Pickford set for date with France as England beat Senegal

Atomic Kitten, Football Coming Home, Harry Maguire songs and probably a few about the RAF bombing Germans.

The joys of watching England in a London pub.

On whether the ship has sailed on the Ghana star to arrive at the club he exclusively told Goodison News: “No, Kudus wanted to join Everton. Ajax pulled they plug didn't they?"

"So I don't see why he wouldn't want to join Everton."

He can't think why he wouldn't want to join Everton? Has he been watching us – is he fucking blind or just plain fucking stupid?

Ridiculed by team mates in training. Mocked by French football writers. Famously dismissed as an opinionated "water carrier" by Eric Cantona.

He's gone further than the lot of them.

Fair play to him

Still my favourites for this competition. Mbappe is a machine running with jet boots.

Odd seeing Matty Cash playing for Poland. Grew up and played locally where I now live. Came through at Wycombe Wanders before moving to Forest (where I believe his father played) and then onto Villa.

I like him, although we now have Patterson.

Giroud. Sitter.

Darren, he was ridiculed by teammates in training? Wow. Never read that before.

However, it's true that "underdog" players often become the very best managers.

France looking strong. Rabiot impressing me and Griezmann has been pulling the strings.

Quality punditry from Dion Dublin.

"Still everything to play for. There's only one goal in it"

Thanks Dion!!!

French defending and Griezmann doing his bit to clear the lines. No nonsense.

Sublime take it on a sixpence from Giroud before spreading it wide to stretch the defence. Dembele then running across the defence with Giroud creating space for Mbappe to hit a quality finish with time and space to tee it up.

Did this all start with Pep/Barca?

Dire defending for the Mbappe goal and I'm not sure the goalkeeper does well either.

I couldn't face watching this one. My Grandads Polish but I've given up on this bunch of impotent unimaginative clowns.

It's going to take a very good team, slice of luck or off day to undo this French team in my opinion.

There you go. 23 years old.

The new kid on the block takes the mantle from one of the best strikers of his generation in what will most likely be his last World Cup.

Makes it look so easy. Absolutely stunning power.

VAR, have given the Poles a consolation penalty, but if the scores were level now, that would have caused uproar imo. What happened to the indirect free kick, is it not controversial enough?

I know you keep a keen eye on football around the world, but I suspect the "Carre Magique" may have come along a little too soon for you.

You'd have definitely heard of Platini, but the names of Alain Giresse. Luis Fernandez and Jean Tigana. may not be quite as familiar to you. Apologies if you knew all about the "magic square", but if you didnt. Then honest to God. These guys could play.

Peter @5 Is bang on the money. Deschamps was a smashing little player, but he arrived at a time when a significant part of the French footballing community had become accustomed to the supremely technically gifted. Unfortunately, Didier could not hold a candle to the players I mention in that department

The "water carrier" clearly had a different type of fire going on in his belly

Darren, you're correct, I've heard those names but we in the US never got to see them play except for a few scattered World Cup games, and I'm not at all familiar with the "magic square". I'm certainly not surprised at the public skepticism towards Deschamps in that era, but the idea that such a professional and passionate player was subject to derision by his own teammates, even after proving his worth, does startle me a little.

The small things.

Back on football, but on your theme of language, it's a football top, not a soccer Jersey!!!!

Platini, Giresse, Tigana, when France won the 1984 European championship, were what football is all about imo, and I always remember Rochto, signing himself out of a World Cup camp for the evening to go and watch The Stones playing, which showed me that they have always had a bit of class imo, those stuck-up Frogs!!

Football to many people here means Gaelic football and soccer means that foreign game invented across the pond.

Anyway, for you folks in England I wish you all the best for your next game.

It was only rock n roll but he liked it.

I have never been able to completely separate great rock and roll from the beautiful game.

Have you ?

Anyway good to see Idrissa is banned for this one so if England win, he is coming home with no injuries. Same for Coady who will probably never play. Onana - somehow that should be what I used to say to my Grandmother Oh! Nanna - already on his way and the only one with any chance of an injury is Pickford. Mind you with our luck, Coady will be injured in training.

Also what is going on back home? First Ben White has a personal issue and come home, hope it is not too tragic, and now Sterling is back for a similar reason although is expected to return.

That mention of Jean Tigana brings me back to a special memory.

European Cup Winners Cup, September 1986. My home club Waterford United drawn against the mighty Bordeaux. The first leg at our home ground in Kilcohan Park had to be played in the afternoon as we had no floodlights (apart from the lights of the greyhound track around the pitch).

