Official Match Thread England v France, Saturday 10 December, 7pm, ITV1

[Tangled up in Blue]

I'm trying to understand your anti England stance. Are you Scottish?

No our father was born in the East End ,our Mother in WOS.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Deschamps seems to be under a lot of pressure. Surely.. you’d think.. they’d have enough firepower to break Morocco down.

In answer to your question I'd've thought so .*** for DD.Saw France's previous game in Cebazaan .The French media,especially theit Telefoot programme was all over him and the team like a rash.It was just a love in.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

No our father was born in the East End ,our Mother in WOS.

WOS?

 

[Kris]

There's no question that England played well.just not well enough that's all.

We played well enough to win. It was just one of those games where things didn't go our way. France's first goal - as excellent as it was - wouldn't have happened if the ref had given us a free-kick when Saka was fouled. And then there was the much-mentioned missed pen, of course.

You'll perhaps remember that I was the only person to correctly predict on SZ that France would beat England.

That's because (with the honourable execption of 1966) England have always choked against the big teams in tournament football.

You weren’t. If you look at the Prediction League there were a few posters who predicted a France win, myself included.

The difference is I was gutted when it happened, you seem triumphant. A total lack of class. The saddest thing is that I predicted that too.

 

[HUMBLEPIE]

WOS?

Would assume Westcliff on Sea but I could be wrong.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Would assume Westcliff on Sea but I could be wrong.

Yes, I think you're right. I sometimes wonder if ol Tangled is on a wind up, or just enjoys a bit of controversary every now and again. Sticking up for paedo's with talent, and now this anti England stuff when he's English. It's all very strange.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

WOS?

Westcliff -on-Sea.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

We played well enough to win. It was just one of those games where things didn't go our way. France's first goal - as excellent as it was - wouldn't have happened if the ref had given us a free-kick when Saka was fouled. And then there was the much-mentioned missed pen, of course.

You weren’t. If you look at the Prediction League there were a few posters who predicted a France win, myself included.

The difference is I was gutted when it happened, you seem triumphant. A total lack of class. The saddest thing is that I predicted that too.

Meant to say on this thread.Never bother with the Prediction League.As for your "total lack of class remark" you might want to play the ball rather than the man.

 

[stewart]

FIFA the corrupt mongrels have a bit to answer for ,i truly believe they have set this tournament up for Messi. How on earth would you appoint an Argentine ref to begin with for the Morrocco Portugal game, Messi should have been red carded in the ARGIE game ,not even a yellow card and there was 16 yellow cards given out that match. Honestly some ( most ) of these referees are sub NLS standard .I just hope a few of the major footballing countries federations have got the BALLS to finally say to FIFA enough is enough and do a Brexit

 

[sufc4life21]

I think we can all agree England played well but we aren't clinical while on top in big games, we had the French on the ropes for the majority of the second half without landing that killer blow. Southgate wasn't proactive enough when it came to making subs earlier in the match which could of made the difference..... Rashford coming on with 10 mins to go was bit of travesty, the guy been on fire for England. Folden wasn't as effective against france as in previous games and should of been subbed off earlier to make way for Rashford. When you look at the sides left in the world cup it does feel like missed opportunity.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I think we can all agree England played well but we aren't clinical while on top in big games, we had the French on the ropes for the majority of the second half without landing that killer blow. Southgate wasn't proactive enough when it came to making subs earlier in the match which could of made the difference..... Rashford coming on with 10 mins to go was bit of travesty, the guy been on fire for England. Folden wasn't as effective against france as in previous games and should of been subbed off earlier to make way for Rashford. When you look at the sides left in the world cup it does feel like missed opportunity.

I agree with the Rashford thing. He hit top form, and was dropped. O.K., Foden was on fire as well, but not against the French. Rashford should have replaced Foden at about the 70th minute mark, when we had them on the ropes. Rashford had more chance of scoring than Foden.

 

[sufc4life21]

I agree with the Rashford thing. He hit top form, and was dropped. O.K., Foden was on fire as well, but not against the French. Rashford should have replaced Foden at about the 70th minute mark, when we had them on the ropes. Rashford had more chance of scoring than Foden.

From rashford perspective he must been thinking what more can I do. The fact Sterling came on before him despite being away for personal reasons must of been kick in the Teath for rashford. Southgate has a habit of waiting to long to make changes which is annoying for us England fans. 100% agree rashford should of been on sooner.

 

[kaymac]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing….but football will always be a game of maybe’s and what if’s which create so many different talking poInts.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

The game was on Sat.nite chaps & Chapesses.The England team are back in the UK now.Time to move on I think..First SF is tomorrow and there's even a chance I suppose that our game with Halifax might go ahead.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

Sadly it's the same story as the last two tournaments - we lost to the first top-quality opposition we came up against. England didn't play badly at all but France were more clinical and that was the difference. Yes the referee was awful but we did get two penalties so I don't think we can blame him (and the other one that wasn't given started outside the box). Very frustrating especially with the way the tournament had opened up for us. Feels like another missed opportunity, like the EURO final.

I am torn on Southgate's future. I think he's done a lot of good things as England manager when you look at the mess we were in when he took over and the players clearly like him. But is he capable of winning a major tournament? Again against France, his substitutions were very questionable. Why were Sterling and Mount the first subs when neither have done much in this tournament? Why didn't Rashford come on earlier as Foden wasn't having much impact? Why did Grealish only come on in the 98th minute? Why not chuck on Wilson or Maddison near the end as a bit of a wildcard?

Six years is a long time in management and maybe it's time for someone new to come in and take this brilliant generation of players forward. My main concern if he does go is who would replace him? There's a lack of English managers at the highest level, and I'm of the view that the national team manager should be from the country.

 

[The Big Dady]

I think Phil Brown is still looking for a top flight job and may be available.

Just be careful what you wish for.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

oh no - another thought on it all

englandtilidie

Come On England ...

englandtilidie.co.uk

 

[RHB]

And we are done. Thanks all.