Well done England ...

[Bruce Wayne]

Fucking losers. Bollocks to the new love in, they never had a better chance. At least if we'd been in the other half of the draw I wouldn't be so pissed off tonight. John Stones wants fucking.

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

End of the day, we were undone by 2 bad defensive errors. Take the first one out, and we're playing in a world cup final.

Proud as fuck of that England side this tournament though. Exceeded expectations by quite some way IMO!

 

[United Aren't Back.]

You are correct Dronnie.
The performance, after a great goal, left a lot to be desired. The fact is that big and strong is not enough. The curse shows no sign of ending.
So fucking sick of the very evident failings still being exposed time after fucking time.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Our technique is fine in most areas. Shit, we've even got a keeper who can pass these days. Our big problem is in midfield - we essentially don't have one. Henderson is average, and Alli and Lingaard always felt a bit 'squared pegs, round holes' playing in those positions either side. It's a shame Wilshere didn't develop into what he could've been.

I felt the biggest difference, weirdly, was physical. They looked fitter than us, which is bizarre considering they should be knackered. Kane looked fucked after about an hour.

 

[Davalon]

The first half was the opportunity and as good as Croatia were after half time, I can't help but think we contributed to our own downfall.

It's a massive opportunity missed but at the same time it's the first time in my lifetime we've over-achieved at a major tournament, and my earliest memory was Spain 82.

Croatia's class and experience told. That said this England team is young and playing this way they have the chance to progress together.

FWIW I'm don't believe we would have beaten France but I'd have liked the opportunity.

The winnings I've made tonight from betting on Croatia to reach the final is no sweetener.

Well done to the lads.

 

[bromtom]

Our technique is fine in most areas. Shit, we've even got a keeper who can pass these days. Our big problem is in midfield - we essentially don't have one. Henderson is average, and Alli and Lingaard always felt a bit 'squared pegs, round holes' playing in those positions either side. It's a shame Wilshere didn't develop into what he could've been.

I felt the biggest difference, weirdly, was physical. They looked fitter than us, which is bizarre considering they should be knackered. Kane looked fucked after about an hour.

Loftus-Cheek sat wondering whether he ate Southgate's choccy bar out of the fridge by accident. Why he got dropped I don't know. Feel like he was obviously better than Dele.

Definitely need a proper player in midfield though. Henderson is a safe pair of hands but has no imagination, he won't create chances often and he'll never do anything with crumbs from corners long shot wise. It's just another string missing from our bow.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Pretty much spot on. We came up against a side that have class right in the area that hurts us most. Our midfield was overrun and as soon as we became panicked they started to press our defenders forcing us to hoof. I was crying out for Loftus Cheek because hes got a bit about him and would have got in a few faces. Dyer just doesn't do enough for me.

 

[I should coco]

We still fixate with big, fast, strong

Sterling, Trippier, Lingard?

The biggest insult I can pay you, is that you are starting to sound like Pinchy

 

[Bruce Wayne]

End of the day, we were undone by 2 bad defensive errors. Take the first one out, and we're playing in a world cup final.

Proud as fuck of that England side this tournament though. Exceeded expectations by quite some way IMO!

Disagee, beating L1 teams equivelent tricked me in to believeing, facts are England are shit, always have been always will be. Youth, energy and passion 100% but technique is crap. Would love to know what Southgate said at HT as we came out like a Nigel Clough side. At least when the Germans beat us we didn't hand it to them with shit defending.

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

Fantastic achievement for a squad of decent footballers and athletes to get this far. Maybe they can go on.

But let’s be perfectly truthful here, the technique, movement and better overall tactical “nous” is showing through here.

Our peers develop footballers from a young age. We still fixate with big, fast, strong.

Will we ever learn ??

Hope I’m wrong.

UTB

It's all Leon Clarke's fault.

 

[YorkBlade]

As others have said before, we will NEVER have a better chance. I'm devastated.

 

[Bladesman]

It's all Leon Clarke's fault.

We needed Billy up front off the bench not that shitehouse from the darkside.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

It's all Leon Clarke's fault.

Because Leon is, after all, big and strong.
I think you are onto something here.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Going

Our technique is fine in most areas. Shit, we've even got a keeper who can pass these days. Our big problem is in midfield - we essentially don't have one. Henderson is average, and Alli and Lingaard always felt a bit 'squared pegs, round holes' playing in those positions either side. It's a shame Wilshere didn't develop into what he could've been.

I felt the biggest difference, weirdly, was physical. They looked fitter than us, which is bizarre considering they should be knackered. Kane looked fucked after about an hour.

