*** The Official 2022 World Cup Thread ***

[KiwiScot 1,450]

2 things. Credit to the French defence who kept threats becoming chances and the ref who should have given England far more decisions.

[Aggy 755]

Maguire and Stones not quite good enough defensively at this level - their second goal is criminal defending. Can’t complain too much though with the result or performance really.

Southgate future an interesting one. Seems to do well by the younger lads, but also tends to be more cautious. When you look at the balance of the squad now, we’ve got a load of defenders who are probably going to be too old for the next World Cup (and aren’t that strong anyway), and we’ve got a load of young exciting attacking players. Is he the right man to build the squad around a young, exciting, attack?

 

 

[Yellow Fever 3,793]

Supporting the Canaries from the 60s I'm very used to thinking we were the better than over 90 minutes but it never quite happened or the more clinical team snatched it.

Such is football outside the top 6. 

[Barham Blitz 653]

14 minutes ago, Ken Hairy said:

I honestly would have also put someone else on the 2nd penalty, Lloris knows Kane too well, Kane overthought it.

Know what you mean.  But can you imagine the furore if that other player missed ...?

[canarydan23 4,060]

6 minutes ago, king canary said:

Saka was clearly limping and knackered.

Strange, some people who cover football for a living have said what a poor sub that was. Obviously king canary in his basement knows better 🤷‍♂️

[All the Germans 1,078]

21 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Kane bottling it in a major contest? Hmm, rather spursy that

I don't blame Kane. I don't think blazing it over is bottling it. Doing a Southgate in '96 is bottling it. Pretty much the only thing sensible Michael Owen has ever said is, don't "hit the target" go for the corners. From that distance, the keeper should have no chance. Any penalty that is saved is a terrible penalty, if you smash it for a corner and miss the goal, it's bad, but not as bad as letting the 'keeper save it.

(PS, I don't particularly rate Kane. He wouldn't be anywhere near the guaranteed starter for me).

[A Load of Squit 5,172]

2 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

More chance of Shamina Begum coming home but..... 

Wait a minute, maybe we can leave her in Qatar?

England have to leave Qatar as they don't like men who are out.

 

 

Yes, I stole this joke from G Norton.

[NFN FC 1,123]

Mount was the sub I question the most. Appalling decision when chasing a game 

[Ian 1,131]

Don't think Southgate is tactically good enough to win a tournament.

France were appalling defensively, obvious to target their RB yet we don't end up scoring a goal from open play.

Maddison taken and zero minutes, Grealish brought on on the 97th minute, and all sadly predictable as per the Euro finals.

France did not play well and ended up winning the match - shouldn't be happening in that way with the squad we have.

[canarydan23 4,060]

Just now, Ian said:

Don't think Southgate is tactically good enough to win a tournament.

France were appalling defensively, obvious to target their RB yet we don't end up scoring a goal from open play.

Maddison taken and zero minutes, Grealish brought on on the 97th minute, and all sadly predictable as per the Euro finals.

France did not play well and ended up winning the match - shouldn't be happening in that way with the squad we have.

And Stones and Maguire are not a CB pairing that can beat great teams. The second goal is evidence of that.

The sad thing is, we have a Serie A champion centre half who played regularly for AC Milan, but our idiotic manager didn't even pick him for the squad.

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

2 minutes ago, Aggy said:

Maguire and Stones not quite good enough defensively at this level - their second goal is criminal defending. Can’t complain too much though with the result or performance really.

Southgate future an interesting one. Seems to do well by the younger lads, but also tends to be more cautious. When you look at the balance of the squad now, we’ve got a load of defenders who are probably going to be too old for the next World Cup (and aren’t that strong anyway), and we’ve got a load of young exciting attacking players. Is he the right man to build the squad around a young, exciting, attack?

