World Cup 2018

[predrag]

I agree that Modric didn't have the best game,but just read that Rakitic had a 39 degree fever all day.

[Nice One Cyril]

French bloke meets an English bloke in pub.

Frenchman: "How are you getting on in the World Cup?"

Englishman: "Grand, we are playing Croatia tonight."

Frenchman: "That's a coincidence, we are playing them on Sunday."

[Facts and Stats]

Croatia's equaliser reminds me somewhat of the A-League GF goal that raised concerns of 'Kicking In Danger' on here and a possible push in the back to boot.


A mate in England says that a large number of people were shouting 'Foul' as soon as it happened at the open-air venue he was at and that quite a number still believe it was a foul.

No worries, Martin Tyler

Fair play to the Croatia team, they were the better team on the night and I hope they go on and win it.

It pretty much panned out as most in England expected, we couldn't keep Modric quiet for long enough and lost the midfield battle. I've never really understood why successive England managers pick club players and play them out of position for the national side (think of the Gerrard / Lampard debacle). For Spurs, Alli plays next to Kane and it works well but, to accommodate Sterling in the side, he was played much deeper, that was wrong IMO.

It was fun while it lasted though and at least we didn't lose on penalties.

The players out of position is no excuse for Kane losing the site of goal though. Club managers also accommodate players so others fit in at times.

I don’t think Southgate got everything right but with the squad he had they didn’t let anyone down.

[Bomber]

Nice pic of Branko and Ian in today's 'tiser. One has more facial hair than when I last saw him, the other much less! :wink:

To help Croatia, I'll predict a France win.

[God is an Englishman]

.

A mate in England says that a large number of people were shouting 'Foul' as soon as it happened at the open-air venue he was at and that quite a number still believe it was a foul.

No worries, Martin Tyler

What did your mate expect them to shout, "GOAAAAL"?

While shouting 'Foul' they were also looking for their straws. :wink:

A very well known SAASL ref posted on his facebook page that he would have disallowed it for dangerous play. Personally for me, the defender didn't change his movement or even flinch because of it so it and the attacker is entitled to go for the ball.

I did shout at the screen for the high feet but it was more in hope than expectancy.

[God is an Englishman]

The players out of position is no excuse for Kane losing the site of goal though. Club managers also accommodate players so others fit in at times.

I don’t think Southgate got everything right but with the squad he had they didn’t let anyone down.

Annoying that the missed chances by the probably Golden boot winner was the reason why we are not in the final. Still a Millwall legend though.

[Bomber]

A very well known SAASL ref posted on his facebook page that he would have disallowed it for dangerous play. Personally for me, the defender didn't change his movement or even flinch because of it so it and the attacker is entitled to go for the ball.

I did shout at the screen for the high feet but it was more in hope than expectancy.

Have to agree (with you, not the ref). End of, you have to understand what is actually dangerous and understand many spectacular overhead kicked goals (for example) have been allowed where defender's heads are in similar "range". You don't want to discourage the art and such attempts. The game is about goals, or should be.

[Facts and Stats]

Croatia's equaliser reminds me somewhat of the A-League GF goal that raised concerns of 'Kicking In Danger' on here and a possible push in the back to boot.


A mate in England says that a large number of people were shouting 'Foul' as soon as it happened at the open-air venue he was at and that quite a number still believe it was a foul.

not sure if they have better views than people anywhere else? So what is the relevance of your mate and open air venues telling you this?

[General Tony Cash]

Nice pic of Branko and Ian in today's 'tiser. One has more facial hair than when I last saw him, the other much less! :wink:

To help Croatia, I'll predict a France win.

Have to nickname him 'Hollywood' I reckon, fkn everywhere in the media of late...hard enough seeing his mug in person every day let alone having to look at it in the paper and on TV also. :wink:

Movie offers set to role in.

[The Kop]

Dutch, Belgian, curriculums etc etc....for the bin.

All this time we should have paid more attention to what they were doing at Somers Street and Edensor Park!

[God is an Englishman]

Dutch, Belgian, curriculums etc etc....for the bin.

All this time we should have paid more attention to what they were doing at Somers Street and Edensor Park!

I know that's tongue in cheek but this is an issue in football over here, you just get infatuated with certain nationalities. Last year it was dutch, then it was spanish.

