Wullie

Remember when folk used to actually have debates about whether Messi or Ronaldo was the greatest player of all time, and some people used to say the latter. Absolutely wild.

Wow what a fucking goal that is

Splendid news.

Proper Ligue 1 stuff in the Melbourne derby this morning, load of fans have ran on and attacked the ref and the keeper! Seems it's something to do with this

One of the great Squires cartoons is the Peter Drury one. https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2018/may/01/david-squires-on-peter-drury-commentator-what-is-football-if-not-for-dreaming

I think Argentina's main problem is a tendency to panic like fuck when they concede a goal. Happened against Saudi leading to another within minutes, same vs Netherlands and Kuol could easily have taken Australia to extra time.

I think we've really seen what a great decision it was for Messi to go to PSG. He really wanted this World Cup and going somewhere where he's been able to half-arse it domestically for 18 months has proved a masterstroke (it being in December has obviously helped as well).

I thought it was a pen all day long.

FH each and 3 each, 12/1 4 each, 45/1

I forgot Kane took 2 pens in the Colombia game in the last WC, one in game and one in the shootout. First one went exactly where I wanted him to put the second vs France - dead centre, then he drilled the second into the bottom left corner.

Not at all, if they win their 2 games they'll fully deserve to be crowned champions, I just personally hope they don't as I don't think they're much cop. Same goes for Croatia fwiw.

I agree. But they're also a workmanlike and not particularly good team. I've watched every game and I can still only tell you the names of about half the XI, if that. Ideally you want the World Champions to be a good team.

How are consecutive WC semi finalists Croatia not a "footballing heavyweight"? How are Germany not a "footballing heavyweight"? You can make the argument that Croatia aren't because of history, or you can make the argument that Germany aren't because of their current team but you can't make both at the same time. Basically, your definition of "footballing heavyweight" is: Haven't been beaten by Gareth Southgate's rubbish England.

You're getting your Croatians muddled up. 2018 and 2022, they were World Cup semi finalists and by definition brilliant. In between that was 2020 Croatia who were beaten by England and therefore garbage.

Have they not? They've not conceded a goal yet and they've had 6 corners in 5 games. I'd say they're very much like Greece.

This thing about "losing to the first good side they play" is such nonsense. Make no mistake, if the fine margins had gone our way and England had won tonight the same people would have been saying "oo-er that French side weren't very good after all, didn't even come top in qualifying, lost to the Swiss in the Euros you know, same old Southgate, only beats shit teams" Schrödinger's opposition: if we beat them, they must have been shit.

Morocco winning would be one of those, like 2004, that is simultaneously incredible and absolutely shite. Nobody looks back fondly on Greece defending their way to the title. They've done brilliantly, now let's have them out please and Messi winning it. I know the rest of the Argies are mainly cunts but at least they deserved to win their QF unlike the fucking French.

This is really remarkable for a 19 year old like.

Was interesting the way the French players all vociferously congratulated Lloris for a skied penalty. They clearly thought he'd won a battle of minds.

Even if Howe would want it, which he wouldn't, there's more chance of England trying to buy Bruno Guimaraes than paying for a Premier League manager's release.

Not that he needs any advice from me but as I posted at the time, that penalty had to go down the middle. Pass it in, chest height. Lloris was always going to go for the big dive one way or the other given how the first one went.

Order one of the world's most consistent penalty takers not to take a penalty in a World Cup quarter final because he's already scored one? One of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard in my life. This is when you know folk are really at the bottom of the barrel and will use absolutely anything to criticise Gareth Southgate against all reason and logic.

And we completely dominated possession tonight, which is what the main criticism was vs Italy and Croatia. 57 vs 43 is huge against a team like France. Basically nowt is good enough for some until he wins a tournament, which is fair enough but imo ludicrous to judge an England manager by that standard.

Well last time he was mainly criticised for being too negative and not putting games to bed - I think we might still be the top scorers in this World Cup. Seems quite a big change to me.