WORLD CUP 3RD PLACE PLAY OFF: Belgium v England 3pm ITV

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

They did fine. Basically beat Tunisia with a stoppage time goal and Colombia on pens, and beat Sweden. Well done, but there's a lot of work to go into reaching a level where a final, let alone winning something, feels realistic.

As shit as they were, England were probably one Kane moment - finishing that chance or laying Sterling in- away from being in tomorrow’s final. What a joke that would have been. Where the £#%&! has all the quality in world football gone?

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

I know this loses top red points, but I've always quite liked him

Where were you hiding those then? Sneaky £#%&!er.

Originally Posted by Albert Tatlock

The soul searching your in Belgium is just as bad. Many are wondering why they aren't playing against Croatia tomorrow. It's all relative

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I admire his intentions but I can't envisage a situation where England will ever have the players to carry out the vision in his head.

They will if they want them. It really isn't hard, but English football was stuck in a rut for decades in terms of coaching.

Even so, Carrick, Scholes etc were produced. Stones can become good enough at the technical stuff to excuse his mistakes. If Southgate's idea is shared by the relevant people, it'll lead to change. From what I've heard that's the case; the structure is full of mini Bielsas

Originally Posted by utd99

As shit as they were, England were probably one Kane moment - finishing that chance or laying Sterling in- away from being in tomorrow’s final. What a joke that would have been. Where the f*** has all the quality in world football gone?



Where were you hiding those then? Sneaky f***er.

Too many domestic leagues across Europe becoming irrelevant for anything other than developing players to, mostly, sit on the bench of teams in financially stronger leagues. Those same players lose the opportunity to play and develop at a high level before making their big move.

Short story, financial disparity has damaged football. Add in a generation of youngsters addicted to social media, cutting in to their time playing with a ball outside of dedicated training and core skills have declined.

Speaking of Martinez, Everton just won 22-0 in a friendly. Wtf is that all about?! We'd have taken an early lead and then held on for a solid win.

England need to stick with Southgate. He's done a god job. He can improve England.

Belgium need to appoint a better coach. This year was the year they should have won it. Wasted opportunity !

Originally Posted by Albert Tatlock

England need to stick with Southgate. He's done a god job. He can improve England.

Belgium need to appoint a better coach. This year was the year they should have won it. Wasted opportunity !

You can't sack a coach (especially of Belgium) after he knocked Brazil out just because he got edged by France in the semi-finals.

It's progress for them. They played good stuff, finally got Hazard going at a tournament. Definite platform to build on.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

You can't sack a coach (especially of Belgium) after he knocked Brazil out just because he got edged by France in the semi-finals.

It's progress for them. They played good stuff, finally got Hazard going at a tournament. Definite platform to build on.

France will get better too. So...

Originally Posted by Albert Tatlock

England need to stick with Southgate. He's done a god job. He can improve England.

Belgium need to appoint a better coach. This year was the year they should have won it. Wasted opportunity !

England are going to get mauled next tournament.

They'll go from a team with no expectations, to the ultimate media build up next time around.

Just seen on the Belgium news. Belgium scored more than 15 goals in the tournament, which means that Krefel, a Belgian electrical appliance retailer (think Currys) has to reimburse everyone that bought a 55" TV from 26th April with the full price.

... not to worry though, it was underwritten by a British insurance company :-)

Originally Posted by NegativeNorris

Speaking of Martinez, Everton just won 22-0 in a friendly. Wtf is that all about?!

Something to do with the strength (or otherwise) of the "opposition" I expect.

Originally Posted by Cream

France will get better too. So...

It's popular to slag off Deschamps, but two finals in a row..

Calling it now - Southgate will be sacked within 12 months, not deserved tone, but the media and bandwagon jumpers will demand it

“england expects” sir Gareth and his boys to finish top of their nations league group. A group that contains Spain and Croatia.

the reason he plays 3-3 2 -2 is to get more bodies in midfield as the holding/defensive midfielders are so technically poor. There is plenty of pace in the team but no one good enough to play the ball into space.

Trippier looked good enough to get into contention for the team of the tournament but who else? Most of them are just decent to good footballers wholehearted and committed but not really good enough.

i think southgate's tactics are fundamentally flawed. only took a goal for croatia to figure them out.

tbf they made it to the semis just having a go.

Originally Posted by armchair

i think southgate's tactics are fundamentally flawed. only took a goal for croatia to figure them out.

tbf they made it to the semis just having a go.

Other side of the draw they’d have gone out...possibly to Japan, definately to Brazil

Originally Posted by armchair

i think southgate's tactics are fundamentally flawed. only took a goal for croatia to figure them out.

tbf they made it to the semis just having a go.

Ah but they took the cowards way. He could have beaten Belgium in the groups and made a signal of intent but a second string bottled it

And yes, they would have played Brazil in the quarters bit how many times did Fergie say “to be the best, you have to beat the best”

Originally Posted by YCSYFEUYA

Ah but they took the cowards way. He could have beaten Belgium in the groups and made a signal of intent but a second string bottled it

And yes, they would have played Brazil in the quarters bit how many times did Fergie say “to be the best, you have to beat the best”

I thought that was Roy Castle and Norris McWhirter

Originally Posted by denis lawless

I thought that was Roy Castle and Norris McWhirter

Dedication is what you need

Originally Posted by no fun

Dedication is what you need

If you want to be the best.....