The Bordeaux team included Tigana along with other French internationals such as Dominique Dropsy, Jean-Marc Ferreri and Patrick Battison.
The Waterford team included a 43-year-old Al Finucane. That age must be close to a record age for an outfield player in a European game?

Despite the huge gulf in talent, the first leg saw Bordeaux win a tight game 2-1. They went on to win the second leg 4-0.
Still remember mitching off school to attend the match and climbing over the wall to get in. The official 4,500 attendance might be a bit conservative.

Sadly the money men that have taken over the game mean games like these are mostly a thing of the past.

I suppose it's a generational thing. after reading yesterday that Pele, was receiving end-of-life care, I'm certain people of a certain age would love Brazil to bring home the trophy in the great man's memory.

If we can't beat this lot, we don't deserve another.

I guess it does mean more right now and must be a motivating factor for their squad.

Spain are the flair team, France the strong one. England will be up against it next round.

Now, every time we get it, we pass it back to Maguire. Why?

This is most unfair, but to me he has a permanent expression on his face as if to say, "what just happened wasn't my fault."

Maybe because it was 3-0 in the 95th minute rather than 0-0 in the early stages of the game??

He must have been up all night before he came up with that one.

Senegal realise England can be got at.

Missing Mane and Idrissa as well.

No mugs.

Kane striking a ball like Calvert-Lewin can't.

Fuck me. I didnt even know about him last year.

People lamenting the demise of past greats need to embrace the cyclical nature of this game

That ropey back four against Mbappe, Giroud and co could turn out to be embarrassing.

He's already given the ball away twice!

I know the Park End Panic Merchants will disagree, but right here, right now, I predict an arse pocket job.

That would be some last eight, with not really a bad team amongst them.

Football is winning, and this tournament could reach incredible heights, so please don't let conservatism take over🤞

Darren, Mbappe is clever, so I'm certain he's going to try and expose Harry McGuire?

They got the job done, but when they open up, I think this is definitely the best English team, I've watched playing in my lifetime, and when I think about Saturday night's game against France, I think it is a real 50/50 game, and it wouldn't surprise me if the winners go on and lift the trophy. We will see.

Jay@88, has probably killed the thread telling us this news!!!

That French quartet was very, very special but, Cruyff aside, the Dutch had Neeskens, Suurbier, Krol, Haan and Rep in there's, and West Germany had Beckenbauer, Netzer, Muller, Breitner and Hoeness.

They were all consistently brilliant for years but I'm sure some prat will be able to identify all the shite games he says they so regularly took part in.

Comfortable win for us today against a team of modest resources. The French will be more dangerous but the amount of time and space afforded Mbappe by the Poles was madness. I can't see England being that accommodating....... I hope!

Agreed. Mbappe, Dembele, Giroud, Raniot and Griezman play as a front five and can't tackle so it's really just one midfielder. I worry Southgate will load us up defensively to try and counter them rather than making use of all that space in midfield to counter them. If we sit back and are under siege sooner or later they'll score. I would attack from the get go like Germany did to a similarly lined up Brazil team in the semi in 2014

Some good performances by most but from Bellingham and Rice especially. France will be a different cup of tea on Saturday. You never know though.

Unfortunately there will also always be people who only post every 20 minutes to tell everybody what they already know about Bill Kenwright in the belief that they are revealing some blinding revelations.

Alehouse emptiers.

Just how you rationalise yesterday going from denigrating them to today extolling them just as I did and do is a mystery - but I accept that despite the huge amount we agree on in football and Everton (as I've repeatedly posted for years on this site when you desist from haranguing fellow Toffees) I accept rationality is seemingly beyond your grasp.

Football can do that to some people, but it amuses the majority. All the best!

700 games in a top-notch career, and better than a goal a game throughout.

Genius, but barely remembered.

England haven't lost a knockout game inside 90 minutes in a long time. Southgate is doing something right.

Jude Bellingham. Wow. I hadn't seen much of him before this tournament but he really is something special. Reminded me of a young Jack Rodwell.

This team is definitely good enough - maybe as deep an England team as I've ever seen. A few other teams are good enough too though.

I still think its a bit harsh on Poland to suggest they gave too much space. It depends how you look at it suppose. I saw quality attacking players making space that was difficult to close.

There have been some great young emerging players in this tournament and discussion about recognition of past greats.

I'll throw a team out there, that I feel doesn't get the recognition it deserves. The Netherlands Euro 88 winners. Some great players in that team. Guillit, Van Basten (that goal), Koeman (yes - the player), Rijkaard.

Saturday will be a big test for both teams. Are France as good as they look? Are England as good as they could be? Given the historic rivalry between both nations, I don't think there will be any need for motivation on both counts.

