Semi Finals

[Danish]

But it was a good loss.

We are an average team and would have been beaten 3 nil by Brazil.

So by losing it gave us our only chance of ever making a final in my lifetime - by taking advantage of a soft draw.

I'm under no illusions as to England's quality. We're well below the elite teams and somewhere just above the likes of Sweden.

We're probably on a rung with the likes of Uruguay and Croatia.

That's our level. I know this because we haven't beaten a world class side in the knock out phase of a major tournament since Euro 96. And even that took penalties to beat Spain.

Before that you'd probably have to go back to the 1966 World Cup to when we beat one of the big guns.

So we are an average footballing nation and that strategic loss gave us our only chance of making a world cup final. So of course we were happy about it.

No point trying to fluke your way to a World Cup. This isn’t rugby or something where there are only a couple of teams that you could potentially steer clear of and hope they get knocked out.

better to try and maintain momentum and a winning run than deliberately resting players and playing for a loss

 

[Tommy Smith]

I wholeheartedly disagree.

England would have had next to zero chance in beating Brazil and France to make the final.

In contrast we were imo 50/50 to get through Sweden and Croatia.

Belgium btw cost themselves a world cup final spot with that win.

 

[Danish]

I wholeheartedly disagree.

England would have had next to zero chance in beating Brazil and France to make the final.

In contrast we were imo 50/50 to get through Sweden and Croatia.

Belgium btw cost themselves a world cup final spot with that win.

If you think you were zero chance of beating France to make the final, then presimably you would have been zero chance of beating them in the final as well.

So what’s the point in the end?

 

[Pommy]

If you think you were zero chance of beating France to make the final, then presimably you would have been zero chance of beating them in the final as well.

So what’s the point in the end?

You make it to the final and who knows what happens. A French player has a brain explosion 5 mins in and they’re down to 10 men, then it’s anyones game.
You only have to look at the results in this tournament to realise football is a funny game sometimes.

 

[Tommy Smith]

If you think you were zero chance of beating France to make the final, then presimably you would have been zero chance of beating them in the final as well.

So what’s the point in the end?

I said zero of beating Brazil AND France.

And the point is simple - I just wanted to see England make a World Cup final for the first time in over half a century.

 

[Tommy Smith]

You make it to the final and who knows what happens. A French player has a brain explosion 5 mins in and they’re down to 10 men, then it’s anyones game.
You only have to look at the results in this tournament to realise football is a funny game sometimes.

See the Euro 2016 Final.

France bottled it against a bog average Portugal side.

I'd rather that final match up as opposed to a Brazil-France qtr and semi combo.

 

[Danish]

You make it to the final and who knows what happens. A French player has a brain explosion 5 mins in and they’re down to 10 men, then it’s anyones game.
You only have to look at the results in this tournament to realise football is a funny game sometimes.

Which is precisely why it’s silly to try and game the system for an “easy” draw.

Brazil were shithouse the entire tournament, so whose to say you wouldn’t have been able to rattle them? And I wouldn’t personally rank beating Croatia as an easier task than France based on this World Cup. Croatia looked like world beaters all throughout the group stage while France have only really showed glimpses of class here and here.

 

[Pommy]

Which is precisely why it’s silly to try and game the system for an “easy” draw.

Brazil were shithouse the entire tournament, so whose to say you wouldn’t have been able to rattle them? And I wouldn’t personally rank beating Croatia as an easier task than France based on this World Cup. Croatia looked like world beaters all throughout the group stage while France have only really showed glimpses of class here and here.

Because jinking a result against France on an off day in the final isn’t the same as doing the same to France and Brazil, as Belgium found out.

Croatia might have looked good in the group but they’ve had to go to extra time in every knockout including against a 70th ranked Russia. This isn’t me knocking them as clearly they’re better than England.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Brazil were very good against Belgium with no luck and they would have absolutely slaughtered us.

Tbh I think they would have beaten France, too.

 

[JJ]

[

Brazil were very good against Belgium with no luck and they would have absolutely slaughtered us.

Tbh I think they would have beaten France, too.

Best team seldom wins the World Cup though... before my time, but the great Hungarian teams missed out, the Dutch side in 74, perhaps 78 - 82 the first World Cup I watched as a kid because miraculously NZ qualified - the Brazil and France were brilliant, neither won..., not sure they were the best, but the Danes were brilliant in 86, and TBH Brazil or France probably the best here (Brazil only sporadically - Spain could have been close, Belgium, Croatia perhaps in that order)

That's kind of why I give England a hope of going deep in the next few - they have (word has it) better talent coming, and the coach has them playing as a team... if they can be organised and ruthless and add some quality to the midfield they will continue to be there or there abouts

 

[Smack]

one shot on target and that was Trippier's goal, that has to be disappointing

not to worry, its a very young team and did well to make the semis and will be better for the experience

Yeah, of course you're upbeat with all those Spurs players

 

[Danish]

Because jinking a result against France on an off day in the final isn’t the same as doing the same to France and Brazil, as Belgium found out.

Croatia might have looked good in the group but they’ve had to go to extra time in every knockout including against a 70th ranked Russia. This isn’t me knocking them as clearly they’re better than England.

Jagging a result against Colombia, Sweden, and Croatia ain’t that much easier than Japan, Brazil, and France on this cup’s form.

I grant you that for England to make a final they would have needed a lot of luck. I just don’t think that luck involves playing for a loss and giving up some momentum in the process.

Either way, it’s just pissing in the wind now. England overachieved compared to where most saw them going before a ball was kicked, which is a better result that they’ve had in a long while. Far better to be an Englishmen today than a Spaniard or German

 

[___]

Pretty sure we have a star above the three lions.....

Fair play to Croatia three 120 minute games in a row.
The future is bright for England as far as I’m concerned a young team, success at youth international level football is coming home it just wants a trip to Qatar beforehand.

If England don't win Euro 2020, they have NO CHANCE of winning the next WC.

 

[___]

I still can’t fathom Qatar... how the f**k is that even going to work.

They are 1/10th the size of us(NZ) and have half the population we have...

And to me we are miles too small to ever host a World Cup.

What's worse is it's in their winter.

 

[Twizzle]

Yeah, of course you're upbeat with all those Spurs players

I wouldn't say upbeat, but I am happy for the players, they got them to the semis which is a big improvement on previous years

 

[Pommy]

If England don't win Euro 2020, they have NO CHANCE of winning the next WC.

But football is coming home so of course we will win the euros.
Although it pains me to say France look good for the next few years. I hope Germany implode and become the next England lol.

 

[Smack]

I wouldn't say upbeat, but I am happy for the players, they got them to the semis which is a big improvement on previous years

True. When was the last time Spurs had this many represented in the later stages of a WC?

 

[Mong]

Have been enjoying the meme’s floating around this morning

 

[abpanther]

England really lost their way after half time, Croatia dominated the midfield from that point on, Modric was all class

 

[Twizzle]

True. When was the last time Spurs had this many represented in the later stages of a WC?

I dont think they ever have, its most been to so called big 4 who have all the decent English players although these 5 were not exactly world beaters, the whole 5 players only cost Spurs 13.5 million pounds all up. I think its more a tribute to Pochetino who has made international players out of them.

Trippier for example was never that great but he has probabaly been England's best player.