2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia
- Thread starter Kilana2
- Start date
Dammit all to hell. Sigh.....
This is what happens when you don't kill off a game.
This is what happens when you don't kill off a game.
Well, now I feel bad for this. Sorry, England.
Congrats to Croatia though. It's too bad Belgium lost yesterday; we could have had a guaranteed new World Cup champion, then.
Ok time to put my honorary French hat on Sunday
Sorry, but I just can't bring myself to support France. I'll enjoy the final as a neutral.
Well, at least I won't be disappointed in the 3rd place game
I'm hopping mad that a certain useless player who shall remain unnamed was allowed to start this game, but I will say that overall the team did well, but Croatia simply wanted it more. You have to WIN these games. You have to take it. You have to have the force of will to own the moment.
99% of the time we always go further than the other UK Nations and that's just by qualifying.
Yes England exceeded expectations. I should say thanks to the players for finally giving me something to cheer about for the first time since 2006. As pessimistic as I was/am, England never plays to their potential. Should've scored more in this game. Didn't, and let Croatia back in.....a Croatia team that at this point is very used to scrapping and finding ways to win.
I don't mean to be negative about France, but it seriously feels as if France has completely sleepwalked through this tournament and into the final. If I were them I'd be wary of Croatia. These players are battle-hardened at this point. Anything can happen in the final.
I don't mean to be negative about France, but it seriously feels as if France has completely sleepwalked through this tournament and into the final. If I were them I'd be wary of Croatia. These players are battle-hardened at this point. Anything can happen in the final.
The former Yugoslavia was an European football powerhouse in it's day. Croatia continues that tradition.
The Croatians are perhaps the most sports oriented nation in Europe. There are many sports where Croatian athletes do very well in like football, basketball, handball, water polo, tennis, athletics, alpine skiing among others.
The old communist influenced system played a role in developing a nation of 4 million people into a major sporting power.
The Croatians are perhaps the most sports oriented nation in Europe. There are many sports where Croatian athletes do very well in like football, basketball, handball, water polo, tennis, athletics, alpine skiing among others.
The old communist influenced system played a role in developing a nation of 4 million people into a major sporting power.
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Congratulations to the small nation that could! This is an unprecedented achievement.
Now let's see how they fare in the finals, against France.
Now let's see how they fare in the finals, against France.
Well, bugger. This is the exact opposite result I wanted from the semis.
I had hoped for an England/ France final, with England winning it all.
I guess I will root for France, though I feel pretty meh about it.
Did not know this, thanks for posting.
I guess I will root for France, though I feel pretty meh about it.
Did not know this, thanks for posting.
Let 24 hours pass before I talked about the game because I was so disappointed and angry after the game...
First half we should of killed the game off and gone in 2 or 3 goals up but once again what few chances we made, we failed to finish in open play. Soon as Croatia levelled we were finished and the last 50 minutes (inc ET) reminded me much of the Iceland game in EURO 2016 with constant pressure on our team because we kept hitting it long and giving the ball back and our shape broke down. The subs were are the wrong point of the game, before they made it 1-1 we needed to change to fill the gaps on the left flank and in the centre. Kane kept getting deeper and deeper and YOU WILL NEVER see him play that deep for Spurs, it was idiotic to see. Sterling ran but offered nothing else and he is not the answer to the number 10 role and makes Kane's job in open play twice as hard because Sterling cannot hold the ball up...God this system would of been perfect a few years ago for Rooney who would of thrived in that 10 role.
Pickford was immense again and has grew game by game. Clearly he is the number 1 for the foreseeable future.
Trippier started well but faded because he was pinned back and had no one to cross too anyway because our entire team was too deep. Injury in the end took ended his World Cup before the final whistle - Probably our player of the Tournament.
Walker was at fault for the first goal, should of got his body in front but that smacked of not being a natural CB and in games against better nations Southgate might need to find a more suitable replacement. Joe Gomez would be a perfect challenger in that spot come 2020.
Stones played fairly well but he switched off and ENG were sent packing. World Class defenders CANNOT do that in such games no matter how long they last. Overall after the World Cup, if Pep doesn't play him more then Stones should tell City to fuck off and leave.
Maguire was immense again and Croatia decided to target Walker's side in the box because he kept everything out coming at him. 2nd best player for us at this World Cup and I wouldn't be surprise to see him play for a much bigger club come August. Deserves to be in FIFA team of the tournament probably alongside Varane if they use a back 4 in that award.
Young should of been taken off earlier and particularly before the equaliser as the cross came from his side. Age and tiredness seem to catch up with him and Croatia had the entire flank to themselves at times. 2020 will surley see Sessegnon dominate that role for ENG though Ben Chilwell could do a job there too.
I'll do rest of team in a different post later.
First half we should of killed the game off and gone in 2 or 3 goals up but once again what few chances we made, we failed to finish in open play. Soon as Croatia levelled we were finished and the last 50 minutes (inc ET) reminded me much of the Iceland game in EURO 2016 with constant pressure on our team because we kept hitting it long and giving the ball back and our shape broke down. The subs were are the wrong point of the game, before they made it 1-1 we needed to change to fill the gaps on the left flank and in the centre. Kane kept getting deeper and deeper and YOU WILL NEVER see him play that deep for Spurs, it was idiotic to see. Sterling ran but offered nothing else and he is not the answer to the number 10 role and makes Kane's job in open play twice as hard because Sterling cannot hold the ball up...God this system would of been perfect a few years ago for Rooney who would of thrived in that 10 role.