I have to say, one thing about Southgate, he really handles himself well in press conferences. Very composed. Answered the Raheem Sterling question very well.

Pickford made an excellent and vital save at 0-0 and after that it was plain sailing. If we beat France (and it is a big if), then I think we stand as good a chance as Spain, Brazil or Argentina of winning it. Proud of Jordan last night, I fear we might lose him this window or in the summer.

It's going to be a hard game for both sides.

Our problem will come if we go a goal down and have to chase the game.

It's going to be an interesting contest indeed.

No doubting the talent of Mbappe and Greizman but, as we have seen in the Premier League, Varanne has a mistake in him and I think Lloris is past his best.

Giroud a decent player but he ain't no Benzema, so while expecting a tough game, I think we will beat France.

Yes, rope-a-dope football, draw them in and then attack with them hopelessly out of position. Senegal got enticed in to attacking too much, it would have stayed as a very boring game without Senegal attacking.

Not sure France will be so naive and Greizman's football brain could play a big part in this game but so could the much younger Bellingham's.

May the best team win; I hope it's France.

Pickford continues to demonstrate that he is the world's best goalkeeper ╢ although we all know "he has a blunder in him" – © Every third-rate pundit on TV who played one game under the Wally-with-the-Brolly and got subbed after 60-minutes.

I also think Southgate has set things up so that Bellingham can really shine. The second England goal was a perfect example. Bellingham's quick-witted and aggressive chasing of a slightly loose ball was superb but, if Foden and Kane hadn't been available ahead of him, the move would have died in midfield.

In the first 20 minutes, there were a couple of crosses made which had no-one to get on to them, so the efforts to get to the crossing point were, objectively, a waste of time.

This is not to diminish Bellingham's contribution, but he would be far less effective in a formation which didn't allow his style of play and make the most of his ability to turn defence into attack very rapidly.

I rather suspect that Everton's problem is very much of the same nature. Lacking anyone who can score goals from crosses, we faff about kicking the ball backwards and sideways – like England for much of the opening period – and get nowhere.

Unless you can find someone to do what Henderson, Kane or Saka can do – turn up to apply the final touch – you are really going to struggle.

I wouldn't go as far to say best in the World personally, but he is much improved in the past 2 years and we certainly owe him a lot as much as we do those Goodison goal posts. He's a brilliant shot stopper as he showed last night at a crucial moment.

What has been interesting for me, is watching him come out of his 18 yard box, forget the 6 yard box. He rarely does that for Everton.

The other good point you make is about Henderson and others. We can complain all we like, but if players look up and don't see forward movement and runners in front of them, the instinct will be to check, retain possession and subsequently go sideways or backwards.

Forward options. Be they strikers of runners from midfield. We haven't got many right now.

I think we have the best overall squad in terms of depth. If we are able to beat France, which is a big if, then we should have an advantage in the semi/final which come quickly as we have players on the bench who are fresh who we can bring in who are of similar quality to the starters. Brazil have lost a few through injury already, plus they have Danny Alves in the team which would be like us still having Ashley Young. I think Argentina are heavily reliant on their goalie and three old men, Holland outside Gakpo are nothing special and that's their first 11 not to mention their squad.

Agree regarding Pickfords long ball distribution. Ghana where set up for a high press as England played out from the back, Pickford long ball effectively by passed it.At addition that Everton sorely need.

Pickford
Stones
Coady
Oviedo
Klaassen
Gueye
Onana
Robinson
Richarlison
Valencia
Lukaku
Sub Valsic

So why should I feel that way?

Well, in the Euros, England played Ukraine, got the goal and continued to pressure them, resulting in a further three goals; same against Senegal, after a slow start, they got three goals, rather than sit back on a one-goal lead.

Every fear happened against Italy in the Final, controlled the game, got the goal, then instead of keeping Italy on the back foot, England sat back and invited Italy to come at them.

At half-time, the Italy Manager makes a few subs, Italy start to stretch England. But, instead of making changes, Southgate did nothing, left tired players on too long, until Italy scored.

Even then, no reaction. Instead of trying to get a winner, he saves his subs for extra time, even bringing two on for the last kick of extra time as penalty takers – neither not even getting a 5-minute feel of the game before penalties.

That is my fear against France. England to get a goal, then sit back and invite the French to come at them, instead of going for a second goal. If Southgate can change and have a little bit more belief, these players have the potential to go all the way, but Southgate needs to be strong and chase a second goal.

Sit back and the French will pick us off.

I agree with your concerns re Southgate. Many English managers seem to have the same safety outlook and fears. It rarely works and only the Italians of old could consistently pull it off.

Perhaps England will continue in the same vein as so far in the tournament.