FIFA World Cup 2022

[Gingerfinch]

I can see why they didn't overturn the Saka one, although it was a foul imo. The Kane one was a 100% foul, be it in or outside the box. The VAR officials buggered us there.

[Durhamfootman]

Feels to me as though the game hasn't really got going yet, despite the 1-0 scoreline. England have played okay, but they are a bit pedestrian the way they start their attacks. Deschamps has won the early tactical battle, for me, because I think England would prefer to be the team that sits back a bit and then breaks at speed, but France have parked their tanks on that lawn and forced England to make the running, which they are far too slow at. That being said, for all England look a little ponderous in the first two thirds, they look a threat in the final third. Kane is proving a real handful for the French back line, so I wouldn't be surprised if he scores tonight.

I confess I didn't think it was a penalty in real time (although I've seen plenty of those given.... Acuna for Argentina last night is an example), so I'm not surprised VAR decided the ref hadn't made a clear and obvious error. I have more sympathy with the shouts for the foul on Saka, but it was miles and several passes away from where the goal was scored, so again I'm not surprised it wasn't overturned.

England need to start these attacks with more intent, stop giving the French so much time to get into defensive positions. Maguire hasn't a clue who to pass to when he has the ball and that's because the French have time to mark everyone ahead of him, so he either slows it down even more with a short pass going nowhere, or he lumps it forward and the ball goes straight out of play. He's done that a couple of times already

[sussexpob]

Whatever happens, if we lose, I think today we've given a very good account if ourselves

[Gingerfinch]

Defence and midfield too seep for both goals. Never mind!

[Durhamfootman]

I should *modded* think so too

[Gingerfinch]

Christ!

[Durhamfootman]

ahhhhh

Harry Kane

he never does that

ever

[Gingerfinch]

Not our night. We deserved to lose against Croatia and Italy but not tonight.

[bigfluffylemon]

You can tell when people are going to miss penalties often I think. Something about the body language. Kane did not look confident.

[Gingerfinch]

You can tell when people are going to miss penalties often I think. Something about the body language. Kane did not look confident.

He did look very nervous, which is understandable.

[bigfluffylemon]

England have been the better side in the second half, and France have played dirty and got away with it.

I guess that's football sometimes. You need quality to win, but also some luck at this stage in a tournament when teams are closely matched.

France presumably favourites for the trophy, but Morocco and Croatia are proving very hard to defeat...

[bigfluffylemon]

Eight minutes added. Not quite over. We've seen later comebacks.

[Durhamfootman]

It was a damned shame about the Giroud goal because England were well on top and looking the most likely to score. How often that happens. Giroud even gave them a warning too, but they didn't heed it. Out on penalties without going to a penalty shoot out

[sussexpob]

Typical Gareth. France sit deep, we pump balls in, brings on three midgets and leaves his aerial threat on the bench

[Durhamfootman]

I picked France at the start of the tournament and I still think that. Best team in the world atm, imo, but England gave them a game tonight and a bit of a scare too. Good second half performance from England, just a shame they switched off for a moment.

England have lost 2-1, but Lloris was by far the busiest keeper tonight.

Sir Gareth didn't make his routine 60 min subs tonight.... it's almost as if he was thinking about the game situation instead of doing it by the numbers