QF4: England vs France, 7PM GMT, Al Bayt Stadium

[GunmaN1905]

1 minute ago, caragreg said:

Lloris is still the weak point of the French team? 

It's a legend just like Deschamps, Lloris, Varane, Giroud, Griezmann..

He stepped up last night, diving save for Kane's chance early on, but other than that, he saved everything any decent keeper should save.

Maignan has been a class above him this entire year and would be a big upgrade to current Lloris.

3 minutes ago, skybluedave said:

Rob plays up to it massively. I don't know how people still keep falling for it. He's been doing it for years

One of those people who just disappears when his favorite team/player/coach doesn't deliver

[Baptista_8]

Unfortunately Southgate is not a natural winner.

Selecting favourites over players who can actually change games is weak management. And in the end it always costs us.

As for how he's 'changed the culture' - fair enough, he's probably done some work on that, but this is a much nicer group of players to work with than what we've had in the past anyway.

Someone said elsewhere, missing a penalty in a crucial game (Southgate in 96), it happens, but to make an advert making light of it? Is that a winner?

[TalkSport]

38 minutes ago, skybluedave said:

I'm not sold on Foden in the middle yet. Can he press like a centre midfielder? Would like to see him there more for Man City first. He's basically a winger/forward now at club level. You are also newting Bellingham by moving him further back. 

Him not playing there for Man City, shouldn't stop us playing him there.

Man City have B.Silva/KDB currently there.

Midfield 3 yesterday was fine, but we need the option of other things being available. Currently we've only got 5 CMs that seem to be trusted. Mount/Hendo/Bellingham for further 2, Phillips/Rice for deeper role. 

[noikeee]

Netherlands go out complaining about a pro Argentine ref, Portugal go out with the players complaining the ref was pro Morocco to help Argentina, and England go out complaining about a pro French ref in the same match they get two pens.

Perhaps we're all more similar than we like to think... How about looking at how all three teams underperformed to various degrees, hey?

[ajw10]

People blaming Southgate for last night are genuinely ridiculous. 

We lost against a very good side. It's a game of fine margins and a usually reliable penalty taker smashes one over the bar. There's not much more to it than that.

Only issue was subbing off Saka, but it looks like half the thread wanted him off anyway  

[Pukey]

5 minutes ago, ajw10 said:

People blaming Southgate for last night are genuinely ridiculous. 

We lost against a very good side. It's a game of fine margins and a usually reliable penalty taker smashes one over the bar. There's not much more to it than that.

Only issue was subbing off Saka, but it looks like half the thread wanted him off anyway  

I think there's definitely room for a general discussion about Southgate and his overall management and whether he's the best man to keep going, but yeah last night I'm not massively upset with him at all. Are there other changes he could have made, could have made changes earlier, should he have taken Saka off? Maybe to all those, but we've seen England play so badly in these kinds of games and really go into their shell, look at Croatia 2018 and Italy last year, and this wasn't that in the slightest. As you say, this was a game of fine margins and we came out on the wrong side unfortunately. 

[skybluedave]

7 minutes ago, pearcey_90 said:

Him not playing there for Man City, shouldn't stop us playing him there.

Man City have B.Silva/KDB currently there.

Midfield 3 yesterday was fine, but we need the option of other things being available. Currently we've only got 5 CMs that seem to be trusted. Mount/Hendo/Bellingham for further 2, Phillips/Rice for deeper role. 

I agree. I'm not wedded to to having to play players where they play for their clubs. We should just build the best side we can. I'd defo like to see Foden play centrally more and see how it goes but I'm just not convinced it will suddenly fix us. The off ball work you have to do in midfield is very important. Like I don't really rate Mount but in games you can see he knows how to press centrally and keep shape. I have question marks over Foden in that regard

[ArsenalFan7]

17 minutes ago, ajw10 said:

People blaming Southgate for last night are genuinely ridiculous. 

We lost against a very good side. It's a game of fine margins and a usually reliable penalty taker smashes one over the bar. There's not much more to it than that.

Only issue was subbing off Saka, but it looks like half the thread wanted him off anyway  

Haven’t read through but Saka was probably England’s best player after a bit of a rough start.

Never been a Southgate fan but have no real issue with how we set up, we played well and lost to a good team with some decisions and key moments swinging against us, fine margins tend to decide these sort of games. It’s not a game where I’d actively point to some of his errors like I would Croatia or Italy.

