That needs to be qualified by the utter ineptness of Kane and Sterling in fairness.
Kyle Walker, Trippier & Stones for the winning goal. 
Harry Maguire brushing back his hair was better
Extra time in a World Cup fucking semi final.
And he doesn’t even have long hair!!!
Credit to England for getting to the semi finals, but realistically they had a hugely fortunate draw. In previous years they have been knocked out by some very good sides and getting bad draws, so luck favoured them this time and they made the most of it. They were fortunate to get by Colombia but put an average Sweden side (one that the Oirish drew with at the last Euros) to the sword. They have a decent side, but it is very average. They go on about their youth, but get a draw against a decent team and they’d be fucked.
Getting to the semi finals, they scored all but 2 goals from set pieces. Corners mainly (winning penalties from them) was their trump card. Creating chances from open play was non existent. Even the game this evening, they were completely outplayed for the vast majority of the game, but still were potent enough from set pieces. They are limited enough, but made the most of their advantages and you have to credit Southgate for that.
Once Croatia figured them out, all England had was hoof and chase. Reverting to type. Hoddell was marvelling them for centre backs playing a basic one-two. Even Clive Tylsdely at one stage mentioned how “they continue to try and pass their way through” just as Maguire hoofed a big long ball to no one once he was under pressure.
Gary Neville said this team over achieved. I thinkthey did well to get the “lottery” win over Colombia, but realistically, there was no other game where I think you would say they were not expected or should not have won. Tunisia, Panama, Sweden? If you were told that was your games to win, even we’d say we have a chance. A nice draw, a good run and got to the semi finals. History books will have them on a par with the 86/90 England teams who also made the semi finals, however the gulf between those sides and this one is massive.
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Nothing even resembling a playmaker, anywhere
Imagine what Brazil would have done to them. 
They didn’t make the Semis in 86, agreed on the gulf between the current side and those sides, even though they didn’t play particularly well in the group stages of 86 or 90.
Well at least harry Kane’s got the golden boot in the bag…oops hang on a minute, lukaku bangs in a hatrick against them Saturday and grabs it from under his nose
I can see it happening
I’d actually rate the England 1982 squad as good as if not better than the 86 or 90 squads, eliminated in a 3 team mini-league after the 1st group stages unbeaten in 5 matches.
If Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking had been fit in 1982, we would have won that World Cup. We were the only team besides champions Italy and Cameroon to go home unbeaten in 1982.
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You were laughing at Irish lads engaging in this kind of talk a few hours ago 
Doubtful, but they had a good squad with a decent manager and a great world cup song.
Pity Stevie Coppell wasn’t still around in 86, he was a player.
Eire won one game in 2002 against Saudi Arabia. They couldn’t even beat Cameroon. Yet there’s deluded Eire soccer types here who believe if they had Keano in their team of Gary Breen’s they could have got to that World Cup final.
England won all three of their group games in 1982, stuffed eventual semi finalists France and a Czechoslovakia team with a lot of their European Championship winning side. We exited in 1982 in the de facto quarter final unbeaten. An any way match fit Kevin Keegan would have stuck away that header he missed 100 times out of 100.
Agreed on Coppell. It’s a pity Robbo did his shoulder and John Barnes didn’t see more action. He terrorised Argentina in that quarter final when he was eventually thrown on.
In fairness jeff, Italy won the World Cup in 82 and they couldn’t beat Cameroon.
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were england the only country who’s squad that was all home based?
suadi arabia maybe?
Only England
You don’t hear Ireland fans blowing endlessly about winning the world cup in 1966. HA!
If Ireland had won the penalty shootout in 02 they had South Korea next. Now of course South Korea were getting favourable decisions at the time but with or without Keane Ireland had a good chance of a semi final in 02. Stop talking shit about Ireland fans talking about things that may have realistically happened while at the same time constantly going on about how England or English clubs would have definitely won specific competitions in the past