I wonder whether the mid-season break or lack thereof is still hurting us. It was blatantly obvious they were much fitter than us by the end. We've faded quite badly in a number of games actually. I wonder whether we need to manage games better in that aspect. Keeping the ball in midfield helps.

 

[Grappler]

They took over in the second half and always looked a threat.

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

We needed Billy up front off the bench not that shitehouse from the darkside.

Because Leon is, after all, big and strong.
I think you are onto something here.

Agreed, that's why we should've sold him for £3.24 and a Kit Kat back in January.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Christ I hope one of the young England teams that have won TOURNAMENTS in the last 12 months has a worldie CM in amongst them.

 

[Guesty]

Everyone at work was getting a little giddy today. A few backed a narrow win, everyone else thought England would beat Croatia out of sight.

It's like people have never seen England before.

 

[blade too long]

After half time we created nothing and never troubled their keeper. Thought Alli and Kane had gone off. After pulling apart their defence they switched full backs and we stopped getting round them . Young was too slow and Lingard ineffective

 

[Bruce Wayne]

After half time we created nothing and never troubled their keeper. Thought Alli and Kane had gone off. After pulling apart their defence they switched full backs and we stopped getting round them . Young was too slow and Lingard ineffective

Kane had a real shocker, should have had at least 2 tonight. But he's got no tattoos so that's cool.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Agreed, that's why we should've sold him for £3.24 and a Kit Kat back in January.

Yeah. All this big n strong.
Plain wrong.
Four goals against Hull?
Meh.
He missed two chances first afe.

After half time we created nothing and never troubled their keeper. Thought Alli and Kane had gone off. After pulling apart their defence they switched full backs and we stopped getting round them . Young was too slow and Lingard ineffective

Kane was shit tonight.
From the off.

 

[robbiez666]

Going


I wonder whether the mid-season break or lack thereof is still hurting us. It was blatantly obvious they were much fitter than us by the end. We've faded quite badly in a number of games actually. I wonder whether we need to manage games better in that aspect. Keeping the ball in midfield helps.

I noticed how tired our defence looked coming up to half time, which I found strange because they were hardly overworked.

 

[Esablade]

Well done England.

Overachieved to get to a World Cup semi with a young bunch of lads who hopefully will push on from this and take it into future tournaments.

Enjoyed our performances.

 

[Bladesman]

This wouldn't have happened if Gareth had called up O'Connell.

 

[robbiez666]

We made a good fist of it but we did extraordinarily well (and were, let's face it, extraordinarily lucky that we played poor teams) to get to the semis with such a young and inexperienced team. We'll be much stronger in 4 year's time.

I think France would have walked the final anyway, whoever they faced.

 

[pommpey]

Think the opportunities for Kane were just not there tonight. Dominated the first half, did the typical England thing and came out for the second thinking Croatia would be playing the same game in the second. You have t have a plan b. And you have to push the play into their half, which we didn't do at all. And finally, you need to either stop the ball into the box (first goal) or switch the fuck on to the ball in the box (second goal)

Disappointed, but proud. Well done England. Youngest team in the tournament, no real failth when they began, half the country typically cynical and slagging football off and yet still made it with modesty to the semi finals.

pommpey

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Even if we lose to Belgium,it means we have finished 4th,and that is a great achievment.

England just dont have that killer instinct,yet.

Mandzukic he had one chance and he stuck it away,thats killer instinct helped by England players who were tiring and not thinking reyt.

Only negative was the fact that Waistcoat left Alli and Lindgard on too long,Loftus Cheek should have come in one of those places just for fresh legs and fresh thought,and Vardy coming on had me scratchin my head.

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

Have you been to the UK since xenophobia and race hate became respectable in 2016?

Watched the game tonight in a bar in Birmingham- crowd were an almost equal mix of white, black, asian, Japanese and various others. All supporting England and mixing together happily. Not an ounce of xenophobia or bigotry on view. But then you don’t want to hear that do you as it doesn’t fit with your world view does it?
Maybe a look in the bigotry mirror is called for but I doubt you’ll acknowledge you might be wrong as I’m struggling to recall a time when you did.

 

[Grappler]

Even if we lose to Belgium,it means we have finished 4th,and that is a great achievment.

England just dont have that killer instinct,yet.

Mandzukic he had one chance and he stuck it away,thats killer instinct helped by England players who were tiring and not thinking reyt.

Only negative was the fact that Waistcoat left Alli and Lindgard on too long,Loftus Cheek should have come in one of those places just for fresh legs and fresh thought,and Vardy coming on had me scratchin my head.

Agree about Loftus-Cheek, no idea why he wasn't on the pitch.

 

[Bladesman]