World Cup — Day Five

On World Cup – Day 3 on the discussion about VAR, it was stated that players diving should be covered by a simulation rule which has got me wondering why, particularly the Peru penalty, the referee didn't book the player to whom VAR eventually awarded the penalty rather than playing on. Is it a FIFA rule or just the Premier League?

VAR has been an unmitigated disaster imo. It takes out all the excitement and controversy out of the game. The bloody PlayStation generation have taken over.

Has anyone else noticed Phil Neville constantly talks like he's stubbed his toe when he's commentating? Highly annoying!

Cringey moment this morning when the Sky journo, reporting from Stalingrad, said the English players paid homage to the 2000 war dead. He was only off by about 2m. Must do better next time.

James, not sure where you are, but if you can get RTE, use it. All 64 games and the legend that is Brian Kerr doing some of the co-commentary.

From an U-14 girls' school game in Dublin, to the ineligible player that Bolivia played in the South American qualifiers, Brian does his homework and actually earns his money as a pundit. Throw in his brilliantly droll humour and he's becoming a national treasure.

So Griezmann's is a penalty despite the clear touch and contact afterwards, yet the Korean lad sissors the Swede despite winning the ball. Proper boss this World Cup!

Bobby Brown Shoes kicks off his World Cup run. A run that will surely see the Belgians to the final four teams, winning games by basketball scores!

C'mon Bobby!

Phenomenal, Jamie!

Colin @2, I agree. It is sucking the life out of the game. In my view, football should be about spontaneity. Nothing that happens on a football pitch is of such importance that human error must be eliminated. The players are guilty often enough.

My wife is Swedish.

I am retired and looked forward to watching them on Monday lunchtime.

At 17:40 I was washing the dishes from lunchtime and thinking, need to put the bins out it is Monday. MONDAY! I have missed the game. I have missed watching Sweden.

Allardyce! This is what you have done to me. I am so turned off football by the dross you served up over the last 8 months that I have no interest in the World Cup. It is all your fault I missed this match because I have no excitement about football any more. I am so glad you have gone. You have ruined my love of the game and you nearly ruined my club. I really do not like you.

P.S. and I have a meeting to go to tonight so I will be glad to miss the England game.

Hi Colin [2] I completely agree with you, VAR may well succeed where seven weeks in hospital failed, and that is to drive me away from football. I am on record as saying that I have no objection to goal-line technology, because there is an instant decision.

I take no pleasure in stating that the view I had of it being the 'thin edge of the wedge' is becoming a reality, and I don't think we've seen a fraction of what lies in wait.

They're killing the game John. It's quickly becoming a non-contact sport and now players don't even know if they've scored a goal, given away a pen or even red carded until several minutes later. Stupid imo.

Good Luck to Young Jordan,

I just want him to do himself justice

Cracking first half of football.

I've been more entertained by England in that 45 minutes then I have in possibly ALL their performances at the last 3 World Cup finals.

England has been excellent, apart from a couple of players: Walker and Sterling. Walker had already been caught in possession a couple of times before he stupidly gave up the penalty. Pickford unlucky as he got his fingertips to it. Sterling hasn't even been on the margins of the game, even laughing at the open goal sitter he missed (albeit that it wouldn't have counted due to being offside earlier in the play).

How we aren't 2-3 goals clear is down to Tunisia's good fortune, rather than entirely down to our poor finishing, although there were some rushed snatched shots when the player had more time on the ball than he realised.

I honestly think we are playing as well as anyone has in the tournament to date. The constant switching of the ball, the pace in attack, the speed of transition from midfield to attack, the killer passes being played in behind the Tunisia defence...all outstanding.

And where was the technical referee and VAR when Kane was rugby tackled from a corner? As clear a penalty as you will see all tournament.

Tunisia has had their moments. They also have speed in their side, but keep this up and England will win.

Great game!

Jay, you watching the game on Globo?

I see people commenting about how poor/annoying BBC or Sky etc are.

I laugh. Globo's commentary is just so awful, they know absolutely nothing about football, apart from Neymar, Barcelona, Manchester City. And their obligatory propaganda for the latest 9pm Novella every 5 mins really gets annoying.

Despite this, I have to say there is no more enjoyable sporting experience than watching the seleção with galvão commentating.

In terms of England, Sterling is playing awful. Not in the game. Get Vardy on.

Yeah... watching it on Globo Fran.

But - cummon! It's absolutely VITAL that Brazil knows when the frigging telenovela 'Segundo Sol' is being broadcast, even during a live game of football.

Comic calling and identifying of players in pretty much every game also on Globo. Even their own Brazilian players they get wrong at times!

England not as fluent in the 2nd half and Tunisia were tighter on them, but a merited win.

And as you say, Fran, Sterling was a waste of space.

A decent side will make a mess of England on this performance.

England still don't have a creative midfield and now they've found out that what you get away with at the "top" English clubs you won't at international level. Too many players went missing and too many turned down the responsibility in front of goal.

Best England performance in a Finals for many a year. Lots of movement upfront and could have easily been 3 or 4 up at half time. Obviously they need to take those chances but for a first game it was pretty good.

One obvious weakness is how the defence started to panic when pressed - particularly Macguire in the first half. He seems ok when running with the ball in space. But he's poor on the ball when under pressure in his own half. Fortunately Tunisia stopped pressing high up the pitch after they equalised. But a better team will cause us problems with a high press. It's a weakness of having 3 centre backs - they really need to be good ball players and whilst Stones is Macguire isn't. And he's right footed.