aeneas
1866
Commiserations English fans. That’s a rough way to go.
This seems a bit of a stretch. What do any of the traditional big clubs in England win these days? What do Villa, Everton, Leeds, Forest, Wednesday, Sunderland, Newcastle etc ever win? The massive money clubs are at the top and have been for nearly twenty years, the rest are basically also-rans apart from the odd cup here and there
So true.
Press are going to crucify him. True, he shouldnt have missed, but hey, shit happens.
At this level, just one or 2 things going against you is the margin of victory or defeat.
We should have had a penalty earlier, Kane should have scored that, but fate had other ideas.
France’s 2 goals were so very nearly not goals…
This was one of the best matches I’ve ever watched.
England came out fighting, had France on the ropes.
This would have been a beautiful final.
It’s sad we met France at this stage.
I think, and hope, France crumple Morrocco into crumbs, like crumbs from a flaky baklava.
But ultimately, I want Croatia to win this.
Reemul
1869
OK he and England win nothing.
As an Everton supporter we don’t win because we didn’t pick our managers wisely or spend half a billion pounds well.
As an England supporter we don’t win Jack because Southgate ain’t the right man for the job. Just like Bobby Brown Shoes was not the man for Belgium.
Sometimes you have a squad of players that has the opportunity to win things both at international and club level but if you don’t get the man in charge right in all likely hood you win nothing just like England and Belgium.
People say oh haven’t they improved a semi final, final and quarter final and I am thinking with a squad like that we should have won at least one of them. It’s like when Chelsea won the champions league when their manager got sacked Di Matteo stepped in, the squad won that in spite of him, just not that easy to do generally with a manager not up to standard. Southgate will not win us anything.
I think the English attacking are better than Argentina.
Argentina have a star player, true, but England would have won agaisny Argentina I think.
I think France just passed their sternest test, imho these were the 2 best teams left.
LeeAbe
1871
Sorry for the England supporters and Saka, but glad he is going to be fresh by Boxing Day. Thrilled I don’t have to hear the phrase “It’s coming home” for a few more years.
Tim_N
1872
One question: why does the rules allow a penalty shot in the box to be taken by any of the players? It would make the most sense to give the player that was fouled the ability to kick, like in basketball how the fouled player is given the free throws.
Messi is the second best player this year, though, and he’s been pure magic in this tournament. If the French defenders play as badly against him as they did vs England, they’re going to give away more than just two penalties.
I read an article that analyzed expected goals (xG) during the tournament. Amusingly, Morocco have lost all of their matches based on xG. Argentina is the only team to have won all of theirs on xG. I wouldn’t underestimate them (or Croatia, for that matter - the latter can always draw a match and win it on penalties…)
I agree about Southgate (said the same last year); he’s the coach that builds the team into a contender, but not the one who can make them take the final step. He generally lacks the tactical acumen, IMO (compared to his competitors at that level, that is).
That being said, yesterday was not his fault - the tactical play was solid, managed to shut down Mbappe (though at the cost of giving space to other players), and England had enough chances to win this. You can’t really teach a team that self-belief and killer’s instinct; that has to develop over a long time.
I am looking forward to that match.
Tonights match is going to be difficult. One the one hand, it’s two teams that I really don’t like. Argentina because I really dislike their perennial and glaring lack of sportmanship (the situation with Messi taunting Van Gaal for something VG had done to another Argentinian player 20 years ago really says it all). And Croatia because they are probably the most boring team left in the competition.
On the other hand it’s two players who are always a joy to watch. Messi because he’s, well… Messi. And Modric because he is such an incredibly elegant midfielder, in addition to seeming an incredibly sympathetic person. And also probably the most humble player ever at his level - when he won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 - as the sole player to break the Messi/Ronaldo hegemony while both were in their prime, he went out to buy €30K gold watches for every player and staff member of the Real Madrid and Croatian national team squads because - as he points out - “I couldn’t have won it without them”.
Hmm… I think the heart says Modric (of the two, I’d rather see Modric lift the cup in his swan song), but the mind says Messi (Argentina - France/Morocco will almost certainly be a more interesting game than Croatia - Anyone).
And they are staying true to form lol.
I would like Croatia to win.
Also, this is not boring football.
Luka Modric running back the whole length of the field to head a cross away is great.
If you’re one of the younger Croatians watching this 37 year old be everywhere it must inspire you and also put you under pressure - I can’t run less than that guy.
Wtf for.
That is bs. Keeper went to the ball. How is this a penalty?
The keeper taking the attacking player out
Didn’t even touch the ball. Basically tackled the attacking player.
He went for the ball.
Fouls are supposed to be for deliberate foul play, hence “foul”
aeneas
1885
Well that was a rough call.
