Football

[TRAX]

That’s what happens when you finally end up playing against a real hard team.

 

[Cowley]

It’s been a great run and I’ve really enjoyed it.
The better team won tonight although it was pretty close in the end.
The referee was poor but we lost the game in the midfield and unfortunately this time we got found out.
The team did us proud though and we have the makings of good team in this bunch.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It looks like either Paris or Zagreb that the "Scummy Gnome" will eventually end its journey at.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Agreed, Croatia definitely the better team. They stifled Kane. And gave loads of space to Lingard because they know Lingard is an idiot.

I'm still blaming Lingard for their winner, standing there doing naff all instead of tracking back and challenging the players on the ball. Useless, he is, been saying it all tournament. Should have started with Dier.

That shows the fact that if all the best that England can offer in that type of player in that type of midfield role is either Dier or Lingard when far more vastly experienced and technically aware midfield players such as Luka Modric, the captain of the Croatian team, can be found in other national teams, you should not be surprised at the outcome. Can you imagine Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, etc, making either Dier or Lingard a transfer target?

I see that once again "the headless chicken cunning plan" failed and "the chicken in question" was withdrawn well before the end of the match.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It would be good if both England and Belgium played their strongest available teams in the match to establish the official third-place match winners, after both teams deliberately fielded weakened teams in the group stage match.

 

[Antman]

It would be good if both England and Belgium played their strongest available teams in the match to establish the official third-place match winners, after both teams deliberately fielded weakened teams in the group stage match.

It's a squad game and surely it's time this ridiculous third place play off was scrapped?

 

[Antman]

It’s been a great run and I’ve really enjoyed it.
The better team won tonight although it was pretty close in the end.
The referee was poor but we lost the game in the midfield and unfortunately this time we got found out.
The team did us proud though and we have the makings of good team in this bunch.

Gareth Southgate and his squad have done us proud, it could have been so much better but it just wasn't to be.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It's a squad game and surely it's time this ridiculous third place play off was scrapped?

Definitely agree on that one. It's an irrelevant game. If you've lost in a semi final you want to go home, not play the Losers Final.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

The ITV coverage is pretty rubbish in comparison to the BBC. As for the final, it is being broadcast on both, it'll interesting to compare the viewing figures for the two channels!

It's nothing compared to what OPTUS dished up. It was so bad they gave up.


Why on earth do they have a 3rd place play off for? It's just rubbing salt into a wound which I have no problem with if it's England

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Definitely agree on that one. It's an irrelevant game. If you've lost in a semi final you want to go home, not play the Losers Final.

For how many years since the World Cup first started has the 3rd place play-off been part of the actual tournament and all teams who compete in it are fully aware that such a match will take. If, as you say, you don't want to abide by the rules governing the competition, then do not bothering entering it in the first place.

 

[DarloRich]

For how many years since the World Cup first started has the 3rd place play-off been part of the actual tournament and all teams who compete in it are fully aware that such a match will take. If, as you say, you don't want to abide by the rules governing the competition, then do not bothering entering it in the first place.

goodness me. If there was a world championship for pedantry.......................

OF COURSE all of the teams know the rules, schedule and expectations. That doesn't hide the fact that this game is a complete waste of time none of the players want to be involved with, nor does it prevent someone expressing an opinion. That is something you have shown, time and again, an aversion to doing.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

goodness me. If there was a world championship for pedantry.......................

OF COURSE all of the teams know the rules, schedule and expectations. That doesn't hide the fact that this game is a complete waste of time none of the players want to be involved with, nor does it prevent someone expressing an opinion. That is something you have shown, time and again, an aversion to doing.

Let me address this another way. Since the World Cup first started and the 3rd-place play-off match was made an integral part of the tournament, how many formal representations to the organising body have there been to have this particular fixture deleted in that period of time.

It seems to me that the sudden outbreak of these sentiments on this thread are solely down to England being a losing semi-finalist and I cannot recall the matter being discussed previously on this thread.

There you are...... I have expressed an opinion.

 

[Antman]

Let me address this another way. Since the World Cup first started and the 3rd-place play-off match was made an integral part of the tournament, how many formal representations to the organising body have there been to have this particular fixture deleted in that period of time.

It seems to me that the sudden outbreak of these sentiments on this thread are solely down to England being a losing semi-finalist and I cannot recall the matter being discussed previously on this thread.

There you are...... I have expressed an opinion.

I think we are all aware of how long the third place play off has been in situ, it's not a sudden outbreak of sentiments the same questions are asked at every tournament.

I mean anybody who suggested something similar for the losing champions league semi finalists would be dismissed as bonkers.

 

[DarloRich]

Since the World Cup first started and the 3rd-place play-off match was made an integral part of the tournament, how many formal representations to the organising body have there been to have this particular fixture deleted in that period of time.

I don't know or care. I am not a member of the FIFA executive committee sadly. Even if it is 0 that doesn't change the fact this game is a total waste of time and effort.

It seems to me that the sudden outbreak of these sentiments on this thread are solely down to England being a losing semi-finalist and I cannot recall the matter being discussed previously on this thread.

it happens at every tournament right around the time the third place playoff game comes onto the radar.

Finally, apologies this topic has not been discussed previously. Could you supply a list of topics it is acceptable for us to discuss?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Typical England. Football thought about coming home, but having seen the "quality coverage" from ITV it decided to extend its 52-year round-the-world backpacking trip.

