Poor Welbz

Not sure if England would have a better chance to get to a world cup final. I mean, for all the hype the english media is portraying this team to be, they got lucky against Tunisia, beat a very weak Panama team, lost to Belgium, got lucky against Colombia and then had to depend on Pickford to beat Sweden. If they cannot beat a totally exhausted Croatia team who have totally zero depth on the bench, they have little chance to be in another final again.

Southgate has been excellent though in magnifying this England's team quality. Pickford, Trippier, Maguire all impressed.

Modric is one of the best CMs of this 2 decades that I have been watching football. So good on the ball and so intelligent in everything he does. Don't think there will be another one like him again.

Qwiss! wrote:

goon wrote:

Don’t really get this brilliant achievement, back in the big time llark. Did well to get to the semi’s but let’s face it, two decent teams faced and both games lost. Don’t think we’ve been brilliant in the other games either. That midfield 3 isn’t good enough.

Its Englands best finish since 1990 so in that regard its definitely a big achievement. I think mostly for Southgate, he made mostly good decisions with a fairly iffy squad. Yeah they got a very easy run of games but they went out against Iceland in the Euros so England can't really take the likes of Sweden for granted.

If England are to have a good Euros and next World Cup they really need someone in midfield though.

My point surrounds the quality more than anything. I don’t think the prospects for the future are that great with the team as it is. They team itself did what it had to do (except Kane), but it also had an amazing chance to reach the final, the path was cleared for us pretty much and we still couldn’t do it.

This is the most likeable England team for a long time and I like Southgate, especially as a character, generally honest and humble. Just need a few more Arsenal lads in there.

Wrighty vs Keane is a real clash of personalities

I think even with our easy route to the final, our success shouldn't be downplayed. Previous squads would have bottled it earlier on and comparatively we were more positive than every team since 98. Southgate must have done something right and credit to the players for not bottling it until now. Better teams have done.

Clrnc wrote:

Not sure if England would have a better chance to get to a world cup final. I mean, for all the hype the english media is portraying this team to be, they got lucky against Tunisia, beat a very weak Panama team, lost to Belgium, got lucky against Colombia and then had to depend on Pickford to beat Sweden. If they cannot beat a totally exhausted Croatia team who have totally zero depth on the bench, they have little chance to be in another final again.

The stars aligned for England, they won't ever get a better chance. The team isn't particularly very good either so not so sure they'll be better in a few years like everyone seems to think.

You could argue we are the real winners Don. That was a fantastic experience as a fan. I know I bloody enjoyed it which is what it’s all about

Don Pacifico wrote:

I think even with our easy route to the final, our success shouldn't be downplayed. Previous squads would have bottled it earlier on and comparatively we were more positive than every team since 98. Southgate must have done something right and credit to the players for not bottling it until now. Better teams have done.

So if the Colombian guy scores his penalty after Henderson missed they would have bottled it?

I don't get it. They played a pub team, a couple of average teams and then got beat by the first team they played that could actually expose their dodgy tactics and lack of quality.

Maybe they did well relative to expectations, but some perspective is surely needed.

Also, I hope this shuts the Harry Kane is a world class striker rambling down. Good player, yes, but with a lot of limitations in his game and like most merely good strikers, very reliant on good service. As good as a peak Shearer... Jesus wept!

I think England certainly overachievied, we aren't amongst the 4th best teams in the world. That being said the way the draw went there is a sense of regret because you aren't normally getting the kind of draw we did ultimately. The game just found out the limited attacking threat we have, some good players there but not enough difference makers in an attacking sense and that has eventually cost us.

Just seen a very brief interview with Kane  (on ITV news where they also said we'll never forget the summer of 2018!) and this sums it up for me: "we can hold our heads high, we went further that anyone expected us to".

And that's why they didn't "bottle it". If the squads of previous tournaments had that same low level of pressure they would have done far, far better. On top of that, this team only went to the semi final because of the almost unbelievable way the draw panned out. There are 5 other teams that would have beat them on the other side of the draw.

I reckon if Southgate's clever he'll leave now because he will get found out badly if he stays on in my opinion. People laugh at Allardyce, but I think the only way he doesn't get at least as far the semi-final with the teams faced is if the expectations pre-tournament were that bit higher as a result of him not being sacked and then the pressure got to them.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Just seen a very brief interview with Kane  (on ITV news where they also said we'll never forget the summer of 2018!) and this sums it up for me: "we can hold our heads high, we went further that anyone expected us to".