 

 

The bit in bold is why, IMO, Southgate has done pretty well with this crop of players. He's basically a very pacey centre-half or two short, but if you have a defence that's vulnerable at the top levels, you can't really attack so hard. Otherwise you get matches like that 5-3 win at home to Kosovo - looked sizzling going forwards in the first half, but even an average European country like Kosovo could counter at will, so world-class opposition would rip the defence apart.

What is clear is that those players love him and play for him. The England team as a camp seems much more content than in previous years, and he deserves some kudos for that. Not even the likes of Capello and Eriksson got an England team - and arguably better generations at that - playing with a similar purpose.

[Canary Jedi 579]

Disappointed but proud. Great performance, France a bit lucky to go through

[Mengo 824]

24 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

If you don't take your chances, you don't deserve to win. If you can't score a penalty to equalise, you deserve to lose. England were better between the boxes than France today, but the clinical finishing that characterised their performances against Iran, Wales, and Senegal left them today.

France were more effective where it mattered.

No doubt some will castigate Southgate when if anything, he's got more right than wrong today.

No doubt some will castigate Southgate when if anything, he's got more right than wrong today.

As you say you have to take your chances. France did , England did not. If you can't take your penalties then you are dead and buried. The two French goals from open play were top notch. 

 

[HazzaJet 254]

I feel really sorry for Kane - it’s never easy taking a second penalty in a game when you’ve converted the first

[Ken Hairy 3,773]

8 minutes ago, Barham Blitz said:

Know what you mean.  But can you imagine the furore if that other player missed ...?

Hindsight is wonderful hey? 

[mastoola 183]

5 minutes ago, NFN FC said:

Mount was the sub I question the most. Appalling decision when chasing a game 

But won the pen?

[It's Character Forming 1,161]

A very even game, it would have been interested to see how it would have gone with balanced referee decisions. I can’t remember us getting knocked out wher me the ref made the match turning calls, obv missing the he penalty is gutting but it happens to the best penalty takers sometimes.

 

I think France and England were comfortably the 2 best teams left in it, but I rather hope Morocco win it now.

[canarydan23 4,060]

3 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

The bit in bold is why, IMO, Southgate has done pretty well with this crop of players. He's basically a very pacey centre-half or two short, but if you have a defence that's vulnerable at the top levels, you can't really attack so hard. Otherwise you get matches like that 5-3 win at home to Kosovo - looked sizzling going forwards in the first half, but even an average European country like Kosovo could counter at will, so world-class opposition would rip the defence apart.

What is clear is that those players love him and play for him. The England team as a camp seems much more content than in previous years, and he deserves some kudos for that. Not even the likes of Capello and Eriksson got an England team - and arguably better generations at that - playing with a similar purpose.

We could have had a pacey CB who just won a Serie A winners medal. Our manager left him at home. In favour of Harry Maguire.

Harry Maguire.

[Ian 1,131]

1 minute ago, TheGunnShow said:

The bit in bold is why, IMO, Southgate has done pretty well with this crop of players. He's basically a very pacey centre-half or two short, but if you have a defence that's vulnerable at the top levels, you can't really attack so hard. Otherwise you get matches like that 5-3 win at home to Kosovo - looked sizzling going forwards in the first half, but even an average European country like Kosovo could counter at will, so world-class opposition would rip the defence apart.

What is clear is that those players love him and play for him. The England team as a camp seems much more content than in previous years, and he deserves some kudos for that. Not even the likes of Capello and Eriksson got an England team - and arguably better generations at that - playing with a similar purpose.

Did they have anywhere near the level of talent over the pitch that Southgate has? I am not convinced.

I am sure Morocco and Croatia have far better CBs than Gareth has available right?

Genuinely couldn't care less if the England camp is happy and contented if they aren't winning games. Has to be secondary - and if any player isn't desperate to go out and represent their country we have bigger problems.

[hogesar 9,690]

19 minutes ago, king canary said:

Its funny reading the opinions of people who cover football for a living and actually know their stuff agree that England were slightly the better team but didn't take their chances.

