One thing I'd like to see is media free camps and no pre- match interviews with players at tournaments. Just imparting doubts and fears of Joe Public. We don't matter. Heaps on pressure. The Germans and Italians don't do it. No access to the players until full-time after they've been showered.
We should be able to handle Hungary with our second team out. They didn't qualify for the World Cup. Styles turns out for them in midfield. FFS.
Been out for dinner with friends. Cracking Thai meal and too much wine. Didn't see a kick and not overly bothered, tbh. Were we robbed?
I was responding to your assertion that we were far too negative and that France won without getting out of second gear. We know France scored 2 and we only scored one and that’s all that matters in the end but to say we were by far second best just isn’t true
We played well and if we had Lady Luck on our side we might have won and can’t believe some people on here don’t give a toss about how England do .
Both teams played below their potential tonight, watching on my TV,possibly due to the importance of the game. At times it was a frustrating watch, neither team really pushing to win. I haven't seen the French press yet but they will be critical of the team for not imposing themselves, Mbappe didn't prove himself to be one of the world's best,not helping his team and not involved enough. Players that stood out for me were,Rabiot,Dembele,Giroud,Stones,Maguire and possibly Man of the match, Henderson. Who broke lines,pressed and covered the midfield and defence,trying hard to make things happen. France will be concerned (as would England),as to how to create chances against a organised and obdurate Marocco. I realise that my analysis will have disappointed Tythetical Masterstroke, who doesn't think I know anything about football and Tekky Tyke,who doesn't think people should have an opinion unless backed by facts. Which seems to be the opposite of what describes an opinion. It was just a football game,real life goes on.
Thank you for sharing FR, I'm not sure I'd agree with their scores but then again, lots of fellow BBSers have disagreed with my opinion on the game tonight.
What I really, really didn't get was our John Stones going down with 3 minutes of injury time left to play and staying down for 3 mins, killing the end of the game cause someone stood on his toe. I play rugby, I've broken both thumbs, most of my toes, my nose 5 times, strained ankle ligaments and separated shoulders. None of those injuries would cause me to stay down in a world cup quarter final with everything on the line... Utterly bizarre
You need to post a wedding photo. With thumbs up, and a nose like Mike Tindall's. (Steve Bruce will do) p.s. we played like Gareth decreed - they're a loyal bunch - we lost.
I saw the way it was heading when they scored their first goal after seconds before I had been be moaning out loud about a blatant foul on Saka being waived away after the lino a few feet away ign ored it, as did VAR as did the ref. Then the baltant foul on Kane which VAR dismissed... after that successive tackles/pushes on Saka ignored on at least three other occasions. Don't blame the French...once they knew they could get away with it, any team would use that to stifle a major threat (which Saka was throughout the match). In a game with such tight margins between two teams officials can influence results.
Sorry Tomi but he didn't take his time with the second penalty. He didn't give it and had to be corrected by var. He had a clear view from ten yards of one of the most blatant pens you'll ever see. He should have blown for an obvious foul on Saka but waved play on and the French went straight down the other end and scored. He booked Griezman at the third time of asking for stopping break aways and gave Saka no protection in the first half. I thought he was dreadful.