‘A magnificent England campaign, thwarted by the experience of Croatia’

Oli Fisher

England fans reflect on yet another World Cup semi-final heartbreak in Your Says of the Day.

Got something to get off your chest? Join the debate here.

 

One step too far

Tough luck but to be honest both teams tonight have overachieved and France must be overwhelming favourites. Good luck to Croatia though, it will be another fairy tale should they somehow manage it.

Blueowner

Well done to Croatia, fully deserving of the win, they will give France a better fight than England would have.

Southgate has performed a miracle with this team, which would have been one of the poorest bunch of players ever to go to a an England world cup. Some of that credit must go to a dream of a draw, but all the same he has done well.

England were exposed by our weakness that everyone highlighted before tournament began: our midfield. The first real top quality opposition we faced all tournament and we were thoroughly outplayed in midfield.

If I have one criticism of Southgate it is his use of Sterling and Vardy. The number of great long balls we have played early on in our games in this cup would have been bread and butter for Vardy, instead we have Sterling who can’t finish or cross on the end of them. He decides to bring on Vardy only once defences sit back on us.

Foxyfoxes

Kane looked world class against the likes of Tunisia & Panama, but 2nd class against the rest

mufc

Pickford should be keeper of the tournament, saved England’s bacon a few times. Hard luck to England but experience won over youth. Alan Hansen was right this time. France have to be favourites now

killyboye

So, so disappointed. I thought we might have won it but we knew Croatia would be tough to beat and so it proved. Too many missed chances in the first half. I thought that when we came out for the second half we looked really tired. When they scored the equaliser only 1 team was going to win it. That said I’m really proud to be an England fan tonight, to have ended up being 1 game away from a WC final is incredible. Ok so we have been a bit fortunate that we didn’t play and of the so called big clubs, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, not our fault they weren’t good enough to get through. Like blueowner says we probably over achieved but you can only play the team in front of you. I thought Sterling probably had his best game of the WC tonight. Hopefully this squad can stay together and improve as they get older.

DevonHammer

Thought Southgate was to negative 2nd half. Wing backs pushed back to make a back 5 instead of pushing on. Go kill the game. England were well on top. I just don’t get negative tactics when only a goal up

England were excellent in 1st half. Good exciting football why change it?

Huge missed opportunity in my eyes. England did really well overall. Two basic mistakes for the goals but semi finals was massive. Huge progress.

Maguire and Pickford their best players. Southgate hugely likeable bloke and he has exceeded expectations

Sean the sailor

We got a jammy draw and as soon as we came up against anyone decent we looked just the same as before, not good enough. The very idea that Southgate is a great manager is a joke, he did well but so would any half decent manager, even Moyes, Fat Sam Or Brendan Rogers would have reached the semi’s with that draw! Also Southgate made no changes when Croatia started to dominate and waited until after the equaliser 40 minutes or so later to do something. We would have been thrashed by France who will win easy in the first half in the final. Southgate must be wondering what might have been had Sterling been able to finish a Cheese sandwich.

timetogobr

The side over achieved. They should have won this semi by half time. Inexperience at the end cost us. Also the lack of a world class midfielder who can pull the strings. Modric was sublime in the second half. As was Perisic. Anyway they’re young and they will improve. Thought Southgate conducted himself brilliantly throughout the tournament and any criticism of him would be ridiculous.

stuilse

Mixed feelings. A magnificent England campaign by Southgate and his team has been thwarted by the experience and quality of Croatia – especially with the control of the possession that Rakitic and Modric brought along with the incision of Perisic.

I say it’s a great day out by England. We did as best as we can with the quality we have. Well done to Southgate and the troops.

hatters

Looks like football’s not coming home. But fair play to the English, they punched above their weight in this tournament but finally lost to a better side.

