[Football] Hold you heads high lads

[BadFish]

Mixed feelings. Proud that we got this far with such a young side, and we were certainly the better side first half. They were much better second half and we couldn't match them. Gulf in class in central midfield was obvious, Henderson gave the ball away far too many times. Modric is far superior. We couldn't adapt tactically to them second half and barely threatened. A young side though, good keeper, good defence, bar the odd lapse and decent up front. If we can find a dominant ball playing midfielder I really think this team could kick on. Been a great ride and enjoyed the tournament much more than I thought. Bring on Man Utd now, looking forward to seeing our new signings

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I agree wholeheartedly with this. We need that dominant playmaking midfielder, Dele and Lingard didn't really cut the mustard in this regard. I heard talk of a young lad at City coming through but it doesn't matter who it is or where they come from with a Modric type player this team would start to look very good.

I can't help but feel that we got ahead of ourselves again the whole 'Its Coming Home" thing went nuts and while it was a wry ironic take on the World Cup it was okay. But it seemed to me (from very far away) that (on NSC at least) any talk of underplaying Englands glorious victory in the final was met with ire and anger (and this seemed to start after the Belgium game). Hopefully this over optimism and over confidence didn't filter down to the players and we can manage to keep this in check for the Euros and going forward. Southgate's most impressive achievement, for me, was to take the pressure off the players and giving them the freedom to play. This is going to be harder going forward if we raise our expectations to fever pitch.

Having said all that i think the World Cup has been brilliant and really proud of Englands achievements. We were always going to struggle against Croatia and even more so in the final against France, or who ever else might have made it. They came close and made me proud and optimistic following England, no mean feat when you consider the last few tournaments we have had to put up with.

Now we just need to keep going with the plan and work out a way to get those young players more 1st team and Champion's League game time so we can kick on with project England.

 

[BadFish]

OK

Doesn't feel like success tonight.

Compare it to your expectations at the beginning of the tournament rather than the snowballing nonsense that people ran with after we started winning.

 

[Juan Albion]

Having said all that i think the World Cup has been brilliant

I can fully understand why England fans would think it has been a good world cup. But, as a neutral, I feel it has been a little disappointing. I think most agree that the draw divided into a strong half and a weak half which rather spoiled it for me. I'd have liked to see the best four teams as the last four teams left. This last week has kinda felt like the final was France vs Belgium and that whoever won that would comfortably beat the winner of England/Croatia, so the final might be an anticlimax. But, perhaps it won't turn out like that. Perhaps they will give us a classic.

 

[BadFish]

I can fully understand why England fans would think it has been a good world cup. But, as a neutral, I feel it has been a little disappointing. I think most agree that the draw divided into a strong half and a weak half which rather spoiled it for me. I'd have liked to see the best four teams as the last four teams left. This last week has kinda felt like the final was France vs Belgium and that whoever won that would comfortably beat the winner of England/Croatia, so the final might be an anticlimax. But, perhaps it won't turn out like that. Perhaps they will give us a classic.

I must confess the main reason for my enthusiasm has been that i have been in a position to watch far more games than usual. A bit of time off work, whole game replays available online in Australia and an enthusiastic teenage son has meant that i can sit and watch whole games..... or two....... or three.

I agree about the draw and hope that FIFA consider a different approach to the knockout stages. A simple idea would be to put all the group winners in one pot and the runners up in another and do a draw. This would also add an element of excitement to the proceedings after the group stage.

I have seen some good games and some great teams and the football seems more attacking that the last couple of tournaments (although as mentioned i haven't watched so much of them). And England doing quite well is always an unexpected bonus.

 

[Juan Albion]

I must confess the main reason for my enthusiasm has been that i have been in a position to watch far more games than usual. A bit of time off work, whole game replays available online in Australia and an enthusiastic teenage son has meant that i can sit and watch whole games..... or two....... or three.

I agree about the draw and hope that FIFA consider a different approach to the knockout stages. A simple idea would be to put all the group winners in one pot and the runners up in another and do a draw. This would also add an element of excitement to the proceedings after the group stage.

I have seen some good games and some great teams and the football seems more attacking that the last couple of tournaments (although as mentioned i haven't watched so much of them). And England doing quite well is always an unexpected bonus.

There were some great games for sure. I like your idea of another draw after the group stage - makes a lot of sense to me. And instead of yellow cards deciding positions, perhaps keep a count of corners earned - some refs give out more yellows than others so that isn't a fair factor - as long as it is a footballing element.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I agree about the draw and hope that FIFA consider a different approach to the knockout stages. A simple idea would be to put all the group winners in one pot and the runners up in another and do a draw. This would also add an element of excitement to the proceedings after the group stage.

