Semi Final: Croatia vs England - Wednesday 7PM (Continued)

[Carver]

It just feels shit to get to a semi final and lose to Croatia.

If it was one of the big boys then I guess that's fair do's, but Croatia who are like a small nation. ffs

Where the fuck were Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard tonight?

We need some fucking creativity and firepower and some bloody wingers, not wing backs.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Thought Pickford may have had a chance of getting the Golden Glove but now you can only see it going to Lloris. Shame really because he’s really shown what he can do this summer.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Beaten by a better side, simple as. They dictated the game after half time so we can have no complaints. If Kane scores to make it 2-0 it’s a different game but credit to the Croats, they’ve got the experience and know how to step it up and they did. We could pick holes to the degree we let that happen but I won’t now as the lads have done the country proud and we’ll build on this and learn from it I’m sure. This is a level headed bunch of lads who wear the shirt with pride and they’ll be back.

Thanks for a great World Cup England.

 

[Muller]

It’s hard not to look back at that Kane chance and think we would have been comfortable from then on same as the Sweden game...oh well good run from us and we can go home proud.

 

[Carver]

4) Leaving Ali on when he was totally anonymous, Loftus-Cheek was massively

Too fucking right mate.

Loftus cheek is our best midfielder by far, better than fucking over rated waste of space Dele Alli.

 

[Carver]

This whole tournament we never looked like scoring from open play, not since the first half against Tunisia.

 

[Predator373]

Too fucking right mate.

Loftus cheek is our best midfielder by far, better than fucking over rated waste of space Dele Alli.

Alli is a decent player but he looked like he was carrying a knock in this tournament and was very poor I think we should of played Loftus-Cheek who is fit and sharp plus also does seem a very good player.

 

[Muller]

While I’m proud of the lads and how far they got I do honestly feel Southgate made a some crucial mistakes.
1) Not taking a ball playing CM e.g Shelvey or Wilshere.
2) Starting Young over Rose.
3) Taking Sterling off totally killed any attacking threat we had.
4) Leaving Ali on when he was totally anonymous, Loftus-Cheek was massively underused in this tournament.
We were very good first half but when Kane and Lingard missed them BIG chances I just had a nasty feeling we would pay for it and we ultimately did, proud of England but also frustrated as this was a big opportunity missed.

Great post.

 

[Meadow]

Not about football (in fact it was written in connection with WW1) but I love this one. Unfortunately yet to find a decent version on youtube.

What is it about you, makes me feel this way?
When I'm leaving you, when I'm coming home
I'm lost for words to say.
And I know your faults and failures,
And the troubles that you've been through.
But it's more about what happens now
And what were coming to.

And the echo from the green hills
Runs through her city streets,
And the sun that shines on England
Well it lifts the heart in me.

What is it about you, that took men into war?
Rows and rows of crosses: Who remembers why what for?
The corners of these foreign fields,
The dust in them concealed.
Out of sight but not out of mind,
Don't you know that England feels?

And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets.
The rain that falls on England
Well it washes care from me.

England, oh England
England, oh England
England, oh England

Don't make this out a battle hymn or a song of victory.
It's just a way to try to say what England means to me.
And our accents and our colours change
From the city to the farmland
From the moorland to the mountain,
From the river to the sea.

And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets
The rain that falls on England
Well it washes care from me.

England, oh England
England, oh England
England, oh England

From the rolling road to the winding lane,
From the field to factory,
From summer's haze to winter's glaze,
And all the colours in between.
It's a stillness in the evening.
It's the heartbeat that I'm feeling.

Still proud.

 

[T.A]

Gutted but I love you England xxx ( it’s been a while since that’s happened)

 

[Super_horns]

Seen some claiming the first Croatia goal could have been a foul for a high foot?

Fair call or just clutching at straws?

 

[Renegade]

Seen some claiming the first Croatia goal could have been a foul for a high foot?

Fair call or just clutching at straws?

Straws.

Unlucky England, I was rooting for you, but you fucked it in the second half. It should have been won by half time, you invited pressure on with an insecure lead as you always seem to and then paid for it. Croatia were the better side from that point on, but the goals were pretty frustrating to watch. A cross and a hopeful header back into the box, they didn't really unlock you at any point despite their superior shot statistics. Harry Kane had an off night and the substitutions seemed a little clueless. Also, agree with the poster above who mentioned that Danny Rose should have started during this tournament.

I was quite conflicted going into the final, I quite like this England side, but wasn't sure if I could deal with the aftermath of an English victory. Don't particularly want France to win. Will be 100% team Croatia on Sunday, though I think they'll be quite easily curtailed by a ruthless France.

 

[TomPNE94]

Seen some claiming the first Croatia goal could have been a foul for a high foot?

Fair call or just clutching at straws?

Anywhere else on the pitch and it’s given as foot up but it would’ve taken a very brave official to give it. I’d have been fuming if we’d scored it and it was disallowed.