But no, CanaryDan in his basement knows better than them, Southgate is in fact useless and knows nothing.

Of course.

The thing is having not read any of this thread you could already predict what some would say. It's like they never actually watch the game but see the score and base analysis of the results page on BBC Sport.

We had more of the ball, created more opportunities but didn't take them. Be it quality, luck or opposition pressure or whatever, they are facts.

Had Southgate set us up overly defensive and we didn't look like we could create anything then there would be fair criticism. As a manager ultimately all you can aim for tactically is to create better chances than you concede. In between that there are so many factors outside of your control. 

We were unlucky tonight which actually makes it hurt a little more.

[daly 505]

41 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

Not sure why Grealish didn't come on before.

Couldn’t find his hairband

[Mello Yello 2,296]

7 minutes ago, Canary Jedi said:

Disappointed but proud. Great performance, France a bit lucky to go through

yep

[Aggy 755]

10 minutes ago, canarydan23 said:

And Stones and Maguire are not a CB pairing that can beat great teams. The second goal is evidence of that.

The sad thing is, we have a Serie A champion centre half who played regularly for AC Milan, but our idiotic manager didn't even pick him for the squad.

Yep good shout. Southgate’s gone with players he’s had before and trusted which is fair enough but moving forward, you’d like to think Tomori and Stones are the two to build the defence around.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Aggy

[hogesar 9,690]

8 minutes ago, Canary Jedi said:

Disappointed but proud. Great performance, France a bit lucky to go through

Good and accurate summary to be fair.

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

not really sure how anyone can blame Southgate for that, we were the better side for the majority of the game, had the better chances, missed a pen, could’ve had a lot more from the ref, things just didn’t go our way. No hard feelings from me, just a proper gutting result to take.

Must admit I wanted him gone based on our national league, but this tournament has turned it round again for me- id be happy with another international tournament with him for sure.

[Branston Pickle 3,661]

We were the better team, didn’t take our chances, so can count ourselves as unlucky.

But, for me, Southgate overall is not that good and if we want to take that step up we need better. There was too much dining out by some because we beat Senegal.  Today was ok selection wise, but the subs dull and predictable, the same old same old. Not great. And now we have 2nd tier Nations League to play - yippee.

[hogesar 9,690]

5 minutes ago, Ian said:

Did they have anywhere near the level of talent over the pitch that Southgate has? I am not convinced.

I am sure Morocco and Croatia have far better CBs than Gareth has available right?

Genuinely couldn't care less if the England camp is happy and contented if they aren't winning games. Has to be secondary - and if any player isn't desperate to go out and represent their country we have bigger problems.

Well at one point previous managers have had the likes of Seaman, Cole, Campbell, Ferdinand, Terry, Neville, Lampar, Gerrard, Owen and Rooney. How many of those get in ahead of our best 11? Four of the back five, a central player and an attacking player? So 6 out of 11 being Conservative?

[Capt. Pants 4,250]

Ultimately the game was won by a moment of quality from Griezman with that laser like cross.

Mbappe was fairly quiet by his standard. England played well 2nd half and at least deserved to be level at 90 mins.

Not sure I would have brought Sterling on who's had a torrid week. A missed opportunity there  but I think Southgate has played the tourno pretty well.

We all knew QFs would be as far as we get with France the likely opposition.

 

[Mengo 824]

33 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

Really hoping for a Croatia v Morocco final.

That would be good 👍 

[Surfer 1,547]

34 minutes ago, king canary said:

Oh no we didn't dominate a full 90 minutes against one of the best teams in the world?

Seriously the entitlement is off the scale.

I wasn't criticizing the fact we didn't dominate for a full 90 minutes. I criticized the fact that until France scored England refused to aggressively attack. And I'm sure Southgate would have had them play that way all game but fortunately France scored early and when England ware now forced to play the way they should have from the very beginning look what happened.

(And later they threw it all away, but that's life it happens)