Spursy mentality really. "We challenged"

y va marquer wrote:

Mirth wrote:

I don't think people realise how much the mood in the country has changed over 3 weeks just on the back of this. Most international teams would finish - at best - mid table in the Premier league with the exception of maybe the ones that get to the final. But no one watches international football for vintage football anyway and it's not a weird nationalistic thing either, it's just nice to share something with 50 million people for a change - particularly at a time when everyone is more divided than ever.

Absolutely.
That's what it's all about - a break from the norm, a chance to share an intense 90 + minutes with family, friends and strangers - sheer joy at the wins, days in between just counted down 'til the next game.
Special time, special memories

This. Especially as an England fan on the other side of the World with parents who support Spurs and United fan brother. It's only these tournaments that we get to support a team together.

Gutted, probably more than I thought I'd ever be supporting England. Still though, this is probably my favourite world cup ever.

God knows how it is back in the UK but I swear I couldn't believe it when I found out during my usual calls back home to my mum that she'd been watching the games, to an extent that she can actually tell me who played better and which players actually did well. My mind was blown. This is someone who I'm sure has watched less than a handful of complete football games in her life.

Watching games with people who usually have no interest in football and the sense of camaraderie was a great. Thoroughly enjoyed the last few weeks, and usually I can't stand international football and can't wait until club football returns.

Doubt we'll get this kind of a chance again but, despite the feelings of what if, I'm thoroughly proud of the effort the boys put in. They did the country proud.

Really hope France win now.

England had their chances in this game in the first half. They played like a team this World Cup. Their lack of experience in such situations and big matches showed unfortunately.

I was really hoping they would go through. Hyde Park was buzzing today, everyone in the underground was excited . The entire city was. It would have been really nice to experience being in this city if they made the final.

Clrnc wrote:

Ricky1985 wrote:

Just seen a very brief interview with Kane  (on ITV news where they also said we'll never forget the summer of 2018!) and this sums it up for me: "we can hold our heads high, we went further that anyone expected us to".

Spursy mentality really. "We challenged"

They got to the semi final. Did they not "challenge?" Should he have said they failed, came last and shouldn't have bothered qualifying to begin with?

My mind is exploding watching MotD. They're all saying "if we're honest we didn't see England getting past the quarter final, so getting all the way to the semi they've done us proud". Or a variation of that.

You can't completely disregard the opposition that England faced when making this statement. The two are inextricably linked.

When it came down to it, they couldn't beat a team that has 3 or 4 good players and no more, that had a considerable disadvantage in terms of fitness based on the previous round, that limped past Denmark and Russia, that has no real historic international pedigree and hasn't been near even a semi-final in 20 years.

The harsh reality is they've blown the best chance they'll almost certainly ever have to get to a World Cup final. If there weren't so many average players in the team you would be tempted to say they, erm, bottled it.

But they're young and they'll gain vital experience! I bet no more than 3 or 4--at an absolute best--of this team start at the next World Cup. Walker will be 30 at the Euros, Trippier and Henderson too--let alone the World Cup in 4 years. Young gone, Rose gone, Kane will have done a cruciate by then and he'll also be very very bald so Dula won't like him any more. On top of that Pickford, Trippier, Maguire, Dier, Lingard and Dele Alli aren't actually very good players either, although I know that's a wildly unpopular opinion in the current climate.

I'm fine with people being happy England did well, nothing wrong with that at all, but the reaction to this run to the semi is why England struggle--it's all so over the top (not really talking about here btw!). It's not rational and it's not balanced, in my humble opinion. And it's why they'll probably go to the next tournament under the crushing weight of irrationally high expectations. Rinse and repeat.

So it's not the dawn of a new era?

Honestly ricky, people are getting slightly carried away on the best run in tournament football that England have had in around 28 years despite inferior opposition. That's how desperate the whole country is to have a good story for a change. You, who has previously said similar things about Arsenal teams 10 years ago and got stick for it, should relate at the very least. You can sit around scratching your head but you've clearly missed the point in this entirely.

Mirth wrote:

So it's not the dawn of a new era?

Bitter much? And you weren't even overly bothered!

Anyway, thanks for the incredibly interesting and insightful response.

Edit - now you've added the second bit my post looks a bit silly.

Look, I get what you're saying, but I don't think what you said in any way relates to my post. In which I tried quite hard to stay balanced and to avoid gloating about England's demise.

People can get as carried away as they want-I've already said I have no problem with that--that's completely up to them, but in doesn't mean I have to agree with their opinions about the quality of the football (Or the manager, or the tactis etc.). However good the feeling is, beating Colombia and Sweden can't, in my opinion, be hailed as some sort of great achievement.