kopsy101

Common sense though, if it's an inch after the ball has left your foot then that's a bit different.

The full backs playing are so restrictive. At least switch them, and then you'll have output on the right, and still nothing on the left.

I expect England to win by 2, this Netherlands team are awful. When was Koeman last a good manager?

Mainoo is finally on the pitch for a goal and it shows

Mainoo recovered well from some poor plays. He's 19, of course there's weaknesses.

No coincidence England look better, Netherlands are not organised, space everywhere.

He shot because he had the ball, he's entitled to. In regular play, it's a foul.

Disagreed, you can't penalise somebody for the natural act of following through a shot. The onus is on the defender to avoid it, IMO.

It is a foul IMO, but enough to overturn? No.

I'm lost again on where the bar is for overturning these things.

Rice so weak, considering it was Simons Great job Walker not closing down, at least you didn't get dribbled!

I must be behind

Great defending Guehi

Sorry pal i'm just getting round to this. You're probably right in that England have been a bit fortunate, but swings and roundabouts, I'd imagine fortune won't always favour them. On the other hand, I think they look pretty solid. They have the best defence in the tournament so far and the lowest xG conceded, but I'd imagine that's more down to Southgate's no risk strategy that personel. Because, they also have like the lowest xG created which is insane, players considered. Yup, if England play like they did against Switzerland, they're in trouble today.

Man is really persevering with Foden. I understand Trippier, given Shaw is literally just fit, but playing Foden is the highest show of loyalty possible

That’s my bad, I’m reading this on my phone so when you said “you’ve got groups” I associated that to another part Based on that, ill respond to the rest later as otherwise that’ll also be error filled

I'm not English, mate. It's just that typically, the best teams come together later in the tournament. Okay, they've avoided the big quarter games this time, but that's not always been the case. Agreed the 2018 run was as easy as it will come, and this year doesn't appear much harder, but 21/22 are no walks in the park at all. If you consider the likes of Portugal who won 2016, their run was similar to Englands 2018 run and that's just how it goes sometimes.

Group stage games are a bit irrelevant to include unless you're trying to push a narrative, but then also no need to include the third place playoff against Belgium tbf. But in the 12 knockout games, he's come up against Croatia who were brilliant then, Germany, Italy, France and now Netherlands. If you finish top of the group, which many big teams don't, you'll get a weaker team so I don't think the draws have always been more generous than other teams. Ability to beat the bigger teams is another thing. It seems quite simply that England beat teams they're better than and don't beat teams which are better. Simples. The thing is, England have a much better team now than they did in 2018, so will be interesting to see how the rest of this tournament plays out. I think they'll beat Netherlands, they're just a bit soft.

I thought he was decent. Brilliant on the ball, but lacking a bit of defensive nous for the wing back responsibilities...Which is absolutely as expected. Doubt Gordon would have dealt much better.

If I'm England watching that game, Netherlands winning is brilliant news.

How can you lose at pens with those 5? Elite. Southgate has this blind loyalty to some players that are kinda holding the team back. Kane, Walker, Foden etc. I would say Trippier, but I'd imagine that Shaw will be straight back in for the semi's. That being said, the personel on the pitch is the least of the problems. The calibre of players available and not a single big chance was created. That's unreal.

England have some proper good penalty takers

No, the aim is to keep Sommer cold Southgate masterplan

Irrelevant, have them both on

Why sub your number 1 penalty 10 minutes from penalties? Do it about 40 minutes earlier