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

[davewebbsbrain]

Thought Saka looked the overrated player he often is (in an Englaland shirt).Personally wasn't suprised when he was subbed.

Conclusive proof that your know absolutely nothing about football.
He was targeted by the French players constantly because he was the player doing the damage

 

[RHB]

I suppose the burning issue on the French fouls is, can they afford to give away three more penalties (the 3rd being the Kane one that wasn't given) in the semi finals. If they carry on that level of fouling in the 18 yard box, then they deserve to be eliminated. Obviously I'm not at all biased on this.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Does that mean you are pleased England lost?

No but I'm pleased that the better team won."The truth is that England were beaten here by the better team, which is not to say that France played better on the night."

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

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Conclusive proof that your know absolutely nothing about football.
He was targeted by the French players constantly because he was the player doing the damage

I would say it was because he wasn't able to protect himself in the way that other England players were.Why otherwise do you think GS took him off?

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

No but I'm pleased that the better team won."The truth is that England were beaten here by the better team, which is not to say that France played better on the night."

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

Isn’t being pleased the ‘better team’ won just the same as being pleased England lost?

On the night, France probably had the first half, England the second but they were clinical, we weren’t. It was an even match, if Kane had levelled it, it wouldn’t have been unjust. A ‘better team’ on paper means nothing in the grand scheme of things anyway - ask Brazil, Portugal etc.
This is tournament football.

I’m sure if you asked Deschamps or the French defenders about Saka they’d not agree with your assessment..he was our main threat. French people I know have been respectful and said England played well, not sure why you can’t do so .. and just leave it there. You’re poking the bear and you know it.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Isn’t being pleased the ‘better team’ won just the same as being pleased England lost?

On the night, France probably had the first half, England the second but they were clinical, we weren’t. It was an even match, if Kane had levelled it, it wouldn’t have been unjust. A ‘better team’ on paper means nothing in the grand scheme of things anyway - ask Brazil, Portugal etc.
This is tournament football.

I’m sure if you asked Deschamps or the French defenders about Saka they’d not agree with your assessment..he was our main threat. French people I know have been respectful and said England played well, not sure why you can’t do so .. and just leave it there. You’re poking the bear and you know it.

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

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I would say it was because he wasn't able to protect himself in the way that other England players were.Why otherwise do you think GS took him off?

You say he wasn't able to protect himself, I say smartly won free kicks in dangerous positions and won a penalty
He had run himself ragged. Replaced by Sterling who offered nothing.

You are looking at it all wrong but then again you always do

#Barnagetsitwrong

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

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

C’est la vie. The second Kane pen goes in, or the Maguire header, or the Rashford free kick..anything could’ve happened from there. Thanks for at least acknowledging England played well.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

You say he wasn't able to protect himself, I say smartly won free kicks in dangerous positions and won a penalty
1.He had run himself ragged. Replaced by Sterling who offered nothing.

2.You are looking at it all wrong but then again you always do

#Barnagetsitwrong

1.I agree that Sterling offered nothing.

2.The English used to have a reputation for being good losers.Haven't seen much evidence of that on this particular thread.Something you might want to think about.

 

[southendkid]

1.I agree that Sterling offered nothing.

2.The English used to have a reputation for being good losers.Haven't seen much evidence of that on this particular thread.Something you might want to think about.

Being a good loser and being defensive when someone comes in to gloat are extremely different things.

 

[blues exile]

France simply handled the big moments better, something that champions do. Should Maguire have done better to anticipate Giroud's movement for their second goal , especially as Giroud had almost scored minutes earlier?

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

1.I agree that Sterling offered nothing.

2.The English used to have a reputation for being good losers.Haven't seen much evidence of that on this particular thread.Something you might want to think about.

Jesus TUIB you don't talk some utter BS. Life's far too short to have futile arguments with you. What's it like being always right. Last night showed the fine margins at this level between winning and losing. It's not hard to say England were unlucky didn't have the rub of the green and good luck to France in the semi final.

 

[Grayson]

No but I'm pleased that the better team won."The truth is that England were beaten here by the better team, which is not to say that France played better on the night."

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

You often seem pleased when Southend lose too when surely you are not. Why do you feel the need to be so contrarian on SZ?

 

[kaymac]

1.I agree that Sterling offered nothing.

2.The English used to have a reputation for being good losers.Haven't seen much evidence of that on this particular thread.Something you might want to think about.

So what's your take on Mbappe's non-performance?

 

[blueblueblue]

Do you genuinely think that France were the better team tonight?

I didn't watch it. I haven't watched one game. Tangles said he thought France would win and he got it right. I know he's very anti British, I've even called him out on that, but he was right with his prediction.

I'm struggling to understand why he's getting grief over it.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

So what's your take on Mbappe's non-performance?

That France still managed to win without him playing (or being allowed to play) particularly well.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

You often seem pleased when Southend lose too when surely you are not. Why do you feel the need to be so contrarian on SZ?

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.

 

[Holy Joe]

Thought Saka was partly to blame for the 2nd French goal - his tracking back and effort at making a tackle were woeful. Looked like Pickford was shouting at him (or in the general direction of where Saka was) immediately after conceding

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Jesus TUIB you don't talk some utter BS. Life's far too short to have futile arguments with you. What's it like being always right. Last night showed the fine margins at this level between winning and losing. It's not hard to say England were unlucky didn't have the rub of the green and good luck to France in the semi final.

While I would agree about the fine margins between wining and losing I suggest you see my previous post for a better explanation of why we lost last night.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Being a good loser and being defensive when someone comes in to gloat are extremely different things.

So's scadenfreude.