Search results

I guess I'm saying that we've played one game in this tournament, which is way too early to be putting us above anyone really, and if we use history then we're miles away from your Hollands, Spains etc.

It doesn't matter though does it- come tournament time if Italy have a I think we need to win. If we really are taking ourselves seriously as a footballing nation (and we should), then none of this "getting to the semis would be an achievement" stuff any more, we should be aiming to win

England fans tend to obsess over Germany, but whenever we have played Italy we get taught a lesson really badly aside from that 0-0 in Rome. Whenever we've played them I've been way more nervous than v France/ Germany or anyone else really. I don't think we've ever beaten them or even drawn...

Italy have gone 28 games unbeaten, and Holland beat us pretty handily not so long ago. If we are in that group then we're in the relegation zone. The reality is that all these rankings are bullshit, its tournaments that matter, so in the next few weeks we'll all know exactly where we stand.

I'm not going to disagree but let me put it this way. England have done nothing since 1966- zilch, nothing. Not a single tournament victory, not even a final. No other serious European nation has a record as bad as us, we don't even have any serious rivalry thats reciprocated aside from...

If they want to do it then whats it got to do with you? Each to their own, or don't you agree?

Yes but this is the point- what have we done with these players? Until we start getting to at least semis on a regular basis, we have no right at all to be placing ourselves in the top tier of international sides, certainly not above Croatia. And I am an England fan, just being honest.

We need to be beating Switzerland or just pack the tournament in. Switzerland are known for gaming the FIFA rankings by being very selective on who they play & when, they are nowhere near as good as people think.

seems reasonable. We have a lot of very talented young players but I don't yet see a team, Croatia don't have that same depth of player but they are a team. Almost opposites in that way but about the same level I'd say.

Oh yeah, I agree- I just don't think that the manager delivering rousing teamtalks or Crazy Gang style team spirit makes anywhere near as much of a difference any more. With the resources these top teams (which are now essentially multibillion corporations) have available, its massivly unlikely...

The Austria manager looks like he's forgotten to put a shirt on and is trying to hold his jacket closed to hide the fact Yes they are, but I see his point- you can't quite work out how. They aren't fast, they aren't massive, they are a very measured side and I think that is deceptive- you...

TV blaming the keeper but that was the defence's fault, proper clownlike attempt at a clearance

Watching it with sound down & I spent 20 mins thinking Austria were in white & that Macedonia just scored Austria's strip shouldn't work, black & mint green.... but it does. Best strip in the tournament so far

I was thinking about this. I'm not sure confidence is such a factor any more. Yes- years gone by confidence and attitude were massive, but it was very much down to the individual and the hairdryer treatment. Nowadays though the players are swamped with sports psychologists, therapists, they...

he wasn’t rude in the slightest. Some people just don’t like Sterling, god knows why.

he was asked “have you justified your selection?” & Sterling didn’t take kindly to it. And who could blame him, what a stupid question.

i thought we won the first game in 2018?

I’ve got no idea what to learn from this game, not much really- but great to get a win.

the way to win this is the ‘old fashioned English’ way- direct, fast, intense, pressure. something looks wrong with Kane and Walker fills me with dread, looks like an accident waiting to happen

(touches wood) Mings looks very solid croatia own midfield, we didn’t know how to keep the early pressure up, which has more to do with their know-how than us. We look young, energetic but lack of killer touch & apart from the early fire we don’t know how to break them down. Neither side would...