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This has all the signs of a monumental disappointment. The ‘coming home’ hysteria is not only becoming insufferable, but it reeks of arrogance and complacency.
From what I've seen via the media it doesn't feel like that to me. I don't think many people are EXPECTING it to happen. As above, mostly we were just hoping to get out of the group, so this is all just a bonus.
I'm not in England though.
Whilst we'll be disappointed if we lost in the semis (or final), the team has achieved far more than we expected, and overall the tournament has been a success. Granted we've played and beaten a lot of so called "smaller" sides, but a surprising amount of the bigger teams haven't managed to do that. Germany, Spain, Argentina etc couldn't even do that.
Judging by our youth teams recent success, we're going to be even better in 4 / 8 years time:
2017 European Under-17 Championship - Runners up
2017 European Under-19 Championship - Champions
2017 European Under-21 Championship - Semis
2017 Toulon Tournament - Champions
2017 Under-20 World Cup - Champions
2017 Under-17 World Cup - Champions
Anything in the next 2 games is a bonus.
(but yeah, it's coming home!)
But what if its one of those 1 or 2 games when they have a bad day and nothing falls your way? You never know?
Or one of those days when rather than go bad for them, sometimes it just clicks for you.
And in a final.....who knows.
he was being unpatriotic because he wasn’t going to watch the Sweden match.
well he was! 😄
Compared to previous WC’s, I think everyone is being very restrained. The ‘it’s coming home’ stuff Is just a bit of fun! I’ve a feeling Belgium will win tonight.
Yeah I see it going to Belgium but not to nil, both sides have goals and defensive gaps at times, France going ahead first would probably make for the better game. If france have to chase the game it could be a massacre.
Lets just get through until Thursday before we insist on mandatory flag carrying and ironic Stella drinking in support of the lads
LOL, our works security team just sent round an phishing email claiming Mbappe had failed a drugs test, no doubt if I had clicked on the links it would send me to a page stating I am an idiot and to be more security aware in future.
I think (first problem right there)...
France will beat Belgium in normal time - Mbappe vs Vertongen/Alderwireld will be exciting.
England will narrowly beat Croatia, AET.
France will annihilate England in the final (2+ goals ahead).
I don’t care who wins as long as it goes to extra time and penalties!’😃
And a few red cards would be good
Brisk start there from France
My predictions are Gavi, with Cav in the bunch🙏
Well at this pace they will be dead on their feet for extra time and probably 5-5
Oops rong fred..
I’m split on this game, I have no idea becuse I like both.
The French look good in LesBluz so I think it’ll go thier way, on penalties.
But... it’s all going on a bit rapid ATM so who knows.
Glad to see the match is back on, seemed like an age since the last one 😜🧞♂️
Wonder if there ever was a time when 3 of the 4 countries left are within 60 miles of each other.
What a save! There’s been some absolutely top notch goalkeeping in this World Cup!
Probably some of the best football of the tournament here (going forwards)
Hazard is right up for it! He could be the difference.
What a save! There’s been some absolutely top notch goalkeeping in this World Cup!
Easy one - he could reach it with both hands 😉
As an ex-GK, I hope it isn't an error by a GK that makes the difference
(well, maybe a Croatian error)
Some great defending from France here too
On the basis of this game so far Football may be trying to come home but it might get stuck at the channel
I wouldn’t fancy being any defender tasked with having Hazard running at you for 90 minutes
Pogba’s obviously been told to cut out the dodgy barnet!
Lots of quality but cancelling each other out so far. Belgium need to get De Brune more central IMO, but don't know who they have who could go on the wing.
Time for a 2018/19 season thread yet? Ronaldo to Juve could superheat the transfer market.
Big problem is ours closes early
French in the ascendancy here for me, belgians started well but french pushing up I reckon getting more control. France in 90 is my prediction!
Could be talking shit there but let's see! 😆
Really winding me up that I can’t get UHD on iplayer! Urgh!
you might be onto something with France there
De Bruyne is very quiet. At some point he'll get a chance.