I did think the winner goes on to win the WC and this was very much a 50/50 occasion in my eyes.

[Mr Adam]

I love Saka. Just think Foden is better than him. Based on my “intangible” opinion. 
 

They’d 100% both start in my England side. But at 4-3-3 Saka would start ahead of Foden.

My personal best “attacking 5” of the plausible players from yesterday would have been: Rice, Bellingham ; Saka, Foden, Grealish ; Kane

With Rashford able to come off bench when game gets stretched 

[Lermon]

what was the excuse England didn't beat USA? Was that because of the ref too?

[ajw10]

16 minutes ago, Lermon said:

what was the excuse England didn't beat USA? Was that because of the ref too?

They didn't play well and most importantly, they didn't need to win the game.

Bizarre post

[RTHerringbone]

In spite of all the really weak trolling attempts in here, we're actually in a decent spot.

Henderson had a good tournament but at 32 he's not realistically going to be a starter at future tournaments. I'd like us to look longer term and consider going with Rice, Bellingham and Foden centrally, with Rashford and Saka wide.

It's par for the course for people to slate Maguire but he's had a solid tournament. We do seem to have some options with Tomori, Guehi, White so hopefully they'll get more minutes for England. I think we're fine at fullback. Walker and Trippier are getting on but James and TAA are good enough and young enough. On the left Shaw and Chilwell are fine. Not sure who logically steps up to replace Pickford and Kane in the longer term but we aren't far off at all.

So a few changes in personnel and a more proactive bit of in-game management and we'll be fine for the next World Cup.

[Confused Clarity]

11 minutes ago, RTHerringbone said:

In spite of all the really weak trolling attempts in here, we're actually in a decent spot.

Henderson had a good tournament but at 32 he's not realistically going to be a starter at future tournaments. I'd like us to look longer term and consider going with Rice, Bellingham and Foden centrally, with Rashford and Saka wide.

It's par for the course for people to slate Maguire but he's had a solid tournament. We do seem to have some options with Tomori, Guehi, White so hopefully they'll get more minutes for England. I think we're fine at fullback. Walker and Trippier are getting on but James and TAA are good enough and young enough. On the left Shaw and Chilwell are fine. Not sure who logically steps up to replace Pickford and Kane in the longer term but we aren't far off at all.

So a few changes in personnel and a more proactive bit of in-game management and we'll be fine for the next World Cup.

What do you consider trolling attempts?

 

[error username in use]

Feel sorry for whatever club ends up lumbered with Southgate as a manager 

barely gets a group of talented players to make football fun to watch

let alone a bunch of mercenaries looking for their next pay cheque every weekend

[TM]

considering this has turned into a "England future" thread, what's the thoughts of using TAA as a midfielder? if it would ever happen which I doubt as he doesn't play there for Liverpool and it would be a big risk, although in qualifying you could at least try it in games against lesser nations to see how it worked

would say he has the best passing of that potential England midfield, he'll create chances which means Kane doesn't have to so he can go upfront and do what he's good at, although it might result in others having different roles - Bellingham or Saka maybe which might negate their effectiveness

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, TM said:

considering this has turned into a "England future" thread, what's the thoughts of using TAA as a midfielder?

Can James actually play as a RCB in 3 man defense or Tuchel was just covering because of injuries?

Since England has no actual midfield playmaker of top class coming up (unless I'm missing someone), TAA simply has to be utilized.

TAA as a playmaker on the right, Foden on the left. TAA is just too good not to be used at all.

3-4-3 of sorts where James can also push up with a midfielder covering.

 

[cyclonus1010]

2 hours ago, _mxrky said:

Then he actually has to learn how to play as a midfielder. 

Has to play further forward than just a midfielder. Has to be between midfield and any central striker.

[Rob1981]

3 hours ago, Constantine said:

All this banter aside, anyone heard from Rob?

Haha. Been out all day so I haven’t read the whole thread yet. But I don’t know how anyone can watch that and think that somehow Sean Dyche is the answer.

Probably the two best teams left in the competition and we’ve gone toe to toe for 90 minutes. A shame either of us had to go out at QF stage because it was a game worthy of a semi final or a final.

On another day Kane scores the penalty or Harry Maguire’s header goes three inches the other side of the post, or Rashford’s last minute free kick finds the target, or Shaw puts a better ball into the box with those crosses near the end. Or Griezmann’s ball has slightly too much on it and France don’t score their second. You play that game ten times and we probably win five each.