The best coach I have worked with is English.
The best junior coach my son has had is a jock and they can't even qualify.

[Brian the Postman]

Dutch, Belgian, curriculums etc etc....for the bin.

All this time we should have paid more attention to what they were doing at Somers Street and Edensor Park!

I know that's tongue in cheek but this is an issue in football over here, you just get infatuated with certain nationalities. Last year it was dutch, then it was spanish.

The best coach I have worked with is English.
The best junior coach my son has had is a jock and they can't even qualify.

I think to be honest England has probably come across what we should do with your National DNA philosophy.

We have to do this in Australia (maybe we already did over 20 years ago, but ripped it up because of people like Craig Foster who have to worship at the altar of something else to feel relevant).

Southgate tapped into what worked for your players and got them working together, rather than making them feel inferior about the way they go about their football.

[Bomber]

Nice pic of Branko and Ian in today's 'tiser. One has more facial hair than when I last saw him, the other much less! :wink:

To help Croatia, I'll predict a France win.

Have to nickname him 'Hollywood' I reckon, shiraz everywhere in the media of late...hard enough seeing his mug in person every day let alone having to look at it in the paper and on TV also. :wink:

Movie offers set to role in.

Could be a big year at Gepps Cross AND record bar sales! :wink:

All the best and enjoy - I'll toast to it in Dubrovnik & Split in a couple weeks.

[Nice One Cyril]

The players out of position is no excuse for Kane losing the site of goal though. Club managers also accommodate players so others fit in at times.

I don’t think Southgate got everything right but with the squad he had they didn’t let anyone down.

Striking is a numbers game, you'll never put away everything, but the better strikers put away a higher percentage. England's problem was, the midfield simply didn't create enough chances.

Yes it happens, but club managers don't generally have a choice, they have a limited pool to choose from, whereas the England coach does not. As I see it, Alli, Lingard and Sterling are all essentially players who play just in behind the striker, so really you have three players competing for the same spot. On the basis that Kane is a given, I'd always pick Alli to play with him purely on the basis that they play 50 games a year together. In the same way, I'd probably pair Lingard and Rashford and play Sterling with Vardy. We really missed having Lallana or Wilshere type players in the squad.

On the whole though, a very enjoyable WC and I'm sure Southgate will analyse it and learn from it. Euro 2020 here we come!

[God is an Englishman]

On the whole though, a very enjoyable WC and I'm sure Southgate will analyse it and learn from it. Euro 2020 here we come!

6 games at Wembley as well. Got to be a good thing.

[Wayne Kerr]

credit where its due.....finally the English appreciate that they don't deserve to eat at the main table with the heavy weights.....reaching a semi final after manufacturing the draw so that they progress through the easy side of the draw and achieving 1 shot on goal in 120 minutes is worth celebrating....the little englanders are calling for a public holiday on Monday!!! celebrating failure is something theyre used to....

Hit...Nail....head!

[God is an Englishman]

credit where its due.....finally the English appreciate that they don't deserve to eat at the main table with the heavy weights.....reaching a semi final after manufacturing the draw so that they progress through the easy side of the draw and achieving 1 shot on goal in 120 minutes is worth celebrating....the little englanders are calling for a public holiday on Monday!!! celebrating failure is something theyre used to....

Hit...Nail....head!

It's wrong though, the bank holiday for Monday was if we won. No one has called for it since the semi final.

Some people are so bitter at anything England achieve. It's quite funny.

[MegaBonus]

not bitter at all.....just providing balance and an alternative perspective.....apparently there's a call for Southgate is to be knighted....

[God is an Englishman]

not bitter at all.....just providing balance and an alternative perspective.....apparently there's a call for Southgate is to be knighted....

It's coming home

[MegaBonus]

theres nothing wrong with delusional dreaming....im happy for you....anything to distract you from the hammering you're copping from the EU and the insults the president is hurling at your PM....your lot are a global comedy relief....

[Rookie]

Just saw some footage of the English team kicking off and playing on whilst the Croatians were celebrating the second goals, the ref didn't have a bar of it and really poor form from the Poms

[MegaBonus]

careful...pointing this out will mean you are bitter....

BTW - 2nd time this was tried at the WC...what's the actual rule??? i.e. do all opposition players have to be in their own half before kick off can occur? if its that clear cut, why did England (and one of England's opponents in the group stage) attempt it?

