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World Cup 2018 Semi Finals

It was Stones defending that impressed me, he was far better than I thought he would be! (admittedly a low bar)

Sterlings end product really isnt acceptable, I agree. Shocking really. Of course, City make countless chances so he can miss a hat full and still score a hat full (a bit like Salah) - England arent that team though and need someone more clinical.

I would have a shake up, selection permitting, and probably drop him, push Kane up and play Alli off of him.
 
nayimfromthehalfwayline said:
It was Stones defending that impressed me, he was far better than I thought he would be! (admittedly a low bar)

Sterlings end product really isnt acceptable, I agree. Shocking really. Of course, City make countless chances so he can miss a hat full and still score a hat full (a bit like Salah) - England arent that team though and need someone more clinical.

I would have a shake up, selection permitting, and probably drop him, push Kane up and play Alli off of him.
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Agreed. Don't think Young is good enough either. He's two one footed. We need someone like Rose/some other LB with pace and a left foot who can run at defences. Young always cuts back in on his right foot.
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Kane’s shot on the post that was flagged offside showed that VAR wasn’t being used as he was clearly on... but strangely their was VAR for some tumbles in the areas
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I thought the lino flagged that the ball had gone out of play (which was marginal) after the second shot?
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Llalana would have been that
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There must be a young central midfielder out there. As a type Will Hughes has always shown promise. Maybe Foden should have been included in the squad this time?
A fit Winks would have been useful, although he has never looked that 'at home' in an England shirt the few times I've watched him.
 
StephenH said:
There must be a young central midfielder out there. As a type Will Hughes has always shown promise. Maybe Foden should have been included in the squad this time?
A fit Winks would have been useful, although he has never looked that 'at home' in an England shirt the few times I've watched him.
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He has only played twice for England hasn’t he and got MOTM in his first game
 
Find it hard to believe England failed to beat Croatia to qualify for their first World Cup final since 1966. Instead, Croatia have become the smallest country since Uruguay in 1950 and the first East European team since Czechoslovakia in 1962 to qualify to the World Cup final. England started well but let Croatia dominate the match after that. Trippier scored a brilliant freekick for England's first goal. But scoring that early seemed to have unsettled England more than Croatia. England got complacent and wasted a few good goal scoring chances in the first half. Croatia grew in confidence due to this and duly scored 2 goals to win this match. Due credit to Croatia for coming back to win all their 3 knockout matches even if they had been poor against Denmark and Russia earlier. Kane had a poor match as he wasted at least 1 great chance to score. I think England's mental strength will come into question as they seemed to freeze in crucial moments. Remember, England lost to Iceland in Euro 2016 despite scoring first just like against Croatia here.

This was a golden chance for England to win their first World Cup since 1966 but they have threw it away. Don't think England will get a better chance than this to win the World Cup. Everything seemed to be going for England until this match. All the big teams were falling one by one and England managed to avoid all the big teams and even got into an easier half of the draw. I think England would have beaten France in the Final as they have a far better head to head record against France. Instead, they lost to a lazy and uninspiring Croatia team. I think it would have been better if England had not lost to Belgium and won their group to get into the other side of the draw. At least losing to big teams like Brazil or France would have been easier to accept. In fact, England traditionally have only gone out of the World Cup to former champions but this time lost to a team who have never even played in the final.

I think no one had expected a France V Croatia Final in this World Cup. It is going to be an annoying Final as never liked Croatia as a nation or team.
 
Gutter Boy said:
I don't think you can have much flexibility when you've literally only got 14 or 15 competent players.

If Winks, Gomes and Lallana had been fit, we would have had more options
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milo said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1017332514149601280
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When the Croatian width became a problem, we should have switched to 4231 asking the wider men of the 3 behind Kane to stay wide and occupy their full backs (like Sonny sometimes does) Dele could play with Dier in the two with Walker/tripps stone Maguire Rose across the back and Rashford lindgard sterling behind Kane. If we gain back control Dier does his dropping between the CH thing to let OUR full back advance a bit thus allowing our wide men to start cutting in a bit more.

This still leaves Henderson Delph RLC as options within that framework. Even perhaps a 4411 would have helped.

But as was seen we are a bit plan A only at the moment. Time may improve that and hopefully it's not down to Southgate. (Inexperience or not:D)
 
Spurs7891 said:
Find it hard to believe England failed to beat Croatia to qualify for their first World Cup final since 1966. Instead, Croatia have become the smallest country since Uruguay in 1950 and the first East European team since Czechoslovakia in 1962 to qualify to the World Cup final. England started well but let Croatia dominate the match after that. Trippier scored a brilliant freekick for England's first goal. But scoring that early seemed to have unsettled England more than Croatia. England got complacent and wasted a few good goal scoring chances in the first half. Croatia grew in confidence due to this and duly scored 2 goals to win this match. Due credit to Croatia for coming back to win all their 3 knockout matches even if they had been poor against Denmark and Russia earlier. Kane had a poor match as he wasted at least 1 great chance to score. I think England's mental strength will come into question as they seemed to freeze in crucial moments. Remember, England lost to Iceland in Euro 2016 despite scoring first just like against Croatia here.

This was a golden chance for England to win their first World Cup since 1966 but they have threw it away. Don't think England will get a better chance than this to win the World Cup. Everything seemed to be going for England until this match. All the big teams were falling one by one and England managed to avoid all the big teams and even got into an easier half of the draw. I think England would have beaten France in the Final as they have a far better head to head record against France. Instead, they lost to a lazy and uninspiring Croatia team. I think it would have been better if England had not lost to Belgium and won their group to get into the other side of the draw. At least losing to big teams like Brazil or France would have been easier to accept. In fact, England traditionally have only gone out of the World Cup to former champions but this time lost to a team who have never even played in the final.

I think no one had expected a France V Croatia Final in this World Cup. It is going to be an annoying Final as never liked Croatia as a nation or team.
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I think you are vastly underrating Croatia. They were excellent in their group and have won hard-fought games against Russia and us.
France will be favourites but I would not right off Croatia.
 
Kandi1977 said:
That really shows the lack of quality midfielders England have, when Shelvey is the answer.
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I do not disagree at all, but the sad fact is as a nation we are lacking in quality in that position. Shelvey is not a great player by any means but he can unlock defenses, as others have said Lallana may have been able to do so but was not fit.

Overall though i think that team did as well as it could and in Southgate ( who i think is the best English manager since El Tel) we have at last have a manager who could/can take us forward.
 
How long do you have to live in a country to become English for football reasons? Evan if you were, say Danish :rolleyes:
 
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