Match Thread: England v Ghana

[LongLostBee]

Stats kind of tell you who had the ball, the shots, the chances, the goals.

But no every body gets it

Yes…and they don’t tell you when a ref makes wrong decisions that cost a team.
Wittering on about possession and shots would be meaningless if the ref correctly gives them a penalty and they score.
We got lucky.
But no every body gets it…

 

[Justin Fisher]

Full marks to Spence for snubb8ng a handshake with Partey

 

[cromerbee]

All too slow.

 

[mhead bee]

Yeah...we're likely to end with 7 points, which will be enough to top the group. This was a frustrating fixture. Ghana did everything they could to prevent us playing football, and we didn't have any player with the ability to unlock them from deep, or the movement to create opportunities.

I keep thinking back to watching the Germany game(s) where they really like playing the ball around in small spaces, looking for the gap there. Germany had Musiala, Wirtz, and Nmecha all playing tiny little triangles, which just created small gaps to create openings. Essential against low blocks.

We need huge triangles, we don't like to play in small spaces, and we don't have many players who can actually exploit those tiny gaps.

I think we need to understand that we're a workhorse team who will not show up well against tactically disciplined teams who sit 10 behind the ball and leave a dirty wipe up front to foul us every 2 minutes without getting a card.

But against teams who want to play...we have the ability to exploit those spaces.

Foden is the kind of player who can unlock IMO

But we looked so much better with Roger’s, Saka and Rashford running at them and hitting early balls in.

Gordon and Mandueke just turned back time and time again and took soooooooo long to put the ball in everyone was blocked out.

Toney or even Harry Maguire on these set pieces would have given us something.

 

[mhead bee]

Yes…and they don’t tell you when a ref makes wrong decisions that cost a team.
Wittering on about possession and shots would be meaningless if the ref correctly gives them a penalty and they score.
We got lucky.
But no every body gets it…

 

[shaun]

And a shame he didn’t give a few yellows and a few reds to Ghana for the persistent fouling, Ayer did about 8 all by himself.

Every World Cup is littered with games like this, we are still top, just move forward

Ayer did about 7 fouls in the warm up.

 

[Bigruss]

The penalty incident ended with us having a freekick for offside, so irrelevant really.

 

[Hippobee]

All too slow.

That sums it up.

Far too many times on a forward run, a player checked back, always giving their two banks a few seconds to re-set.

Much as Shearer went on about 'pace' all the time, he is right. Not enough pace in the movement up front off the ball and not enough pace running at defenders.

It's a fair result and we did nothing like enough to win. Ref was average, but not his fault we couldn't break them down.

 

[Gazza Bee]

The penalty incident ended with us having a freekick for offside, so irrelevant really.

Offside was after the foul not before

 

[Hullbee]

Waste of my eyes

That’s what Roy Keane thinks and got rid of his

 

[aawharris]

The penalty incident ended with us having a freekick for offside, so irrelevant really.

It wasnt for the player fouled.

 

[Bigruss]

Offside was after the foul not before

Fair enough. Funny how not a single Ghana player appealed for a penalty, and no hold up in play for a VAR check.

 

[Hullbee]

Offside was after the foul not before

It was taken from the right position

 

[aawharris]

Fair enough. Funny how not a single Ghana player appealed for a penalty, and no hold up in play for a VAR check.

I think the players were more gutted they didnt score from it.
VAR (if they even looked) got it wrong

 

[Banana]

I’m not thick enough to just look at some stats

I see. You make complete sense. Looking at stats means that one is "thick". Would you like to let Giles know that?

 

[Bigruss]

I think the players were more gutted they didnt score from it.
VAR (if they even looked) got it wrong

Not disagreeing, I thought it was a penalty too, seems like the players all thought the flag went up at the end of that phase of play (like it always frustratingly does) so the player running through was offside.

 

[Banana]

incorrect refereeing decisions that changed the game.