I was ready for Southgate to fall on his sword if we got embarrassed or out-thought or outplayed. But you can’t blame him for much there. We weren’t so timid we switched to five at the back and sat deep in midfield. We didn’t lose because he refused to drop Sterling and get Foden into the starting eleven, or because we didn’t go for the throat at 1-1, or because we kept faith with Maguire and a suspect defence couldn’t cope with Mbappe.

We gave it a right go. We came close. But at this level you can play your best games and still go out. The margins at this stage of the tournament are vanishingly small, this is why we love international football after all.

Maybe he leaves Saka on, but Saka had run himself ragged for more than three quarters of the game. And if Rashford and Grealish and Sterling never get off the bench then people are asking why he hasn’t used more fresh legs when we can make five subs.

I actually think he might call it a day though. We’ve talked to death about the spirit in the camp and the club culture stuff. Very easy to keep the momentum going when you keep breaking new ground and getting to semi finals and finals for the first time. But going into a third or fourth tournament with mostly the same players, and after a big disappointment to boot. I don’t know if the hunger and desire and enthusiasm stays at the same level without something different.

He’ll spend some time talking it through with senior players as well as the FA bigwigs would be my guess. But yeah, if he goes... it’s because the group as whole will benefit from some fresh energy. Not because the FA have a ready made super tactician waiting in the wings.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Rob1981

[Mr Adam]

24 minutes ago, Confused Clarity said:

What do you consider trolling attempts?

 

There are very clearly some. Not you fwiw, you’re offering detailed opinion rather than trying to get a rise 

 

edit - not going to name or call any out as it will just prolong it and encourage it further 

Edited December 11, 2022 by Mr Adam

[cyclonus1010]

8 minutes ago, TM said:

TAA as a midfielder? if it would ever happen which I doubt as he doesn't play there for Liverpool

Well, Trent is down as a right back on any team sheet but he spends most of his time in midfield areas, whether wide or just inside.

When he produces the goods in attack, him being further forward isn't a big problem.

When he doesn't, all he does is find himself too far up the pitch, leaving acres of space for teams to attack. It's a weakness that every team should know about.

It's something that you have to accept with him in the team. 

[Confused Clarity]

3 minutes ago, Mr Adam said:

There are very clearly some. Not you fwiw, you’re offering detailed opinion rather than trying to get a rise 

The thing is, most of the dissent is coming from people who don't have English as a first language. So I think a lot of it can be closer to that than anything else. Maybe some are being a but antagonistic with it, but I don't think theres been proper trolling. Not in the way we get for Premier league match threads.

[RTHerringbone]

24 minutes ago, Confused Clarity said:

What do you consider trolling attempts?

 

4 minutes ago, Mr Adam said:

There are very clearly some. Not you fwiw, you’re offering detailed opinion rather than trying to get a rise 

Yeah, this.

I get that it's the done thing but in this case it feels like it's largely pointless. I've always felt that there's a false representation that English football fans have this sense of entitlement with football and that we expect to win. It's so far from the truth that it just isn't even worth going down that route. So when we've had a decent tournament and have been eliminated by a really fine margin, that's why nonsense like "What was the issue when you lost to the US? The ref?" is just pointless frivolity.

[Mr Adam]

1 minute ago, Confused Clarity said:

The thing is, most of the dissent is coming from people who don't have English as a first language. So I think a lot of it can be closer to that than anything else. Maybe some are being a but antagonistic with it, but I don't think theres been proper trolling. Not in the way we get for Premier league match threads.

Yeh to be fair I wouldn’t necessarily have defined it as trolling. More deliberate provoking

[TM]

9 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

I actually think he might call it a day though. We’ve talked to death about the spirit in the camp and the club culture stuff. Very easy to keep the momentum going when you keep breaking new ground and getting to semi finals and finals for the first time. But going into a third or fourth tournament with mostly the same players, and after a big disappointment to boot. I don’t know if the hunger and desire and enthusiasm stays at the same level without something different.

He’ll spend some time talking it through with senior players as well as the FA bigwigs would be my guess. But yeah, if he goes... it’s because the group as whole will benefit from some fresh energy. Not because the FA have a ready made super tactician waiting in the wings.