Can’t say anything negative about Southgate, England should do everything to keep him, but I don’t think Kyle Walker can play in this position. He’s got the technical ability, the pace and the athleticism but lacks a football brain.
Ashley Young probably just didn’t have the legs to play as a wing back for a whole tournament like this. His set pieces were usually top notch, however.
England’s biggest problems are in the middle of the park. Jordan Henderson, for all his desire and effort, simply isn’t good enough at this level. This match was lost in midfield were Modric, Rakitic and Brozovic dominated.

adriansmooth

I always felt England were overcriticised,but this team what we saw at the World cup has by far had the most overrated Tournament ever.I actually like Southgate who I thought was a breath of fresh air to this team with different ideas,but nonetheless if England won the World cup we’d be the most luckiest to team to ever win it.I know it’s the World cup and no one would care,but still just putting out facts.

Analyse,just Analyse.England started off in a group with a team in belgium who are better but both Tunisia and panama who’ve had the least possible experience at major tournaments(panama’s first ever?),you were always expecting England to make it out of the group.Still,in order to do so,We scraped past tunisia,comfortably beat Panama,but lost against the only team ranked above us in Belgium.Then in the round of 16,we took it to Penalties where anything could’ve happened,against Sweden we won but had 2 shots on target in the whole game(although the win was deserved),and now against Croatia(who are underrated,but we were still favourites),we lost.There was nothing to Suggest deserved to win this Tournament,and had we done it we all would’ve been celebrating but it would just be another Example of how biased these knocout competetions are and just about anyone can win it and by no means does the best team always win it.I still think the best team might not win it.

I did say southgate was a breath of fresh air,and although I think he used the right system he just used the wrong players sometimes.Kyle walker at RCB is a laughable pick,why the hell would you want to pick the most wide player and shift him centrally,then Ashley young also is not even a LWB,there are gaps you could find in that area.Rose should’ve been first choice there.I though Dier should’ve played more,playing Lingard and sterling together was wrong espescially against the better sides.We should’ve played dier and henderson in central midfield,and move dele forward and dropped lingard to the bench expescially against Coratia.No wonder,we managed to keep one clean sheet in the entire tournament.I thought at times we were too too direct,not able to keep enough posession,always get it and hoof it up espescially against croatia.a different approach that didint work out.

All said and done,I still thought it was shocking we lost to a much older and much tired team in Extra time.I always beleived if it went to extra time we would have the edge but it looked far from the case.Kane apart from the average teams was unimpressive,no excuses although I do admire him a lot.Rashford could’ve got more playing time.

I’m not getting carried away,after carefully analysing there’s nothing to suggest it’s the start of something special.On the contrary,we’ve never and probably ever will get such an easier path in the world cup finals.All top teams faultered,this was the best chance ever,so absolutely gutted.

the specialone

The game should have been won by half time. End of. Sadly, this is an inexperienced side and the missed chances cost us.

Croatia exploited the space with diagonal balls and croses over the last man of the three into space behind the full backs. It was a brilliant reversal of the first half tactics. It is the way to defeat three at the back unless you have absolutely classy fullbacks.

England exceeded all expectations, draw or not, the team can hold its head high and I think with more quality young english talent coming through we will develop better game management.

Ive renewed my affair with the England side and that is down to the effort of the players and coaches. Its been a brilliant ride. Back to the Premiership now.

Romansdirtypants

When Croatia scored England almost diasappeared. Modric and the other players are far better than English ones and experienced.
England was not bad, Pickford was his best player in whole tournament and the defence was good. Walker and Stones should have done better in both goals where Perisic and Madjukic showed their class…

The midfield moderate. Hendo was the usual moderate player who tried but he can not raise his level. I expected more from Lingaard and Dele Alli but they probably could not.

Kane appeared only in 2 matches the easy ones, disappeared in other and yesterday showed how selfish is when he did not give the ball to Sterling who was alone.

Sterling run, tried to help but nothing more. He can not score.

THE SIGN IS POSITIVE AND ENGLAND CAN DO BETTER IN THE 2 YEARS TIME!!!

Pinezes69