France v Spain - Tuesday - 20:00 BST

[Finnegan]

11 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

I mean you said it was a "phenomenally difficult game"  

 

 

 

I mean, you saw what they just did to France. 

 

Did that look easy for France? I'd say that was incredibly difficult and that was with aircon. 

 

I think England's front four work harder than France's and I agree that France were underwhelming. 

 

But I also don't think quite enough respect was given to just how hard it is to play against a team like Spain in that kind of rhythm. It might not be the best thing to watch as a neutral but it's really damn effective. I thought they made France look poor just as much as France were. 

 

[The Bear]

Spain completely dominated the French midfield due to their extra man and Deschamps being a clueless tactician. They gave the Spanish central midfielders all the time in the world on the ball and let them keep winning it back too easily. 

 

That wouldn't happen with England and Tuchel. Anderson, Rice and Bellingham would pose much more of a problem for Spain to play through. 

 

Any way, one game at a time. We've got to beat the Argies first. 

[Kitchandro]

2 hours ago, purpleronnie said:

Strange performance by france.  It was like the france of old where none of the players seem to want to play for each other.  Bizarre given their previous performances.  I wonder if the pressure of being big favourites got to them or maybe something happened in the camp?.

 

Or it could just have been a great performance by spain.

 

Either way I'm quite happy to see France knocked out.

France were off it but it was largely because of Spain imo.

 

France are reliant on pace and space in behind but Spain’s set up was excellent. There was never too big or too small a distance between any of their players.
 

Technically France aren’t as good as Spain, who can receive the ball in tight areas and play one-twos and take two touches at most. 
 

I’m surprised France didn’t try to bully Spain a bit more, being a more a physical side.

[trabuch]

If we do get to the final we should practice shooting from the half way line. Keep their keeper from positioning himself half way up the pitch.

[ClaphamFox]

18 minutes ago, The Bear said:

Spain completely dominated the French midfield due to their extra man and Deschamps being a clueless tactician. They gave the Spanish central midfielders all the time in the world on the ball and let them keep winning it back too easily. 

 

That wouldn't happen with England and Tuchel. Anderson, Rice and Bellingham would pose much more of a problem for Spain to play through. 

 

Any way, one game at a time. We've got to beat the Argies first. 

There was some speculation before the game about whether Deschamps would drop one of his attackers to accommodate another midfielder to match Spain in the middle. I didn't think he would because France had been so good until then and he probably reasoned that they could just carry on playing their own game and win. That turned out to be a misjudgment. Thankfully I agree with you that Tuchel won't make the same mistake—IF we get to the final.

[Kitchandro]

1 hour ago, AKCJ said:

I just don't see it. This makes out that it's like a relegation threatened team going to the Etihad or Anfield.

 

I think it's set up perfectly to catch these off guard on the break. Spain's fullbacks played the near perfect game last night and I think they'd have to do the same to stop Gordon and Saka because if they get in behind with Kane on the ball and Bellingham running into the box they are done for.

 

England have looked shaky against the sides that want to sit in and defend but when we've given the ball to the opposition and looked to break (bar the first 30 minutes or so against Norway where we looked out of sorts, partly because of Rice's illness) we've looked really solid.

 

So yeah, I'm not sitting here thinking it'll be easy by any imagination. I just think that we'll pose Spain a lot of problems and I think Spain would much, much rather Argentina won tonight.

 

 

Edit; I think the weather is a non-factor really. It's the same for both sides. Spain have a lot of players that play in England and Spanish football is specifically played in the evening during warmer months to avoid the heat. Both sides will struggle with that.

I hugely fancy England tonight, but not sure I agree with all of this.

 

England were poor for more than 30 minutes against Norway and got very fortunate. And Spain are not an open side that allow space in behind. That’s why France struggled. They’re a tight, organised side at heart.

 

As usual, England will be reliant on moments of magic from Bellingham. Not sure Gordon and Saka have shown anything to suggest they’ll trouble a Spain who have conceded only one goal and not lost in 37(?) games.

 

England can win, but France’s pace caused them no problems whatsoever so that doesn’t seem the obvious tactic to me.

[Stuntman_Mike]

Happy with that result last night. 

 

I'd sooner play and lose to Spain so win win.

 

*If we make it.

 

 

[Super_horns]

Spain certainly seem to have a manager that knows how to play tournament football .

Also very much been part of the Spanish system for a long time hasn’t he ?