I don't know about you guys, but I'm enjoying the temporary change of supporting a team that is experiencing some success and can string more than five passes together.
If you have seen the junior tournaments then it's not temporary, it's just the beginning. Despite what Southgate said we lost our discipline and started panicking... we stopped playing the ball out from the back and instead started clearing out of defence and that put us under pressure for long spells toward the end of the match. I think if we make the final I would expect the pressure to perform and tension will be gone leaving our players free, focussed and energised so we won't make these kinds of mistakes and it will just come down to who has the better players. By contrast, whoever our opponents will be will have gone through at least three rounds of gruelling football and be expected to lift the trophy. So we must be favourites now to get to the final and if we do that then as long as Pickford, Stones, Walker, Maguire and Kane are on the pitch we have the potential to beat any side in a one off game.
The 'temporary' jibe was a reference towards going back to supporting Ipswich after the tournament has finished and club football resumes. But you're right, I think we do have a lot of potential at the national level, and our success across the youth levels is certainly not to be dismissed lightly. However, for those young players to progress, develop, and start winning trophies on an senior international stage, they are going to have to break into the starting elevens at the big clubs in this country (or abroad), and unfortunately that's not to be taken for granted in the contemporary landscape of the Premier League. As for our expectations, I thought before the tournament that a quarter final finish would be an achievement, considering our recent form at international tournaments. Now we've reached it, and we're up against Sweden rather than the likes of Germany, Brazil, or France (no disrespect intended, as you've got to be a decent team to make it this far), I think a semi-final finish is realistic. Regardless, this England side has given me a lot of excitement and entertainment (for positive reasons) in recent memory.
Got back from Russia Monday, absolute time. Was at England v Belgium, what a lovely set of people the Russians are. Don't let the BBC brainwash any of you, if you get the chance to go to Russia, go.
Have you got the little flags sticking out of the windows on your car,that's the sign of a real England fan!
Well isn't that refreshing,a team without any obvious primadonnas,lead by a genuinely likeable manager playing good possession football?Can it really be Engerlund?!
As an eternal cynic in football (the last decade and a bit of following Ipswich Town will do that to most of us), I cannot help but feel we'll come unstuck against Croatia. One advantage we do hold is that Croatia must be nearing exhaustion, both physically and mentally, having had to squeeze through on penalties for their last two matches. Both Denmark and Russia are hardly the most difficult of opponents (but then are Colombia and Sweden?), so I feel we've got a better chance than what we did have when the knock out stage was originally lined up and Croatia looked a far more threatening prospect on paper. I think we might sneak this one in 120 minutes by the one goal. I know football is an unpredictable game, as this tournament has handily proved, but I think whoever wins out of England and Croatia in this semi-final will be handily beaten in the final.
So many ifs and buts, but with our set pieces we could conceivably win the final on a set piece or two. England are better than Croatia. France and Belgium are better than England. For me it really depends which England turns up. Cagey, nervous England or confident, sharp England. If we start against Croatia, France or Belgium the way we did against Sweden we'll be 2-0 down before we get into the game.
I am proud of this England team, as they have come across as more likable, human, and hard-working compared to the last few tournament sides we've witnessed. Gareth Southgate is a breath of fresh air, a knowledgeable, well-mannered gaffer who has hopefully learned some valuable lessons from his experience at an international tournament. What a stroke of luck that Big Sam wasn't in the dug-out? On a wider basis, it was also nice to see the general public getting back on board with the national team too (although some people I've come across were getting too arrogant about our situation, in my opinion. Some people I know genuinely thought we'd walk that match against Croatia). Regardless of the relative lack of 'decent' opposition we've faced this World Cup, a semi-final finish is an amazing achievement considering our expectations going into this tournament and our lack of progression in knock out football over the past decade or so. Having said that, I think we were over-hyped by some quarters as soon as we qualified. We've been beaten by the only two good opponents we've faced this tournament (Belgium and Croatia) and squeezed through on penalties against a decent Colombia side missing their talisman. Croatia were the better footballing side last night. They pressed our defence, forced Pickford into making wild clearances, and generally took a stranglehold of our midfield that we were unable to break. I thought Henderson looked poor throughout large parts of that game, and I believe a more experienced manager would have either replaced him or shifted tactics so Henderson had somebody else supporting him in the middle. Kane struggled off scraps, but couldn't put away the two good chances he did have to score. I also think Sterling plays a bigger part than the casual fan appreciates. He is one of the few players in the team comfortable with the ball at his feet and distracts defenders, and as soon as he came off for Rashford, we barely created anything of note. Still, the best World Cup I can remember (both in terms of the general tournament and England's performance) and I'll be more inclined and committed to tuning into our qualification games for the EUROs. We've got a bright future, I just hope the quality we have coming through will be given the opportunity to develop and impress in the Premier League. Either that, or those players with potential show the commitment and desire to develop in countries like Spain, Italy, or Germany (like Jadon Sancho) because I think that's just as beneficial when it comes to the world stage.
