controlled the midfield. There's only so much a manager can do. 

[wolfie]

42 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Sorry mate,  we were outmuscled lots of times in the second half and extra time. Our lads are used to Premier League  refereeing were it's getting to be almost a non contact sport. Every little touch is a free kick. In this comp referees have been letting lots go and to win the ball you've got to put a foot in.

I posted that early in the 1st half of extras,  hindsight’s a beautiful thing, hey

[roverandout]

Not mediocre. Very good team that lacked experience. Croatia's golden generation are on their last legs..our young team is a work in progress. Hopefully foden, sancho etc can fill in those midfield positions in the near future..i thought young was shocking and rose made us a lot more balanced.  Rashford was also a lot better than sterling.  Pickford. Maguire. Trippier kane and walker were standout this tournament..and maybe stones

[DE.]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I thought Southgate got out thought by the Croatian coach on the second half.

Pretty much. The Croatians put three forward, pushed us onto the back foot and we never really got back into the game. We ended up stuck in a 5-3-2, our attackers vanished, the Croatians suddenly had a lot more time on the ball and should really have put the game to bed before the ninety minutes were up. Extra time was just two very tired teams hoping to grab a goal. Croatia were the ones who nicked it through a momentary lapse of concentration from Stones. That aside it would probably have gone to penalties.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, Ladyboys of Bank Top said:

Disagree. Croatia had better players. They controlled the midfield. There's only so much a manager can do. 

The teams that started the second half were exactly the same as the team's in the first half. We were dominant in the first half. Then they changed their way of playing  and we didn't deal with it until it was too late.

[Husky]

55 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

With the aid of both linesmen.

We should have had 3 by half time. After that Croatia ran the show. Walker and Trippier fell apart after half time. Ali and Lingard are Academy softies, I actually dont know what their function is. Young showed his age. Not a creative bone in the team, played more hoofball than if Sam had been manager.

We will get a load of how heroic the youngsters are when actually they are bang average and got found out by a side that France will thrash.

Picford however had a great WC.

Cricket tomorrow TTFFT

Shouldn't blame just the ref then. But he has overall say.

Counted 17 times when the ref gave incorrect and poor decisions against England. Then as you said, there were those 3 times when the ball went out of play. Add to that the persistent fouling and breaking up of the whole game by one or two players in particular - they should have been carded early on to stop them in their tracks. It was just a very poor refereeing performance that had anyone seen at Ewood Park would have been bemoaning. I can only presume that those that didn't see that spent most of the game mostly staring at their phone, internet or yapping to some fish wife.

Hoofball was also appalling, it really was just like watching the old clueless England. Ali and Lingard were really soft...knocked off the ball far too easily.

Given all that...you just can't afford to miss chances....as we all feared....Kane brought his Leyton Orient game to the semi.

All in all the only ones to come out of this with any credit are Pickford, who most of us including me were worried about, and a couple of the defenders.

Apart from that we were bang average in the end.

[jim mk2]

Just now, tomphil said:

Kane has been disappointing for me the last two games although he's been well marked and that has opened up space for others but although he played his part he hasn't yet looked world class in this for me.

Kane has worked hard outside the box but has been poor otherwise - he had 2 chances tonight which he fluffed, was beaten in the air more often than not and was dominated physically by Lovren. A long way from being "world class". 

[jim mk2]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

The teams that started the second half were exactly the same as the team's in the first half. We were dominant in the first half. Then they changed their way of playing  and we didn't deal with it until it was too late.

Pretty much....though Southgate didn't have the talent at his disposal to change it. Comes to the same old problem ..... not enough top-quality players. 

[Ladyboys of Bank Top]

Just now, roverandout said:

Not mediocre. Very good team that lacked experience. Croatia's golden generation are on their last legs..our young team is a work in progress. Hopefully foden, sancho etc can fill in those midfield positions in the near future..i thought young was shocking and rose made us a lot more balanced.  Rashford was also a lot better than sterling.  Pickford. Maguire. Trippier kane and walker were standout this tournament..and maybe stones

England are an average team who got lucky in the much easier side of the draw in a poor quality, but very watchable, World Cup. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 minutes ago, wolfie said:

I posted that early in the 1st half of extras,  hindsight’s a beautiful thing, hey

I've been saying it for weeks, it's not hindsight. Our lads allowed themselves to be pushed around physically by Croatia tonight. It's all very well being nice boys but there are times when you have to fight fire with fire. We've nobody who has a reputation for being a hard case out there. The Premier League is a league for wimps and divers I'm afraid.

Edited July 11, 2018 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Ladyboys of Bank Top]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

The teams that started the second half were exactly the same as the team's in the first half. We were dominant in the first half. Then they changed their way of playing  and we didn't deal with it until it was too late.

Quality always outs. We ran ourselves into the ground 1st half. 2nd half we had nothing left. 

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

37 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

Nothing worse than that debacle. We were 2-0 up. Still not got over it, 48 years on. 

Croatia were very good. Country of 8m people has produced  a very fine team and a clever manager who outwitted Southgate. 

England had an easy path to the final and they couldn't take it. 

52 years on from a final, 28 years since the last WC semi. We're supposed to be a big football country. It's pathetic really

Agree about Southgate. His subs have been poor all tournament.  He has done a lot of things well but tactically not great. If you are constantly subbing the same players, then why are you starting them?

Loftus cheek should have been on a after 50 mins for Ali and Young should never have started.

Reminds me alot of Bowyer.

Pickford, Maguire and Trippier had a great tournament.  Though Stones, mistake tonight aside, was also very good. 

Everyone else bang average.  

Kane will likely win the golden boot but his all round play is poor.  Got lucky in those 2 opening games.  Reminds me of Jordan Rhodes!I 

Overall did better than I expected, but I feel they threw it away -rather than being battered by a better team.

Frustrated!

 

[Ladyboys of Bank Top]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I've been saying it for weeks, it's not hindsight. Our lads allowed themselves to be pushed around physically by Croatia tonight. It's all very being nice boys but there are times when you have to fight fire with fire. We've nobody who has a reputation for being a hard case out there. The Premier League is a league for wimps and divers I'm afraid.

Nonsense. It had nothing to do with hard men or tough guys. It was to do with players like a Modric et al being wonderful footballers. 

[roverandout]

Just now, jim mk2 said:

Pretty much....though Southgate didn't have the talent at his disposal to change it. Comes to the same old problem ..... not enough top-quality players. 

That will change with the young lads coming through..anyway ive had enough of the trolls and naysayers on here..see u all in 6 months