World Cup 2018

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  • oblongomaculatus
    oblongomaculatus Posts: 616
    It's a catchy tune all right, but it's always seemed to me that the lyrics, that England have underachieved for 30 years (52 now), are based on the false premise that up to 1966, or maybe a little beyond, England were amongst the world elite. In fact, their record prior to 1966 was even worse than since, the best being two quarter finals, in 54 and 62. They also famously lost to the USA in their first appearance in 1950. The record in the European Championships is also poor. Winning the World Cup in 1966 was atypical - a statistical blip.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,227
    oblongomaculatus wrote:
    It's a catchy tune all right, but it's always seemed to me that the lyrics, that England have underachieved for 30 years (52 now), are based on the false premise that up to 1966, or maybe a little beyond, England were amongst the world elite. In fact, their record prior to 1966 was even worse than since, the best being two quarter finals, in 54 and 62. They also famously lost to the USA in their first appearance in 1950. The record in the European Championships is also poor. Winning the World Cup in 1966 was atypical - a statistical blip.

    Between 1870 and 1949 we were pretty tasty though.
  • robert88
    robert88 Posts: 2,696
    Apparently England will be at an instant disadvantage when playing Croatia. This is because they will be playing in their white strip which is not as lucky as the red one. Also players can run faster wearing red. Shorts are irrelevant.

    Croatia will not be playing in red and/or white but in black and blue a bit like the French. They aren't bothered according to reports.

    A league table of strips ranks England 12th beaten by Croatia at number 7 and France at 5th, largely helped by their red socks.
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    oblongomaculatus wrote:
    It's a catchy tune all right, .

    It's catchy?

    So is ebola.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • diplodicus
    diplodicus Posts: 722
    Good start :shock:
  • crispybug2
    crispybug2 Posts: 2,915
    Just 45 minutes to a World Cup final!
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Actually looking pretty comfortable in a WC semi-final. :shock: :D
  • crispybug2
    crispybug2 Posts: 2,915
    England are just about hanging on here, Croatia have been by far the better team in the second half!
  • BelgianBeerGeek
    BelgianBeerGeek Posts: 5,226
    Well, England had the chance to play the most boring football ever for 85 mins and blew it. Still, I’m sure there’s a plan.
    Ecrasez l’infame
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,592
    ITV commentator:

    Foul by Croatia - definite foul, dirty cheats
    Foul by England - I didn’t see much in that
  • crispybug2
    crispybug2 Posts: 2,915
    No complaints!

    Better team won.
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    Shame. Great first half. Sloppy thereafter. Glimmer of hope in extra time but Croatia were too good when they stopped fouling.
  • BelgianBeerGeek
    BelgianBeerGeek Posts: 5,226
    BelgianBeerGeek wrote:
    Well, England had the chance to play the most boring football ever for 85 mins and blew it. Still, I’m sure there’s a plan.
    No there wasn’t. Oh well, never mind etc.
    Ecrasez l’infame
  • FocusZing
    FocusZing Posts: 4,373
    Should have been finished off in the first half after that cracking free kick. Anybody want a cheap waistcoat?
  • FocusZing
    FocusZing Posts: 4,373
    We wouldn't have stood a chance against France.
  • verylonglegs
    verylonglegs Posts: 4,023
    Needed to nail that second goal in the first half when we were on top. Can only say well played to Croatia in the end though, they've dug in and shown real resilience and earnt it, 3 games in a row with an extra half hour and they didn't buckle. We probably lacked a bit of experience in the middle of the park but everyone knew it was a team on a learning curve where that might be exposed.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,592
    Shirley Basso wrote:
    Shame. Great first half. Sloppy thereafter. Glimmer of hope in extra time but Croatia were too good when they stopped fouling.