.

I'm not sure how that would improve things? The way it's set up now the winners of the group play the runners up off a different group. It's up to the individual teams to actually win their groups. Our side of the draw should have had the two previous world cup winners in it. Turns out Spain decided to sack their manager two days before the tournament started and Germany were just plain shit.

Having a random draw after the knock outs won't change that and wouldn't guarantee an even spread of the best teams.

 

[Juan Albion]

I'm not sure how that would improve things? The way it's set up now the winners of the group play the runners up off a different group. It's up to the individual teams to actually win their groups. Our side of the draw should have had the two previous world cup winners in it. Turns out Spain decided to sack their manager two days before the tournament started and Germany were just plain shit.

Having a random draw after the knock outs won't change that and wouldn't guarantee an even spread of the best teams.

But it will avoid Belgium and England knowing that winning = Japan and losing = Colombia. Instead they would have known that winning would result in a game against a runner up and losing would mean playing a group winner. It might still work out uneven, but at least there would be some mystery.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

But it will avoid Belgium and England knowing that winning = Japan and losing = Colombia. Instead they would have known that winning would result in a game against a runner up and losing would mean playing a group winner. It might still work out uneven, but at least there would be some mystery.

You'd have to do that for every round and I reckon you'd get a lot more easy match ups. The way it's currently set up the top eight seeds are set to meet in the quarters. The beauty of sport is that it doesn't always go that way. Leave it as it is I say.

 

[Juan Albion]

You'd have to do that for every round and I reckon you'd get a lot more easy match ups. The way it's currently set up the top eight seeds are set to meet in the quarters. The beauty of sport is that it doesn't always go that way. Leave it as it is I say.

Yeah but we all know the seeding is rubbish. You'd only have to do it after the group stage to make sure that no-one can 'pick' who they play by 'fixing' the result, and no more reserve team match-ups.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

These things go in cycles and looks like we are on the way up.

Winks/Fogdon/Cook to be added to the midfield for a bit more creativity and the 2020 Euros is looking positive.

Everyone, including Southgate will learn from this.

We have a very good team and the standard of English players is growing again.

 

[Crispy Ambulance]

These things go in cycles and looks like we are on the way up.

Winks/Fogdon/Cook to be added to the midfield for a bit more creativity and the 2020 Euros is looking positive.

Everyone, including Southgate will learn from this.


We have a very good team and the standard of English players is growing again.

Agree with those 3 (think you mean Foden). Add Sessegnon, possibly Lascelles and others from the recent tournament winning youth teams. Hopefully, Rashford will get more game time at club level (even if he has to move) over the next 2 years to ensure he's a regular starter for the national team.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Agree with those 3 (think you mean Foden). Add Sessegnon, possibly Lascelles and others from the recent tournament winning youth teams. Hopefully, Rashford will get more game time at club level (even if he has to move) over the next 2 years to ensure he's a regular starter for the national team.

I dunno where Fogdon came from lol

I said before the WC I would have taken Sessegnon, thats some serious pace in the attack.

Rashford is another one that may need to leave.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Superb summer and World Cup. A likeable team that has done the country proud and could well be one of the favourites to win the next Euros nearer the time. We've won tournaments at youth levels all over the show and have learnt the value of continuity, planning and togetherness.

It's coming home just not in 2018.

 

[Bold Seagull]

On the one hand delighted with how Southgate has put the 'team' first, not big names or players just from big clubs, and he has forged a side devoid of club bias, and picked it on merit and who fits with the right attitude. England in my lifetime have always tried to accommodate players at the expense of the team, not this side thankfully and that does bode well for the future, because I think we can build on that. But...

There is no getting away from the disappointment of how close we were, and despite the above, it might be decades before you get that close again. Too many players last night let the occasion get to them. Composure disappeared, there wasn't the demanding of the ball as there was previously, especially second half. Croatia were there to be beaten, there is no getting away from it. They were gifted 2 chances through their control of the ball and they took them both, we created 3 or 4 chances and couldn't convert any of them. Composure comes from a bit of class and quality, we could have won that game, that is the painful part. We can't coach or develop that winning belief, either Kane, Lingard, Stirling convert their chances or they fluff them. They fluffed them. No hiding from it. World Cup Semi Final, you just cannot miss those.

I am truly gutted, and while I'm positive about going forward, and [renewed] loving this England side, I cannot see them getting a whole lot better than they've been this tournament. This really was it, and they came up short. Oh well.

