“I can only see a Spain win” predicted the oracle that is Paul Merson. For once most agreed, Spain came into this game unbeaten in 38 straight competitive games at home, a run stretching back to 2003, their last home game being a 6-0 hiding of Croatia last month. England meanwhile hadn’t won in Spain […]
Category: Match Reports- England
Croatia 0-0 England: A strange night in Rijeka
This morning I took my toddlers to play football at ‘Mini Shooters’ and the crowd watching the tots run around with a ball was larger than the one England played before last night. UEFA’s decided the best form of punishment to the Croatian FA for that infamous Swastika in the grass incident, was to play […]
England 1-0 Switzerland: A Game of two halves
It’s strange how a narrative around a football team can change so quickly, back in July Football was coming home but in September all the talk coming into this game was of a record equalling three straight defeats. Gareth Southgate talked in the build up about needing to give his second string players minutes on […]
World Cup 2018: Day 24
Day 23 Summary: Football not ready to go home So England are out, England’s run to the semi-finals has been the best story of this World Cup but it ended last night in Moscow when Mario Mandzukic’s extra time goal sent Croatia to their first World Cup Final. The game at the Luzniki Stadium started […]
England 2-0 Sweden: Southgate’s history boys storm past Sweden
They’ve done it! England have made it to the last 4 of a World Cup for the first time in 28 years and football might just be coming home. Four weeks ago few saw England getting this far in Russia, few fans decorated their cars and homes in St Georges flags as cautious optimism became […]
England 0:1 Belgium- England lose phoney war
If I was being generous I’d describe this match as low key, as I’m being honest I’ll say it was dull. Having both already qualified England & Belgium made a combined 17 team changes, needless to say Kane, Hazard, Lingard, De Bruyne, Mertens and Sterling were not amongst the 5 retained with both managers thinking […]
Holland 0-1 England: Lingard’s Dutch Delight
It’s fair to say an England friendly went well when the mood an hour after full-time was distinctly more positive than what we experienced in the build up. Pundits have lined up endlessly to point out this is the weakest England squad in living memory with Alan Smith even pointing out it felt like the […]
England 0-0 Brazil: England Rearguard frustrates Samba Boys
England’s draw with Germany last week saw an encouraging all round display but this always looked a sterner test for England’s experimental side. Whereas Joachim Loew used his Wembley friendly to experiment and fine tune his squad, Brazil manager Tite picked his strongest 11 (Jurgen Klopp may take a dim view of Coutinho starting the […]
England 0-0 Germany: Entertaining England hold World Champions
When an MP declared last month unsold England tickets should be given to school children many wondered if that was meant as an alternative to detention. England’s last 4 outings were largely drab affairs as England laboured past defensive negative sides on their way to the World Cup. Gareth Southgate had little option but to […]
U-17 World Cup Final: England 5-2 Spain
Wow! England have won the World Cup!! The under 17s Final was not only a huge triumph for England’s developing players it was a great watch. World Cup Final’s are usually pretty awful- the last good one at senior level was 1986. This match was a revelation, in front of 60,000 in Kolkata England started […]