Some very poor and average teams along the way but just weren't good enough when we came up against a decent side.
I think England have done great to get so far but will another tournament ever open up for them like this one has? Certainly a missed opportunity but just not good enough tonight.
It was poor that a team packed with thirty odd year olds, who have played more football than anyone this tournament, were full of energy compared to our lads around a decade younger. Rashford was absolutely awful when he came on.
We beat everybody that came our way and were within a gnats of winning tonight, and yet folk want to have a go? Unbelievable Jeff
Mentally they weren't ready and that had a physical effect on them, Neville just explained it brilliantly.
We didn't test their keeper in 120 minutes They're a country of 4 million for Christ sake We were bang average at best with a midfield that took mediocrity to new limits
This group of lads with guys like Foden and Sessegnon banging on the door, we should be even better in two and four years time with more games together, bringing more experience. Just tonight whilst they have gone as far as any of us expected and have without a doubt made us more proud of our national team than we've felt for many years, it still feels like a huge wasted opportunity. Especially when we were half a game from a final.
I don’t actually think they were a better side, I don’t think they did have more better players. I’m loathe to write this because England have done better than we thought they would and to reach a World Cup semi final is an achievement, but tonight they just seemed to be a bit lethargic and were out fought and out pressed, I’m surprised at that, I thought we would have matched them in that way. Disappointing because I reckon if we would just have matched their tempo we would have won.
I’m sick of hearing this, you beat who is in front of you. In 2002 Germany played Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Cameroon, Paraguay, USA, South Korea and Brazil in their tournament, nobody remembers and nobody cares. Croatia were better than us tonight after we missed a few chances to go 2-0 up. I think, with these young players, we should have a bright future for the next couple of tournaments.
Unfortunately none of this is new to me. I watched us win the World Cup in 1966 and then witnessed us punching below our weight ever since. I sincerely hope this is the start of a renaissance but wouldn't put much money on it.
We did very well all things considered, but what really hurts is we're unlikely to have a better chance to make a final in the near future. I thought I was done with the England team after watching overpaid ***** underperform for years and it was a breath of fresh air to have a young, hungry team within touching distance of the final. I truly believed we could do it and now I feel so flat. It's the hope that kills you.
So if their keeper watches it fly past him into the net, then that's not a test? How do you define a "test" for their keeper?
We were a joy to support this year. Loved it. But we weren’t good enough and Croatia deserved to win if we are being honest. Harsh that it came so late, but we are England, it just nestles nicely alongside the other near-misses and failures since ‘66. Been saying it since Lampard retired, but we need a top quality attacking midfielder in the side. The likes of Lingard and Alli look like decent players in short bursts but only Henderson shone in midfield. Was desperate for someone in midfield to grab a hold of affairs. Once Dier came on, that was us done. Superb though to be looking at the odd position and thinking we aren’t far off achieving summat. Great potential coming through behind this group too. Enjoyed it this year. Hope the Croats do it Sunday.
Nobody cares, but they took their easy route and won.... we didn’t. Everyone remembers they won, as we will be rembered for losing the easiest way to a World Cup final by any England team.
They didn’t win... I’ll admit, this was a great chance to get to the final/win the World Cup but in years time people will simply say “England got to the World Cup semis in 2018” doesn’t matter about the run.
Easy to beat Sweden? Give over, man. Their competitive record is superb. They’d just spanked a fancied Mexico. Croatia have a handful of world class players. I love watching England again, but Modric, Vrjisalko and Rakitic are better in their positions than anyone we have available to us. Kane is class but still learning. Also, very dependent on others. Mandzukic is more experienced and put his clearest chance away. Harry didn’t. Easy to dissect everything. But it’s football. Population, where players play, wages, prior results, it’s just noise. Croatia were better than we were for the most part of the match and that’s that. I know that’s a clinical assessment but it’s how I saw it. You have to separate the emotion. Wish fans would do that with the Reds too. Seems too many think we should just win because. Despite 131 years of losing more games than we win.