Well done England and all concerned on beating Norway last night.

I’ll be honest and admit I thought they’d be beaten by Mexico in the Azteca, simply because of the 7,200 feet altitude.

So because of that factor. I didn’t think they’d even get to the Quarter Finals, never mind the Semi Final.

Credit, however, where it is due.

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by erskblue

Just now, erskblue said:

Well done England and all concerned on beating Norway last night.

I’ll be honest and admit I didn’t think they’d get to the Quarter Finals.

Credit where it is due .

Bah. Softie woke pinko.

We stopped the boats.

Not surprising.

BBC Sport

World Cup 2026: Fifa official refuses to answer ban quest...

The head of Fifa's disciplinary committee refuses to answer BBC questions about the decision-making process which led to United States striker Folarin Balogun avoiding a ban after being sent off.

1 hour ago, OTL said:

Tuchel has done a good job dragging us into the semi finals notwithstanding the goal contribution from Kane and Bellingham.

Its business time now and it's going to be a tall order versus Argentina with a few of our players not fully fit.

Anyway Haaland getting subbed off and the distinct lack of rowing will do for me.

We rode our luck at times ...on to Argentina👊

Tuchel completely f**ked that up last night, we were lucky to get through. His substitutions wee bonkers, bringing eze on ballsed the midfield right up, he then had to waste more subs and time trying to fix that, he then blamed the players for a bad 2nd half.

He also keeps picking madueke who is the worst England player since Charlton palmer.

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by dkw

7 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I've never seen that before. VAR going back to give a yellow card for diving that wasn't in the penalty area.

Really not going to help the rigged accusations.

Its the new rule brought in, i hope its in the PL, Arsenal will suffer more then most

8 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

People are really trying to say that Pickford's goalkick hit a wire because the ball moved in the air? I can't wait until this world cup is over, we can finally get rid of these idiots again.

It does look like it, the ball seemed to change direction, but the question is WHY have we got all these wires? If its for a camera above the pitch, why cant they use a drone?

16 minutes ago, dkw said:

Tuchel completely f**ked that up last night, we were lucky to get through. His substitutions wee bonkers, bringing eze on ballsed the midfield right up, he then had to waste more subs and time trying to fix that, he then blamed the players for a bad 2nd half.

He also keeps picking madueke who is the worst England player since Charlton palmer.

I struggle with Eze too, maybe he thinks Norway have never heard of him so they are wary of what he can do. He touched the ball this time a couple of times which is better than last time.

Eze aside I think he did ok, Spence came on at the right time, Rogers did well with the shot the keeper dropped.

Rice was poor once again he could not deliver the set pieces, so it made sense to be subbed.

James and Burn worked well for me.

We have seen our wingers bullied before it has happened to Gordon, Saka and Madueke yet not all in the same match I would not have a go on that point and he did change it.

3 minutes ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

It does look like it, the ball seemed to change direction, but the question is WHY have we got all these wires? If its for a camera above the pitch, why cant they use a drone?

It's the flying fox camera. Can't use a drone for safety reasons. It's not unknown for the ball to hit wires or even the camera. Has happened even in cricket.

15 minutes ago, dkw said:

Tuchel completely f**ked that up last night, we were lucky to get through. His substitutions wee bonkers, bringing eze on ballsed the midfield right up, he then had to waste more subs and time trying to fix that, he then blamed the players for a bad 2nd half.

He also keeps picking madueke who is the worst England player since Charlton palmer.

He was massively helped out by Konsa going off and James being able to slot back at RB. Blunted and Nusa which meant there were always 2 CBs available to deal with Haaland.

That said, Norway was England's biggest and most dangerous threat. Tuchel-ball means Rice and Anderson will have a field day against Argentina's "midfield", which Switzerland were able to slice through the Fernandez and Messi-shaped holes in transition with alarming frequency.

1 hour ago, OTL said:

We stopped the boats.

The Battle of Stamford Bridge (the other one) re-fought.

2 hours ago, Snedger said:

There can be an element of that at times. But at the end of the day here, it was Tuchel who said to the press that he was “not happy with the performance - in every sense” and that "We got lucky”.

Maybe he should have kept that opinion to himself and the dressing room instead of sharing it with the worlds press right after reaching the semi final.

TT has history of disengaging his brain before he speaks. He told the world how his mother didn't like Bellingham. The relationship between TT and Bellingham is, um, tense.

7 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I've never seen that before. VAR going back to give a yellow card for diving that wasn't in the penalty area.

Really not going to help the rigged accusations.

I mean it's the right decision to punish the diver, but unless they just updated the rule for VAR intervention before the game, not sure how was VAR allowed to get involved, it's not like the Argentinean player was getting the sent off. It's just coincidentally this call happened in a game involved Argentina, can't make this up, coincidental Saturday again.

3 hours ago, Snedger said:

There can be an element of that at times. But at the end of the day here, it was Tuchel who said to the press that he was “not happy with the performance - in every sense” and that "We got lucky”.