Edit: not that one but keep watching
Some better play from the Belgians there but it feels panicky at the back there for them, going to be some bookings
That goal seems to have knocked the wind out of their sails.
I'm still hoping for a dodgy challenge to spark some red cards
If Rylan had bought his shooting boots with him, France could be 3 or 4 up by now
😆 .
Well I think the nerves have got to the men in Red
De Bruyne and Lukaku have been disappointing tonight, good performances against Brazil but fizzled out tonight.
It’s a dangerous game sitting back against Belgium when you’re only one up, but this French defence have been brilliant!
... so far
France do seem to like the 8-1-1 formation
It's been such a good game they should give us the extra half hour just because
Exactly Mike! It’s not too much to ask, surely? An equaliser in Fergie time, extra time and penalties please
but this French defence have been brilliant
Its where they are most comfortable, they soak it up all day long and hit ye at some point. Theres a certain maturity, confidence and patience from them I think.
Saying that if Belgium score they become favourites! 😆 such is football!
C'mon Belgium ... I don't want to see another France in the final.
England against Croatia will be 50-50 chance of winning.
England against Belgium in Final will be better than against France ...
6 will do for now
some brainless tackles from the Belgians at this stage.
No penalties, not even extra time. I feel cheated.
Oh well .. that goes my forecast for Belgium. 🙁
Well done France, they killed it off as they needed to, just something missing at the very end for the genius players in red though
That was a true team performance! Gonna be very hard to beat if we get through....
This kid Mbappe is not bad is he. Wonder if he will still be at PSG next season.
Il rentre à la maison, le football rentre à la maison..!
They’ve looked like the best side for in it. Whoever wins tomorrow, beating this lot is going to take some doing
Wonder if he will still be at PSG next season.
You think he'll go to a team with more money to spend than them
If we win tomorrow how long before someone mentions agincourt ?
You think he’ll go to a team with more money to spend than them
Yip
You think he’ll go to a team with more money to spend than them
Maybe one where he can win more, PSG is great but the league lets them down
If we win tomorrow how long before someone mentions agincourt ?
Done already, we launched a sub called that this week I think
You think he’ll go to a team with more money to spend than them
Well PSG have to sell to balance the books, they are rumoured to be in for Coutinho on Neymar's insistence, and as Mike says the French league isn't really the best challenge for someone who aspires to be the nest in the world.
IMO Madrid will have him or Neymar by the end of the transfer window.
Enjoyed that game🧞♂️
I think both sides worked really hard until the end.
Good stuff.
France did look impressive but Belgium were tired imo.
How come Pogba doesn't play like that for Jose? 😉
How come Pogba doesn’t play like that for Jose?
The performance of. Several united players here highlights how poor Jose is as a coach compared to the likes of pep and klopp who have taken players and lifted them.
They’ve looked like the best side for in it. Whoever wins tomorrow, beating this lot is going to take some doing
yeah....big game tonight to get through first, but if football really is coming home, we’ll need to play the game of our lives against the frogs.
“Les Frogs”
shirley?
So, it's nearly here. I keep telling myself we've met and exceeded our goals. We've played better than anyone hoped, we've been positive and dynamic, and youthful, and vigorous. We've largely played with a smile, and we've in the main not resorted to the tactics of the spoilers, the disrupters and the cheats (but don't push us too far, because we don't just take it either)
And I keep telling myself that no matter what there will be no disappointment tonight, no tears. Either way. Just pride in a young team that we can already be proud of.
And who knows.....
Great article here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44785165
How come Pogba doesn’t play like that for Jose?
I said right at the start of the tournament that it was probably going to be frustrating watching the proper world class players we have show what they can really do when they're played in their right positions and let of the Jose-inflicted leash. And it bloody well has been! Pogba being the prime example
Agree with you completely about Ingerland Mike. Lets be honest, most of thought that just getting out of the group would be an achievement.