"Football" tended to pretend that the World Cup did not exist from 1930 until the 1950 tournament and that particular 1950 one showed the "superior" England team meet the United States on 29th June 1950 and lose 1-0.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Finally, apologies this topic has not been discussed previously. Could you supply a list of topics it is acceptable for us to discuss?

The football topics nearest to both our hearts are Darlington for you and Hyde United for me....

 

[DarloRich]

The football topics nearest to both our hearts are Darlington for you and Hyde United for me....

that will do me

( Off to Eindhoven tomorrow for a pre season friendly)

 

[Butts]

I wonder if Belgium and England will field full strength teams for the Third Place Playoff - ill be interesting as they both virtually fielded reserve teams in the Group Match.

Could be a whole new ball game !!

 

[Tetchytyke]

it happens at every tournament right around the time the third place playoff game comes onto the radar.

Indeed. The Dutch were not happy about playing it in 2014, and they won. Same every four years. It's normally shoved away on BBC 2 for a reason.

I'll not be watching, as ITV have coverage this time. I'd rather gnaw my own leg off than watch more ITV coverage.

 

[Antman]

I wonder if Belgium and England will field full strength teams for the Third Place Playoff - ill be interesting as they both virtually fielded reserve teams in the Group Match.

Could be a whole new ball game !!

They'll probably both give those who haven't featured a run out, Kane didn't look fully fit last night so I doubt if he'll play.

I can't see the pubs being packed out for this one!

 

[Butts]

Indeed. The Dutch were not happy about playing it in 2014, and they won. Same every four years. It's normally shoved away on BBC 2 for a reason.

I'll not be watching, as ITV have coverage this time. I'd rather gnaw my own leg off than watch more ITV coverage.

How come ITV have it again as they had the semi-final surely it's BBC's turn ?

As most of the ITV panel are BBC trained it would be interesting as part of their Final coverage if they had the courage to discuss why they get obliterated in the ratings when head to head with the BBC. As ITV panellists have worked "both tickets" they should have a unique insight.

Is this likely to happen and if not do ITV Sport have a twitter account where the same question could be posed (and would they answer)

 

[Darandio]

How come ITV have it again as they had the semi-final surely it's BBC's turn ?

They probably didn't want it, pointless exercise.

 

[Butts]

They probably didn't want it, pointless exercise.

Even with England featuring ?

 

[Darandio]

Even with England featuring ?

Even the England players won't want to feature, who remembers who came 3rd at the World Cup apart from Slaven Bilic? The England team should have been on a plane home today.

 

[Butts]

Even the England players won't want to feature, who remembers who came 3rd at the World Cup apart from Slaven Bilic? The England team should have been on a plane home today.

Imagine what he'll be like if Croatia get Gold this time rather than Bronze. Whats your view on the ITV discussion re why they get trounced when going head to head with the BBC ? Would they have the courage to ask the question and come up with the answer.

 

[Darandio]

Imagine what he'll be like if Croatia get Gold this time rather than Bronze. Whats your view on the ITV discussion re why they get trounced when going head to head with the BBC ? Would they have the courage to ask the question and come up with the answer.

I'd wager it's 95% advert related. The majority of the audience are probably casual watchers who couldn't care less about the punditry. Incidentally the punditry was awful last night, so forced and awkward.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Even the England players won't want to feature, who remembers who came 3rd at the World Cup apart from Slaven Bilic? The England team should have been on a plane home today.

Thank you for informing us of the fact that the England players won't want to feature in that match, which is surprising when their manager seems to have installed a new team ethos. Have you also had any feedback regarding how the Belgian players and their team management feel about their participation in the third-place play-off match.

 

[Darandio]

Thank you for informing us of the fact that the England players won't want to feature in that match

You're welcome.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If England do actually follow the path suggested by some on this thread then I really hope that England will not be subjected to any FIFA long-term punishments for the expressed reticense to participate in the third-place play-off match, as there will have been pre-sold TV rights and also spectator tickets sold for it and stadium security and stewardship already in place.

 

[yorkie]

I really hope that England will not be subjected to any FIFA long-term punishments for their reported expressed reticense to participate in the third-place play-off match, as there will have been pre-sold TV rights and also spectator tickets sold for it and stadium security and stewardship already in place.

Do you have a source for this claim? Or are you simply misunderstanding what forum members have said about the match.

I won't be watching it as I already have other plans. Had I had nothing else on, I probably would, but it's not normal in a cup competition to have such a match and you can't force it to be considered an important game by anyone else.

Anyway back to more general matters, I do not normally like talking about football so much on forums because of how divisive such discussions can be, the amount of hyperbole that can get posted, and the fact that such discussions act as a magnet for people with extremely negative outlooks, plus the fact it is highly subjective anyway, but I will say that - whatever anyone else says - England did really well to get so far in the tournament.

This morning was a bit surreal, especially hearing 13 year olds say things like "It's Italia 90 all over again" (as if they were there!), I've never known a football match generate so much interest before.

I don't watch a lot of football, and the only time I actually play is on an informal 6-a-side basis and not competitively. I do run some football sessions for youngsters, and organise the odd tournament now and again, but I am not football mad. Whatever anyone says, football can bring people together and nothing else comes to close to the effect that it can have. Due to its popularity there wlll always be some people spoiling things, but that's unavoidable in most walks of life.