Just wasn’t to be, can’t really explain it, all the players did really well, Sterling was missed when he was replaced by Rashford, the possibilities became more limited from that point forward, still a tremendous achievement to have gotten so far, we’ll done England
Hard to put feelings into words. Amazing how football can do things to you. Ultimately it really is just a game. It's people, wearing uniforms trying to kick a ball into a rectangle. So why the **** is it so beautifully capable of taking us through such a wide and palpable range of feelings? From relegation with QPR to league 1, to promotion at Wembley, from the unexpected and tangible prospect of a World Cup final to this, I think my most dejected football feeling ever. Proud, excited for the future, absolutely, but devastated that a group of such ability could have their magic moments at the crucial moment. Time to forget about football for a while and focus on the things, and people, that really matter.
4 weeks ago I’d have been happy with a quarter final place but this young team has filled me with pride and hope for the future so why does tonight hurt so much. Thank you Gareth and the whole team for making me care as much about my national team as I do about QPR. I’m English and proud
The curse of ITV strikes yet again. We played well first half and needed the second goal. Lingard should've secured it. Second half onwards we didn't create a chance. The front four were awful tonight, Alli, Lingard, Sterling and Kane just didn't turn up. We didn't control the game or manage it well enough. They should've learnt that by watching how France did it last night. Frustrating. Congratulations Croatia, you were the better side in the final 75 or so minutes and won the decider in who was going to come runner up to France. I'm still proud although disappointed with Southgate and the team tonight. I don't think we gave it our best shot.
Not sure about how much we had in the tank Ninesy. The way the team was set up was very reliant on Henderson holding it all together. He’s had an excellent tournament but looked knackered tonight, and it’s a massive ask to play above yourself for the whole tournament. In Pickford, Trippier, Stones (the potential new Bobby Moore), Maguire, Lingard and Kane we have the core of a very good team. Alli still needs to convince me that he’s capable of being consistently top class. Sterling drives me mad - he scares defences, never hides, makes space for others, but his brain seems detached from his body, and frequently his foot is detached from the ball, and his feet from the pitch, man he falls over a lot. So close to the real thing, yet a million miles from it at the same time. Rashford and Loftus Cheek have a lot of developing to do, but they seem to be on the right track. Dier was, I thought, a nailed on starter before the tournament, but he wasn’t up to doing Henderson’s role. Walker did his best in a position he clearly wasn’t comfortable with. Young tried his absolute hardest, but suffered in comparison to Trippier on the other side. Rose didn’t look match fit to me when he came on, usually because Young was exhausted. Jamie Vardy really doesn’t suit the shape and style of this England team, which isn’t his fault - though tonight’s first half tactic of the longer ball through to Sterling would have been good for him. I think we might hear that quite a few of this team were carrying injuries tonight. I’m seriously pissed off that we didn’t make it through, but good lord did we exceed my expectations, both in how far we got and how we played, and the character and discipline we showed. Looking back now France are clearly the strongest team in the competition, they’ve got to the final in a very efficient (almost German) way, haven’t turned on the style much but have never looked in trouble (Argentina’s 3 goals flattered them). I would imagine that they will eat what must be an exhausted and emotional Croatia.
Just to add to all the positives - by and large they all conducted themselves superbly sometimes in the face of provocation. Some of them lost it a bit in the final stages tonight but hey, if you can't rare up on someone when you're losing a world cup semi final when can you. But above all, I never once felt there was even one player who didn't wear the shirt with pride. Credit to all of them for that and also to Gareth Southgate. Maybe not the greatest coach yet but everything else was bang on the money.
please log in to view this image please log in to view this image EnglandVerified account@England 3h3 hours ago More Copy link to Tweet Embed Tweet To everyone who supported us. To everyone who believed this time was different. To everyone who wasn't afraid to dream. To everyone who knows this is only the beginning. Thank you. We hope we made you proud. #threelions please log in to view this image
We should've had more in the tank than what Croatia had Stan. They've just come through two back to back knock out games which went to extra time and then penalties while we cruised through with plenty left in the tank v Sweden. We bossed the first half and were unlucky not to go in at half time and two goals to the good. Second half they came out with a different game plan but kept the same side. They used the flanks to stretch us and pulled us from side to side and all over the pitch. Southgate should've reacted to this by making us more compact but the only change he made was after 74 minutes with Rashford for Sterling which was like for like and kept the same formation. This of course was too late as Croatia had already equalised on 68 minutes. The change should've been Dier for Sterling after 60 minutes. Henderson needed help in midfield and the ball was no longer going through to Kane or Sterling. I'll need to watch the game back( no chance of that I feel ) as watching it in the pub isn't the best way to analyse it but even in there it was quite apparent that something needed to change as we weren't coping. I reckon that Southgate was too slow to react in the second half to what was going on and when he did he got it wrong and then compounded this in extra time with the wrong subs. I feel a bit bad picking holes but to me they were glaringly obvious and this was a huge opportunity missed and I doubt we'll get another as good as this.
'Bunch of thugs' - Newshub's Lloyd Burr assaulted on live TV after England's loss Grant Chapman 1 hour ago please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Replay Video please log in to view this image Things turned nasty quickly for Newshub correspondent Lloyd Burr, as England's Football World Cup hopes ended with a 2-1 loss to Croatia in the semi-finals on Thursday. Assigned to cover the reaction at a London pub, Burr and his camera crew were a popular addition to the occasion, with England holding an early 1-0 lead. But that mood changed dramatically as the game progressed and the Croatians took control, equalising late in regulation and snatching an extra-time winner to advance to their first-ever World Cup final. With the final whistle imminent, Burr copped a beer in the face from a disgruntled patron, just as he crossed live to The AM Show. "It's gone from jubilation to frustration, then anticipation... now it has turned to anger," he said, wiping the beer from his face. "The English fans are very angry and the ref is just about to blow this final whistle - it is Croatia's game, I believe." The patron made another lunge at Burr, but was eventually restrained from any further intrusion. "Hey mate, be dignified," implored Burr. The AM Show host Duncan Garner was concerned for the safety of his colleague. "Can someone in England get around Lloyd and look after him," he said. "What a bunch of thugs." Garner's concern was well founded. Even before the game, UK authorities were braced for a backlash of violence - both at home and in the streets - if England lost. The National Centre for Domestic Violence launched a provocative campaign entitled 'If England gets beaten, so will she', with a poster depicting a woman's bleeding face. "Mediaworks treats any attack on our staff extremely seriously," said Newshub head of broadcast news Richard Sutherland. "Lloyd and camera operator Simon Morrow handled themselves with the utmost professionalism, and continued to broadcast during a very trying situation. "Everyone here is relieved that they are okay and it's a tribute to them that they carried on working as if nothing had happened. However it's unacceptable that reporting staff attempting to carry out their professional duties should be exposed to such thuggish behaviour. "Anyone who decides to engage in a criminal assault because they're upset about the result of a sporting fixture needs to take a long hard look at themselves and perhaps reconsider their life choices."
The Trippier injury was a major problem....looks as though Lingard and Young were also injured too... Kane was ineffective...had two good chances...but he just did not have it... No killer balls from midfielder's But Manzujavic was outstanding. He was experienced, knew what he was doing and was desperate to win. Young team, I hope they come again....but they won't get a better chance. Next time make sure 1 we are wearing red 2. It is not on ITV Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk
Done well to get this far but I don’t think we will have a better chance of winning it, disappointing 2nd half after game should’ve been over in 1st.