[God is an Englishman]

theres nothing wrong with delusional dreaming....im happy for you....anything to distract you from the hammering you're copping from the EU and the insults the president is hurling at your PM....your lot are a global comedy relief....

And now we have to change the subject and try and distract with comments about the EU.

Nice try.

[God is an Englishman]

careful...pointing this out will mean you are bitter....

BTW - 2nd time this was tried at the WC...what's the actual rule??? i.e. do all opposition players have to be in their own half before kick off can occur? if its that clear cut, why did England (and one of England's opponents in the group stage) attempt it?

All players must be in their own half. This led to a theory that if all players are off the pitch then you can kick off.

[Facts and Stats]

The players out of position is no excuse for Kane losing the site of goal though. Club managers also accommodate players so others fit in at times.

I don’t think Southgate got everything right but with the squad he had they didn’t let anyone down.

Striking is a numbers game, you'll never put away everything, but the better strikers put away a higher percentage. England's problem was, the midfield simply didn't create enough chances.

Yes it happens, but club managers don't generally have a choice, they have a limited pool to choose from, whereas the England coach does not. As I see it, Alli, Lingard and Sterling are all essentially players who play just in behind the striker, so really you have three players competing for the same spot. On the basis that Kane is a given, I'd always pick Alli to play with him purely on the basis that they play 50 games a year together. In the same way, I'd probably pair Lingard and Rashford and play Sterling with Vardy. We really missed having Lallana or Wilshere type players in the squad.

On the whole though, a very enjoyable WC and I'm sure Southgate will analyse it and learn from it. Euro 2020 here we come!

Sadly our best striker didn’t score one intentional goal with his foot from open play. And his strike partner Sterling, didn’t score one goal at all. That sums up why England didn’t do even better. This may sound stupid but the penalties we got may actually have hindered us in the comp. We will never know. Wilshere should have gone, and if lallana was fit he would have definitely been there, would he have lingards place?

I would have played rashford instead of sterling, but that’s probably the only change.

[Facts and Stats]

careful...pointing this out will mean you are bitter....

BTW - 2nd time this was tried at the WC...what's the actual rule??? i.e. do all opposition players have to be in their own half before kick off can occur? if its that clear cut, why did England (and one of England's opponents in the group stage) attempt it?

All players must be in their own half. This led to a theory that if all players are off the pitch then you can kick off.

Was that theory proved to fake news?

[God is an Englishman]

careful...pointing this out will mean you are bitter....

BTW - 2nd time this was tried at the WC...what's the actual rule??? i.e. do all opposition players have to be in their own half before kick off can occur? if its that clear cut, why did England (and one of England's opponents in the group stage) attempt it?

All players must be in their own half. This led to a theory that if all players are off the pitch then you can kick off.

Was that theory proved to fake news?

It was, but not before Portugal, England (twice) and Panama fell for it.

[MegaBonus]

@ Hawksey

as a long time forumite, you actually talk very little football...other than all the banter crap (which is usually a piss take), im curious to hear your thoughts on Englands performance at the WC

[Raich Carter]

Sadly our best striker didn’t score one intentional goal with his foot from open play. And his strike partner Sterling, didn’t score one goal at all. That sums up why England didn’t do even better. This may sound stupid but the penalties we got may actually have hindered us in the comp. We will never know. Wilshere should have gone, and if lallana was fit he would have definitely been there, would he have lingards place?

I would have played rashford instead of sterling, but that’s probably the only change.

All valid points until you got to Wilshere, man is made of sticks and his form certainly didn't warrant a call up.

[Facts and Stats]

Sadly our best striker didn’t score one intentional goal with his foot from open play. And his strike partner Sterling, didn’t score one goal at all. That sums up why England didn’t do even better. This may sound stupid but the penalties we got may actually have hindered us in the comp. We will never know. Wilshere should have gone, and if lallana was fit he would have definitely been there, would he have lingards place?

I would have played rashford instead of sterling, but that’s probably the only change.

All valid points until you got to Wilshere, man is made of sticks and his form certainly didn't warrant a call up.

I think he was a better squad option than some of the others, but just an opinion. And you said all valid until I got to him, what about the points after?