The Knockout Stages

First topic message reminder :

Round of 16:

France vs Argentina
Portugal vs Uruguay
Spain vs Russia
Croatia vs Denmark
Brazil vs Mexico
Belgium vs Japan
Sweden vs Switzerland
England vs Colombia

Painful to watch how slow this game is.

England once again just not doing anything in the final 3rd, just so slow attacking wise.
Can't we just go to ET. As that's the only way this is going so far.

Never offside, good job for England though.

That'll do. Need to push through now.

More than one Harry , eh

1-0 Maguire. Another set piece goal. Sweden, as expected, are woeful

Good job we great from set pieces. As from open play we've done nothing.

That should open the game up.

Set pieces do it again.

Iceland got back into the game 2 years ago immediately, make Sweden sweat for a bit

Past experience of both these teams says one probably won't be enough. (Though it would be nice if England could keep a clean sheet this once !)
But with Sweden forced to come out a bit more there should be more chances...

Just have to avoid something silly. Get into the break, make Sweden decide when they want to come out and take some chances.

Other than Maguires goal, this games been woeful.

Type of game Sweden play and hope to nick one. While its only one they'll be happy enough until 20 to go or so. England just have to be patient, don't give them an easy route back into it.

Raheem Sterling

Beyond awful

Sterlings pace is giving Granqvist fits though

For gods sake, Sterling with 2 sitters missed (1 offside).

Oh dear....Sterling keeps getting into such lovely positions . If only he could finish ...

England’s most dangerous player. How bad would we be playing if it wasn’t for this “woeful” player?!

Oof, the opening to make it 2, big glove from the keeper, that would probably kill Sweden off just before the half.

Sweden are doing all they can to kill the game as a spectacle, England have the lead though.

Sweden defence looks poor.
England getting round the back easily.

Good header from McGuire, although if Swedish keeper have dove he would have saved it. To much power having said that.

Continue to believe Alli just isn't fit though. Playing at half speed the last 2 games

westisbest wrote:
Good header from McGuire, although if Swedish keeper have dove he would have saved it. To much power having said that.

I thought that, but its past him by the time he starts moving.

Best thing you can say about that half is we're 1-0 up.

England have been the better team but the one paced play is a worry in the sense of against Belgium and France it won’t work.

Sterling is in a catch 22....he brings so much in terms of his positioning and movement...but the simple fact is for all the positives we play with him as a number 10...we don’t play a 2nd striker so he has to provide a finish at the end of all of it and he doesn’t. On our history their is a always a good chance the final whistle goes and we will be lamenting that missed opportunity.

I hope we come out and kill the game off this half...please for God’s sake do not slow down game anymore and try to sit it out. Deli has been woeful this World Cup that is a fact.

Maguire has been brilliant in terms of his danger in the opps box...but also moving ball nicely around that back line and into midfield. Young has a tonne of room on the left...him cutting back onto his right foot is far to easy to read though. Would try to get Trippier into a little more as for me he is the best option for getting those balls in

Dele Alli !

Game over

Sweden are horrific

Now no messing about ...keep pressing and kill it right off...

And don't get careless ! Pickford a fine save but they've been warned...

Comfortable win for England

Shambolic opposition.

Would have been closer if not for Pickford.

Comfortable enough overall though.

Thought keeper could have done better with Ali’s header.

Sweden are no mugs but England made them look very ordinary. Comfortable

We're through, but can't say we've learned anything from that game as Sweden were dire.

Would prefer Russia to win tonight, as apart from the last game. Croatia have been the team of the tournament for me.

Sweden didn't offer much ; but England played them the way you need to play against their style...and got a result.
Unlike some other "big" teams recently...

Got it done in ninety minutes too which is a good thing after the protracted Colombia game. I won't mind if Russia/Croatia goes to ET

Still not the perfect game but maybe that just means there is improvement to come...

alfie wrote:Still not the perfect game but maybe that just means there is improvement to come...

Someone help me, I was just thinking that the only thing Sterling's going to do in this tournament is score the winner in the final.
Also, this is going to end up in a rematch with Belgium, isn't it?

This is not a great England side but they are well led and have huge team spirit. Yes, the draw has opened up for them but they have been able to take advantage. I'd still like to see Rose instead of Young but I doubt Southgate will change things now.
Sterling polarises opinion. But he is quick and ties up defenders. As with Young, Southgate will probably persist with him. There are no prima donnas in this team. Some have come up the hard way. This is not the golden generation this is the school of hard knocks. Going out on loan to Rochdale (with all due respect to the Lancashire outfit) is doing it the hard way.
Yes, sport is trivial in the scheme of things. But I think many have been only too happy to come together and take pride and joy in the honest endeavours of guys kicking a ball about, and winning, on the biggest sporting stage of all.

Lost this game 2 years ago. This time never looked in doubt.

Russia 1-0 Croatia - Cherysev

Russia 1-1 Croatia - Kramaric

Dire game, that’s gone to extra time.

Tired players on either side

Russia 1-2 Croatia - Vida

Brazil 2-2 Croatia

Croatia have bottled this

Russia aren't good but this support is a great leveller to have

Fewer things funnier than when someone ****s up a trick penalty

Some ****e penalties in this

How has that gone in

2-1 Croatia after 3 each

Match point Croatia

England v Croatia

England vs Croatia, Russia out on pens