I'd probably agree with this, normal for a manager to take time to think things over but unless he can get England to the place of winning tournaments, he's always going to have people who say they won't win major titles with him in charge because he's not attacking/negative

maybe he might think it's time to let someone else have a go, he's done more for an England team in the last 6 years than some have done in the last 20 in major competitions.  Would leave them in a good place if he decides to go, England definitely have the players to win Germany 2024 in my opinion

[_mxrky]

Too many prople rate the idea of players on here rather than what they actually do

Edited December 11, 2022 by _mxrky

[Weezer]

England fans can’t complain about a game or be disappointed not to win without being entitled, fairly standard response.

I’m not sure there is a more self-deprecating group of fans in international football, other than maybe the Scots, than us but too many fall into the trap of believing “It’s Coming Home” is being used unironically. 

[ArsenalFan7]

1 hour ago, Mr Adam said:

I love Saka. Just think Foden is better than him. Based on my “intangible” opinion. 
 

They’d 100% both start in my England side. But at 4-3-3 Saka would start ahead of Foden.

My personal best “attacking 5” of the plausible players from yesterday would have been: Rice, Bellingham ; Saka, Foden, Grealish ; Kane

With Rashford able to come off bench when game gets stretched 

Foden is England’s most talented player, the side should really be built him and/or Bellingham. I do think another manager can probably maximise Foden better.

And fwiw I’ll never really understand the argument that a player as ridiculously talented as Foden couldn’t play through the centre for this England side. I would love to see him pulling the strings all over like Griezmann has been for France and negating a mediocre option like Henderson.

[EnterUsernameHere]

1 minute ago, Weezer said:

England fans can’t complain about a game or be disappointed not to win without being entitled, fairly standard response.

I’m not sure there is a more self-deprecating group of fans in international football, other than maybe the Scots, than us but too many fall into the trap of believing “It’s Coming Home” is being used unironically. 

Yeah I actually think England fans don't expect enough from their team. 

He wasn't at fault really last night, but you've been very similar to the United fans who thought Ole deserved more time and that no one else could do better. You're chucking away a great group of players by being happy with semi finals, runners up places etc. Not exactly entitled...but still baffling to me.

[Mr Adam]

1 minute ago, ArsenalFan7 said:

Foden is England’s most talented player, the side should really be built him and/or Bellingham. I do think another manager can probably maximise Foden better.

And fwiw I’ll never really understand the argument that a player as ridiculously talented as Foden couldn’t play through the centre for this England side. I would love to see him pulling the strings all over like Griezmann has been for France and negating a mediocre option like Henderson.

Exactly this. Foden for me should be on the top of a midfield 3.

I wonder if Southgate’s desire to drop Kane deep meant that there was no space for Foden there, so had to put him wide. And when people clamoured for Foden they actually may have been clamouring for a change in style without knowing it. Not Foden shoehorned into a role that didn’t suit him 

[Weezer]

I don’t even call myself an England fan either fwiw. I love the World Cup, and to a lesser extent the Euros (until UEFA ruined it by qualifying half the continent), but the rest of international football can get in the bin. Haven’t watched a friendly, qualifier or Nations League game for years and have no interest in it.

But even I get annoyed that England fans are held to a different standard sometimes than other nations.

[Weezer]

5 minutes ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

Yeah I actually think England fans don't expect enough from their team. 

He wasn't at fault really last night, but you've been very similar to the United fans who thought Ole deserved more time and that no one else could do better. You're chucking away a great group of players by being happy with semi finals, runners up places etc. Not exactly entitled...but still baffling to me.

I’m no Southgate fan but then I’m also one of those that thinks in a World Cup scenario the manager doesn’t actually matter that much. It’s far more about the players and having a lot of luck. A manager can make small differences here or there but Southgate didn’t lose that match for us last night any more than Deschamps won it for France. Our previous ‘golden generations’ would never have won a major tournament no matter who the manager was, they just didn’t have the mentality for it, nor the luck when it mattered.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Weezer

[SC00P0NE]

I wouldn't call english fans entitled, rather slightly too enthusiastically optimistic at times as soon as things mildly go their way, or like when some new english prospect can run 5 meters in straight line without falling, people tend to get carried away.. But then again, internationally, we usually speak english, so naturally the english team gets more attention from the outside rather than let's say what french fans think about their team, that remains hidden behind the language barrier.. 