Pickford was immense again and has grew game by game. Clearly he is the number 1 for the foreseeable future.
Trippier started well but faded because he was pinned back and had no one to cross too anyway because our entire team was too deep. Injury in the end took ended his World Cup before the final whistle - Probably our player of the Tournament.
Walker was at fault for the first goal, should of got his body in front but that smacked of not being a natural CB and in games against better nations Southgate might need to find a more suitable replacement. Joe Gomez would be a perfect challenger in that spot come 2020.
Stones played fairly well but he switched off and ENG were sent packing. World Class defenders CANNOT do that in such games no matter how long they last. Overall after the World Cup, if Pep doesn't play him more then Stones should tell City to fuck off and leave.
Maguire was immense again and Croatia decided to target Walker's side in the box because he kept everything out coming at him. 2nd best player for us at this World Cup and I wouldn't be surprise to see him play for a much bigger club come August. Deserves to be in FIFA team of the tournament probably alongside Varane if they use a back 4 in that award.
Young should of been taken off earlier and particularly before the equaliser as the cross came from his side. Age and tiredness seem to catch up with him and Croatia had the entire flank to themselves at times. 2020 will surley see Sessegnon dominate that role for ENG though Ben Chilwell could do a job there too.
I'll do rest of team in a different post later.
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Henderson looks like a different player now, a much more mature and well rounded player but at the end of the day he is more limited than a Hargreaves, Carrick or Gerrard. Easily his best tournament for England and it will be interested to see how his Liverpool career fairs over the next 2-4 years especially with the new players coming into Liverpool. I think against the top teams we need a pure defensive midfielder but at this moment Henderson is doing a solid enough job in the role.
Lingard started the WC well but his energy seem to disappear post the group stages. Scored one of the best goals from an English player at the World Cup and clearly wants to play a more advance role but with Dele wanting the same, it left the midfield too open at times.
Dele Alli Injury dented his performances and his role didn't suit him at the end of the day. Dele should be playing the number 10 role or nothing else going forward because he might not be as fast as Sterling but he is by far a more complete player.
Sterling is a player who will give everything and I don't doubt his work ethic BUT it's plain to see in this system at this level, Sterling is simply not good enough. Any player can run (look at Walcott) but his passing is bang average, his finishing is poor and he has next to no hold up play. Southgate kept using Kane as the number 10 to push Sterling up as a number 9 and it simply didn't work. 1 assist (only because a worldly of a goal from Lingard) and 0 goals at the end of day is simply not good enough.
Kane is a mixed bag because you look at 6 goals and think awesome but the stats don't tell the whole truth. He played like a number 9 in the first two games and scored 5 goals (2 were world class pens) and then has gotten deeper n deeper in his last 3 games scoring just once (also a pen). Kane was doing the legwork so Sterling could run in behind but that was a mistake and Kane was invisible against Sweden & Croatia. Look at Euro 2016 as well and it's clear we don't play him like Spurs do and that means we lose something important from the best pure striker on the planet when you look at his goal record since 2015.
Rashford looked good coming on against Tunisia but that's it. He's been used little excluding the Belgium game that didn't matter and had has no impact since the opening game. Can he play in this formation? is he a 9, 10 or inside winger/ on the left? One thing for sure like Sterling his goal record is not good enough for ENG and he probably should of spent more time with the U21's. Jose has IMO ruined the kid, taken away his RAW talent and replaced it with another mindless drone in a very average Man Utd squad.
Lingard started the WC well but his energy seem to disappear post the group stages. Scored one of the best goals from an English player at the World Cup and clearly wants to play a more advance role but with Dele wanting the same, it left the midfield too open at times.
Dele Alli Injury dented his performances and his role didn't suit him at the end of the day. Dele should be playing the number 10 role or nothing else going forward because he might not be as fast as Sterling but he is by far a more complete player.
Sterling is a player who will give everything and I don't doubt his work ethic BUT it's plain to see in this system at this level, Sterling is simply not good enough. Any player can run (look at Walcott) but his passing is bang average, his finishing is poor and he has next to no hold up play. Southgate kept using Kane as the number 10 to push Sterling up as a number 9 and it simply didn't work. 1 assist (only because a worldly of a goal from Lingard) and 0 goals at the end of day is simply not good enough.
Kane is a mixed bag because you look at 6 goals and think awesome but the stats don't tell the whole truth. He played like a number 9 in the first two games and scored 5 goals (2 were world class pens) and then has gotten deeper n deeper in his last 3 games scoring just once (also a pen). Kane was doing the legwork so Sterling could run in behind but that was a mistake and Kane was invisible against Sweden & Croatia. Look at Euro 2016 as well and it's clear we don't play him like Spurs do and that means we lose something important from the best pure striker on the planet when you look at his goal record since 2015.
Rashford looked good coming on against Tunisia but that's it. He's been used little excluding the Belgium game that didn't matter and had has no impact since the opening game. Can he play in this formation? is he a 9, 10 or inside winger/ on the left? One thing for sure like Sterling his goal record is not good enough for ENG and he probably should of spent more time with the U21's. Jose has IMO ruined the kid, taken away his RAW talent and replaced it with another mindless drone in a very average Man Utd squad.
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