Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

[Stuntman_Mike]

Konsa was so lucky with that pen shout. 

 

No idea why that didn't go for review.

 

 

[AjcW]

1 hour ago, Brizzle Fox said:

Seeing a lot online that Ghana should have had a stonewall penalty.  Thoughts?

 

Honestly can't remember the incident but that might have been because I'd fallen asleep. 

 

1 hour ago, Lionator said:

It would’ve been outside the box. Pickford misjudged a long ball and him and the attacker collided, and Pickford somehow got the free kick, wouldn’t have been a red either as there were players there, just a bit of an odd decision. 

It was this one, not the Pickford one

 

 

 

[Lionator]

We’ll fly through until we meet a team that can outscore us (France, Spain, Argentina, perhaps Netherlands). The only other game that would worry me is Mexico at the Azteca in the last 16 for obvious reasons. 

[STEVIE B]

1 hour ago, Brizzle Fox said:

Seeing a lot online that Ghana should have had a stonewall penalty.  Thoughts?

 

Honestly can't remember the incident but that might have been because I'd fallen asleep. 

I was very surprised that VAR didn't get involved. Definitely seen those given. 

[FoxesWalk]

6 minutes ago, AjcW said:

 

It was this one, not the Pickford one

 

 

 

Seen those given for sure

[Spudulike]

The Ghana player never had control of the ball. Both players came together in an attempt to win the ball. Neither player made any connection with the ball. The difference is the Ghana player came in studs up against Pickford therefore, an England free kick was correctly given. If the Ghana player had touched the ball to control it prior to the tackle, then it’s a red card for Pickford. But he didn't.

[foxfanazer]

2 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

The Ghana player never had control of the ball. Both players came together in an attempt to win the ball. Neither player made any connection with the ball. The difference is the Ghana player came in studs up against Pickford therefore, an England free kick was correctly given. If the Ghana player had touched the ball to control it prior to the tackle, then it’s a red card for Pickford. But he didn't.

It's a different incident mate 

[Leicesterpool]

Despite keeping a clean sheet defensively we looked weak again, I was hoping with Guehi coming in this would settle the defence down. I am expecting Konsa to be dropped for the next game and bring Stones back in, Reece James very lazy. Middle of the park no problems, up top again unsteady decision making woeful. Gordon was pretty poor again again needs to be dropped and Rashford coming in. Madueke had moments in the first half, but was awful in the second half. Kane for me can't play 90 minutes in this tournament, I am surprised he stayed on for the full 90 again. That last 10-15 minutes we should have through on Watkins. Pickford not having a great tournament at the moment, a lot of errors in the last two.

 

Negatives aside, Ghana were good and still on course to progress. Got the clean sheet, no injuries picked up, plus pretty much 6 of the 7 like top nations have all drawn once to fairly lower ranked nations in this tournament. So panic button not required yet.

 

Panama maybe another frustrating contest, only lost by one goal in the last two games.

Edited 24 June by Leicesterpool

[Finnegan]

22 minutes ago, Lionator said:

We’ll fly through until we meet a team that can outscore us (France, Spain, Argentina, perhaps Netherlands). The only other game that would worry me is Mexico at the Azteca in the last 16 for obvious reasons. 

 

I actually think you'll do better against those teams than teams that will park the bus against you tbh. 

 

It's what you're set up for. 

 

[CosbehFox]

1 hour ago, Lionator said:

Nothing like it. Ghana were superb defensively and we will learn a lot from it. It’s a long ass tournament and a game like that is good as we will have problems to solve. 

How? Algeria were every bit as defensively sound as Ghana - they allowed a single shot on target back in 2010.  England played horseshoe football. It was turgid. Tuchel's system is incredibly reliant on counter attacking. It's the same pattern as he had at Chelsea. 

 

That performance was absolutely trashed under Southgate (and multiple before). 

Edited 24 June by CosbehFox

[CosbehFox]

Tuchel's selection **** up was Wharton - not Palmer/Foden. Anderson is a right chugger when the game isn't box to box. 

[skolfoxes]

33 minutes ago, AjcW said:

 

It was this one, not the Pickford one

 

 

 

I know they want to let the game flow a bit more, and not every bit of contact automatically means foul, but that's about as stonewall a penalty as you'll see. Wrong side, out of control, high and nowhere near the ball.

 

To have not even looked at it is genuinely unbelievable.

 

If it had been the other way round, there would be riots in the streets and it would be headline news for a couple of days.

[Super_horns]

Apparently Eze was fouled earlier in the build so maybe that is why they didn’t give it ?