Edited December 11, 2022 by SC00P0NE

[Mr Adam]

9 minutes ago, SC00P0NE said:

I wouldn't call english fans entitled, rather slightly too enthusiastically optimistic at times as soon as things mildly go their way, or like when some new english prospect can run 5 meters in straight line without falling, people tend to get carried away.. But then again, internationally, we usually speak english, so naturally the english team gets more attention from the outside rather than let's say what french fans think about their team, that remains hidden behind the language barrier.. 

see this is the thing. It’s a misconception. We really don’t get carried away. The “it’s coming home” is used ironically and is no more a “chant” than “Alez Les blues” for example (even if a different meaning)

[XuluBak]

3 hours ago, Weezer said:

The debate is that the referee was awful and 'missed' blatant penalties for England.

Except, he didn't. He let a lot go, both ways. Kane foul wasn't a pen, it just wasn't. He gave the Saka one without hesitation. He gave the Mount one, with a yellow, on review. 

On the last one, I don't think him not giving it live was bad, I think it was sensible refereeing with VAR in place. Mount has absolutely no play on the ball, Theo makes contact, but how much? Players go down easy, trying to buy a pen in that situation all the time. Live, from the ref's perspective, better to not give it and let VAR do their job. If he gives it, and it's soft, VAR can't do much because there WAS contact. If he doesn't give it, then VAR can look at different angles and tell him to have a look. EXACTLY what happen. That's how VAR is supposed to work.

[XuluBak]

1 hour ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

Yeah I actually think England fans don't expect enough from their team. 

Absolutely this. Not sure what people are talking, suggesting English fans are entitled. If I were an English fan I'd be pissed about how negative Southgate has been with the talent he has at his disposal.

For as well as England played yesterday, how many chances did they actually create? Now, how many did they create from open play? 

Edited December 11, 2022 by XuluBak

[Pukey]

1 minute ago, XuluBak said:

Absolutely this. Not sure what people are talking, suggesting English fans are entitled. If I were an English fan I'd be pissed about how negative Southgate has been with the talent he has at his disposal.

For as England played yesterday, how many chances did they actually create? Now, how many did they create from open play? 

About as many as France tbf, ie not many.

[Rob1981]

6 minutes ago, XuluBak said:

I don't think him not giving it live was bad, I think it was sensible refereeing with VAR in place ... better to not give it and let VAR do their job ... That's how VAR is supposed to work.

This isn’t how VAR is supposed to work  

It’s to correct obvious mistakes, it’s not there so that the ref can duck a decision in real time and go and look at the monitor instead. Any referee worthy of a World Cup quarter final should be giving that foul on Mount immediately. The defender isn’t even looking at the ball.

And I’m not blaming the ref for England’s exit btw, but someone trusted with a game of this magnitude is supposed to be one of the best half a dozen refs in the world. For someone at level it was embarrassing.

And the Kane one at the other end is 50/50 whether it’s a pen. If he’d given a foul just outside the box I don’t think anyone would be complaining too much. But to not even see a foul at all is pretty bad.

 

[The_jagster]

24 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

And the Kane one at the other end is 50/50 whether it’s a pen. If he’d given a foul just outside the box I don’t think anyone would be complaining too much. But to not even see a foul at all is pretty bad.

 

This is completely wrong

[av3ry]

All the Welsh, Scottish and Irish OTF posters over the last 24 hours...

[JD nawrat]

2 hours ago, TM said:

considering this has turned into a "England future" thread, what's the thoughts of using TAA as a midfielder? if it would ever happen which I doubt as he doesn't play there for Liverpool and it would be a big risk, although in qualifying you could at least try it in games against lesser nations to see how it worked

would say he has the best passing of that potential England midfield, he'll create chances which means Kane doesn't have to so he can go upfront and do what he's good at, although it might result in others having different roles - Bellingham or Saka maybe which might negate their effectiveness

Imagine a right side of Saka RW, TAA RCM, Walker RB - Walker stays back at all times to compensate for an attacking midfield/forward, Saka cuts inside running at the defence and being Saka, TAA can either play through the middle or drift out wide to whip in some class crosses. The benefit of course that he doesn't have to defend too much/be as highly concentrated as an international RB should be. 

[Confused Clarity]

Just now, JD nawrat said:

Imagine a right side of Saka RW, TAA RCM, Walker RB - Walker stays back at all times to compensate for an attacking midfield/forward, Saka cuts inside running at the defence and being Saka, TAA can either play through the middle or drift out wide to whip in some class crosses. The benefit of course that he doesn't have to defend too much/be as highly concentrated as an international RB should be. 

Who do they drop to accommodate an out of position TAA then though?

[Lucas]

4 minutes ago, Confused Clarity said:

Who do they drop to accommodate an out of position TAA then though?

