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World Cup Discussion Thread - Day 28 (11 July)

mil1lion

This is the place to be
May 7, 2004
42,340
77,592
I thought we were so unlucky, the game could have gone either way. We were better first half, them in the second, extra time was close but they got the break. This will go down as the year the England team won over the fans. There's so much to be positive about. This team is still very young and very raw. Such a shame that this wonderful opportunity came too soon for this England team. Had this path to the final opened in 4 years time I really think we would have won it.

So proud of the Spurs lads at this tournament. I actually feel we can look forward to England games in the future rather than 'oh not another international'. We must keep Gareth in charge for the next 2 tournaments. I can't help but feel some of these lads including our own just need more big game experience. It would actually benefit England if Spurs can win some trophies soon too. Our players among others need those big wins. We just can't compare to what the likes of Modric and Rakitic have done at club level.

This is an exciting new generation for England. My biggest concern is the lack of a number 10 in the Scholes mould. I can't really see anyone coming through to play that role either. I'd like to say Winks but he plays just that bit deeper and not sure he has that creativity in the final third to play that role.
 

ljinko888

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2016
2,080
5,376
We beat Tunisia, Panama and Sweden. It’s the equivalent of our run to the FA cup semi final this year, please enlighten me as to where we’ve over achieved because I really can’t see it right now?

It was only Russia, Croatia and Israel when we failed to even make Euro 2008.

It was only USA and Algeria in 2010.

It was only Iceland in 2016.

This England side featured players who have played in the lower leagues in the past five years. The national team's so-called golden generation never reached a semi-final and even failed to qualify for one tournament in the last ten years. Yet this team have made it to the last four and given themselves a very good account by trying to play from the back and trying to play fearlessly.
 

SdB

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
1,367
1,878
We can commend the team all we want for a fantastic achievement to reach the semi’s but we rolled over and died... Modric was running the show and we didn’t react. Walker was pants at the back, Henderson useless and Rashford, Christ he was diabolical when he came on. I’m not a massive fan of RLC but we were crying out for an extra body in central midfield. Bearing in mind we had 3 centre backs and 2 wing backs, Young and Tripps were nowhere to been from the 2nd half onwards. God knows what Southgate was thinking as Croatia were the for the taking but he didn’t have a clue what to do.
I'm not convinced of RLC's ability with the ball but I called for RLC a few times in the match thread as we needed to get a grip of midfield.
Lingard and Deli were really week in MF and Croatia just gradually took over the game through MF.

Amazing Southgate couldn't see it and do something about it.
 

Reece

Shutterbug
May 27, 2005
2,860
1,779
We beat Tunisia, Panama and Sweden. It’s the equivalent of our run to the FA cup semi final this year, please enlighten me as to where we’ve over achieved because I really can’t see it right now?

I kind of agree with this. After all is said and done it's not a massive achievement in terms of a 'team quality' barometer. But at least we did win a penalty shootout, and we have a team a lot more of the nation is engaged with, which can only be a good thing.
 

SdB

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
1,367
1,878
We beat Tunisia, Panama and Sweden. It’s the equivalent of our run to the FA cup semi final this year, please enlighten me as to where we’ve over achieved because I really can’t see it right now?

I'm of the same view.
From open pay I think we've been really poor apart from the first 30 mins tonight. I started then to believe and then bang.
 

dannythomas

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2004
3,757
2,813
Comparing Trippier’s performances in the tournament with Walkers I think we did a pretty good deal selling Walker and giving Trip his chance. Walker still looks like mistakes ready to happen. In fact it’s clear that Trippier plays way better with a back 3 than as part of a back 4. It also plays to Rose’s strengths ( though not sure about Davies ) . In a 3-1-5-1 formation Wanyama ( or an upgrade ) could be our holding midfielder with Dier focusing on being a top central defender.
 

yiddopaul

Well-Known Member
Dec 28, 2005
3,418
6,654
When i said this side of the draw was good for England, some people started bleating on about how every team in the knockouts will be tough, stop being arrogant bla de bla. NOW, they're saying we had it easy... Which is it people???
 

