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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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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Between 1870 and 1949 we were pretty tasty though.
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.
It's catchy?
So is ebola.
Call it "booty" if you like, to me it's still a fat @rse.
Foul by Croatia - definite foul, dirty cheats
Foul by England - I didn’t see much in that
Better team won.
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.
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.
Who would have said they'd get this far a month ago.
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I still couldn’t believe it was a semi final.
World cups are chuffing difficult to win.
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.
I am not sure. You have no chance.
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.
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"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
So score more goals and don't let as many in
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.
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