World Cup Quarter Final 4: England vs Francel (19:00 GMT)

Originally Posted by Chris Quayd

Throw in Switzerland and that is an extremely generous run. If they can't win when that is the opposition, not to mention home advantage then they're not going to. Southgate mught be a drip but which English manager out there is guaranteeting them a World Cup?

Brian Clough

They like to go on about spirit and togetherness but to win world cups and euros you need cold eyed ruthlessness and the ability to make critical decisions at key moments.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

They like to go on about spirit and togetherness but to win world cups and euros you need cold eyed ruthlessness and the ability to make critical decisions at key moments.

And be positive not just reactive

The England side lack balls. They have no nasty bastard, no shithouses. If you don't have the world class quality like Griezman or Mbappe, then you have to manage the game to beat them.

Oh, and Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling will never change a game at that level. They just aren't good enough.

That balls just landed past our house. 🤣🤣🤣. £#%&! England

England have gone out of tournaments with far worse performances than that

Thought they played very well and were the better team for most of the match
However football comes down to moments, Maguire couldn’t do well enough at what he’s in the team for France’s winner and well Kane’s 2nd pen was a right Chris Waddle

Unlike the last two losses in major tournaments, England actual were able to keep the ball tonight

There’s a lot of talented young players to build around for future tournaments

Originally Posted by My Name is Heath

Realistic: France to win about 2-1 and England to dominate for about 30 minutes.

Heroic failure.

Dubious red card for Rice.

Offside goal for Giroud.

Rashford to miss a sitter with 5 mins left to fulfil the United spacegoat function.

Dream:

Henderson puts a reducer on Mbappe early doors.

Shaw to dominate on the left.

Kane to bag a brace

Maguire to score a header from a corner.

Just said it this very moment on Sky.

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

England have gone out of tournaments with far worse performances than that

Thought they played very well and were the better team for most of the match
However football comes down to moments, Maguire couldn’t do well enough at what he’s in the team for France’s winner and well Kane’s 2nd pen was a right Chris Waddle

Unlike the last two losses in major tournaments, England actual were able to keep the ball tonight

There’s a lot of talented young players to build around for future tournaments

Absolutely this. Came down to moments and not taking theirs. Better that than simply being outclassed and looking miles away.

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

England have gone out of tournaments with far worse performances than that

Thought they played very well and were the better team for most of the match
However football comes down to moments, Maguire couldn’t do well enough at what he’s in the team for France’s winner and well Kane’s 2nd pen was a right Chris Waddle

Unlike the last two losses in major tournaments, England actual were able to keep the ball tonight

There’s a lot of talented young players to build around for future tournaments

England will be fine going forward. Certainly a long way from the joke of euro 2016. They have a lot of good young players.

Obviously the usual suspects have been waiting to crow all over social media but losing a tight game 2-1 to the world champions is no disgrace.

Southgate is just too safe and risk averse to ever be able to influence a game where a change is needed. His favourites are all decent but limited players, much like he was. You can't expect a poor to middling club manager to suddenly turn into a world class international one.

Slabhead on bbc...

We dominated the game, we dominated the ball, we dominated the players



And still lost you £#%&!ing galoot.

Originally Posted by Ethers

Are people actually making out they were hard done by with that result?!

easily said. they were the better team apart from a couple of minutes of inept defending that led to the winner. saka was fouled before the first goal. we should have had a penalty in the first half. france got away with persistent disruptive fouls that were ignored completely or not carded. saka and kane should have scored in the second half. france were a bit shit.

the ref was a £#%&!ing idiot. in a game of fine margins, that matters. england were robbed. they also didn't help themselves. and southgate bringing mount and sterling on is enough reason for them to £#%&! off.

I just hope varane stays fit.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

England will be fine going forward. Certainly a long way from the joke of euro 2016. They have a lot of good young players.

The only two problems I can see down the road is that there’s no natural successor to Kane and there’s no young centre halves to replace the South Yorkshire Sunshine Club at the back.

Ultimately tonight was a case of a bit of bad luck for the players and a lack of ruthlessness from the manager. They had France wobbling and let them off the hook. Just like against Italy.

Strange breed England fans

You’d think they were creating chance after chance the way people are going on ffs (not necessarily on here). Talking about how “close” they got. Whatever makes you feel better lads. Another glorious failure. Well done.

Originally Posted by Ethers

Strange breed England fans

You’d think they were creating chance after chance the way people are going on ffs (not necessarily on here). Talking about how “close” they got. Whatever makes you feel better lads. Another glorious failure. Well done.

Can see your chip from space pal x

Originally Posted by RedNick80

Can see your chip from space pal x

You’ll do it next time pal, believe.

Only seen bits as I was at a wedding. Gutted for Sparky tbh.

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

Only seen bits as I was at a wedding. Gutted for Sparky tbh.

So was I, where was your wedding?

They tried hard, but ultimately I don't think they will ever win a World Cup under Southgate....he needs to go.

I think England were the better team on the balance of play but like the final last year just didn't make the most of the 20-25 minute spell when the opposition were struggling to get out of their own half. There's no shame in losing to France but I suspect had Potter not moved to Chelsea then the Southgate era would be over now. Plenty of better managers out there but I doubt they would want to be a national team manager.

This is where I expected England to exit the tournament anyway. The biggest thing England had going for them before a ball was kicked was that outside the first eleven they have good depth to fall back on. But France also have good depth outside the first eleven + the experience of winning it already + arguably the best player in the world on current form. The Griezmann transformation of going from a regular goalscorer with a big ego to a hard working creator has been impressive to watch and he was more of a thorn than Mbappe.