france have been so dreary and repressed generally that it makes mbappe's impertinent moments shine brighter. they struggled to break down australia and denmark and have yet to thrash anyone (although this england defence might offer them some hope there) so I wouldn't say their attack is excellent. deschamps has them on such a tight leash they look like they're worried about having to go to macron's office to apologise if they play too much football
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:14 (five years ago) link
mertens is a headless chicken, sterling just goes on runs
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:16 (five years ago) link
Pacey attackers dropping very deep and running with it has been a feature of this World Cup - Sterling, Lukaku and Mbappe have all done that, like the ideal of what late doors Rooney was supposed to be but actually good.
With England it's especially important because they don't have a midfielder capable of consistently making the kinds of passes from deep that release attacking players or unlock defences. Suspect that's why Southgate has consistently gone for Lingard, Sterling and Alli altogether.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:21 (five years ago) link
ferguson utd played attacking football until jose arrived and took over at chelsea, and played counterattacking thereafter, some of it fluid and with intent and a lot of it not
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:22 (five years ago) link
AOC and Lallana wouldve presumably made a big difference to the first xi setup
just not sure theyd be in the semis with em
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:23 (five years ago) link
(Matt I did find myself idly pondering whether Southgate had some mad plan to make it look as though Welbeck was a makeweight then unleash him as a secret weapon on the later stages of the world cup; this thought largely based on the face that a couple of times Vardy was brought on it seemed to me that Welbeck would have been a better fit.)
― Tim, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:28 (five years ago) link
The Mark Hughes / Andrey Kanchelskis era of Fergusonited was fairly heavily built on effective counterattacks IIRC, but I don't recall them being very stifle-y.
― Tim, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:30 (five years ago) link
kanchelskis sure got....russian-looking
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:32 (five years ago) link
rooney-tevez-ronaldo was a thing of beauty, even I admit it
henderson has been much better than I feared so far (v notable deterioration when dier takes over), and for some reason other teams have let him run the midfield
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:34 (five years ago) link
dier, and im his biggest critic, was a really good defensive-minded midfielder in his first run there for spurs, a great tackler/enforcer and his through balls on to dele's right boot were a feature of that season
all fallen apart since utd interest was rebuffed
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:39 (five years ago) link
Re: Henderson - won't happen tonight.
If Eng reach the final it will inevitably damage the way this wc will be seen.
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:57 (five years ago) link
oh the tournament is already ruined
― Number None, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:58 (five years ago) link
I like how nearly every country that was supposed be a potential winner has blown it early on and somehow that's still England's fault.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:02 (five years ago) link
If you can't win a second-round tie against Russia, or contrive to lose to Mexico and South Korea, then that's on you. If anything it's improved the tournament.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:05 (five years ago) link
it's also on russia, mexico and south korea !
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:24 (five years ago) link
The likes of Ger and Spa losing isn't the problem, it's what has been allowed through in their place and how they got there. I enjoyed south korea's run far more bcz they beat the likes of Italy. Eng hasn't even faced anything like that. Not their fault, just reflects badly.
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:27 (five years ago) link
did u just use the yank 'hasnt'
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:27 (five years ago) link
ain't
― gbx, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:28 (five years ago) link
Colombia > Argentina
So what a damage Croatia have done to this tournament.
― shaqiri tip (nashwan), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:31 (five years ago) link
Mate
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:33 (five years ago) link
on pickford's vibe https://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/world-cup/jordan-pickford-england-world-cup-2018-hero-asda-money-twitter-legend/365693
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 14:58 (five years ago) link
The early part of the game was mostly Belgium but France were swarming all over them by the end. They're both an excellent attacking *and* defensive side, it's not like they're Greece in 2004 or something.England are winning the World Cup from a 93rd minute Danny Welbeck backheel, his first touch of the game.
― lefal junglist platton (wtev), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 15:18 (five years ago) link
xp
I can remember David Wheater getting similar treatment for being an ugly, old fashioned (white) w/c buffoon, who goes to bingo with his bird and buys scratchcards etc.. yawn. This nonsense will all be forgotten when the cunt has had his coco the clown moment and everybody wants him to die!
― calzino, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 15:19 (five years ago) link
and the whole whatchoocallhim thing...kitson!
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 15:20 (five years ago) link
more buffoon than buffon? that's harsh imo, pickford is a cheeky boy & full of beans. not sure he'll go deep viral on the level of "cheater, cheater, david wheater" though
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 15:31 (five years ago) link
I'm sure it was Southgate who I can remember waxing lyrical about Wheater being very uncomplicated and representing a more innocent age of football!
― calzino, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 15:42 (five years ago) link
we're humble yeoman pigs of albion and we love our football
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 16:01 (five years ago) link
Enjoyed Harry Maguire turning up to the World Cup with his stuff in black bin bags.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 16:13 (five years ago) link
I mean England can only beat who they play, I can see "This proves nothing" skepticism, but actually treating it as a demerit that they beat the lesser teams dropped in front of them is weird*
(*ok some criticism for tanking to get the easy bracket)
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 16:42 (five years ago) link
Any thoughts on the Croatia team?
TEAM NEWS // #CROENG Here are the Starting XIs for tonight's semi-final...#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/28C4ZvnP8x— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) July 11, 2018
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:17 (five years ago) link
2-1 Croatia (1-1 after FT)
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:30 (five years ago) link
Telegraph is a treat for any neutrals who may be contemplating supporting England tonight, it's only a bit of fu....ck off!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/southgate-vs-churchill-englands-two-greatest-leaders-compared/
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:30 (five years ago) link
nngghhh
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:40 (five years ago) link
what a FH 0-15
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:49 (five years ago) link
at the net 0-30
DEUCE!
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:50 (five years ago) link
3 SPs!!
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:50 (five years ago) link
yes!!
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:51 (five years ago) link
fucking FH annihilated down the line
Hope xyzzzz continues to provide tennis updates as England win 4-0
― imago, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:51 (five years ago) link
haha no fucking way man cheering on Luka my favourite tax dodger
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:53 (five years ago) link
hold onto your hernia belts
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:57 (five years ago) link
England to win 1-0
― lefal junglist platton (wtev), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:57 (five years ago) link
All the 'England expects' headlines have put me off a bit.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:58 (five years ago) link
lucre madrich
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:58 (five years ago) link
So, like, are you all ready
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:58 (five years ago) link
didn't get to take my pregame dump, oh well...
not sure who I'm rooting for, other than good football
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:59 (five years ago) link
jesse to score the winner
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 17:59 (five years ago) link
feel like at least two CRO starters are gonna go down with cramps given how many minutes they've logged recently
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 18:00 (five years ago) link
i have my "cold ones" to hand: iced tap water in a beer mug and a bowl of frozen blueberries
― mark s, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 18:00 (five years ago) link