5 minutes ago, Stim said:

Hazard the only one who really stood up. KDB and Lukaku not been at the races at all.

Thought Kompany and Courtois were also immense.

Bloody cheese eating surrender monkeys! I guess it has to come home now...

1 minute ago, Scott Harris said:

Defending in football is so underrated. If you have a strong defense, you always have a chance to go far, that isn't the case when you have a team full of attacking talent. France just seem like the most complete team right now, even if they aren't the most entertaining.

France were incredibly well organised, each player knew their role and didn't drop their concentration. An outstanding display. 

Tight game,always was going to be first goal winner. Two very matched sides that like to play similar.

 

Just now, dkw said:

France were incredibly well organised, each player knew their role and didn't drop their concentration. An outstanding display. 

Yep. A lot of coaches in today's game undervalue the importance of it.

Have really been impressed with Griezmann this tournament. Fantastic work rate and a real team player.

I thought Giroud was poor but oh my Lukaku is such garbage in big games it's amazing how little he does it's like playing with 10 men...Hazard and De Bruyne had no striker to pass to.

Referee was excellent. 

12 minutes ago, TheChelsRVA said:

Lukaku and Dembele put in quite possibly their worst performances I have ever seen them do.  Shocking stuff

This Belgium group will be known as a bunch of bottlers if this carries on. Even for their clubs they bottle the big games.

2 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

I thought Giroud was poor but oh my Lukaku is such garbage in big games it's amazing how little he does it's like playing with 10 men...Hazard and De Bruyne had no striker to pass to.

Giroud poor!!! He has a role in that French team which is to hold up the ball and bring Griezmann and mbappe into it. Done a lot of donkey work tonight and some good defending.

1 minute ago, goose said:

Giroud poor!!! He has a role in that French team which is to hold up the ball and bring Griezmann and mbappe into it. Done a lot of donkey work tonight and some good defending.

Well he did try but honestly he could have scored but had some bad touches. I think he's capable of more.

6 minutes ago, Liam said:

Referee was excellent. 

He really was, didn't fall for any play acting and kept the fame moving really well.

The amazing Finals France:England is so close now. Croatian players should be affected after playing a few 120 minute games.

God i cant even think we could win it still, im just aiming for the final in my head, if we do win it would be absolutely mental here, super Saturday would not be so super.

Well I said France would win though I didn't expect that.

France did a number on Belgium.

It seemed their plan was to stop Belgium and play on the counter attack and so Belgium got little time on the ball and all their attacks appeared mistimed.

It was a shame Lukaku, Hazard, Fellaini or De Bruyne could not convert one of their few chances so we could have seen France needing to chase the game.

Hazard was Belgium's best player and Courtois made a couple of vital saves.

Thought Dembele and even Hazard could have walked in that match, the ref let a lot go and Pogba played well.

Lukaku did not have a good match yet he got little service, he did move yet not sure if the man on the ball saw it due to French pressure.

I see France as the tournament favourites now regardless of tomorrows result. 

 

 

 

 

I hope England get through, I’m looking for to Ashley Young vs Mbappe 

What we saw today was the best display of poor coaching on this World cup. Roberto Martinez is still a controversial manager and I won't change my mind after this tournament.

1) If it's not broken, don't fix it. their best match, by far, was the quarterfinal vs Brazil. Why did he have to change it for France? I hate from the bottom of my guts coaches trying to be interesting and superheroes by making changes every match so in case they win, they could claim - "look how great I am, every match I've got something new". No, no, no...

2) Everybody knows Kante-Pogba is defensive, counter-attacking mid lane. We already saw against Uruguay, Denmark, Australia and Peru that if you give them the ball, they don't have any idea how to score. But this bald Superman for no reason, decided to start for the first time with Dembele, and possess the ball? For what? to lack men on the wings? that worked... to give Pogba and Kante chance to run after ball, tackle it and then to organize quick counters? that worked as well. to let this idiot Mussa make fouls anywhere around the pitch, while at the same time you've given this responsibility to Chadli and he is literally 0 out of 10 from the flag?

3) the subs were beyond me. So he put Mertens(a guy that immediately delivered at least 5 good crosses) and soon after took out Fellaini, their best man in the air, for Carasco? Bats in 91?

I'd never ever accept this kind of coaching.

6 hours ago, Munkworth said:

I hope England get through, I’m looking for to Ashley Young vs Mbappe 

He is pretty decent in this type of battles tho.

10 hours ago, Brutos said:

Mbappe is on loan from Monaco he wasn't signed permanently

 

 

That loan deal became permanent on 1st July.

All the best England tonight.

2 hours ago, Giordano_Bruno said:

What we saw today was the best display of poor coaching on this World cup. Roberto Martinez is still a controversial manager and I won't change my mind after this tournament.

1) If it's not broken, don't fix it. their best match, by far, was the quarterfinal vs Brazil. Why did he have to change it for France? I hate from the bottom of my guts coaches trying to be interesting and superheroes by making changes every match so in case they win, they could claim - "look how great I am, every match I've got something new". No, no, no...

3) the subs were beyond me. So he put Mertens(a guy that immediately delivered at least 5 good crosses) and soon after took out Fellaini, their best man in the air, for Carasco? Bats in 91?

Belgium had to change, their only wing back Meunier was suspended.

Re the subs, the first one I thought was reasonable they needed better service out wide and Dembele was looking a potential sending off.

A couple of times with Mehrtens on they got the cross over yet only Fellaini was there with four defenders in front of him, can't remember where Lukaku was yet I would suspected him to run to the near post area.

Perhaps they would have been better with Bats on before Carrasco. not sure I see the thinking there.

 

Gareth Southgate on superstition. 

17 hours ago, Munkworth said:

Come on Belgium! Martinez will probably play KDB as a right wing back 

Turns out he didn't play him at all.  Who'da thunk it?

12 hours ago, coco said:

God i cant even think we could win it still, im just aiming for the final in my head, if we do win it would be absolutely mental here, super Saturday would not be so super.

In the history of tournament football we’ve reached one final, which was played at home 52 years ago.I’d be ecstatic to reach a final- if we get there, our heads will say France however you just don’t know.

( Remember when if was freezing cold in March thinking, a few months time I’ll be walking down to me local wearing shorts and flip flops to watch games- kept me going.....)

A fantastic tournament, England have been way, way above expectations, there’s been a heatwave- as a country we don’t get any happier than this.

COME ON ENGLAND!

 

13 hours ago, Liam said:

Referee was excellent. 

No. I do not agree.