Henderson.

Rice, Bellingham, TAA. I figure.

[JD nawrat]

6 minutes ago, Confused Clarity said:

Who do they drop to accommodate an out of position TAA then though?

That's the beautiful thing about football - it's a squad game  it doesn't have to be this all the time. Or even that often. it sounds like a great possibility though, doesn't it? Would you (not you specifically of course) rather see Mount coming on or TAA? I know who I'd rather see  

[JD nawrat]

Mbappé had an xG of 0.00 last night. 

[TM]

5 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Henderson.

Rice, Bellingham, TAA. I figure.

maybe for FIFA players (and a bit harsh on Henderson who I think is a good player) but somebody said Saka/Bellingham was like watching somebody control them with an analogue stick yesterday but Henderson felt like somebody using the d-pad (which people generally don't use to control players in FIFA games nowadays)

harsh but he did feel a bit disjointed where he was

Edited December 11, 2022 by TM

[skybluedave]

I thought Henderson did well. I wont knock his performance but I swear at times it feels like he can't kick a ball hard enough  Like sometimes his passes feel a tad short or underpowered. 

[XuluBak]

1 hour ago, Rob1981 said:

This isn’t how VAR is supposed to work  

It’s to correct obvious mistakes, it’s not there so that the ref can duck a decision in real time and go and look at the monitor instead. Any referee worthy of a World Cup quarter final should be giving that foul on Mount immediately. The defender isn’t even looking at the ball.

And I’m not blaming the ref for England’s exit btw, but someone trusted with a game of this magnitude is supposed to be one of the best half a dozen refs in the world. For someone at level it was embarrassing.

And the Kane one at the other end is 50/50 whether it’s a pen. If he’d given a foul just outside the box I don’t think anyone would be complaining too much. But to not even see a foul at all is pretty bad.

 

Of course it's how VAR is supposed to work. The ref doesn't have the benefit of perfect positioning, perfect angle, unobstructed views, etc. for every call. I mean, you're talking about Theo not even looking at the ball, which is something we knew because of camera angles and replays. That's not information the ref had until he went to the monitor. It's not a matter of "ducking calls" in real time, it's a matter of what they should do when it's unclear in real time, from their perspective. 

The best example I can provide off the top of my head is potential fumbles in American football (which has had replay for decades now). They are instructed to err on the side of it being a fumble because that let's the play run it's course. If it turns out that it shouldn't have been a fumble, then it's easy to undo, but if they blow the play dead, when it actually should've been a fumble, then what would've happened is lost. 

Re: Pens, they should err towards it not being a pen, because it's a lot easier to give a pen via VAR than it is to take one away. Also, not the case in this instance, but there are plenty of situations where that maybe a pen, maybe not a pen actually plays out to be a goal. If you call the pen, then take it away, that potential goal is lost. If you let it run, then the play can naturally result in a goal OR you can revisit and give the pen. Conversely, refs and their assistants should be more cautious in giving attacking fouls in transitional/high impact moments, because they can always go back and take the goal away, they can't take the foul away and award the goal that might've/would've happened. 

Again, not saying the ref or their assistants should be afraid to make calls, especially when they're in a good position to make a clear call. I'm saying they should acknowledge their limitations and that technology exists to help them, and actually let it help in situations of uncertainty. That is why it exists. 

[Pukey]

16 minutes ago, JD nawrat said:

Mbappé had an xG of 0.00 last night. 

In fairness this wasn't just down to Walker and I think he'd be the first to point that out, and Mbappe still had a couple of dangerous moments because of course he did, but yeah Walker did about as well as anyone could against him.

[XuluBak]

15 minutes ago, JD nawrat said:

Mbappé had an xG of 0.00 last night. 

That's definitely not correct. He had a decent chance, he put over the bar in the first half. 

He also really should've had an assist. Not sure if Giroud got a slight touch, and that put Dembele off, or if Dembele just took a terrible (and completely unnecessary) touch. The latter was really, really poor throughout, and not sure why he wasn't subbed much earlier in the match. 

Walker played well enough, but it was a good team effort to force someone other than Mbappe to beat England. Dembele clearly wasn't up for it, but unfortunately for England, Griezmann was. 

[JD nawrat]

49 minutes ago, XuluBak said:

That's definitely not correct. He had a decent chance, he put over the bar in the first half. 

I just seen something on reddit tbf, didn't fact check. 

Did just now - fotmob gave him 0.13 xG for the night.