England Have Flown 1,544 Miles From The UK To Russia To More Than Likely Play A Team 27 Miles Across The English Channel In The World Cup Final
(07-07-2018 21:57 )milfspotter Wrote: [ -> ] (07-07-2018 21:40 )southsidestu Wrote: [ -> ]England have to be favourites to beat either team, the only thing that could concern them is if Croatia get through and play like they did against Argentina but that has been lacking since then
It looks like England's biggest threat in the semi's will be themselves and whether or not they choke
Think you're right. Croatia left their best form with the Argentina match and they haven't looked the same side since (or was it just that Argentina were dreadful?)
Feel gutted for Russia though.
Russia didn't play attractive football but seeing them give their fans such elation by going further in their won tournament than the thought was a joy to watch and their story will be one of the highlights of this world cup
After listening to the guys at the end of the Croatia match they did raise a good point in that Croatia have had two difficult matches against two teams that play solid defensive football giving the midfield little room to operate. The question facing Gareth Southgate is stick or twist? Do they play to counter Croatia's midfield and go defensive and look to beat them on the counter ask Denmark and Russia how that went? Or do they stick to the formula that has brought them this far, play Dele Ali and Lingaard in the midfield and leave Henderson to face Modric and Rakitic on his own, ask Argentina how that went?
(07-07-2018 21:02 )milfspotter Wrote: [ -> ]the best thing about this World Cup has been my reaquaintance with Baddiel and Skinner's "Three Lions". I love the intro with the soundbites from Alan Hansen, Jimmy Hill and (I think) Trevor Brooking.
Yes it's Trevor Brooking.
well done mate.
If this team does reach the Final, then Italia 90 will eclipsed. This squad as far as I'm concerned has been the most focused and more together than they probably were for Italia 90 squad. I would have loved it to have been Russia in the semi in Moscow, and wipe that smile of Putin's face.
Croatia probably are a team to write off at your peril to be honest. They took the game to Russia, but I would think more Russians would support them rather than us, and I think they would give us way more problems than Russia would have done. So the lads now have to be more focused than ever mentally and more focused physically too. I agree Croatia didn't play as well last night as they did against Argentina but did they certainly did dig deep before Russia equalised, but their goalkeeper despite being injured was remarkable in the shootout I think they are a side that probably does recover well after a game liker but let's hope it took a little more out of them than we think. Both know that whatever happens it's either France or Belgium in the Fina and how much I'd love it to be the Belgians waiting for us there.
I know this will look controversial but I think Pickford I would save him for the Final and play Butland Wednesday night
I also love the confidence of "saving Pickford for the final", as if winning the semi-final is a foregone conclusion.
I think the lads have done fantastically well to get this far, but they've done it by taking it one game at a time and not crumbling under the weight of expectation. Southgate, in particular, deserves a lot of credit for the way that he's managed the media and the 'mood' about and around the team.
I hope that they stick to that plan and that the papers and the media keep the hysteria on a low boil.
Every game is a final now.
I know this will look controversial but I think Pickford I would save him for the Final and play Butland Wednesday night
i knew that wouldn't sit well with some of you
Croatia winning the penalty shoot-out against Russia in the last of the quarter-finals makes them only the second country to win penalty shoot-outs in consecutive matches in a World Cup. The other country to do it was Argentina in 1990, when they won shoot-outs against Yugoslavia and Italy.
What happens to Thierry Henry if Belguim beat France... they'll be bringing back the guillotine