Maybe he should have kept that opinion to himself and the dressing room instead of sharing it with the worlds press right after reaching the semi final.

I liked it actually. I'm sick of us grasping at every opportunity to supersize any slight positive thing to a "it's coming home" level. It's a bit embarrassing. I like this mentality. That performance does not win the world cup. That performance could easily have not won the quarter final. Up until the second goal we had one shot on target, our equaliser.

I thought performance wise we were poor and if idiotic reporters are going to shove microphones in the faces of managers and players on the pitch at their most emotional point, then prepared to get bitten. I thought TT was spot on. This is the mindset of elite, of winners.

1 hour ago, icecoolguy22 said:

I mean it's the right decision to punish the diver, but unless they just updated the rule for VAR intervention before the game, not sure how was VAR allowed to get involved, it's not like the Argentinean player was getting the sent off. It's just coincidentally this call happened in a game involved Argentina, can't make this up, coincidental Saturday again.

The rule was introduced before the world cup started, mistaken identity rule, ref was conned and booked Argie player until replays showed the swiz player screamed and dived before he put his leg into the other player, players do it alot, we have had it happen to us in games and also have players who also do it (Gusto) does it quite alot, biggest culprits in PL are Gordon and Saka

Think England beat Argentina.

Argentina, since the Copa América, looks like they've run their course, as all great sides do.

France vs Spain could go either way.

At last, we have to play a team high in the FIFA rankings. Mexico were the highest so far at No 10.

All 4 semi finalists are the top 4 in the 4lrankings, England ranked no 4 !!

29 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Think England beat Argentina.

Argentina, since the Copa América, looks like they've run their course, as all great sides do.

France vs Spain could go either way.

Agreed. Their defence looks very open, Switzerland would have been another slog of a game for us.

I can't help thinking that although I'd love us to win the trophy,, for others the way we play will feel like for them the same as we felt watching Arsenal win the PL

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by The Rising Sun
Info

1 hour ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

The rule was introduced before the world cup started, mistaken identity rule, ref was conned and booked Argie player until replays showed the swiz player screamed and dived before he put his leg into the other player, players do it alot, we have had it happen to us in games and also have players who also do it (Gusto) does it quite alot, biggest culprits in PL are Gordon and Saka

How thick must you be though to be running towards your own dug out (ie going nowhere) and the do such a blatant dive when you're already on a yellow. Embolo is a moron.

23 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

Agreed. Their defence looks very open, Switzerland would have been another slog of a game for us.

I can't help thinking that although I'd love us to win the trophy,, for others the way we play will feel like for them the same as we felt watching Arsenal win the PL

It's the midfield and lack of width for me. Messi, MacAllister and Enzo look slogish, and they don't have any wingers that can stay wide and take players on.

I wouldn't be surprised if Scaloni plays a back 3 Wednesday.

I think outside of Germany (The whole World Wars thing) & France (The whole being French thing) then Argentina might be the country we despise the most as a nation.

Horrible bunch of Nazi descendants all coupled up with that vile South American sh*thousing.

Hope we sink their World Cup hopes just like the Belgrano.

Sky Sports News " Did the ball hit the spider cam cable before England's equaliser" ...Er who F*uckin cares?

I'm trying to enjoy a few continental lagers whilst pondering our chances in the semi final.😎

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by OTL

25 minutes ago, The Boehly Babes said:

I think outside of Germany (The whole World Wars thing) & France (The whole being French thing) then Argentina might be the country we despise the most as a nation.

Horrible bunch of Nazi descendants all coupled up with that vile South American sh*thousing.

Hope we sink their World Cup hopes just like the Belgrano.

I think one popular phrase back then was ...... " Smash Argentina!"

Just checking my t-shirt archives...

World in motion ✅

Smash Argentina ✅

Both on a white background.😎

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by OTL

1 hour ago, The Boehly Babes said:

I think outside of Germany (The whole World Wars thing) & France (The whole being French thing) then Argentina might be the country we despise the most as a nation.

Horrible bunch of Nazi descendants all coupled up with that vile South American sh*thousing.

Hope we sink their World Cup hopes just like the Belgrano.

Nazi descendants ??

Immigration and Culture..

Argentina boasts the largest community of English, Scottish, and Welsh descendants outside the British Empire. British settlers heavily influenced Argentine culture, most notably by introducing association football, rugby union, and polo. Famous football clubs, such as Newell's Old Boys, derive their names and origins from these roots.

18 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

Nazi descendants ??

Immigration and Culture..

Argentina boasts the largest community of English, Scottish, and Welsh descendants outside the British Empire. British settlers heavily influenced Argentine culture, most notably by introducing association football, rugby union, and polo. Famous football clubs, such as Newell's Old Boys, derive their names and origins from these roots.

I think it’s pretty common knowledge about the rat lines after WW2 where all those war criminals escaped to with the help of the Roman Catholic Church (Being the Twelfth it does seems fitting to remind everyone about the vileness of that particular sect of Christianity) so my sweeping statement stands.

Remember we’re the good guys here we saved half of the known world by encompassing it into the glorious Empire.