The_jagster

Might have got lost in the thread but pushing Southgate about Sterling apparently. Of the normal ITV mistakes I did enjoy Pougatch being drowned out by some loud music playing over the top. Shame we had to hear Matterface's cringe prepared lines about socks and something John Stones has said

I think it'll be hard, I'd have France as the best team alongside Brazil even without Mbappe. Instead they have strength across the pitch and the best footballer in the world. We might nick it but we need good fortune, but given the way both teams play I think it will be in the balance until the final whistle. I am annoyingly busy until early evening so will be making a mad dash home. I had a minor freakout that I would be missing the match but fortunately it's the 7pm not 3pm slot.

Difficult to judge that, but glad it wasn't as nervy as I expected. Obviously, those two chances for Senegal weren't great but it was dreadful loss of possession and not due to the opposition breaking us down. But Senegal were a bit like they were against Holland, made a game of it in the middle of the pitch but never really looked like creating an opening. Bellingham was everywhere in the first 15 minutes, then obviously did well for the goals, it's so useful having a player who can carry the ball past a man when we are so static as it opens stuff up. Unsurprisingly, we looked better when the opposition had to commit players forward, and once the game was won we played sensibly and never looked like conceding. Predicted media treatment of France over the week: France are amazing and the favourites We have a chance if we can keep Mbappe quiet Actually, France playing on the front foot plays into our hands with our attacking options and Poland showed they can be got at Oh well we could never compete with their front three and we've clearly lost to the best team in the tournament.

Think this will be quite tense, Senegal won AFCON by hanging in there and keeping it tight, Southgate is Southgate. Maybe Slabhead can get on the end of a free kick and make it less of a gruelling night.

Oh man he is just too good

Cash ought to be taken off, passing is off and clearly done physically now

Definitely did for Thuram, mentioned as Giroud was coming off after Dublin was talking about his touch for the goal.

Bad from Poland but Giroud, Dembele and Mbappe all did the right thing, it was so clinical

Krychowiak competing with Blind for easiest player to run past

I think it's a foul, the ball is just pushed in the same direction and Dembele is running onto it.

Great take, Giroud is a brilliant second choice to have

France should still have scored themselves, let's not go overboard on one half

At Man City he would run down the left and just smash it low across the box whether it was the right option or not, no idea if he did the same at Lazio/Roma/Inter

How have they not scored?!?!

I'm talking about Cash smashing it across the goal!!

A Kolarov smash it special

Dunno what Dion was on about, it was a terrible miss Pass was sub-optimal but should defo be scoring

And contributes defensively, kind of unlucky to be outshone by the best player in the world.

I prefer Cowan to Meulensteen... (not just because she mentioned N'Zogbia like I did in the OP although my source had it as an og) On balance I prefer the radio commentators to the TV but there is a slightly different atmosphere, on the radio it is a touch more casual. Murray and McNamara are better than Mowbray imo and I get confused between Bower and Wilson on tv

Poland pressing beyond halfway, whatever next

I find Pocchetino a bit too difficult to listen to, I have to really concentrate to hear what he's saying.

The second day of knockouts and the third tie sees the formidable French side under Didier Deschamps come up against Poland under former goalkeeper Czeslaw Michniewicz. France are spoiling us with a formation! How have they done so far? France: Won their qualifying group unbeaten and beat Australia and Denmark before their second string lost to Tunisia. Poland: Finished second in a qualifying group containing England, Hungary and Albania then beat Sweden 2-0 in a playoff after a bye against Russia. Kept two clean sheets before losing to Argentina in the group stage but only scored against Saudi Arabia when they won 2-0. One Mexico goal from elimination but qualified second from their group on goal difference. Last 16 regulars? France: In recent times, yes, despite high profile failures. They beat Argentina 4-3 in 2018 when Mbappé came to the world's attention, defeated Nigeria 2-0 in 2014 and knocked out Spain 3-1 in 2006. Since the 16-team knockout stage was put in place, France have never lost at this stage. Poland: This is their first knockout tie since 1986 when they lost 4-0 to Brazil at this stage of the tournament. They have failed to qualify 5 times, and only made the groups three times since then. However they finished third in both 1974 and 1982 in the days of two group stages. History between the sides? Poland beat France in the 1982 third place playoff 3-2, lost twice to the French in Euro 68 qualifying and drew twice in qualification for Euro 96. Recent matches have been low scoring affairs, with the last 5 matches producing 4 goals in total. The last three meetings have all been friendlies, the most recent in 2011 when a Poland side with Szczesny and Lewandowski lost 1-0 to a France side featuring Younes Kaboul and Charles N'Zogbia - none of the French players on the pitch in that match can feature in today's game. You'd have to fancy France but they lost on pens to Switzerland in Euro 2020 and have struggled to put goals past lower ranking sides in qualifying, so who knows... Should it go to penalties, Szczesny has already saved two this World Cup.

I'm not offended... It was just a low effort windup that lots of national teams take stuff too seriously for use as motivation and digs after the game.

I don't think Eriksson comes out that badly, Brazil and Portugal were good teams, and the only comparable level team we've beaten under Southgate in major tournaments is Germany. It's funny how Germany have failed recently but I still think it's a decent team. McLaren, Capello and Hodgson was such a waste though, even if a few squads were a bit weak.

Yeah,like Croatia NT and It's Coming Home