    This, they played really well first half and should have wrapped it up. Couldn’t quite understand why Croatia tried the bullying tactics, it didn’t work for Tunisia, Panama or Sweden and they had the skill to make it hard as they eventually showed.
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 13,269
    Shots on goal: Croatia 7 England 1. Hmm...
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    Indeed. England just don't seem as good at creating chances from open play. They can get the ball into the box but it's a complete mess of both teams' players so no definitive strikes.

    Croatia can get the ball to a man in space with a clear shot at goal, time after time. England look menacing and get the ball forward a lot, but it's a shambles when it gets to taking the strike.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Kids did better than expected, and will get better.

    Who would have said they'd get this far a month ago.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Ah it was so fun while it lasted.

    I still couldn’t believe it was a semi final.

    World cups are chuffing difficult to win.
    _
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,485
    Shirley Basso wrote:
    Shame. Great first half. Sloppy thereafter. Glimmer of hope in extra time but Croatia were too good when they stopped fouling.
    Maguire and Walker lost the plot at the start of the second half and the rest of the team followed.
    No point in having possession and the best forward if you don't create chances.

    As an aside, did anyone see the goalie's reaction when Kane hit the side netting? He was running for cover. Should have been put under more pressure.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    Haha yea saw that! Meanwhile Pickford has been pretty solid and put under unnecessary pressure a lot of the time.

    Credit to the whole team though. A few rough edges to smooth, more coordinated defense and better at creating chances from open play and it will be lethal.
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    Forget all the discussion about what the song/phrase is/was or isn't/wasn't referring to ….

    mNWQeOs_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Disappointed, but if the nation sees it's a young team and gets behind them instead of tearing them to pieces, they'll really be in with a chance in the next few major tournaments. Still need a really creative central midfielder though.
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,808
    Disappointing way to go out, but moving in he right direction for the first time in ages. They will be back stronger next time.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    Shirley Basso wrote:
    Haha yea saw that! Meanwhile Pickford has been pretty solid and put under unnecessary pressure a lot of the time.

    Credit to the whole team though. A few rough edges to smooth, more coordinated defense and better at creating chances from open play and it will be lethal.

    So score more goals and don't let as many in :wink:

    They looked so much better than four years ago, I think they could take more risks further up the field rather than passing it all the way back and resetting, but I guess it's fine so long as they keep the ball.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    orraloon wrote:
    Shots on goal: Croatia 7 England 1. Hmm...

    I was really surprised when that stat popped up thinking theyd got it wrong as you kind of fell into the trap of listening to the commentators (I know but its tough not to get swept up in the England are playing really great approach) and England were just contriving not to score hatfuls more goals, yet those are on target stats, actually it ended up Croatia 7 England 2 at the end, but it still includes the goal, so that means England had 1 shot on target ie that made the keeper make a save, in 115mins of football which includes the first half "we were all over them", and people wonder why they lost...

    Even off target shots Croatia had 22 vs Englands 11, possession 55% to 45%., you kind of look at those stats and think wow England werent really in that game at all.

    and genuinely the whole push on stuff for the next tournament.sorry but in 1990 Gazza was 23, he never played in another World Cup tournament, neither the 90 or 96 teams from the semi finals, played together again, fair enough there were changes of manager, direction, senior players retired, those wont be the main problem this time, but generally international teams never push on from one tournament to the next, plus Euro 2020 is turning into some really weird Champions league style competion with qualifying leagues and nonsense going on, and World Cup 2022 is in Qatar.

    sorry and I hate to say this as this England team have excelled at what they have done, beaten all our expectations, given us lots of joy & good moments over the past few weeks, but this was the one moment to grasp in their careers, and its very likely for most of them that will be the only chance they get at something like that :(
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    What’s the quickest way out of the Luzhniki stadium? The South Gate.
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    They didn’t really have to face any team of any note ( except Belgium, who beat them ) as all the decent teams dropped a bollick early on. This tournament performance didn’t really show anything of any real value. There were some cracking individual performances, but the team weren’t tested much, and when they were, they fell apart.

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