Football

I got told off for shouting as it was stopping Edie from going to sleep.

Sense of relief that it's over. Not sure I could take a final against France. They've looked pretty good. Expecting them to give Croatia a thumping, but then again, this world cup.

Quite

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Just finished watching the first semi... Gonna go back to my original Kakkers opinion, he really showed nothing, back to being the flat track bully he always has been... KDB did fuck all and Eden had flashes but went long stretches uninvolved... Chadhli and Verthongen were their best players for me, Meertens was good when he came on too... France were very worthy winners...

he got liverpool to the champions league final and crotia to the world cup final

dejan has definately had some vvd magic rub off on him

England didn't have a world class striker used to taking one on ones when it mattered. Croatia did.

I turned off after twenty minutes, couldn't bear to watch... Stage 5 of the TdF highlights are a lot more appealing...

When is the third place game?

3pm Saturday.

I got pissed though....I'm cleaning tomato sauce off my sky remote and picking it off my dog, as I try to think about brushing my teeth.......

Back to the reality of being English. Blurgghh

that was fun while it lasted.

This tournament is the first time in years I've actually watch the England team play for more then 20 minutes, which I was surprised about. The team on the whole have been good value, just lacking that creative midfielder.

Not sure what happened during half-time but the team came out and looked fuk from the off in that second half. Fair play to Croatia they kept trying and got their rewards, amazing energy levels given they played 2 games prior which all went to extra time. I do have a soft spot for them since the 1996 Euros and will be hoping they go on to beat France.

Thought Keane and Wrighty were going to come to blows last night, when Keane was banging on about how we all thought we would get to the final.

Back to reality.

Chelsea fans, what are your thoughts on Mason Mount? Seems to be highly rated and had a great season in the Eredivisie. Rumours are that he's going to come to Derby on loan.

Keane's points were valid (is this a trope yet, Damo thinks Keane is the voice in the madness?). We had a chance, we won't get another one like it for some time, we should have taken it. We need to look at why we got there and why we didn't go further.
We shouldn't have been thinking about the final until we were there.
Gary Neville was saying the same in a more moderate fashion.

But then, they've been there and won everything they've been able to (national teams excluded).

It was a nice thing to happen in the summer when it could have been awful. Hands up, seriously, who thought they could get there before the game?

And during the game?

Me, not because of English arrogance but because Croatia have played 2 games at full distance plus pens. Not me, not because I'm some fucking amazing hipster football oracle. But because after Kane missed (the same chance twice) and Stirling failed to calm his anxiety and make the right choices and for all lindgards tidiness, Croatia looked like what they are. A team of solid 7s mixed with players who can hit 8,often after extreme periods of being a 6.
England don't have that. Yet. We're another forward off. Any team that replaces Henderson with Dier is up against it. Ashley young will go, and that's fine, he's done a good job. Rose will come in. The back three are good/will get better.

Lindgard, Rashford, Stirling, Alli, and Kane need to be consistently good and deliver on their potential. Though I'm not sure who will push them.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlH2ngPlYHp/

Back to reality.

http://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/12691/11426755/middlesbrough-boss-tony-pulis-wants-to-bring-james-morrison-back-to-the-club

expectations reset.

I would welcome him back tho.

Lots of rumours that you're after Sam Vokes from Burnley.

Pulis in full swing

I’m still a fan of dier, just think that solo midfield spot is tough, you have to be both defensive, closing down, harrying, breaking up attacks, as well as linking back to front, prompting attacks.
We don’t have a midfielder who is capable of that, think busquets or kante, or some combination of the two.
Apart from wilshire who else is going to fill that role? Shelvey? winks? I’m drawing a blank.

Not sure we’re going to get another chance as good as the one we just relinquished. Will be interesting to see what progress we make at the euros, and whether the national fervour reignites...

the euros

Semis and Final are at Wembley, so it's coming home then...

Could get crazy, if we get to that stage!

Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Shelvey, Henderson, Rose/Sessegnon; Lingard/Alli, Kane, Sterling

shrug emoji

Who knows who'll come through in the next couple of years? There's plenty of talent in the academies, depends on whether they get the opportunities or whether they go and play abroad like Sancho/Lookman have done. None of us have a crystal ball, but it's definitely looking more positive today than it did the day after the Iceland game in 2016...

This thread has been overrun by a bunch of overexcited schoolboys... 😴

Roll on August...

Agreed there’s plenty of talent in the pipeline, and it’s also encouraging that some of that talent is looking for playing time rather than sitting in development squads. We currently have a surfeit of defenders and tricky attacking wings, only shortage we have is of strikers and progressive centre midfielders. @villa-ru could Grealish be the answer? @Manc_Ronnie is foden the answer? Would they be able to hold the centre and link play more effectively than what we have at the moment? Or am I putting round peg into square hole?

Disappointed in the manner of the exit in a game we could have won, but strangely relaxed about the future. Players are young, most are starters for their teams, and they can only get better (hopefully) but you still look at France and Belgium and to a certain extent Germany and think front to back in their 23 they have more talent than us, which tempers my optimism somewhat.