Poor World Cup game

Well there you go, perhaps we should have played Germany today, or Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Uruguay, Italy, Holland, but we didn’t, the way the draw works meant we played Sweden. We dominated the match and beat them easily to reach the World Cup semi-final. At least that means we have another match on Wednesday, perhaps we’ll lose and you can cheer up a bit and say “Told you so”.

 

I’ll take no pleasure in England getting beat and I don’t know what will happen . Everyone seems to be getting carried away with all the “ it’s coming home” ***** I’m just being pragmatic and I think if we want to progress we’re going to have to up our game . Let’s be honest we’ve had a cracking draw so far .

 

Trust me I’m no happy clapper, but I have been to every qualification match at Wembley, and I shot down all those who were saying we were lucky to qualify (because of the draw - sound familiar?), likewise all the ones who said we wouldn’t get past the group stages. We lost to Belgium in the group stages but THIS team wasn’t playing, I’m sure the team that was playing didn’t want to lose but if winning that match had been a priority then that team would not have played. Had we played our strongest team and won, which I’m sure we would have done, Southgate would have been accused of naivety. We can only play the team opposite on the pitch on the day, today we did that and won at a canter making a team like Sweden look very ordinary. What happens on Wednesday is another thing completely, if we lose I’ll celebrate the best we have done in an international competition since 1990, if we win I’ll celebrate the fact that we’ve reached our first World Cup final since the very first match I watched on tv in 1966 as a 3 year old, not that I can remember it, but I’ll celebrate, football is something I watch for pleasure and I’m grown up enoug to know that not only is losing not the end of the world but also winning is winning. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

 

Can’t argue with much of that tbh . Look forward to Wednesday and hopefully another game next Sunday ( not the third place play off)

 

Well we,ll find out won,t we Robert and if we beat them it will make you look a right tit.

 

We have had an easy passage through and played crap teams standard is poor major lack of quality, only decent team we’ve played is Belgium

 

It’s there for all to see

 

Wouldn't worry about it too much, Germany got to the final in 2002, having played Paraguay, South Korea and USA...it is what it is.

 

But Sweden have knocked out Italy, Holland, Germany & Switzerland so surely that makes them a good team? And that’s what they are, a good team, not individuals.

It’s hard to play a good team if Sweden are knocking them all out

 

Weakened teams v Belgium, you can only beat what's in front of you and as for fans enjoying the ride its natural after all the let downs over the years. Dread to think what yer like if owt bad happens in yer life!

 

A lot of England fans really seem to have that Wednesday-esque attitude. It's like they believe that England has some god given right to win every game of football. It's a bit contradictory that at the same time the fans think that their team is truly terrible, yet they should beat any other team by at least three goals. Anything less is a failure.

 

Good point, from what I’ve read on here Sterling’s ****, Alli’s ****, Henderson’s ****, Young’s ****, Lingard’s **** yet we should be putting 6 past Sweden, it doesn’t make sense

 

Wasn't poor for us. Won comfortably by a couple of goals, a clean sheet and the result never in doubt. Not bad at all to say we were in the toughest world cup if you want to judge it on current form of countries, with both that got through getting through to the last four.

The great thing is this side is still so young and inexperienced. The vast bulk of these lads should still be together and doing much better nearer their prime in four years time.

 

I think the wages in the Premier League distort many people's perception of the player's capabilities and I guess it's a separate discussion that one. But as good as some of the past players have been individually, the team as never benefited from them collectively.

One of the things that inflated wages in the PL did, I feel, was to bring about this mentality in players that they could "retire" from international football as a convenience. I still find that a really disrespectful approach to supporters.

This squad might just do something to bring back the pride, honour and glory that playing for your country should bring and inspire another generation. If this team can see this through, it'll be a really bloody nose to some of those good individual players who've worn the England shirt in the last 20 years without the pride and honour being their priority. If I were lucky enough to be a player, I cannot think of anything better than being a World Cup winner and to actively discard a chance of it seems like madness.

 

It’s not often (in fact very infrequent) that we get opportunity to enjoy a World Cup as much as this one.

Who cares if we haven’t played a ‘good team’ or the performances from some players haven’t been perfect? We’re winning and we’re in the semi finals.

It’s coming home.

 

You can argue we ve had a pretty easy route to the semi s ,( personally I think Columbia Sweden were tough tough games ) but the last WC we drew Italy / Uruguay in the group's and went home early . I don't remember other countries offering us a boatload of sympathy . It's about taking the opportunity when it comes along .

 

At the start of the tournament most commentators were saying that getting to the quarter finals would be a massive achievement by such a young team. Well we have way over achieved and got to the semifinals- rejoice.

 

Yep . If you think England are crap don't bother watching the semi final . Simples .

 

I think England have been great. I think the world cup as a whole has been fantastic and as much as I deplore the record of Russia on human rights, I believe engaging with nations and bringing people together is the best way forward. People have been to Russia and seen that they're not the enemy, they're just people, the same as the rest of us. Russians have seen and welcomed people from all over the globe. There's going to be a much greater understanding of one another and much more political pressure for countries to work together, not cause conflict.

England have an articulate and extremely likeable manger, we have a young team that works hard, capable of good football and solid defending, the sun hasn't stopped shining, there's smiling faces everywhere, it's a good time to be alive. Hope we can do it.