Knockout Stages - Round of 16

[OntarioFox]

1 minute ago, Spudulike said:

Where has this come from? Jeez, give it a rest 

I guess after the past couple of years of absolute knuckle-dragging cretins dragging the concept of patriotism into the dirt, it's incredibly refreshing that being English feels like it's for everyone again. Can we have a World Cup every year please?

[Foxdiamond]

7 hours ago, filbertway said:

Stress levels up there with the FA Cup final!

 

So proud of that performance! They deserve all the plaudits they get

Exactly how I was thinking. I look back at that and don't know how I managed it. 

[deejdeej]

Feel jetlagged and I haven't left the house since 6pm yesterday

[fazzyfox]

Particular praise to Dan Burn, playing at an even higher altitude than anyone else 

[EnderbyFox]

 

[EastAnglianFox]

Im sure some can help me out here.

 

I know Tuchel was super keen to have Henderson involved due to his experience and character off the pitch with the other players, but could he not have just named him part of his coaching team?

 

Surely then it would have freed up another place in the squad

[Muzzy_no7]

52 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

Saka and Rashford in the final, the latter with a clutch last minute penalty under immense pressure. The gammons' brains would burst trying to process the internal conflict.

The German bit is a non-issue, at this point a lot of them would probably prefer we were speaking it.

[Muzzy_no7]

John Stones HAS to start the remaining matches.

[ClaphamFox]

16 minutes ago, fazzyfox said:

Particular praise to Dan Burn, playing at an even higher altitude than anyone else 

He was brilliant to be fair.

[Blueman1967]

Worth staying up for, great game, grit to hang on, and see it through

[OntarioFox]

7 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

Nah, I'm gonna double down here - it would be incredibly healing to see players that were subject to vile racist abuse in recent memory step up and deliver the moments to make us world champions for the first time in sixty years.

There's such a nasty undercurrent in the UK right now and the past few weeks are about the first time since the flagshagging kicked off that I've seen the St. George's Cross and not felt negative feelings. The last two years in particular have sucked out what little pride I had left in being English, so it feels so, so refreshing to finally have something attached to that flag that doesn't represent division and hate.

 

Moments like this are restoring my faith in the country, quite frankly.

[leicsmac]

28 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

I guess after the past couple of years of absolute knuckle-dragging cretins dragging the concept of patriotism into the dirt, it's incredibly refreshing that being English feels like it's for everyone again. Can we have a World Cup every year please?

A good run here, especially backed by performances like last night's, could have a really positive effect on the national psyche. 

 

Which, as you say, is both refreshing and sorely needed in times that, shall we say, are trying. 

Edited 1 hour ago by leicsmac

[Lionator]

2 hours ago, Aleksz said:

He got the big decisions right just about but his overall management of the occasion was abysmal. He was determined to be the total centre of attention.

It was probably the biggest game of the World Cup so far, if you look at that ref’s record he’s one of the best ref’s going. 

[Lionator]

Ian Broudie panicking he’s about to run out of royalties. 

[OntarioFox]

Anyway, I've been impressed with Tuchel's game management throughout - even when we've struggled to break teams down he's made astute subs and tweaks to the system.

The squad choices themselves have been questionable in part, but a few individual shaky performances aside, everyone has done their job well.

Last night confirmed my belief that we're good enough to go toe-to-toe with any team that comes at us and allows us space. The Ghana and Panama games were frustrating, but we saw against Croatia how dangerous we can be when teams don't sit back.

[Muzzy_no7]

8 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

Nah, I'm gonna double down here - it would be incredibly healing to see players that were subject to vile racist abuse in recent memory step up and deliver the moments to make us world champions for the first time in sixty years.

There's such a nasty undercurrent in the UK right now and the past few weeks are about the first time since the flagshagging kicked off that I've seen the St. George's Cross and not felt negative feelings. The last two years in particular have sucked out what little pride I had left in being English, so it feels so, so refreshing to finally have something attached to that flag that doesn't represent division and hate.

 

Moments like this are restoring my faith in the country, quite frankly.

Personally don’t care if it’s Madueke, Burn, Kane or Chalobah who gets goals or the winner but each to their own. 

[trabuch]

20 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

John Stones HAS to start the remaining matches.

Particularly v Haaland

[Stuntman_Mike]

44 minutes ago, EastAnglianFox said:

Im sure some can help me out here.

 

I know Tuchel was super keen to have Henderson involved due to his experience and character off the pitch with the other players, but could he not have just named him part of his coaching team?

 

Surely then it would have freed up another place in the squad

I don't know the answer for sure, but my guess would be there's some kind of cap as to how many coaches you can have involved and I'd be surprised if he's done his badges. 

[Samilktray]

Flagging massively at work today but what an unbelievable game of football that was last night, well worth it. Dont think I've ever felt more emotionally invested in another game of football 

[spacemunky]

1 hour ago, Aus Fox said:

By the way, how good was Pickford tonight! Struggling to think of a better performance by an England goalkeeper.

Some unbelievable saves! 

He's always gotten a lot of flack from us supporters, but he always gives his best and never looks meek back there. 

 

It's been almost 10 years now as the #1 and I haven't seen anyone else stepping up for the job.

[leicsmac]

Even UEFA are giving FIFA pelters over the Balogun decision now. 

[Kitchandro]

Fantastic game, though I think there’s a slight overreaction from the media for England beating an also-ran nation that has only reached the quarter finals twice and never the last 4. It’s being reported as if we beat one of the big boys.

[OntarioFox]

47 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

Personally don’t care if it’s Madueke, Burn, Kane or Chalobah who gets goals or the winner but each to their own. 

Same here really, but someone else mentioned it and I guess it triggered me a bit. I guess my response was a bit over the top but I really do feel sorrow when I think of where things have been going recently. Fell properly out of love with footy in recent years - not just because of Leicester being shit, but because I've seen some proper gross behaviour starting to pop up on the terraces - on top of seeing the country disappear up its own arse into casual racism and far right thuggery.

It was bad enough being away a couple of season back and having their fans make jokes to my brother - who is married to a Ugandan Indian girl - about it being nice to see "white faces" from Leicester before casually dropping slurs right out of the 70s. It was even worse having to hear our own fans chanting Tommy Robinson's name and slapping Stop The Boats stickers everywhere at away days. It's really hit home on a personal level just how emboldened the same sort of people who laid into those players have become, and that our own city's diversity doesn't insulate us from that. If anything it makes it worse at times.

I'll cede now anyway, I'm absolutely buzzing after last night and don't want to derail what should be a celebratory thread any further. 

 

Edited 48 minutes ago by OntarioFox

[Aleksz]

4 minutes ago, Kitchandro said:

Fantastic game, though I think there’s a slight overreaction from the media for England beating an also-ran nation that has only reached the quarter finals twice and never the last 4. It’s being reported as if we beat one of the big boys.

I don’t think anyone is claiming they’re a particularly top outfit. Haaland on his own will be an equal test. But there’s no debating it’s a fantastic result, it would have been before a ball was kicked let alone with what unfolded.

[VLC86]

8 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Even UEFA are giving FIFA pelters over the Balogun decision now. 

You’d expect it, their members has been cheated.