Look what they did to my sport, man

Everyone’s been talking about Tielemans being MOTM against United in 2017, for Anderlecht, age 19. The part I just remembered is that Michael Carrick also started that match

I do think we’re misunderstanding what happened with England. The problem isn’t defending in and of itself, it’s playing without tenacity, dimensions, outlets, and pressure on the ball. Spain and Argentina, the two finalists, were probably the most defensive setups of the pre-tournament favourites

Also btw, think in the England meltdown we are missing how absurd that was from Messi

The one thing I don’t get about this Argentina side is why nobody gives it back to them. Once you’re up 1-0 being cynical on basic fouls, wasting time, faking injuries, yelling at the ref is just encouraged by the way the game is officiated. It works

Honestly England don’t deserve to go through

Everyone wanted England to win this except England. Seriously WHY cave to 541 you are better than them

Inviting pressure is one thing, completely allowing them to speed up the game is particularly poor

Maybe the real hydration break is letting the England players listen to Mr. Brightside

Anderson getting hacked down for half an hour and not one card, one (admittedly cynical) Anderson foul and booked

No doubt I have questions about this signing, but seeing Tielemans in a United kit after following and liking him throughout his career is awesome

It is far from easy but if England (managed by Thomas Tuchel) have ever had a good chance to do it, it’s now. They have the best players, they are all available, and they have a coach who can manage these cagey and messy knockout games against teams that only want to squeeze the life out of them

Don’t think Spain are that impressive tbh. Just feels like early luck and then anchor the defence and wait for mistakes. Pretty classic formula. They get lots of credit for working their socks off and being phenomenal at ball retention

Deschamps probably the worst tactician to ever last this long in a major football job

Spain’s box is an ocean. France could (and do!) have the best wide and deep forwards ever but no striker no party unless someone makes magic

The commentator has been saying “Lamal” so audibly that I started to question whether his name was “Yamine Lamal” and I actually was getting it wrong this whole time

The French forwards are not real. That pass from Dembele and then Mbappe keeping the ball somehow 😭

From what I’ve seen I think Bouaddi is a very good prospect, I don’t think he’s this good. There’s a chance he becomes elite, I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion the way I felt about players like Joao Neves, for instance

Five years at what, £200kpw? Pffffffft. I like Tielemans but this is still pretty expensive for a player who might be impossible to play or sell in the back half of this deal

This has completely thrown me, no idea what the concept is with Santos, Mainoo, and Tielemans… if you’re going to do this, why not just sign Manzambi?

We should have had the second semifinal in Mexico City.

It’s this for me and also – simulation yellows are given so sporadically. To do it as a second yellow on a VAR review in a WC QF feels so beyond punitive

Argentina just flop on possession 50/50s and rough on defensive 50/50s and never get called out for it. Super annoying

This Argentina flopping while cynical fouling is driving me crazy

Wow let’s not get too excited here folks, we’re at risk of this looking like a World Cup QF

Me when I bonk my own teammate on the head so the game stops for head injury

I think Tuchel is very good, I also think he’s risk averse to a fault in these games. You are the better team, go put up some shots and sub on some forwards instead of Reece James and Djed Spence

Norway actually don’t even have to attack, they’ll still score lol. Cheat code team

Tough. I think he’s basically nothing like Andrey Santos. I wasn’t that big on the player but at £35-40m it felt like a fair punt, interesting to see what they do instead

Will save the full report for the pod but think Santos for £50m is solid. Good player, very mature, totally ready to eat 35 matches and 3,000 touches a season for a possession team. He’s cheaper than Fernandes and Anderson because he’s slow and it kills him defensively, which hurts his ceiling

Olise and Doue absolutely standing up defenders opening up smaller spaces in behind in the box, Mbappe and Dembele straight shooters, and then I get to hear Daft Punk. What’s not to like

Nice. Needed to get a better backup than Bayindir. HG a bonus too

I do think the USMNT are better than they played yesterday, but there are serious deficiencies in player personnel that were exposed by Belgium and would have been exposed even if they played well (even if not insofar as losing 4-1)

Lmao here's the goal from Freese's perspective, courtesy of the BBC's 3D World Cup thing

The US should’ve just done their job and won their games if they wanted to continue playing matches in the US, or anywhere else really

Balogun been the USMNT best player, never in doubt (other than when he got suspended for this match)

Spain have not conceded a goal.

Portugal’s chasing the game and their “striker” is 30 yards away from goal trying to receive to feet while Diogo Dalot hits the box. I eagerly await what they will do when they stop pandering to him

Everyone on the TL doing galaxy brain takes and saying false equivalencies to other FIFA corruption and I am just tired and disappointed tbh. And moreover, shocked at many others who are seemingly not tired and disappointed

Sadly the prospect of blasting teams with super gutsy performances and then yelling Oasis songs at the top of your lungs is super appealing to me

England dug so so deep to get that done. Incredible. Easily one of the best matches I’ve ever seen

Tommy T is the true master of 10 man blocking. Feel like I’ve seen this all before in the PL

Kane with only 6 goals at this World Cup, the lights are too bright buddy up your game

Quansah that is horrific and the ban will not be postponed to a random future date for no clear reason

Great half. Both teams excellent in approach. Moments of individual brilliance to supplement, I think the size of the gap has been Jude Bellingham

England look absolutely fantastic not gonna lie. Absorbed all the pressure like it wasn’t even a push and then exploded on the counter. Masterclass

This stadium is an absolute cathedral. The fact this is Mexico’s last match here regardless of outcome is a true disservice to football

My take is that Norway’s a decent international side that became really good because they have one guy who is the best guy ever at kicking the ball into the net and it wins them matches they otherwise would not win. And has done so 3x this World Cup alone

Norway not even outlandishly good imo but they have one of the best players ever to play the sport up front. Makes little tiny half chances look like tap ins, it’s unbelievable. Nobody can or will stop this guy. Either be 3-0 up against Norway or you’re in danger

Who’d have thunk