Modric was the difference tonight, the only world class player on the park and it showed. Pulled the strings from 30 minutes onwards. Candidate for Ballon D’or?

So proud of the whole squad and Gaz Southgate, never expected anything this year but what a summer it’s been while the bitter Welsh and Scots sat at home changing flags in their twitter names.

Tonight I thought the inexperience really showed in the squad and they bottled it a little bit. Kane was awful and should be burying that one on one and the free header at the end of 90 minutes. The CB’s were all excellent but Walker and Stones both had a mare for each goal. Trippier outstanding as he has been all tournament. Sterling probably our best player, the game was lost when he went off as we had no outlet.

As for Jordan Pickford, I have no words to describe my love for the bloke. Back to club football now anyway, can’t wait for North End to win the Championship x

 

[Kopper]

Until England realises we can't play the game at a hundred miles an hour and hope to win, we won't. Why are we so good at set plays? Because the game has stopped and allows us to think about what we're doing. Our players play with too much fear, which is a consequence of playing the game at the pace we do.

We have the players, the system and the manager. We just need to slow the game down when we play. I hope we do it in time for the Euros.

 

[villa loyal]

It just feels shit to get to a semi final and lose to Croatia.

If it was one of the big boys then I guess that's fair do's, but Croatia who are like a small nation. ffs

Where the fuck were Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard tonight?

We need some fucking creativity and firepower and some bloody wingers, not wing backs.

Belgium are a very small nation too, but have a world class team. The Croats are a very good footballing nation, and don't get enough credit. They beat us fair and square.

 

[villa loyal]

Roy Keane getting a bit of stick from people for speaking the truth. They were stronger as the game went on, and deserved to win just about.

 

[mente captus]

i dont get all the hype about England. you have a 3-1-2 record against Tunisia, Panama, Belgium, Colombia, Sweden and Croatia and were useless from open play.

 

[Chris FGR]

i dont get all the hype about England. you have a 3-1-2 record against Tunisia, Panama, Belgium, Colombia, Sweden and Croatia and were useless from open play.

We got to the semi-finals. The best we've done in nearly 30 years and weren't a million miles away from making it to a World Cup final. That's why there was so much hype.

 

[Gassy]

Fair play to Croatia - over the 120 minutes they deserved that on goal scoring chances.

Each time it was a game of two halves. England dominating the first half and should have taken our chances not to allow us to be in this position (Much like Tunisia & Colombia). Croatia controlling the 2nd half completely. Extra time was pretty much the same.

We definitely have some food for thought not just for Saturday Vs Belgium, but most importantly for the Euros in 2 years time. We're obviously excellent at set pieces, but now we need to work on goals from open play because again last night, we didn't even trouble the goal keeper yet again.

As much as Southgate has got us to the semi finals, he has (in my opinion) lost us the game from the tactics of the 2nd half. For me we were too slow and had no closing down at all. Croatia were full of energy the entire 120 minutes and never gave us a moment. Can we say that we did that? No, we gave their defence and midfield way too much time on the ball.

Frustrating goal to give away in extra time too, Stones was much too slow to react - very poor defending, albeit he has been excellent all tournament. I have to say I've been incredibly disappointed with Rashford at this World Cup, I barely noticed that he even came on last night.

Frustrating night from the officials too, no major incidents (and certainly not saying anyone cost us the game) but some of the decision making on little fouls (on Rakitic when we just fell to the floor), a few times when we were fouled going forward and nothing was given which allowed Croatia to break, Rebic should have been on a yellow card much earlier - the guy committed about 7 fouls. The offside with Kane (which wasn't offside) and ok he missed, but it would have been a corner, a few times when the ball went clearly out of play and the linesman missed it and let Croatia carry on (couple of throw ins and a corner), the Walker yellow - he picked up a ball ffs. Sure he slowed the game down they give him a yellow but Croatia did literally the exact same thing 2 minutes later and it went unpunished - how no one got a yellow card for time wasting was unreal considering the last 10 minutes were literally just spent with the ball not being allowed to play - and then some how only 4 minutes. Nothing major to say we were cheated out of it, but just little frustrations really.

Still, England are a top 4 team - excellent! When was the last time we came out of a World Cup not looking to sack the manager?

 

[AFCB_Mark]

i dont get all the hype about England. you have a 3-1-2 record against Tunisia, Panama, Belgium, Colombia, Sweden and Croatia and were useless from open play.

Set pieces have been big across the tournament. Your only win came from a set piece. We've just been even better than most at them.

We got to a semi final, we still might finish 3rd. Further than most of the usual top nations, despite clear limitations and inexperience in our squad. It's probably more pride and surprise than it is hype.

