What's new

World Cup Discussion Thread - Day 24 (7 July)

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
Just about to start watching the Croatia/Russia game. Don't like the fact that he's swapped Brosavic for Kramaric and the 442. Modric and Rakatic can get a bit ragged when left to their own devices, both like to have a water carrier in their to do the donkey work.

Shame Dzagoev is still out.
 

tiger666

Large Member
Jan 4, 2005
27,978
82,214
Correct me if I’m wrong, someone may have pointed it out already, but in the semi finals Spurs will have two captains in Kane and Lloris, a former Spurs player as captain in Modric and a vice-captain in Vertonghen (who possibly should have been the captain).

The next person to say we lack "Leaders", "Match Winners", "Winning Mentality" or anything like it gets a hefty kick in the balls.
 

LSUY

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2005
24,010
66,826
Dhh-7kJWsAEfBef.jpg


Dhh_N-eXUAAKrsz.jpg


Dhh_pziXkAUtJg4.jpg


DhiAGwIXcAAjh8G.jpg


DhiBNtDXUAYf3Yv.jpg


DhiB4-oWAAA_hKB.jpg


DhiCMouXcAE6bM3.jpg


DhiCbjxW0AASSXm.jpg


DhiCzRLX4AEWtwK.jpg


DhiEMvFX0AAEGOt.jpg
 

hughy

I'm SUPER cereal.
Nov 18, 2007
31,842
56,935
A little bit to drink and is this the right thread IDK but come one England. Never felt this way about a woman before mmmmmmm
 

Yid121

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2008
3,463
3,139
Modric tonight was the best individual performance of this WC I think. A remarkable little man.

After that, Croatia will be battered & bruised, and they have a couple of players suspended and a crocked keeper. What a chance for England.
Who is suspended? Don't recall any Croatia players on a yellow getting a second

Want to see Rose playing ahead of Young. It just goes back as young cuts in then plays it to the LCB.

Also scared of Croatia. Modric and Rakitic will have a field day with the gaps in our midfield and prefer playing against attaching teams. Think we should sacrifice Sterling, push Alli up with Kane and put Dier in with Henderson to add some control.
 
Last edited:

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
Cant really add anything new. I am not convinced with a lot of what England do, but they keep getting the job done. Southgate deserves a lot of credit, and it shows the value of preparation and being well drilled down to the small details. It isn't the most talented team, it's got (quite) a few issues and inadequacies... but he's had a vision of what he wants to do, picked players specifically for those roles (even if that's meant making questionable calls or putting in less-heralded players) and they're rewarding him, and he's managed to bring the group together as a team and got them playing like they're enjoying it. Focus has then been put on a few specific areas, like set pieces and the right flank interchanges/movements, which have given us a competitive advantage - gold dust in tournament football.

Still would like to see Rose instead of Young, who was a bit of a weak link both with and without the ball. As for Sterling...... I've seen a lot of comments this evening on various platforms, and I think it's at the point where people are trying to close ranks around him and going ultra defensive on his behalf. Yes he did make a few good basic movements in behind, but it wasn't a 'constant menace' and other such narratives that are being constructed. His runs were often sub-standard and showed poor reading of the game, his work off the ball wasn't great in pressing and blocking passing lanes (same could and should be applied to Kane to be fair), and with the ball at his feet he was simply footballing AIDS. I wouldn't necessarily take him out of the team, but lets not construct a false narrative, he did some basic things competently, but on the whole needs to be a fucking great deal better.

I'd have preferred to face Russia, even going up against their home advantage, as they're a more limited team. Croatia will cause us problems and can definitely hurt us, and I imagine will see the majority of the ball, but they've stuttered their way through the last few stages and don't seem to have quite the right balance at times (especially when they play what is effectively a 4-2-4) and I think they can be got at defensively, especially by quick players and good movement, and I've seen a couple of games where they haven't defended set pieces wonderfully - which the England camp will no doubt be looking at.

Croatia are probably favourites, and if England want to go all the way then they have to go up a level or two on what we have seen and it remains to be seen if that's possible with this set up and approach... But it's been a great journey so far, and they've put themselves in a position to do it. Who knows.....
 

Col_M

Pointing out the Obvious
Feb 28, 2012
22,639
45,679
Really enjoyed the game. Russia over achieved, like every host nation. Not that impressed by the Croats based on this performance and my optimism has gone up a notch.
 
May 17, 2018
11,872
47,993
I said earlier when watching Cro/Rus that if the Russians got through, I wouldn't have had us pegged to win. They seemed to get quite far in the tournament for a pretty shit team on their own patch, so there's only so far I would have been comfortable with them getting before it would have started looking a bit suss.

Well done to them for representing the host nation respectfully, though.
 

