Topic: 2018 FIFA World Cup

@kobashi100 Wow! Why the need to be so negative or anti-England? Fine, you don't think they will win. Okay. I agree, there are better teams remaining in the competiton. England should not be considered favourites at this point. But it's almost like you don't want them to win. Again, that's entirely fine as it's your opinion. Just find the whole 'hastag' thing you suggested rather infantile and mean-spirited.

I don't want them to win. I am a Scotland fan and there is not a chance I would ever cheer on England.

Just having a bit of rivalry fun dude.

@kobashi100 Oh I see. Fair enough. Can't say I've ever really shared that 'let's hate our United Kingdom neighbours' sentiment myself. If Scotland or any of the home nations were in the World Cup in place of England. I'd be cheering for them. You do you though and good day.

@gcunit Never underestimate 'being in the right place at the right time' Also, Kane's reputation is valuable (even if you don't think it's deserved) If defenders are fouling him in set pieces rather than marking fairly then he is earning those penalties.

Really looking forward to the quarter-final on Saturday. It's a case of one very solid, physical team desperately reliant on one player with genuine attacking quality or otherwise hoping for scruffy goals and set pieces; and England.

I have split loyalties, and genuinely would love to see either my motherland (Sweden) or homeland (England) in the semi-final. Either way, it's a first World Cup semi for either since the Nineties. England edge it player for player, especially in the attacking third, but Sweden's work ethic and organisation might edge it. Also, Blågult are probably the only team left in the competition who won't be running scared every time England win a corner or free-kick.

In reference to others, I actually think Harry Kane has been terrific. Sure, he might be taking the ugliest path to the golden boot in World Cup history, but he's at least as deserving as any other winner. Look at Oleg Salenko in 1994 - he won the golden boot basically for scoring five mostly meaningless goals in one game. At least half of Kane's goals have mattered: two openers, one winner (and three meaningless goals against Panama), plus the opening penalty in a shootout. It's particularly impressive since he hasn't even had that great a record as a penalty-taker up until now.

And, as @chardir points out, Kane also wins free kicks up the field, relieving pressure and creating set-piece opportunities - which have proved England's best bet at scoring (or scaring the opposition enough to foul him again and give away a penalty). It's almost like having Alan Shearer back: receive the ball with back to goal, stick out the rear end, then fall over. Whistle blows.

@gcunit In fairness to Alli he's a big game player which England are lacking but the actual problem is he's injured, he should have been rested in the group stages and start to come in around now if his replacement wasn't preforming. Mind you an injured Alli is still good for keeping Dier on the bench, his passing is atrocious.

Yeah, Dier was shocking when he came on. Scored winning penalty but his performance was dreadful.

He was just as bad in the Belgium game, tbh it's a shame he didn't decide to play for Portugal instead.

@jump @krull I agree. After Euro 2016 I thought Harry Kane was overrated and mentallly vulnerable like most of that England squad. He has since totally won me over with his clinical finishing, steely determination, professionalism and clever, calm play.

Like one of you or both mentioned, he wins us many free-kicks up the field and boy do we need them as creativity does look in short supply at times. Plus most important of all, he scores goals. Don't care how they go in. They all count.

Dele Alli is such a good player, gutted for him that he has been plagued by injury. He is a big player for us and I was really hoping he could make an impact at this tournament.

Dier has looked well, well off the pace and I'm just so relieved for him that he managed to put that winning penalty away. But again, why is he looking so out of sorts when he has been on the pitch? Recall him getting much of the plaudits as a mainstay in the team when he first broke into the England side. He has looked a shadow of that player so far.

Henderson has been another like Kane who just seems to have grown into an England shirt. He is a vital player for us and one of the first games on the team sheet now. Great passer and loads of passion for three lions which we desperately need. Never been a big fan of his until this tournament.

I always had my doubts about moving Walker inside to centre-back as he is such a powerful full-back getting forward. But man, this boy Trippier has been sensational. Terrific passer and extremely positive with his passing contribution and gets back to defend.

Stones and Maguire, for the most part, look more assured at the back than I expected in this back 3, the latter in particular was a real warrior against the Colombians.

Anyway, I'll stop as I know tolerance of positive England fans is low round here but I'm just happy we have some things to be pleased about this tournament. The England team has been very poor over the past decade so we need to appreciate these moments.

Come what may, we have made progress under Southgate and he and his staff/players have done us proud. Deliver a performance on Saturday, regardless of the end result, and we can start bring our heads up a little bit after so many past disappointments and false promises.

It turns out Henderson had a concussion when he missed that penalty from the earlier headbutt.

Ha! Ha! I presume that's a reference to the Champions League final?

More great passing from England - Ashley Young outside of his right into the stands, then Dele 'what am I doing here' Alli with a solid pass back to the Swedish keeper when he was in danger of actually setting a team-mate up with a shot.

England have been playing back passes the whole tournament, which is insane when you consider it takes out our one world class player. The danger is this plays to Sweden's strength who'd rather not have the ball.

Its shocking to think when Sweden had Ibrahimovic they never got this far in a tournament.

Martin Keown: "Dele Alli's gotta stop giving the ball away".

Good luck with that, Martin.

Lol at Dele Alli trying to get his head on Maguire's header and even missing that. Good job too probably.

Italia '90, Euro '96 and now finally, Russia 2018. Only the third opportunity to support England in a semi-final of a major international tournament in my life-time.

This is a HUGE achievement for Gareth Southgate and his staff and of course the squad. Delighted for them. Come on England!

Crikey, won't see many quarter finals easier than that. Even Dele, despite doing his best to head it straight at the keeper, managed to score

Belgium had been my favorite since Germany's games ended ;P

So who's people money on for tonight? Belgium are talking about dropping Fellaini which is insane considering how vital he's been in the last few games.

France v England final would be quite good. Possibly the oldest national rivalry in the world.