*Official* Quarter Finals Thread

[Furball]

It depends on how you view underperformance , I mean there is different variations of it right ? Like there is one where you completely don't show up , get knocked out in the group stage like a France in 2002 , then there is one where you consistently put yourself/team in positions to win a trophy but for some reason or another you fall short ...I think this England side under Southgate falls under the latter ...

Ifs and Buts just don't cut it especially in tournaments that happen every four years . In Cricket we have India post Dhoni captain era who consistently make semi finals and finals of major tournaments but fall short of winning, I think there is a degree of underperformance to that .

England's general problem is that they don't really beat any of the comparable nations in major tournaments. I can only really think of Germany in 2021 where they've beaten one of the top sides in world football in the knockouts at a major tournament (you could argue Spain in 1996 but Spain were rubbish in the 1990s).

Losing a quarter final to France is obviously disappointing but it's not an under-performance, particularly when this is exactly the sort of knockout game England tend to lose anyway.

Underperformance is the two tournaments immediately preceeding Southgate's appointment, ****ing up the group stage in 2010 resulting in a 2nd round tie vs Germany, not qualifying in the first place or being eliminated by teams like Portugal or Croatia.

 

[Burgey]

Saka was fouled three times before the ****ing white flag ****s scored, facts, **** this **** sport

Ok

 

[Burgey]

We were serial underperformers for 50 years pre Southgate. He's taken us to 3 tournaments and we haven't underperformed at any of them. That's a change.

Maybe you were performing at your actual level and now you’re over-achieving? This is probably englands golden era. A euro final between WC semi final and 1/4 is as good as it’s been for English football aside from 66.

 

[social]

Tough luck for the Poms as they were the better team against arguably the best side

As for Southgate, be careful what you wish for as he’s not perfect but is waaaaaay better than some of his predecessors

Hopefully the Argie ****s don’t win but you just know that FIFA is going to do everything in their power to help Messi

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Either we will have a new winner (Croatia or Morocco) - here's hoping, or the Argies/French will get their third to be closer to Italy/Germany (4) and Brazil (5).

 

[Tangles]

England finding a way to lose on a penalty without going to penalties is a new one. Kane completely bottled that 2nd penalty.

Southgate likes to play in a pragmatic way and sets up to not concede. And yet England are out because they conceded 2 open play goals. Missing a pen is huge and not putting away chances to take the lead are big but they are not good enough to defend a game away. Yet he consistently does it.

 

[Pothas]

Pre-Southgate you were knocked out of the Euros by Iceland and failed to get out of a group with Costa Rica and Uruguay in it.

Fair to say England have much better players now though. I don't think that means he has underperformed or anything but the players being better is probably more important, usually is.

 

[Athlai]

It's not coming home

 

[GIMH]

It's not coming home

Waaaaaay epic banter

 

[smash84]

It's not coming home

It is. Just the route will go through Champs Élysées

 

[Son Of Coco]

Saka was awesome.

He really is very good at saka.

 

[duffer]

Fair to say England have much better players now though. I don't think that means he has underperformed or anything but the players being better is probably more important, usually is.

You guys are basically football's equivalent to the Indian cricket team. Stacked squad, dominate qualies, friendlies, jammies etc but crap your dakks at the pointy end of the big tournaments.

 

[Pothas]

Reckon Brazil are more like India.

 

[Victor Ian]

Now that England are out I hope you all get on the Moroccan bandwagon because, if you can't win, at least you can hope to laugh at the french losing to Morocco.

 

[smash84]

Now that England are out I hope you all get on the Moroccan bandwagon because, if you can't win, at least you can hope to laugh at the french losing to Morocco.

The colonizers losing to the colonials?

 

[nick-o]

Now that England are out I hope you all get on the Moroccan bandwagon because, if you can't win, at least you can hope to laugh at the french losing to Morocco.

Think it's known as the Marrakesh express, tbh

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

England's general problem is that they don't really beat any of the comparable nations in major tournaments. I can only really think of Germany in 2021 where they've beaten one of the top sides in world football in the knockouts at a major tournament (you could argue Spain in 1996 but Spain were rubbish in the 1990s).

Losing a quarter final to France is obviously disappointing but it's not an under-performance, particularly when this is exactly the sort of knockout game England tend to lose anyway.

Underperformance is the two tournaments immediately preceeding Southgate's appointment, ****ing up the group stage in 2010 resulting in a 2nd round tie vs Germany, not qualifying in the first place or being eliminated by teams like Portugal or Croatia.

Let me play devil's advocate what would you prefer , Southgate's consistent performances or say a Euro win from Italy but missing out on two World Cups?

 

[duffer]

Let me play devil's advocate what would you prefer , Southgate's consistent performances or say a Euro win from Italy but missing out on two World Cups?

I sure know which one Furbi would prefer for England

 

[Tangles]

Now that England are out I hope you all get on the Moroccan bandwagon because, if you can't win, at least you can hope to laugh at the french losing to Morocco.

Have to back France now. Can’t have Messi getting a walkover final.

 

[Sunil1z]

Congrats to England. They played quite well. They would have reached Final if they were in the other side of the Draw.