World Cup : Qatar Nov/Dec 2022.

[DB9]

With a different ref perhaps. It's fine margins indeed and a partisan ref just makes it impossible, especially when up against France.

Why, Was the ref French?

 

[Colesman Ballz]

Why, Was the ref French?

Brazilian, a shame their officials aren't up to the same standards as their players !

 

[Devon Red]

Gutted but I do believe this side will keep knocking on the door and hopefully eventually win something!

Was always going to be one of those games decided by moments and unfortunately we came out on the wrong side of it. I think overall we were the better side and without blaming the ref for the defeat, he was absolutely dreadful.

With so many of our players still so young we have a bright future. The question is, will Southgate be the manager at the next tournament? I'm starting to think maybe he's had enough.

 

[DB9]

Gutted but I do believe this side will keep knocking on the door and hopefully eventually win something!

Was always going to be one of those games decided by moments and unfortunately we came out on the wrong side of it. I think overall we were the better side and without blaming the ref for the defeat, he was absolutely dreadful.

With so many of our players still so young we have a bright future. The question is, will Southgate be the manager at the next tournament? I'm starting to think maybe he's had enough.

To me I'm not so sure, We had this very same conversation (In general) back in the early 2000's when the so called "Golden Generation" were quite young and were told the next tournament they will come good only to fail i think at the QF stages of WC's and Euro's during this period.

 

[Devon Red]

To me I'm not so sure, We had this very same conversation (In general) back in the early 2000's when the so called "Golden Generation" were quite young and were told the next tournament they will come good only to fail i think at the QF stages of WC's and Euro's during this period.

I definitely get that and in many ways I agree but I think the tide has turned with England. I feel like the country love their national side again and the players appear to be much more harmonious whereas by all accounts they didn't tend to get on very well in the golden generation era.

Southgate has done an amazing job to unite the country and to get players enjoying playing for England again.

 

[Grecian2K]

With a different ref perhaps. It's fine margins indeed and a partisan ref just makes it impossible, especially when up against France.

And to add insult to injury FIFA have rewarded the hopeless Sampaio with the World Cup Final.
France must be laughing their socks off at the prospect.
All they need is Brett Huxtable & David Rock running the line, with Neil Hair as fourth official and they'll have the whole Specsavers advertising team there.

 

[Devon Red]

And to add insult to injury FIFA have rewarded the hopeless Sampaio with the World Cup Final.
France must be laughing their socks off at the prospect.
All they need is Brett Huxtable & David Rock running the line, with Neil Hair as fourth official and they'll have the whole Specsavers advertising team there.

I don't care what anyone says, FIFA hate us and I have no doubt that is reflected in the officiating. #conspiracy

 

[DB9]

I definitely get that and in many ways I agree but I think the tide has turned with England. I feel like the country love their national side again and the players appear to be much more harmonious whereas by all accounts they didn't tend to get on very well in the golden generation era.

Southgate has done an amazing job to unite the country and to get players enjoying playing for England again.

I can agree that Southgate and his England teams have a more togetherness about them, So much better than past teams like when Beckham was captain and was reported to have stayed in seperate hotels from the other team members and the awful WAGS etc but on a footballing front we still seem to be unable to actually win something.

 

[Rosencrantz]

To me I'm not so sure, We had this very same conversation (In general) back in the early 2000's when the so called "Golden Generation" were quite young and were told the next tournament they will come good only to fail i think at the QF stages of WC's and Euro's during this period.

I think if that generation had a more flexible manager than they would have had a better chance. The whole culture of England and the FA's decisions was wrong back then. Whilst there will always be holes to pick in Southgate's selection and tactical decisions, the one thing he has done is to develop a culture within the England squad where they are all together, they don't wear the pressure so heavily and they are, for many, much easier to like and get behind.

I have seen comments (elsewhere) about Southgate being lucky with the talented young players coming through. They forget or more probably don't know that, along with Dan Ashworth, he was instrumental in the set up of SGP and the pathway for both young players and coaches. The young talent that has and is coming through, winning international tournaments at youth level is no fluke and Southgate has played an important part in that.

The jump from youth football to PL has been a problem in the past. But you can now see it getting better and young English players getting more chances and taking them. I can remember when picking a squad was difficult because of a lack of quality. Now it's the opposite. There have been good quality players left out. This time was a bit different than before. We had a side that could compete against the top nations. We just dipped out after playing well against France as opposed to not performing against Croatia and Italy previously. This side is a young one and can only get better.

 

[DB9]

I think if that generation had a more flexible manager than they would have had a better chance. The whole culture of England and the FA's decisions was wrong back then. Whilst there will always be holes to pick in Southgate's selection and tactical decisions, the one thing he has done is to develop a culture within the England squad where they are all together, they don't wear the pressure so heavily and they are, for many, much easier to like and get behind.

I have seen comments (elsewhere) about Southgate being lucky with the talented young players coming through. They forget or more probably don't know that, along with Dan Ashworth, he was instrumental in the set up of SGP and the pathway for both young players and coaches. The young talent that has and is coming through, winning international tournaments at youth level is no fluke and Southgate has played an important part in that.

The jump from youth football to PL has been a problem in the past. But you can now see it getting better and young English players getting more chances and taking them. I can remember when picking a squad was difficult because of a lack of quality. Now it's the opposite. There have been good quality players left out. This time was a bit different than before. We had a side that could compete against the top nations. We just dipped out after playing well against France as opposed to not performing against Croatia and Italy previously. This side is a young one and can only get better.

I've just seen too many false dawns over the years only to be disappointed, This WC I've taken very little interest in it and the England team as a whole, Just looking at the scores on my phone and maybe seeing highlights online but in general the England team is not as important to me as they once were.