Penalty against Konsa
and Red Card for Pickford

Agreed. Very incorrect refereeing decisions.

 

[aslan]

I see. You make complete sense. Looking at stats means that one is "thick". Would you like to let Giles know that?

The subjective eyes can never be trumped by the factual, uh, facts

 

[Hampshire Bee 2018]

Penalty against Konsa
and Red Card for Pickford

Agreed. Very incorrect refereeing decisions.

Hahahaha

 

[Hampshire Bee 2018]

Ghana came with a game plan and it worked perfectly. I’d rather us see our flaws against a low block side now than in a knockout game.

 

[Banana]

Ghana came with a game plan and it worked perfectly. I’d rather us see our flaws against a low block side now than in a knockout game.

Very hard to win with a low block over 120 minutes.

The low block is a "backs against the wall" defence which means the longer it goes on the less likely you are to....win

Or as "thick people" like Matthew and Philip call it...."stats"

 

[Banana]

View: https://x.com/itvfootball/status/2069546648926052371?s=20

 

[Banana]

How, HOW wasn't this given as a pen?


View: https://x.com/roboky303/status/2069537882440712469?s=20

 

[longtimeagobee]

probably the worst ref in the tournament by a country mile, was truly awful.

Every f***ing game , give it a rest.

 

[Hampshire Bee 2018]

How, HOW wasn't this given as a pen?


View: https://x.com/roboky303/status/2069537882440712469?s=20

Shame they didn’t check it properly. We’d have had a free kick in the Ghana half for the obvious foul on Eze in the build up.

 

[upnorthbee]

Shame they didn’t check it properly. We’d have had a free kick in the Ghana half for the obvious foul on Eze in the build up.

Wasn’t even a foul if you’re talking about the shoulder to shoulder? Unless I’m remembering the passage of play wrong

 

[Banana]

View: https://x.com/OptaJoe/status/2069542550956867686?s=20

 

[condorman]

Get out of the group then it’s a knockout competition. With less people banked behind the ball.

 

[JANORAK]

Before the game, I hadn’t realised how good a point would be for Ghana. No wonder they played it like they did.

 

[Wooburn Bee]

Konsa and Guehi ... so much possession but Ghana left them to it and played 10 on 8. Maybe play Rice there in games like that?

I think that’s where we miss Stones in bringing ball out of defence allowing midfield to play further up pitch. Added to that Anderson and Rice over kill against a Side playing deep. Has Eze ever played deeper as a more creative midfield player?

 

[JANORAK]

I think that’s where we miss Stones in bringing ball out of defence allowing midfield to play further up pitch. Added to that Anderson and Rice over kill against a Side playing deep. Has Eze ever played deeper as a more creative midfield player?

Probably not. I thought he was the wrong sub last night. We could’ve done with more oomph in midfield to finish. Made even worse with Rice carrying an injury for the last few minutes. Hey, ho….

 

[SpiderBee]

if Djed Spence is the answer, what was the damn question?

 

[JosephBFC]

if Djed Spence is the answer, what was the damn question?

He’s rapid and a good 1v1 defender, I can only imagine he was brought in to nullify the threat of Semenyo on the counter. But O’Reilly is a much better footballer and offers far more than Spence in every other department, don’t think he’ll be dropped again

 

[ABEEE]

Well, we tried our best last 10-15, probably the worst ref in the tournament by a country mile, was truly awful.

But, top of the group. All the good sides have had a dodgy game so far, it happens.

Same every other week in the Prem.

 

[SpiderBee]

He’s rapid and a good 1v1 defender, I can only imagine he was brought in to nullify the threat of Semenyo on the counter. But O’Reilly is a much better footballer and offers far more than Spence in every other department, don’t think he’ll be dropped again

So, we played 2 right backs? Thought Spence was left back? Semenyo played on the left.
Ghana are ranked 65 in the world and we are worrying about one breakaway winger.
Thought Tuchel was about attacking?

