FIFA World Cup 2018 chat thread

[Gingerfinch]

Another pointless game vs Belgium. My son wants to watch it but I'll give it a miss.

[alfie]

I get the "pointless" argument but don't totally agree. Think either if these sides would like to finish on a high ...might not mean as much to a Brazil or Germany.

Few changes for England ; probably makes sense to change those midfielders as they all looked a bit knackered in the semi...

Belgium will be favorites but I hope to see the England boys take 'em on...ah...

Belgium taking little time to assert superiority ... 1-0 in five minutes

[Gingerfinch]

Personally Alfie I couldn't care less who wins this. I know some do, maybe even some of the players but I really don't get this game, other than money.

[yuppie]

Hazard shows how to finish a one on one.

[Durhamfootman]

Jones again!

both goals

I wish someone in charge would listen to me

[Durhamfootman]

and if Belgium had just scored that chance for a third, he would have been responsible for all 3 goals. Nowhere in sight!

[budgetmeansbudget]

Harry Kane, not a single shot on target since the group stages apparently. Must admit I thought that shot against the keeper in the semi before he hit the post was on target.

Something not right with him.

[yuppie]

Harry Kane, not a single shot on target since the group stages apparently. Must admit I thought that shot against the keeper before he hit the post was on target.

Something not right with him.

They ruled that offside so did not count. Though if he scored and it went back to VAR it would of stood. It was a really strange decision from the linesman.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Harry Kane, not a single shot on target since the group stages apparently. Must admit I thought that shot against the keeper before he hit the post was on target.

Something not right with him.

They ruled that offside so did not count. Though if he scored and it went back to VAR it would of stood. It was a really strange decision from the linesman.

I think the lino was flagging because the ball went out of play, not offside, but I may be wrong.

Doesn't the penalty against Columbia count as well?!

[Durhamfootman]

I'm trying to think what England will have learned from this tournament, once the dust has settled.

Assuming we stick with 3-5-2, the players who have absolutely nailed their positions down are Pickford, Stones, Maguire, Trippier, Lingard and Kane.

Henderson has some question marks over his attacking ability, but his defensive work, his work rate and his fitness will doubtless secure his spot for the foreseeable future.

That leaves 4 slots up for grabs in Southgate's ideal XI.

Sterling, while he has done some really good work up front at times, cannot find the net and so can't justify his place in the starting XI up front... Kane can't do it all on his own. While I admire Walker, he looked a bit shoehorned into his role at times against better opposition, so his position must also be under review. Young did okay, but this WC must surely have been a last hurrah for his international career. Alli just wasn't effective enough, for me, as a creative player.... but then nobody really found those defence splitting passes that teams like Belgium seem to find at will from several of their players.

Work in progress... a decent enough tournament, but still lots of things for Southgate to unpick ahead of the Euro's

[Durhamfootman]

As far as the match went, the big revelation for me today was the work that Dier put in once he'd been pushed up from his traditional holding role. This was probably the first time that England did better in the second half than they did in the first, and I think the difference (apart from the introduction of Lingard which made an undoubted difference) was Dier taking a more offensive role in that second half as England chased the game. Suddenly balls were being slotted through the Belgium defence to get in behind them..... he had chances to score after neat one two's going into the box... pretty much everything that England have lacked up front in the last 2 matches.

I did think that Southgate had missed a trick by not taking Shelvey as a squad player, because that's his role at Newcastle and he does it well..... but actually, that kind of player was in the squad all along, it was just that nobody knew it.

I hope Southgate has noticed this, because if Dier can reproduce the type of play on show today, then that will undoubtedly provide options when England have to go to plan B.

For balance, I should also note that Dier had a terrible game against Belgium in the group stage

[budgetmeansbudget]

Until Shelvey gets his head right on a football pitch he will be considered too big a risk to include in an England squad for a major tournament.

Of course should he become a top player like Wayne Rooney the red mist factor might become less of an issue.

[Durhamfootman]

Until Shelvey gets his head right on a football pitch he will be considered too big a risk to include in an England squad for a major tournament.

undoubtedly

[yuppie]

France score from a free kick that should not have been. Grizemann clearly dives before contact was made. Var would have overturned it. Interesting debate about that now.

[sussexpob]

Yep. World cup could be decided on essentially a dive