 

[spireite]

Until England realises we can't play the game at a hundred miles an hour and hope to win, we won't. Why are we so good at set plays? Because the game has stopped and allows us to think about what we're doing. Our players play with too much fear, which is a consequence of playing the game at the pace we do.

We have the players, the system and the manager. We just need to slow the game down when we play. I hope we do it in time for the Euros.

I don't understand this take. I think one of our major problems is being too slow, too pedestrian both with the ball and players moving off the ball to find space. We slowly dink it among the back 4 before realizing there's no real options on and aiming an diagonal into a channel or into Kane.

 

[rudebwoyben]

This whole tournament we never looked like scoring from open play, not since the first half against Tunisia.

Yeah, except for Alli’s Goal against Sweden and the two against Panama.
But yeah I take your point.

 

[mente captus]

Set pieces have been big across the tournament. Your only win came from a set piece. We've just been even better than most at them.


We got to a semi final, we still might finish 3rd. Further than most of the usual top nations, despite clear limitations and inexperience in our squad. It's probably more pride and surprise than it is hype.

we are still the current holders, our early exit this time dont bother me that much.

tbh: finishing an tournament possibly 3rd without nearly all the big boys and that easy road isnt a success imho.

 

[Gassy]

Only England could get to the Semi-Finals and it be a failure!

All the 'big' teams weren't good enough get through. We beat the teams that knocked them out yet we're some how the ones who did badly?

Fuck off

Look in the mirror and p*ss off back to your own forums

 

[valefan16]

we are still the current holders, our early exit this time dont bother me that much.

tbh: finishing an tournament possibly 3rd without nearly all the big boys and that easy road isnt a success imho.

Of course it’s a success. The ‘Big Boys’ were not good enough hence they were absent, the second tier nations are getting stronger. Let’s be honest England or Croatia would have fancied themselves to beat Germany, Spain or Argentina for instance based on their showing this tournament (of course Croatia did).

The big boys just were not very big this tournament bar France.

Look at Belgium? Six years or so ago they’d be someone most teams would fancy putting away in qualification and usually did and in six years time when this generation passes it may well go the same way again so the usual order is being upset by other teams catching up. Any team England played deserved to be there and earnt the right to be there. Tunisia the best African side, Panama even had some great results in getting there, Colombia no mugs, Sweden had produced some great results this World Cup campaign beating Italy and France, qualifying ahead of Holland yet we broke them down.

Croatia have had an easier route on paper and yet no one will be critical of that.

 

[Abertawe]

I'm still angry. There was a lot more to be had from these players but they weren't used as efficiently as they could have been. I'm surprised so many on here are happy to bow out at the semis. Seems at football we're happy to be valiant losers. Said it before the game - failing to beat another world class team (who England have more depth than) is a failure. Credit to the players, they done well, fuck Southgate.

 

[Son of Cod]

Frustrating night from the officials too, no major incidents (and certainly not saying anyone cost us the game) but some of the decision making on little fouls (on Rakitic when we just fell to the floor), a few times when we were fouled going forward and nothing was given which allowed Croatia to break, Rebic should have been on a yellow card much earlier - the guy committed about 7 fouls. The offside with Kane (which wasn't offside) and ok he missed, but it would have been a corner, a few times when the ball went clearly out of play and the linesman missed it and let Croatia carry on (couple of throw ins and a corner), the Walker yellow - he picked up a ball ffs. Sure he slowed the game down they give him a yellow but Croatia did literally the exact same thing 2 minutes later and it went unpunished - how no one got a yellow card for time wasting was unreal considering the last 10 minutes were literally just spent with the ball not being allowed to play - and then some how only 4 minutes. Nothing major to say we were cheated out of it, but just little frustrations really.

One of those balls going out of play was absolutely scandalous. When we were attacking to the left and it was taken out of play in a fairly dangerous throw in position. Not sure what the point of the lino is if he's missing those.

It's been a great World Cup when the ball has actually been in play, but the amount of playacting and time wasting has been infuriating at times. The time it has taken freekicks to be taken is ridiculous. There's so much fannying around on so many decisions and a dangerous precedent was set right at the start of the tournament when they pulled back play for that France penalty vs Australia.

 

[mente captus]

Only England could get to the Semi-Finals and it be a failure!

All the 'big' teams weren't good enough get through. We beat the teams that knocked them out yet we're some how the ones who did badly?

Fuck off

Look in the mirror and p*ss off back to your own forums

of course it is a failure, it will NEVER ever be that easy to reach the final/to win the cup again.

I've seen us winning te world cup twice in my lifetime. It's a great feeling, you know

 

[Son of Cod]

we are still the current holders

Hahahahahahaha that's brilliant. I'll make sure I think of you clinging onto that in the last few seconds before Lloris gets his hands on it on Sunday.

 

[Benji]

England players trying to score while Croatia celebrate the goal.

https://imgur.com/oy0eBzI

It's so weird that teams suddenly thought this was a thing this year.