 

[DJ NOBO]

There’s this weird thing at the moment on social media where to speak against the England football team is sacrilege and you’re a misery.
What’s annoying about that is that it’s driven by new football fans.
Real football fans should feel gutted becadue they know we blew it.
Leave it to others to say ‘oh well, well done , lovely set of lads ,,’
It’s bullshit

 

[clapham_gull]

There’s this weird thing at the moment on social media where to speak against the England football team is sacrilege and you’re a misery.

Good.

Just what the national needed. I suggest you go to the library and dig out some old tabloids to console yourself.

 

[Megazone]

Good.

Just what the national needed. I suggest you go to the library and dig out some old tabloids to console yourself.

You have to admit, it is a bit unfair that you're not allowed to criticise our performance last night. It's as if we've accepted that England will be eternally crap so beating Sweden and Colombia should be seen as legendary achievements. At club level, when your team fails, you tend to look for the flaws. When Brighton got knocked out of the semi finals of the Play-offs, a lot of our fans were quite rightly saying it's time for Poyet to go based on the performances on the pitch (dull, predictable and negative).

England have 4 divisions of football played at a very good standard. There's something seriously wrong with how we're developing English talent and last night showed that. The big problem is we're praising a lot of our youngsters before they've yet to prove anything. Walcott is a fine example. Magiure was world class after just 3 easy games. Some were even saying that this lot smashes the 'golden generation' who were famously known to flop when it counted. This lot look no different.
Look at this world cup. People were comparing it to 1966 before we'd even been tested. Pressure, pressure, pressure.


We need to be more grounded and realistic. Yesterday wasn't good enough. That's that. England can do better. What's the harm in having that view considering England is a massive footballing nation? They need to play without the worry of making a mistake, but when every tabloid, fair-weather fan and football forum are talking about how great we suddenly are, the pressure will finally mount on the players.

When Germany revamped their team under Klinsman, they made sure all their minor achievements were played down and maintained minimal fuss about the potential future of the Germany squad allowing them to quietly progress at international standard. We on the other hand are already talking about being strong in the next world cup.

I personally think it's time for England to try and play football. All this set-pieces reliance and everyman behind the ball stuff is not the tactics a nation like England should be using. It worked for Wimbledon because they were crap. England's main emphasis should be trying to get the players to relax and play like all the other top nations, fluid, imaginative and confident.
Last night was another rabbit in the headlights performance. This has been our issue for years. Time we sort that out before we start going on about how great England now are. Team spirit is important, but it's not the only thing you need to have a good squad.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Good.

Just what the national needed. I suggest you go to the library and dig out some old tabloids to console yourself.

What the national team needed was midfielders who could keep the ball away from their midfielders . I think Henderson and dier could have managed that . But they replaced each other . Still , mustn’t speak badly of Gareth

 

[DJ NOBO]

You have to admit, it is a bit unfair that you're not allowed to criticise our performance last night. It's as if we've accepted that England will be eternally crap so beating Sweden and Colombia should be seen as legendary achievements. At club level, when your team fails, you tend to look for the flaws. When Brighton got knocked out of the semi finals of the Play-offs, a lot of our fans were quite rightly saying it's time for Poyet to go based on the performances on the pitch (dull, predictable and negative).

England have 4 divisions of football played at a very good standard. There's something seriously wrong with how we're developing English talent and last night showed that. The big problem is we're praising a lot of our youngsters before they've yet to prove anything. Walcott is a fine example. Magiure was world class after just 3 easy games. Some were even saying that this lot smashes the 'golden generation' who were famously known to flop when it counted. This lot look no different.
Look at this world cup. People were comparing it to 1966 before we'd even been tested. Pressure, pressure, pressure.


We need to be more grounded and realistic. Yesterday wasn't good enough. That's that. England can do better. What's the harm in having that view considering England is a massive footballing nation? They need to play without the worry of making a mistake, but when every tabloid, fair-weather fan and football forum are talking about how great we suddenly are, the pressure will finally mount on the players.

When Germany revamped their team under Klinsman, they made sure all their minor achievements were played down and maintained minimal fuss about the potential future of the Germany squad allowing them to quietly progress at international standard. We on the other hand are already talking about being strong in the next world cup.

I personally think it's time for England to try and play football. All this set-pieces reliance and everyman behind the ball stuff is not the tactics a nation like England should be using. It worked for Wimbledon because they were crap. England's main emphasis should be trying to get the players to relax and play like all the other top nations, fluid, imaginative and confident.
Last night was another rabbit in the headlights performance. This has been our issue for years. Time we sort that out before we start going on about how great England now are. Team spirit is important, but it's not the only thing you need to have a good squad.

Agree with a lot of what you say but set pieces ......they were incredibly effective for us at this World Cup . A big Southgate success