[Bert]

They probably should’ve had a penalty. 
 

Was always going to be a different game to Croatia. Ghana knew a draw pretty much guarantees them the next round. They defended well and were very disciplined. 
 

After the Croatia performance most of us were probably expecting more of the same, but I say it time and time again, it’s so hard to play against that low block, missed a couple of really golden opportunities. My biggest criticism was that it was slow and ponderous for a lot of the game. Moving the ball a bit faster from side to side may have opened up more avenues. But Ghana were quick to double up on either winger, and then it just went back to try and create an opening. 
 

It’ll likely be the same on Saturday, but against a team with less quality that are already out. Expecting a win with us topping the group. 

[Bert]

1 hour ago, Lionator said:

We’ll fly through until we meet a team that can outscore us (France, Spain, Argentina, perhaps Netherlands). The only other game that would worry me is Mexico at the Azteca in the last 16 for obvious reasons. 

The only thing we need to beat against Mexico is the atmosphere. Mexico are in one of the easiest groups and haven’t really pulled up many trees. 

[Lionator]

52 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

How? Algeria were every bit as defensively sound as Ghana - they allowed a single shot on target back in 2010.  England played horseshoe football. It was turgid. Tuchel's system is incredibly reliant on counter attacking. It's the same pattern as he had at Chelsea. 

 

That performance was absolutely trashed under Southgate (and multiple before). 

So we were better than England in 2010 and Ghana were better than Algeria in 2010. They were defensively magnificent last night. 

[Lionator]

11 minutes ago, Bert said:

The only thing we need to beat against Mexico is the atmosphere. Mexico are in one of the easiest groups and haven’t really pulled up many trees. 

If they can ease past Czech Republic tonight I’ll question that. Of course the other thing with Mexico is altitude. If they’ve played 4 games at altitude and we haven’t, then that’s going to make a massive difference. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

54 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

Tuchel's selection **** up was Wharton - not Palmer/Foden. Anderson is a right chugger when the game isn't box to box. 

The important games will be box to box though. Group stage is a means to an ends. 

[Leicesterpool]

6 minutes ago, Lionator said:

So we were better than England in 2010 and Ghana were better than Algeria in 2010. They were defensively magnificent last night. 

2010 team were in a big sulk, due to the strict capello rules, lack of entertainment and no wags. Vibe was they didnt want to be there.

Edited 24 June by Leicesterpool

[Super_horns]

1 hour ago, Leicesterpool said:

2010 team were in a big sulk, due to the strict capello rules, lack of entertainment and no wags. Vibe was they didnt want to be there.

WAGS banned after 2006 I guess?

 

Yes the players at the time didn't like the bordem.

 

 

[FoxesWalk]

3 hours ago, Lionator said:

We’ll fly through until we meet a team that can outscore us (France, Spain, Argentina, perhaps Netherlands). The only other game that would worry me is Mexico at the Azteca in the last 16 for obvious reasons. 

I think we are well designed, as a squad, to beat teams like France, Spain, Argentina etc. teams who come out and play. We are less well suited to breaking down low blocks. 

[Finnegan]

2 hours ago, Bert said:

My biggest criticism was that it was slow and ponderous for a lot of the game. Moving the ball a bit faster from side to side may have opened up more avenues.

 

But this is the trade off isn't it. You don't have a coach that's great at coaching controlling, possession football and you've probably not quite got the midfield for it either (not really, not compared to a team like Spain.) 

 

You've got a coach and a team that are really well suited to play a good pressing and countering game and you'll be brilliant against the top teams (as long as the heat and the length of the tournament doesn't do you in before you get there) but the flip side is you'll probably struggle a bit to break bus parking down. 

 

This is still probably a better approach for tournament football as a whole. 

 

It's similar to why Klopp typically does better in the Champions League and Pep typically does better in a longer league season. 

 

[st albans fox]

13 hours ago, JonnyZeroFox said:

Why? Because we came up against a defensive unit? Let’s give up… it’s not like every side that wins the World Cup is perfect 

We just looked laborious 

don’t think rice is fully fit - surprised he left him on for 90 

kane also looked a bit ploddy.

 

 Too many players just aren’t at the level needed to get past France/spain/argentina 

[Super_horns]

Good job Bellingham was being “friendly” or he might have got into trouble.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c70y1ljdz8zo

[AKCJ]

2 minutes ago, Super_horns said:

Good job Bellingham was being “friendly” or he might have got into trouble.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c70y1ljdz8zo

Shows the absurdity of the rule.