The world Cup Russia 2018 Thread

[suttonred]

Completely ageee about the first point. Second one, well, I’m sure you know the answer to that.

Dump Sterling in the Volga and get Rashford and Loftus-Cheek into the side.

My point exactly  Tried hard, can't fault the effort, result good, But oh so frustrating fpr large parts. Kane, Trippier, Maguire I thought were good. Sterling. Lingard, and Ali appalling. Footballs 80% effort, 19% decision making, and 1% skill. We can do the first and last, but rarely do the middle bit right.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Never seen so many mis kicks in front of goal in the first half. Fuck8ng professionals, me hairy arse.

Sterling. Just fuck off.

JD and coke forever!

[Bennett]

Maguire looked good as he strode out of defence with the ball.
Given that he's the "least footballing" of our back three, you do have to wonder why it took til the last 5 for Walker to start getting forwards and interchanging with Trippier.

Ashley Young looked ok, until he got the chance to cross, when he went back onto his right foot.

Alli, Sterling and Lingard were all poor

[RedRag]

Thought it was, in some ways, a very good England performance.  Played the ball around well, long and short, in the first half.  Chances missed, certainly but Kane was as deadly as any with two goals from two shots.  

Second half looked interesting to start with.  We pressed really high and I thought we might pressurise a crucial mistake.  As they settled it became a game ideally to find the killer pass but Delle Ali was already fading. We started to lack creativity and were becoming one-paced.  The substitutions were correctly made - if not quite promptly enough.  It didn't matter in the end.

On the other hand I give a great deal of credit to Tunisia.   You can deserve a point regardless of your contribution to shots and corners, possession and entertainment.  That's how the game is when a weaker team is up against a stronger one.  I felt that the BBC TV team could have accommodated a non English perspective.  Don't know any Tunisians myself but there must be some Arab/north African players available - Hameur Bouazza or Sofiane Zaboooooouuuuub even if Riyad Mahrez comes in a bit pricey now.

England did overcome the defence-focussed Tunisians.  Other bigger names have already struggled similarly and some with less success.  C'mon Ingerland.

[Mother Brown]

Too many half chats in the squad for starters.

[chalkies_shorts]

Too many half chats in the squad for starters.

All English born and bred. Very old school comment.

[Ginginho]

Too many half chats in the squad for starters.

I had to Google that.

Fuckin' hell, what a cunt you are.

[4D]

 

[Honest Lee]

All credit to Southgate for playing Sterling.
At least with that little shit in the team it kept the mossies away from the rest of the team.

Would be nice if some of these millionaire footballers could make contact with the ball occasionally in front of goal but a win is a win.
Looks like we will have more than 3 games at this WC.
Come on Engerland.

[Sippo]

There was one positive - you could hardly hear the 'england band'.

[Abrahammer]

Decent performance in general, good movement and created plenty of opportunities.

Didn’t see anything to suggest we will beat one of the big boys but that’s fine as wouldn’t meet one until the QF’s

[4D]

Possession compared to previous England squads is much improved. Convert more of those chances and we would have mullered them

[Uncletrunx]

For the first time in a long time, watching England felt positive.

Yes, there's still work needed, the team is clearly not the finished article yet but given the circumstances they did very well.

I get the feeling that Tunisia saw an inexperienced team against them and applied every one of the dark arts; from the penalty area wrestling to delaying every England free kick (standing over the ball, insisting it be moved back 2 yards) and the array of niggly fouls, it looked very much like they wanted to get England down to 10 men and kill the game. Full credit to England for avoiding frustration and finally getting their reward.

[Panda Paws]

We don't normally win games like that. Some of the comments generally have been ridiculous - "same old shit", "too slow" etc. Listening to Keown on the comms was like sitting in the Arkells with the FORWARD brigade.

The second they got the pen, Tunisia (the best team in Africa) sat in, kicked, dived and moaned and made it very hard for us. We still created enough chances to win the game, and did win the game.

Only blot on the copybook is finishing.

RLC looks head and shoulders above Alli in this set up. I'd start him and Rashford for Sterling against Panama.

[horlock07]

I had to Google that.

Fuckin' hell, what a cunt you are.

+1 (on both points!)