The Knockout Stages

First topic message reminder :

Round of 16:

France vs Argentina
Portugal vs Uruguay
Spain vs Russia
Croatia vs Denmark
Brazil vs Mexico
Belgium vs Japan
Sweden vs Switzerland
England vs Colombia

Chadli has been awful tonight and De Bruyne becomes the latest of the best players on the planet who has failed when it matters most

Shame that Mbappe acts like Neymar. Instantly unlikable.

France reach the World Cup final

There's stupidity and there's trying to play your way through Kante, Matuidi and Pogba.

Get at the FBs.

Belgium had the players to hurt France but idiotic gameplan.

Can't believe we had no additional time at the end of that...France wasted almost 3 minutes!! Certainly wasnt impressed as bbc seemed about Belgium. Thought they failed to turn up to be honest..especially De Bruyne.

Varane was phenomenal as was Kante and Pogba from disciplined and defensive stand points.

Nothing to fear for either team on the side and ill be intrigued to see how the French fair when they have to go on the front foot which think they will against England or Croatia....or maybe both teams sit and wait and could get a horribly dull final

Well that was a painful 2nd half to watch. Not a game I will remember bar the result. Giroud has to be most useless centre forward of the World Cup.

The gamesmanship at the end of this game, is disgusting.

France are like GSC said, streetwise. KNow what they need to do to win. And to be fair they've made 2 decent chances in injury time. Greizeman & Pogba not really turned up so far. But they're winning. Varane and Kante are agurably players of the tournament in my opinion.

Belguim's big name players didn't turn up, Hazard started well but faded badly. Dear Bruyne looked okay without threatening to take the game by the scruff off the neck. Lukaku was poor.

Very organised by France with Belgium not able to convert their few chances. Can't see either England or Croatia beating France unless they hang on for penalties.
This is probably the best team Belgium have had although they weren't bad in 1986 or 1990. France could be in for a period of domination a la 1998/2000.

Your core 4 win that for France. Two midfielders in Pog and Kante, two excellent centre backs.

Fellaini not utilised as a weapon at all in that game and that highlights his inability to do things

Dunno about dominating but this France team reminds me of Italy of year 2000’s.

Fear it will be 1990 all over again tonight, with England going out on penalties. But Croatia have had two successive penalty shoot-out wins and what are the odds of three in a row?
Feel England have more choice against Croatia tonight than if they'd played them earlier. Croatia are not playing as well as they did at the start of the tournament and are bound to be tired.
Not sure England have played really well yet. Reminds me a little of 1966 when it was not until the semi-final win over Portugal that England put in a good performance. Then, as now, England were a real team and well and purposely led.
Just hope England can keep their cool. They've not trailed in a match so far and need to ensure they finish with 11 men.

if Croatia can find their early form then I think they will win if not England have a great chance and it could another penalty shootout again, either way france are going to be hard to beat in the final

Many of you have more confidence, I'm here Pooping bricks. I'll have no fingernails left.

daraghj82 wrote:
if Croatia can find their early form then I think they will win if not England have a great chance and it could another penalty shootout again, either way france are going to be hard to beat in the final

Basically. I hope we get the Croatia that nearly lost to Denmark rather than the Croatia that thumped Argentina!

I hope whoever wins tonight beats France. Considering the attacking prowess, they are turgid to watch. Deschamps going full Mourinho, sh*thousing when they don't even need to.

First 30 will be key I think.

Still in the game at that point, we can start running Croatia into the ground.

England unchanged

Vrsjako is fit for Croatia, so they remain full strength

Nice start . Trippier

Twice now Lovrens just hacked the player down when he's beaten and got away with it

Henderson looks nervous. Doesn’t want the ball

Good to see Croatia are as bad at crossing as Belgium last night.
Kate should score but it's a good start we look solid so far.

Got to get to half-time 1 up, letting them back in this would be a sucker punch and a half

Croatia looks really disjointed and with a very poor pass accuracy. England could have been 2-0 up by now.

Really good half. Everything but the 2nd goal

We’ve got no midfield. Luckily Croatia have been crap in the final third. Won’t be able to get away with this against Kante, Pogba and Matuidi.

This is honestly some of the best football I've seen England play in a long time.

This is honestly some of the best football I've seen England play in a long time.

Been coming

Everyone, I'm sorry.

Pr4wn wrote:This is honestly some of the best football I've seen England play in a long time.

Delusional

We’re looking like extra time v Colombia. We’ve lost all control

Just John wrote:

Pr4wn wrote:This is honestly some of the best football I've seen England play in a long time.

Delusional

I'm not an England fan. In the first half, they were completely dominant and in total control.

We've been giving there wide players space all night. Sooner or later they were going to get one right. Good header though.
Lost all control in midfield.

Croatia have woken up

Henderson having a mare. Not surprising at this level

Just John wrote:Henderson having a mare. Not surprising at this level

He's been one of England's best players in this tournament until tonight.

Yeah, and we know why. Cos we’ve played turd teams, who make him look like Pirlo. Vs better sides, Henderson is a liability

Alli is quiet. Henderson is playing fine, no idea what your problem is (ad nauseam)

Alli and Young off, that’s what I’d do. Rashford has his moments but you see instantly why he plays Sterling, much more to his game. Rashford can develop that, probably not under Jose though

westisbest wrote:Croatia have woken up

True, but we've helped them by going overly defensive.

Is the linesman on the far side completely blind? - he's not called a corner when it was fully out and now a throw in in their half ...

Alli needs to go off!!

Been coming. Been better side for an hour. We’ve got no system anymore, or midfield. It’s a mess

S***,

Since half time we seem to have fallen apart. Badly lost the midfield, no attack apart from set pieces. Vardy on for Walker.

Lost energy and momentum. Nothing goal really, but a tired goal.

Hurts

So near yet so far

Yet another corner not given ...

1st off the better side won. They dominated the game and deserve there victory.

2nd England have done well, they've performed better than expected. Got further than expected, disappointing tonight. But the future looks brighter.

far play to croatia. Sharpened up after the break and we never answered.

I'm very proud of our boys, they did so well!

We have been fantastic and we deserved more in the first half

Died a bit in the second and then could never go again once momentum turned.

Sterling going off killed us. Was nothing going after that

Well done to England, they did well and could well have won tonight.

Croatia woke up second half and played well.

Be an interesting final.