 

[Hullbee]

Waking to news tgat Bellingham got man of match WTF I thought he was crap

 

[hanworthbee]

Full marks to Spence for snubb8ng a handshake with Partey

Whooah so he has morals does he don't make me laugh, the best thing he did all game Spence is crap.

 

[zuko]

if Djed Spence is the answer, what was the damn question?

“Who should I play when I didn’t bring any actual left backs?”

 

[bexleybee]

Just very uninspiring. Here we are again lurching from an entertaining attacking performance against Croatia to this against Ghana. Which version of England will we get vs Panama?

 

[JANORAK]

One of the many stats from last night’s match. The first time 10 different clubs have been represented in the team since 1962….

 

[Sandybee]

How bad does Kane have to be to get hooked?

I forgot he was playing until he missed that golden chance.

 

[Jezybee]

Without the overreaction at the end (and ok result for England), this little ditty sung by B*#!ingham City last season did spring to mind at times yesterday evening.

View: https://x.com/fbawaydays/status/2006784875731497000?s=46&t=oDZc8VeN5AVWWnuI4Fn5IA

 

[Rob-BEE]

You can't knock us for consistency that's for sure. Last few tournaments we've sailed through qualifying. Then at the tournament itself we've won one and drew one of our first 2 matches (with most of the draws being 0-0).

I do at least think it was a slight improvement on some of those other 0-0s (USA, Scotland, for instance and going back a bit further, Algeria.)

9 times out of 10 Kane is burying that chance, so I think we did enough to win it. Couple of shaky moments / let offs at the back but that's to be expected when we're camped in their half for 90 minutes.

Ref was incompetent and reinforces my view that our PL refs are generally much better than most (dons tin hat...). At least in this case the incompetence may have saved us, but it's frustrating to watch!

 

[Untouchable]

with most of the draws being 0-0

England have had 13 0-0 draws at World Cups. A record according to the Athletic.

Ref was incompetent and reinforces my view that our PL refs are generally much better than most (dons tin hat...).

Probably a conversation for the Ref Watch thread but there have been a few shockers from officials so far but also some very good performances.

 

[RAF_Patto]

Get out of the group then it’s a knockout competition. With less people banked behind the ball.

I'm not sure about that. We're currently down to play DR Congo & I don't see them having a real go at us.

120 minutes of backs to the wall defending to take it to a penalty shootout seems the likely outcome. Anyway, enough about England........

 

[mhead bee]

Every f***ing game , give it a rest.

Utter, utter bullshit, I have said in EVERY match thread this is the best refereeing we have seen at any World Cup. Speed of the game, new rules, ignoring the step in from them flop dive.ut has been excellent.

last night he was the worst we have seen, tell me I am wrong.

 

[hobbsy]

I'm not sure about that. We're currently down to play DR Congo & I don't see them having a real go at us.

120 minutes of backs to the wall defending to take it to a penalty shootout seems the likely outcome. Anyway, enough about England........

Cape Verde according to FotMob and BBC they have DRC as 8th best 3rd place

 

[Untouchable]

Cape Verde according to FotMob and BBC they have DRC as 8th best 3rd place

Mexico or Scotland after that as it stands!

 

[mhead bee]

T

Probably not. I thought he was the wrong sub last night. We could’ve done with more oomph in midfield to finish. Made even worse with Rice carrying an injury for the last few minutes. Hey, ho….

I was surprised Manduke lasted so long. Every Chelsea and Arsenal fan I know say he is garbage and has no end product. Last night he turned back on his left and either passed backwards, gave it away, lost it or put an horrific cross in.

Saka looked so much better when he came on. Roger’s and Rashford surely must start.

If we don’t want players turning back all the time, then maybe go back to left footer on the left and visa versa, I don’t get the obsession with the inverted winger. Mix it up a a bit

 

[HMDBFC]

Would anyone start Bellingham next game?