BehindEnemyLines

Twisting a Melon with the Rev. Black Grape
Apr 13, 2006
4,574
13,161
It's annoying that Alderwereild or Vertonghen aren't captain for Belgium - lifting the world cup could be the new Spursy!

England = Harry Kane
France = Lloris
Croatia = Modric
Belgium = Hazard!!!!!
 

THFCSPURS19

The Speaker of the Transfer Rumours Forum
Jan 6, 2013
37,886
130,485
Just started watching the England vs. Tunisia game.

Disappointed Rose isn't starting and Henderson over Dier is ludicrous.

We should beat them easily but some dumb decisions by Southgate. Never liked his appointment.
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
Cant really add anything new. I am not convinced with a lot of what England do, but they keep getting the job done. Southgate deserves a lot of credit, and it shows the value of preparation and being well drilled down to the small details. It isn't the most talented team, it's got (quite) a few issues and inadequacies... but he's had a vision of what he wants to do, picked players specifically for those roles (even if that's meant making questionable calls or putting in less-heralded players) and they're rewarding him, and he's managed to bring the group together as a team and got them playing like they're enjoying it. Focus has then been put on a few specific areas, like set pieces and the right flank interchanges/movements, which have given us a competitive advantage - gold dust in tournament football.

Still would like to see Rose instead of Young, who was a bit of a weak link both with and without the ball. As for Sterling...... I've seen a lot of comments this evening on various platforms, and I think it's at the point where people are trying to close ranks around him and going ultra defensive on his behalf. Yes he did make a few good basic movements in behind, but it wasn't a 'constant menace' and other such narratives that are being constructed. His runs were often sub-standard and showed poor reading of the game, his work off the ball wasn't great in pressing and blocking passing lanes (same could and should be applied to Kane to be fair), and with the ball at his feet he was simply footballing AIDS. I wouldn't necessarily take him out of the team, but lets not construct a false narrative, he did some basic things competently, but on the whole needs to be a fucking great deal better.

I'd have preferred to face Russia, even going up against their home advantage, as they're a more limited team. Croatia will cause us problems and can definitely hurt us, and I imagine will see the majority of the ball, but they've stuttered their way through the last few stages and don't seem to have quite the right balance at times (especially when they play what is effectively a 4-2-4) and I think they can be got at defensively, especially by quick players and good movement, and I've seen a couple of games where they haven't defended set pieces wonderfully - which the England camp will no doubt be looking at.

Croatia are probably favourites, and if England want to go all the way then they have to go up a level or two on what we have seen and it remains to be seen if that's possible with this set up and approach... But it's been a great journey so far, and they've put themselves in a position to do it. Who knows.....


Got to be honest, I think the criticism of Sterling has been a bit over the top. It's not his fault that Southgate has effectively decided to play him as a false 9, and Kane as a 10. Despite scoring a shit load of goals - playing in a much better team - at ManC, Strerling's not a natural finisher. I know it's an over used cliche, but I think his movement does create problems for the opposition and he's still a much better option than Rashford, or would be, if Southgate played him and Alli behind Kane with two CM's (Henderson/RLC maybe) I think he'd get better out of all of them.
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
Another game, not exactly shining with quality, but plenty of drama and never dull, was Croatia/Russia. The right team went through, and I thought Modric was outstanding tonight.
 

ohtottenham!

Well-Known Member
Aug 15, 2013
7,497
13,030
Another game, not exactly shining with quality, but plenty of drama and never dull, was Croatia/Russia. The right team went through, and I thought Modric was outstanding tonight.
He was, and he'll probably be outstanding against England. He's Luka Modric. That Croatian MF with Luka and Rakitic is great, and that's where their threat and attacking advantage lies. But, really think we are more solid defensively, have better central defenders, are stronger on the flanks, and we have more threat, pace and variety, in attack than they do.

I'm sure Southgate will be looking at his options for containing Luka and Rakitic, but still trying to ensure we maximize the advantages we have. It could be putting Dier in to support Henderson, and dropping Alli or Lingard, or just staying with our line up and giving Alli a more defined, defensive CM role.

Whichever way we set up, we have to make sure Modric and Rakitic are always aware of having to track back, and have their hands full with their defensive duties. That Croatia defence against both Denmark and Russia looked really vulnerable against both pace and set pieces.

Think we'll have more goal-scoring opportunities than they do, we'll show we have a more capable defence than they do, and hopefully Pickford doesn't make the same type of mistakes that Caballero made to give the impression that Croatia are a better team than England. They're definitely not!
 

allatsea

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
8,866
16,054
Am I the only one who thinks England could get thrashed should they get through to the final by either France or Belgium ? We only have one real top quality player (Kane) against how many do both France and Belgium have ?
 
Top