Whats been so refreshing is seeing the difference in the atmosphere around the squad, and the attitude of the players. I said I was done with watching Ingerland 8 years ago, where the attitude and 'personality' of the Ingerland squad could be personified by one man. This ****!
I'm inordinately happy that that now seems a very long time ago 😀
England will **** it up as usual and a country full of bandwagon jumpers and glory hunters can go back to slagging them off and not having a clue about football,oh and love island.
That’s me you’re talking b’out.
Wotchit.
Could be a tough game tonight. I’ve been majorly impressed with this squad to date. No egos and nonprimadonnas.
Hope they just play to thier own strengths and forget the fact that they’re in the Semi’s
Best of luck.
Hoping for another game like this.. Kane causing Lovren so many problems, he got subbed after 31 mins..
Gotta find a way to stop that Croatian midfield though..
Oooh it is exciting isn't it! I haven't felt this nervous about a Semi, since I watched Brokeback Mountain!
We finally have a team that is playing with some belief, I got so tired of the same old nervous displays where we just kept making the easy passes.
Anyway...C'MON ENGLAND!!!!!
Definite nerves here, not much work getting done either
So anyone brave enough to predict the outcome?
I personally think England will scrape through, provided we can be ahead or goaless after the hour mark.
2-0 England.
Kane with the first and Sterling with a deflection off his knee after falling over for the 2nd.
No nerves here ... We are winning tonight.
Vedran Corluka is starting for Croatia..... He left my mighty Spurs half a dozen years ago because he was sooo slow (even if he did read the game well and was comfortable on the ball)
If Sir Southgate doesn't set Sterling on him and turn the old man inside out.... we've no right to be in the final.
Is anyone genuinely looking forward to this experience? The actual football? Even having won a penalty shoot out and looked quite comfortable against Sweden, I'm still expecting normal service to be resumed and something horrible to happen
We're watching it round at my mates, who's got the big telly out in the back garden for it while we have a barby. He's just texted me to say he's moving the sofa outside too, so we can watch the game from behind it, so he's clearly thinking the same
Is anyone genuinely looking forward to this experience? The actual football?
No, because England are not a terribly exciting team to watch in a footballing context. They're like a mid-table premier league team holding on against a Chelsea or Spurs type side generally.
It won't be nearly as exciting a game of football as last nights, but with the English aspect giving it more meaning to us in the UK of course.
Vedran Corluka is starting for Croatia….. He left my mighty Spurs half a dozen years ago because he was sooo slow (even if he did read the game well and was comfortable on the ball)
Yeah, he was good for us defensively, but like you said he's probably the slowest player I've ever seen.. pace will destroy him..
Damn & blast -I have to do the swimming run tonight. We get back ~1830 and have to feed my son . Looks like it’s minute noodles & chewits for tea 🙂
Quite excited 😆 I
he’s probably the slowest player I’ve ever seen
Ah, you youngsters never saw Micky Droy in his prime. Dimensions and mobility of a fur covered wardrobe.
"Swimming run?" .... "Swimming run?!?" .... Do my ears deceive me?
Beavers cancelled, rugby pre session training put back until tomorrow and the best one is .... the school end of year play being brought forward by an hour and the Head is then showing the football on the massive projector in the school hall.
We've got our priorities straight in sunny Brentwood Senor J ...... sort your life out.... 🙂
Is anyone genuinely looking forward to this experience? The actual football?
No - because England are playing, even if we had the skill & talent of Pep's Barcelona it wouldn't be a relaxing experience.
& not to be a doom-sayer, but... My last holiday before Euro 2016 was Iceland. My last holiday before this World Cup. Yup.
Croatia.
So if we lose, I'm going to start being very careful where I book my holidays, or at least start betting on those countries to do well in football tournaments!
OK, if we lose tonight we will blame you, your punishment will be a week in Scarborough before euro 2020.
And thank your lucky stars we have an England team and not a Great Britain team, otherwise it would have been Rhyl.