World Cup 2018

The 'Stars wont align' like that again for England.

A missed opportunity.

We could have beaten Tunisia, Colombia and Croatia comfortably if we had taken our chances when we were on top (like we did against Sweden). Ultimately we didn’t have the quality in midfield to create chances, nor did we have the players who could change to plan B if needed. Lots of positives though and I would choose this bunch over the Golden Generation every time.

A lot of paint to watch drying over the next 4 years. Patience is a virtue LOL

Belgium beat England Saturday and France beat Croatia Sunday?

Firstly well done to this young team and Southgate for taking us this far against the odds. We just ran out of steam and ideas in the end. Seeing the comments regarding Sterling here and elsewhere makes you wonder if you are watching the same games? Yes he should score more goals but he's the creative energy that gets us into these positions. I'm not aware of the match winning player he's keeping out of the squad? It's certainly not Rashford not only did he not score but he looked as tired as the Croatia lot.
Anyway to me it feels like a missed chance we bossed the first half and looked comfortably the better side, second half Croatia tinkered with their positions and Southgate and the lads failed to react to it or try and find a solution.
You've got to be pleased with the end position but can't help feeling gutted what a chance this was.

We played only one team above us in FIFA's World Rankings and lost to them....we will never get such an easy ride to a final again...opportunity lost to be runners up.

Earwegoagain wrote:

Firstly well done to this young team and Southgate for taking us this far against the odds. We just ran out of steam and ideas in the end. Seeing the comments regarding Sterling here and elsewhere makes you wonder if you are watching the same games? Yes he should score more goals but he's the creative energy that gets us into these positions. I'm not aware of the match winning player he's keeping out of the squad? It's certainly not Rashford not only did he not score but he looked as tired as the Croatia lot.
Anyway to me it feels like a missed chance we bossed the first half and looked comfortably the better side, second half Croatia tinkered with their positions and Southgate and the lads failed to react to it or try and find a solution.
You've got to be pleased with the end position but can't help feeling gutted what a chance this was.

Absolutely spot on.

I'd add the lack of a plan b or a midfield was pretty worrying, subbing Dier for Henderson; Rashford for Sterling show a startling lack of imagination when it was quite clear we were being overun in midfield. Sure we did better than we thought we would but lets be fair, we weren't expecting much and the reason for that was the piss poor showing at every torunament since 2006.

Don't get me wrong it was fun and you can't be too dissapointed at a semi final finish. its just how it went out with a whimper rather than a bang. I'd hope some lessons are absorbed rather than back in the adulation only to stink out Euro 2020. Otherwise we'll never have a chance like this again.

I thought Vardy was disappointing didnt show the skills we know he has, I would have liked to see the double barrelled chap that has a name like a barrister bought on he had some pace and could hold the ball. All what's ifs and buts now.
I think another large factor was that Trippier was more and more fecked as the second went on and in effect we were down to ten men ages before he limped off. He's been fantastic one of the standout players.

akagreengull wrote:

Belgium beat England Saturday and France beat Croatia Sunday?

and if that happens... England will have lost three out of the seven matches they played in this WC, which would puts things into a much more realistic light as to how good I think we are?

Which is really quite average imho. As usual, apart from set pieces, we have nothing happening in the final third of the field.

Agree Rickler, and Belgium have to be hot favourites for third place.

Czarcasm wrote:

beesrus wrote:

Agree with Skinny's thoughts. They suddenly disappeared. Quite weird, but then they lost to the two teams that were half decent, so maybe par for the course and not so strange after all. Need a couple of world class bits of cream. I like Southgate's attitude, and that of the keeper.

Truly gutted tonight. I’m not sure about anyone else but I have followed England home and away ( not so much in the last ten years) and this really was THE biggest chance to emulate ‘66 in my lifetime.

Echo Greenskin and Beez’s thoughts though. We have a really great togetherness as a team which we haven’t had in s long time - and Southgate takes huge credit for that. I only hope he stays to see thru the next two or three major tournaments. Having his head turned by some Prem team would be a disaster all round. He’s found his niche. And he should stick with it.

To touch on Beez’s point, although we do have a great togetherness, we do lack a world class game changer. Kane is obviously a quality striker, but without a Modric  or a KDB or a Hazard to pull the midfield strings, we will probably not get to the next level.

Such a shame, but they all come home with heads held high.

I second that.

This team have come of age and hopefully the future looks bright for the next 2 tournaments.

England should try and finish this World Cup on a high and finish third.

Croatia were a class above England and congratulations to them. However, I believe France will beat them comfortably.

What a truly gutting and miserable day.
I don't even think I felt as bad as this the day after we lost at Wembley.

England one nil down after three and a half minutes against Belgium, dreadful marking.

Belgium by far the better team should be 3 nil uplease already.

Hazard finishes us off.

Having a nice cool drink nowhere near a tv. Football is history again in our household. Good luck to France tomorrow.
Looks like the footy resurgence was all the dream of a ridiculous man, as Dostoyevski once wrote. Actually if anyone would like to see a beeb brilliant rendition of that fantastic Russian short story that charts fleeting moments of passing events in life, there's a Jeremy Irons BBC version out there somewhere. Highly recommended for the ATD film club. Melancholy rules, not Melania.

Lost three games of seven not great.

Allez les rouges blancs et bleus .....oops, never mind.
Allez les bleus. Funny how La France are suddenly on the up in so many ways. vive la liberte.
Glad the Croatians have taken their black shirts off. Trouble is, the French are wearing them now.

Yes don't understand why the French are not playing in their traditional shirt, the Croatians preferred the black strip because they thought it was lucky, we shall see.

I've got too many French friends for them to win this come on Craitia.

The game has already turned into a farce, Griezmann cheated to get the free kick that led to the goal, now the Ref has taken an age to decide it was handball and give the pen.
2 -1 to France what total bollocks.
The commentator just said "surely VAR has had it's day" too right mate - get rid.

Game over, now France will now have two stars on their shirts.

Can we swop Theresa May for the Croatia president Kolinda ?

Croatia could follow the trend launched by its neighbour, Hungary, and erect a border fence in a bid to stop the influx of desperate migrants trying to reach Europe, its president said. President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said there might be no other option for the Balkan country to keep out asylum seekers and economic migrants who have arrived in the tens of thousands over the past few months.

PatDunne wrote:

Croatia could follow the trend launched by its neighbour, Hungary, and erect a border fence in a bid to stop the influx of desperate migrants trying to reach Europe, its president said. President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said there might be no other option for the Balkan country to keep out asylum seekers and economic migrants who have arrived in the tens of thousands over the past few months.

You sound like FRANK HARPER