indeedido
Well-known member
I was proud of our team last night. I thought we were the better team overall and in control of the second half.
The officiators were very poor and we were punished as a team for their mistakes.
I was confident we would win because this England team has a unity that offsets the fact that two or three players are not world class. I respected France but did not fear them and was confident our lads felt the same.
I disagree that Mbappe is the best player in the world, or the best player at this tournament. I was confident he would be kept quiet by Walker and he was.
Football is not black and white, it is not a game of top trumps. When two outstanding teams match up at an event with such high stakes, it is always going to be a few key scenes and the finest of margins that decides things.
I'm not at all sure why we have to look for culprits; why somebody has to be held responsible, why we have to blame.
Harry Kane is an extraordinary talent, a great player, in my opinion the best centre forward in the world. I love watching him play. He is what I would most like to have been. When he stepped up to take that second penalty there is nobody in the world I'd have wanted to take it more for us.
He missed. Not because he is flaky, does not have the temperament, not because he was out-psyched by a goalkeeper who nobody is in awe of.
He is human, he missed, it happens.
I was sure before the match that whoever won last night would win the trophy. I thought it would be us. I now think it will be the French (sadly for me).
So we lost by the narrowest margin, unluckily, to a team we did not fear and marginally outplayed.
I've not been Southgate's biggest fan as a manager, but have always said it is a results business and his have been unquestionably good.
He deserved the chance to take his team to this competition and in my opinion deserves to see his contract through. We have made progress in many ways in recent years and I believe we have every chance of winning the next Euros under his leadership. I hope he stays and we do.
I would personally not have brought on Mount, while Sterling was baffling, but nobody can say we lost last night because of those decisions. (I'd have strongly preferred Grealish and Rashford earlier).
I also think that Henderson had done very well again (surprising to me), but think he had done so much he was taken off ten minutes late, running on empty.
Who knows what might have happened with a slight variation in one of so very many marginal situations.
England, the team and their manager can hold their heads up after that tournament. You need a little luck with most things in life. They sadly didn't get it and the French did.
The officiators were very poor and we were punished as a team for their mistakes.
I was confident we would win because this England team has a unity that offsets the fact that two or three players are not world class. I respected France but did not fear them and was confident our lads felt the same.
I disagree that Mbappe is the best player in the world, or the best player at this tournament. I was confident he would be kept quiet by Walker and he was.
Football is not black and white, it is not a game of top trumps. When two outstanding teams match up at an event with such high stakes, it is always going to be a few key scenes and the finest of margins that decides things.
I'm not at all sure why we have to look for culprits; why somebody has to be held responsible, why we have to blame.
Harry Kane is an extraordinary talent, a great player, in my opinion the best centre forward in the world. I love watching him play. He is what I would most like to have been. When he stepped up to take that second penalty there is nobody in the world I'd have wanted to take it more for us.
He missed. Not because he is flaky, does not have the temperament, not because he was out-psyched by a goalkeeper who nobody is in awe of.
He is human, he missed, it happens.
I was sure before the match that whoever won last night would win the trophy. I thought it would be us. I now think it will be the French (sadly for me).
So we lost by the narrowest margin, unluckily, to a team we did not fear and marginally outplayed.
I've not been Southgate's biggest fan as a manager, but have always said it is a results business and his have been unquestionably good.
He deserved the chance to take his team to this competition and in my opinion deserves to see his contract through. We have made progress in many ways in recent years and I believe we have every chance of winning the next Euros under his leadership. I hope he stays and we do.
I would personally not have brought on Mount, while Sterling was baffling, but nobody can say we lost last night because of those decisions. (I'd have strongly preferred Grealish and Rashford earlier).
I also think that Henderson had done very well again (surprising to me), but think he had done so much he was taken off ten minutes late, running on empty.
Who knows what might have happened with a slight variation in one of so very many marginal situations.
England, the team and their manager can hold their heads up after that tournament. You need a little luck with most things in life. They sadly didn't get it and the French did.
