#62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by rare as rockinghorse shat »

James P wrote:I have no issue with our major threat coming from set pieces. No country seemed to have found a way to stop it and we scored a decent number of goals.
I do, as it's what saw us fall short.

The problem, this tournament, is that it's been our only real threat, not just our major threat.
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by Crouchend_Hammer »

I do as well tbf
I don't want us to be an international version of Bolton
The Nations League games vs Spain and Croatia in Sep-Nov will be a very good test of where we are
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by Hammer1972 »

Crouchend_Hammer wrote:I do as well tbf
I don't want us to be an international version of Bolton
Well if Sam was still in charge....
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by warp »

Hammer1972 wrote:Well if Sam was still in charge....
vrsaljko didn't see much of a difference...
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by Faithless »

There was a difference, Sam's side would've created more :lol:

This is a side in transition, robbed of any central midfielders apart from Henderson, once the Croatians sorted themselves out at halftime and realised that, they just pressed high and overran midfield.
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by e17 »

James P wrote:I have no issue with our major threat coming from set pieces. No country seemed to have found a way to stop it and we scored a decent number of goals.
Same. I couldn’t give a single solitary ****

We’ve played some breathtaking football at times and finished a tournament most expected we would struggle to win a game at in the final 4.

No one has a magic wand of 22 players or options that I’ve yet seen which would have improved on that

Alternative options like Rooney, or even Nobes, or a group of kids who have done better than the Beckham’s and Rio’s with all their ability EVER did,
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by e17 »

Crouchend_Hammer wrote:I do as well tbf
I don't want us to be an international version of Bolton
The Nations League games vs Spain and Croatia in Sep-Nov will be a very good test of where we are
Not even remotely like Bolton FFS

I wonder if some people were actually watching the same football, aside from the finishing which I do get.

If we were like anyone, it was old Arsenal rather than Bolton, full of some lovely fast ideas but no end product aside from set pieces.
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by sendô »

I've left it all day.

Before the game I fancied us to lose this and said we needed to stifle Modric and dominate midfield if we wanted to win. When we went ahead, and to be honest had the better of the first half, I started to believe.

Second half Croatia stepped it up and we had no answer. Southgate waited too long to make subs but made the wrong ones, Sterling coming off just gave them the confidence to press higher, when what we really needed was someone to add legs in midfield and probably Vardy on for Kane who looked knackered chasing shadows.

The manner of the exit is annoying after such a good World Cup - a second half and extra time in which we offered little, and two goals which in all honesty were as much down to our sloppy defending and tiredness as it was Croatian skill.

Still, we've scored 12 goals this tournament with another game to come - was it 2 we managed in 2014 with our record scorer Rooney up front?
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Paddy O'Hammer »

WCpete wrote:What was missing today was Paddy's insta-meme's. Where'd you go Paddy?
Got a few in at half time and as for the second half, it was getting understandably sensitive here so me self imposed built in girls blouse censor kicked in!

BTW there is absolutely no funny s*** out there when it comes to Croats!

However, we now know why Kane tried his best not to score..................

Image

Good luck on Saturday.........i'll be working!
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by Zman39 »

So would Kane's goal have stood when he hit the post? I know he was onside but the assistant raised his flag. I know they can overrule the other way but has been mentioned multiple times that the linesmen are to keep flag down in tight situations because cannot be overruled?
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Samba »

Paddy O'Hammer wrote:Got a few in at half time and as for the second half, it was getting understandably sensitive here so me self imposed built in girls blouse censor kicked in!
Actually, very well done Paddy. :thup:
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by Samba »

Zman39 wrote:So would Kane's goal have stood when he hit the post? I know he was onside but the assistant raised his flag. I know they can overrule the other way but has been mentioned multiple times that the linesmen are to keep flag down in tight situations because cannot be overruled?
It would have stood, mate.
The lino flagged for a goal kick when it spun up & went out of play.
The fact that it should have been a bloody corner...is now immaterial...
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Samba »

Paddy O'Hammer wrote:However, we now know why Kane tried his best not to score........
Put up to it by the Croatians, I wonder...
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by WorcesterWHU »

We were exceptionally close to not being mainly a set piece team.

Against Croatia - and in other games too - we just lacked the quality of the final ball when in good areas; and what often got us into those good areas was good football.

It was good to see a defined ethos trying to be implemented and I hope it continues; it's a work in progress and that goes for the manager too.
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by S-H »

I think the problem is playing Dele Alli, as good as he is, he's not right for the system, he plays more as a forward, when we need someone in there like a Harry Winks, a Wilshere, or Lallana, players who link the play with quick clever passing, but can carry the ball forward effectively as well.
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by e17 »

WorcesterWHU wrote:We were exceptionally close to not being mainly a set piece team.

Against Croatia - and in other games too - we just lacked the quality of the final ball when in good areas; and what often got us into those good areas was good football.

It was good to see a defined ethos trying to be implemented and I hope it continues; it's a work in progress and that goes for the manager too.
Probably the best and most concise summary of England in the WC for me

Sad it’ll be 8 years before the possibility of another summer like it
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by sendô »

somerset-hammer wrote:I think the problem is playing Dele Alli, as good as he is, he's not right for the system, he plays more as a forward, when we need someone in there like a Harry Winks, a Wilshere, or Lallana, players who link the play with quick clever passing, but can carry the ball forward effectively as well.
I think Alli was poor throughout. He wasn't as good last season for Spurs as the season before, and looked like he wasn't 100% fit throughout. Southgate is loyal to his players, but maybe he was a bit too loyal here.
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by bobcar »

Zman39 wrote:So would Kane's goal have stood when he hit the post? I know he was onside but the assistant raised his flag. I know they can overrule the other way but has been mentioned multiple times that the linesmen are to keep flag down in tight situations because cannot be overruled?
Samba wrote: It would have stood, mate.
The lino flagged for a goal kick when it spun up & went out of play.
The fact that it should have been a bloody corner...is now immaterial...
Even if it was for offside the goal would have stood. The assistants are delaying raising their flags when not sure so that play can go on. If he did raise his flag for offside it would have gone to VAR which would have shown that he was just onside. So is he had done what he usually does then England probably would have made the final, however nobody scores from every opportunity and he didn't score that one.
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by smuts »

sendô wrote: I think Alli was poor throughout. He wasn't as good last season for Spurs as the season before, and looked like he wasn't 100% fit throughout. Southgate is loyal to his players, but maybe he was a bit too loyal here.
Spurs fans said the same to me yesterday. He's been like that all season, not really offering anything and playing with an unfit almost disinterested air but pops up with a goal as soon as talk of dropping him comes up.
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Re: #62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by Morocco Mole »

WorcesterWHU wrote:We were exceptionally close to not being mainly a set piece team.

Against Croatia - and in other games too - we just lacked the quality of the final ball when in good areas; and what often got us into those good areas was good football.

It was good to see a defined ethos trying to be implemented and I hope it continues; it's a work in progress and that goes for the manager too.
In the end, the back 6 looked more comfortable and progressive on the ball than the front 4. We’ve made a huge leap forward in our ability to play the ball out from the back but strangely lack the same nous and composure at the sharp end. Ali and Lingard are too similar and Sterling for all his menace is toothless and panicky. Going forward one of Ali and Lingard needs to be replaced by either a fit and firing Wilshere or someone of his ilk (Grealish?) and hopefully Rashrord trains on at Man Utd and displaces Sterling.
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