Renton

[Remember lads, ewerk has an ingrained hatred of England, the enemy within if you like, we should do the opposite of everything he says]. To turn your last point on its head, ask yourself, is there a single club in the PL which would employ Southgate as a manager? And of thise that would, is there any expectation they would be successful?

Hold on though, they're a completely different set of players as is the opposition. You can't make the counterfactual. Consider what Southgate achieved as a manager before the England job, fuck all. Similarly, do you really think Robson wouldn't have won a major trophy with the present crop? I'm not so sure.

This is my only concern. The irrational part of my mind has linked the England hoodoo since 66 with our own since 69. Break one and the other will also break. I mean I know this patently bollocks, but then football is one of the few things I still have demonstrably nonsense beliefs in.

Only 18 months until the Euros and he is contracted till then. He'll stay I reckon. I kind of agree with both J69 and Ginolaandtonic. England played well, but at the end of the day they rarely beat anyone of note. Southgate is blessed by having 3 things, a good pool of talent to draw on, said pool of talent are cohesive, and the quality of other teams is exceptionally poor at the minute. He deserves credit for the middle point, but loses that somewhat on tactics and use of subs imo. England have never had a better chance of winning a major tournament but ultimately are blowing it. It might not come back again.

He'll have access to an EU passport and possible retirement in the South of France. Sounds okay to me tbh.

England were at home and I think ranked higher? There was some stat going round that of the 11 times England have met higher ranked opposition in knock out competitions,they have lost 10 times. So that's 11/12 times now. Bottlers.

Yeah, pretty much my feelings too. France will go on to win it I think, great forward line up will break down the remaining teams. England will be their hardest opponents.

I only saw the second half of the Morocco Portugal game but it looked like Portugal battered them a bit? If Morocco or Croatia win this football is broken.

Croatia it is then. I mean can you fucking imagine a team form AFRICA winning the World Cup in Guitar or wherever it is?

We got TWO pelenties there mate, you wanted THREE penalties?

Nah, I'd always want a Euopean team to win over Argentina, and fuck the Messi story.

Could well end up with a final of Morocco vs Croatia, settled on penalties!

Why?

Shit tbh. England were the better team overall I think but ateod didn't score in open play whilst France did twice. The semis don't look very appetising, Morocco vs France, Argentina vs Croatia. Boring.

Another Trippier opportunity. Oh wait

Reminiscent of Shearer's pen against Partisan Belgrade. Inexplicable.

You have to Fucking hell man.

Win a penalty?

Definite penalty.

Ah well. Think England may have been the better team yet again but still likely to go out.

If we had Trippier on here...

If he had longer arms he would have saved that. France look a lot better here.

I had that literal exact thought myself.