2022 World Cup - Qatar

[Bada-Bing!]

No Eddie was better

Just didn't win an RWC like Clive.

 

[TW27BA]

Fair result. 2 excellent French goals from open play.
Very poor 2nd penalty from Kane. The press will crucify him tomorrow, as usual when we lose there will be a scapegoat.

A France v Croatia final would be a repeat of the last World cup final. Spooky.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Fair result. 2 excellent French goals from open play.
Very poor 2nd penalty from Kane. The press will crucify him tomorrow, as usual when we lose there will be a scapegoat.

A France v Croatia final would be a repeat of the last World cup final. Spooky.

Gut feeling is it will be Argentina v France final. It was the best game of the 2018 World Cup.

Edit: All the talk was of Mbappé. Apart from one run infield during the first goal and then when he burned Walker on the outside, he was kept quiet. At least no clear cut chances.

 

[McTallshort]

Just didn't win an RWC like Clive.

Didn't lose as much either

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

My Egyptian friend (or American of Egyptian descent to be more accurate) is going on about a 3 day/10,000 word essay in the group chat about how the media shouldn't be calling Morocco an African nation and that they are only the first Arab nation to make it to the semi-final.

Given that more than half the Moroccan side were born outside of Africa / the Mahgreb it's a bit of a moot point. The squad contains more Europeans than Africans. I hope they get pumped despite admiring their pluck and how they are well coached.

How many Morocco players were born in other countries? List of World Cup squad members born in Spain, France and Canada

Morocco's run to the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals has been one of the stories of the tournament with Walid Regragui harnessing an incredible team spirit within the Atlas Lions.

www.sportingnews.com

Getting 12 players born from Morocco into a WC semi is still an outstanding achievement though. I much preferred watching their side that pumped Scotland 3-0 at France '98, they were class.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I mean technically...

Not sure what I would have preferred though - Kane scoring that and then taking it into ET, which inevitably would have led to penalties and then losing that way? Still, both **** ways to go out. But at least Kane scoring that second one would have given the opportunity to find out. Even if it did end up the same.

 

[Yulia]

My advice to your friend is less essay writing and more riding birds.

Mentions of birds are literally in every thread on this forum.How many ornithologists here!

Decided not to watch this whole World cup and haven't watched any match so farand even have no desire to be honest

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

We win once in a generation and then harp on about it and don't rinse and repeat. It takes a special team to do that. Football, rugby, cricket, we just seem to not be able to take it to that next level consistently.

As a nation we thrive on past glories and delusions of grandeur, we fail when push comes to shove in all things.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I don't see that as England bottling it. France will probably go on to win it and it was a missed penalty at the end of today. France deserved to go through though. QTR final of a football WC is a decent achievement. A different draw and England probably would've gone further.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

1986 - lost to Maradona's hand of God and goal of the century.

1990 - out on pens to Germany

1994 - DNQ

1998 - out on pens to Argentina

2002 - lost to a Ronaldinho free kick that went over the head of Seaman. Did he mean it? Who cares; it went in.

2006 - out on pens again. This time to Portugal.

2010- lost 4-1 to Germany but still concentrate on the goal that wasn't allowed. Still well beaten.

2014 - out in the group stages. Finishing Bottom.

2018 - out in the semis after ET.

2022 - knocked out again, but at least in 90mins. But the story tomorrow will still be about Kane's missed pen.

Get used to England getting knocked out of the World Cup.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I don't see that as England bottling it. France will probably go on to win it and it was a missed penalty at the end of today. France deserved to go through though. QTR final of a football WC is a decent achievement. A different draw and England probably would've gone further.

if they just let the us win in the group stage England would be onto a semifinal right now.

I kid. We'd have drawn or lost to iran in that scenario.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

France were very worried about you lads.

They were a far better team on the night but England are being respected. Unfortunately, it'll come

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Hopefully Southgate stays. Much better football than the drivel Hodgeson and Capello produced.

I hope he brings through Tomori in place of Maguire at centre back. Phillips to come in for Henderson and shift Bellingham to right of midfield. Should be solid enough, but really still lacking that midfield controller in midfield. But England just don't produce that type of midfielder.

The inside forwards - Mount, Grealish, Foden, Saka and Rashford have a few more Euros and WCs in them.

Kane - despite his penalty miss tonight (even great player can miss crucial ones - Baggio, Van Basten, Messi, Beckham) I think can still play again for England as long as he can survive the crucifixion he'll get in the press. Will want to redeem himself for sure like Saka and Rashford did this WC at the Euros. Plus he's only 29 and I don't see there being another striker good enough yet to take his place.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I think Southgate might look at a club job. 3 World Cup cycles is a long time for a national coach and a change of pace would be good. He's still rather young so he could come back in 20 years or so. Maybe work on the day to day management skills at the club level where you play more often.

Kane maybe has 1 more euro. I don't see him lasting for another 4 years.

The squad is really good just need to find athletes at center back.

 

[Gavin]

*Jokes

But wonder if they'll go down the woke path

Edit....

It's happening already

 

[ncurd]

Saw most people blaming the ref. And whilst we certainly didn't get the rub of the green felt more like France were playing to him rather than him being poor.

 

[Reiser99]

Personally the ref was poor and inconsistent. You're right France seemed to play him better, especially in terms of what he would allow physically. Overall though it doesn't the change the fact that Kane missed a penalty and Maguire missed a header. If you take your chances it's irrelevant.

Anyway...come on Morocco. If not Croatia, if not France. Just not Argentina... (mainly as I don't want to hear about how it was destiny and Messi is the greatest ever and he gives orgasms to women just by kicking a ball etc...)

 

[ncurd]

Personally the ref was poor and inconsistent. You're right France seemed to play him better, especially in terms of what he would allow physically.

Seamed to me midfield he'd blow pretty much anything. But anything near or in the box he wasn't entertaining most things. Which is why you ended up with penalty probably not given by VAR due to being outside the box (stupid bloody rule) and another having to be overturned.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Saw most people blaming the ref. And whilst we certainly didn't get the rub of the green felt more like France were playing to him rather than him being poor.

Yeh, blaming the ref (he was poor) is just finding excuses really whenever England lose. Take him/her out of the equation or rise above it. 2003 RWC we were going absolutely mental because Watson kept penalising our superior scrum. But still that team rose above it to win. It takes a special team to keep their heads in that pressure.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

France overcame England because champion teams win the big moments | Jonathan Liew

England were brave and rose to the occasion but France had no need to – when they had five good minutes, they scored

www.theguardian.com

Sums it up for me.