DiscoD1882

SC Supporter
Mar 27, 2006
6,934
14,669
Couldn’t understand the long ball tactic tonight?? We haven’t played it all tournament. It just meant we kept giving them the ball and stretched the team? Apart from that. Some kind of pride has been restored. We have some serious foundation to build on. Great young players coming through. Just feel we missed a real chance here tonight.
 
May 17, 2018
11,872
47,993
Comparing Trippier’s performances in the tournament with Walkers I think we did a pretty good deal selling Walker and giving Trip his chance. Walker still looks like mistakes ready to happen. In fact it’s clear that Trippier plays way better with a back 3 than as part of a back 4. It also plays to Rose’s strengths ( though not sure about Davies ) . In a 3-1-5-1 formation Wanyama ( or an upgrade ) could be our holding midfielder with Dier focusing on being a top central defender.

I can't help but feel that we would have done well to have had a natural CB in over McBrainFart - he's been "at fault" (due to not being a CB) for at least 2 goals in the WC, one of which was the penalty.
 

THFCSPURS19

The Speaker of the Transfer Rumours Forum
Jan 6, 2013
37,886
130,485
Couldn’t understand the long ball tactic tonight?? We haven’t played it all tournament. It just meant we kept giving them the ball and stretched the team? Apart from that. Some kind of pride has been restored. We have some serious foundation to build on. Great young players coming through. Just feel we missed a real chance here tonight.
Don’t think it was a tactic - we just couldn’t deal with their pressing.
 

TEESSIDE1

Married, new job and Spurs on the up!
Jul 3, 2006
15,089
18,780
the offense looked like it was built around Sterling which boggles the mind

Yep and watching Rakitic and Modric v Henderson was painful, can’t believe Southgate didn’t see or react to this. Perisic was fantastic, we had equally dangerous players but by not playing a central midfield they were cut off. Sterling, Alli, Lingard and Kane had to feed off scraps. Whereas Perisic, Mandzukic and Rebic had Rakitic and Modric tearing our midfield and defence a new one. It didn’t help that Henderson kept hoofing the ball up field and Walker not having a clue what planet he was on.
 

markdadude

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2007
445
470
You can only beat what's in front of you, but what was in front of us was bang ordinary at best - so you have to take that into account.
A change in atmospheric fucking humidity, and after Hendersons miss, that columbia pen that hit the bar instead bounces behind the line and we go out in the first knock out tie. These are the foundations of sand that we are putting this 'great achievement' on.

This WC run has left a sour taste and it's not just because of what happened on the pitch. First of all that bullshit "it's coming home" - Please can that never happen again. Those cocky idiots can now shutup. Second it illustrates how just little we can think for ourselves. The media, in unison, raise anyone up to the sky and bring anyone down into the sewer as they please and we all fucking agree. Is Southgate a wizard in a waistcoat?... Think not. Let's be honest we were clumsily stumbling over obstacles to get where we did.
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
I can't help but feel that we would have done well to have had a natural CB in over McBrainFart - he's been "at fault" (due to not being a CB) for at least 2 goals in the WC, one of which was the penalty.
Walker also made two goal stopping blocks either side of his "mistake" and his pace broke up a lot of Croatia attacks. He wasn't that bad. Stones' error for the second was much worse and he was poor for most of the match. Maguire lost his man at nearly every set piece and could have easily had a penalty given against him.
 

fortworthspur

Well-Known Member
Nov 12, 2007
11,244
17,536
Yep and watching Rakitic and Modric v Henderson was painful, can’t believe Southgate didn’t see or react to this. Perisic was fantastic, we had equally dangerous players but by not playing a central midfield they were cut off. Sterling, Alli, Lingard and Kane had to feed off scraps. Whereas Perisic, Mandzukic and Rebic had Rakitic and Modric tearing our midfield and defence a new one. It didn’t help that Henderson kept hoofing the ball up field and Walker not having a clue what planet he was on.

same problem all tourney. I wont criticize Henderson - he's the only proper midfielder (save maybe Dier) in the squad. It caught up with you both times you played a team with a strong midfield.
 
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