World Cup Russia 2018

[Macca]

Sorry but I reacted to the bold statement that Croatia was "decidedly inferior team". Maybe you watched some other game.

That wasn't my statement and I don't agree with it either but there's no need to swing wildly into the opposite area of nonsense.

I think the French will have their work cut out for them on Sunday.

[anubisgrau]

Do you think I was serious when I mentioned Layton Orient?

OK didn't mean to insult anyone - I too wanted to see England winning - but something happened in dressing room at half time and I just don't like how they looked between 46 and 124 minute. You just let Croatia come back and take over the game, decomposing England defense with every attack they did. In the end it was 7:2 in goal shots and to me it looked they could do whatever they want, despite old players running out of steam completely.

I guess this also has to do with a general understatement of Croatian players before the game. In reality, the best are the key ones in Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern etc and with a bit more experience and routine than Spurs players. Modric said reading English press and watching other media was a motivating factor for Croatia. I guess stating Croatia as inferior team comes from there. If any of them watched what Croatia played in 3:0 win against Argentina, those statements would not be possible.

[Macca]

Do you think I was serious when I mentioned Layton Orient?
.

Whether you were or not the wound is still open. It doesn't help when someone sticks a knife in it and turns it about even if they are just kidding around

[anubisgrau]

Whether you were or not the wound is still open. It doesn't help when someone sticks a knife in it and turns it about even if they are just kidding around

OK I apologize, didn't mean that. In a day or two things would look different and more realistic, especially in comparing powers of both teams.

[chris@panteg]

Well I respect Croatia, they got it right tactically in the second half, but if someone had given me England to go out in the semi final a month ago I would have bitten their hand off!

[Marco]

Well, just back from a week's holiday touring the north of Scotland, so haven't had the chance to post here recently...

I predicted that England would reach the semi-finals (and that they'd beat Sweden to get there), but didn't expect them to beat Croatia, who I was rooting for, given my wife's Croatian/German heritage, although they were unlucky in the first half, where if they'd taken their chances, they would've killed off Croatia and likely gone onto win the game.

However, once Croatia changed their tactics in the second half and stopped England from dictating play, they used their greater experience playing at this level to control the game and impose themselves on proceedings, such that they had the vast majority of possession and always looked the likelier side to score - and so it proved true, as once they scored the equaliser, there was only going to be one winner.

I'd like to congratulate the England players and management, particularly Southgate, who although was guilty of being a little tactically naive in that second half (he is still learning, after all), I thought was excellent, both in terms of how he conducted himself with the media, throughout the tournament, and engendered great camaraderie in the England squad, and got all the players playing as a team, determined to do their utmost for their country.

It was that spirit of togetherness, and no small amount of skill from the players, which got them where they did, to their first World Cup semi-final since 1990. Let's not forget just how big an achievement that was, and a feat unmatched by very highly paid and hugely experienced managers of the past, so both Southgate and the England players deserve great credit for that. Ultimately, at this stage in their development, they fell a little short of what was required to progress to this year's final.

Going forward, I think that this England team will get better and better and I expect them to be among the favourites for the forthcoming Euros. Therefore, England fans, bemoaning the fact that they didn't reach the final this year have got great reasons to be optimistic about the future, and I wish them well in that (ignore my avatar, as it's just a wee piss-take, lol, and something that was sent to me by my wife's German cousin)

As for the 3rd/4th place play-off, I'd expect Belgium to win that one, as they did the earlier 'meaningless' encounter with England, where no doubt both teams will once again ring the changes and give fringe players a chance to shine, although it will depend on the day which team wants to win the game more, or be willing to risk any injuries. I think England should go for it and try and secure 3rd place, which would give them due kudos.

In terms of the final on Sunday, I'll once again be rooting for Croatia, but wouldn't be too disappointed if one of my tips to win the cup, France, came through as winners. All in all, it's been a memorable World Cup, one of the best in a long time, with some stunning goals... Let's hope the Euros are as good!

Marco.

[take5]

I don’t like the idea of 3rd/4th place game.

two teams full of gutted, deflated players, who I suspect just want to go home to recover and get over the disappointment.

[Macca]

I agree, it's pointless.

[chris@panteg]

It's a traditional game, I'm thinking both teams should field the players who haven't played perhaps?

[Marco]

Well then, I'm in the minority... If it were me, I'd see it as an opportunity to go out on a high, by beating the only team I'd played in the tournament that were ranked higher than England. But then, I've always been a 'glass half-full' guy, not the opposite.

Plus, why should the England players be so deflated? Yes, they'll be gutted that they missed out on the final, BUT they did rather better than expected... That is unless anyone actually thought, before the tournament started, that England would win it?

I'm sure that if you'd said at the beginning of the tournament that England would be narrowly beaten by Croatia, in the semi-finals, most England fans would've taken that! Therefore, they should be proud of their achievement, and that they wen't further than Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Spain, and of course, Germany... So cheer up, and smile!

Marco.