Football World Cup - Russia 2018

[Accy cyclist]

I think the non football fans who packed into town squares and parks to watch the semi final on giant tv screens will be a lot more disappointed than those who regularly attend matches or regularly watch on tv. Their expectations were so high,having being built up by the media and that annoying 'It's coming home' song and statement. They don't/didn't know much about football so they bought into the hype, as they say. Fans of football like me who watch Accrington Stanley expect our teams to lose more than win and not to expect a trophy apart from every blue moon.While they were weeping and probably going home to kick their cat or let their neighbours car tyres down i was sat there in quiet reflection. Was my main concern about how i can get through such a loss? No my main thought after last night's loss was should i put another chopped up banana skin in my palm tree's pot,or has he had enough potassium already this month?. You see how my mind worked there? Non football fans think 'shoot! that was our world cup to win. I'll never get over this'! Whereas football fans think 'Ah more hype that ended when reality came around'. Ah well,it was fun while it lasted'.

 

[postman]

I am stuck in a football timewarp.So after last night,and shouting where are the forwards where are players like Alan Ball Billy Bremner ,Johnny Giles men who ran and covered midfield,please tell me what is a false centre forward.i have fallen behind the times.So i will wrap myself up in my shawl grab my Ovaltine and rock myself in to la la land.It's football Jim ,but not as we know it.Good try lads but football needs a different shape,and play the ball forward,and let the goalkeeper be a goalkeeper,there are ten more of you outside his box.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

England relied on long balls up the channels to two speedy wingers who could win free kicks and corners. The real threat then came at set pieces with the "Love Train" Effective but nothing complicated

 

[Pale Rider]

It may partly be the nature of international football, but I think England lacked penetration in open play throughout the tournament.

Possession in the opposition penalty area is at a premium, so it has to be made to count.

On the plus side, we have a manager and squad of young players who can hopefully train on to do reasonably well in the next European Championships and World Cup.

A few years of stability in management will do us a lot of good.

 

[nickyboy]

I woke up this morning in a hotel room with a banging head and only a vague recollection of last night

Did we win?

I remember jumping around the pub when Trippier scored but it got a bit hazy after that

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm keeping my 25 pence from a closing down pound shop bunting up till at least Saturday night. We're still in the competition,though some think we're not,like the commentator last night who said 'England are coming home,but not the world cup'. .We can finish 3rd,though i think this match will be as tough as if we'd made the final. Will Gareth Southgate play the 'fringe players' again,like he did when we played Belgium in the group stages? I think he'll play some,but not a complete 'fringe player' side. I don't know who the reserve keepers were,but i think he'll give each one half a match,just so they can say the played in a world cup finals. The last time England played a 3rd place play off Bobby Robson chose a second string side,which didn't play that well and ended up 4th behind the hosts Italy. It'll be nice to finish 3rd this time. I won't be getting too wound up as no matter what happens,we've lost the chance to 'bring it home',but i'll still be cheering 'the lads' on on Saturday night! "Engurland Engurland Engurland..Engurland Engurland Engurlaaa..and,Engurland Engurland Engurland,Engurland,ENGURLAND"!!!!

 

[AndyRM]

I woke up this morning in a hotel room with a banging head and only a vague recollection of last night

Did we win?

I remember jumping around the pub when Trippier scored but it got a bit hazy after that

You won, but Putin was raging about it so poisoned the team bus.

 

[Pale Rider]

Trippier was arguably our player of the tournament.

However, we finished the game without him and with 10 men.

I'm happy to be corrected, but I think it was clear he was struggling with cramp/injury before we made our last substitution.

Not having 11 for the final period of play was, I'm afraid, poor management.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I woke up this morning in a hotel room with a banging head and only a vague recollection of last night

Not in Fray Bentos?!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I woke up this morning in a hotel room with a banging head and only a vague recollection of last night

Did we win?

I remember jumping around the pub when Trippier scored but it got a bit hazy after that

Probably best that you get that sore head seen to before we bring you up to date....

 

[Tin Pot]

I woke up this morning in a hotel room with a banging head and only a vague recollection of last night

Did we win?

I remember jumping around the pub when Trippier scored but it got a bit hazy after that

+1

 

[AndyRM]

 

[smutchin]

England lacked penetration in open play

This. We should on the whole be happy that they overachieved given their technical limitations as players. I don’t like to pick on or blame individuals but Lingard lacks the creativity and imagination England need in midfield - just compare him to Hazard, Modric, Willian...

He played well on the whole though, and he’s young enough to develop and improve that side of his game. And I think that goes for the whole team, perhaps with the exception of Ashley Young. But Danny Rose looks like he could fill Young’s place pretty well.

England really need Ross Barkley to start living up to his early promise. The Ox would add another dimension to midfield when he’s fit again too.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Euro 2020 final will be at Wembley. This England team will be two years more experienced by then... #justsaying

And going in with the possibly unrealistic expectations of the media and the fans too, leading to demands that the useless manager be sacked if they don't get further than they have this time. It's either hot or cold, nothing in between.

 

[steverob]

England's World Cup on the BBC: 3 wins.
England's World Cup on ITV: 1 draw (before pens), 2 losses.
I know who I blame for our defeat.