LINGARD: England exit at the hands of France was all about fine margins
I began this World Cup believing that England had the talent and focus and manager to make them world champions. I finished watching Saturday night’s defeat to France gutted and frustrated, but they didn’t let anyone down.
At the highest level, games get decided on fine margins and that applied in the first half on Saturday. It was tight, with England dominating possession, and shots, but France took the key chance they had.
There’s two ways of seeing that opening goal, one of which is it should never have happened. Play should have been stopped for a foul on Bukayo Saka as the move that led to the goal began.
I watched it and then on the replays it appears clear that Dayot Upamecano brings Bukayo down but it wasn’t given and if it was referred to VAR then they didn’t agree with me.
Upamecano then ran off with the ball, and with a rapid switch of play, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé and Antoine Griezmann all got involved.
The conclusion? A really great finish from 25 yards or more, at literally more than 100kph, by Aurélien Tchouaméni.
The second way of seeing that goal is that you play to the whistle, and as soon as Upamecano is off and running, then all attention must switch to what’s happening in the attack and how to stop it.
France are a brilliant team, and it was always going to be the case that England would need to be on it, focussed, for the entire match, to contain them.
The fine margins were also seen when Harry Kane had what I thought was a legitimate penalty call after 25 minutes. It was Upamecano again. It looked like a foul, whether on the edge of the area, or on the edge and carrying into the area. Again it wasn’t given, and there was a VAR check that said no.
England finally got a big decision in their favour, rightly, not long into the second half when Tchouameni fouled Harry Kane. Harry absolutely walloped the spot-kick past his Tottenham team-mate and game on.
England reached the quarters with what ultimately proved to be a breeze past a talented Senegal. Jordan Henderson, Harry and Bukayo all scored but the team performance is what impressed me, the control of possession, at least after the first 20 minutes or so, and another clean sheet.
Morocco stunned Portugal on Saturday to make history by becoming the first nation from Africa to reach a World Cup semi-final. They’ve got flair but crucially they’ve had clean sheets, mostly. They’ve conceded one goal in their last nine games, and that was an own goal against Canada. Clean sheets are demonstrative of good team spirit, indicative of working together to keep goals out as well as score.
People who are a lot older than me can tell you that being an England fan down the years has often been a rollercoaster ride – and apart from 1966, falling short of winning that trophy in a major tournament. We got close in 2018, really so close, and I can tell you that it hurts.
I was fortunate to play in Gareth Southgate’s team in Russia, and we believed we could win. And then when, against Croatia, we fell short, it was so painful. I’m not talking about a few days, but weeks and longer. Having said that, how have Croatia got on in Qatar? Their doggedness and refusal to give in are something else.
England were in the ascendancy at 1-1 on Saturday, growing into the game, and I felt they could catch France on the counter and nick a lead. Bukayo, Harry and Phil Foden were getting more and more involved. Then Olivier Giroud from Antoine Griezmann’s cross put France ahead.
Then England got a second penalty, Theo Hernandez on Mason Mount. Harry smashed it over. Such tension. Such disappointment.
But this England did us proud.
Bonding in Athens
I’ve spent the last seven days at a Nottingham Forest training camp in Athens. We’ve been back at work for a couple of weeks, including a training match against Stoke at Loughborough University. But that was very much approached as getting back into it, and we flew to Greece because the boss, Steve Cooper, wanted a competitive sharpener on Saturday night against strong European opposition.
Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis also owns Olympiacos, who have been playing Europa League games this season, so it made a lot of sense. The Olympiacos squad has got some tasty players in it, including former World Cup stars James Rodriguez of Colombia and Marcelo of Brazil.
It’s obviously a bit strange to be having what is in effect a pre-season camp in the middle of a season. But we adapt, we’re professionals, and we need to be focussed on an away game at Blackburn in the League Cup in 10 days, then a return to Premier League action away at Old Trafford.
We’ve had a few players from the club at the World Cup, including Cheikhou Kouyate of Senegal and Brennan Johnson among those with Wales. Brennan joined up with us in Athens. Despite the results, he savoured the Qatar experience. You have to try to enjoy every moment because the World Cup is the pinnacle.
Arguably the most important aspect of this week has been team bonding. We’re pretty much still getting to know each other! Transfers are part and parcel of football, but I was one of 22 arrivals at Forest between June and September.
As you get to know each better off the pitch, you work better together in it, in my experience. The week has been excellent in that way, hard work, and good downtime, whether playing cards, or PlayStation, or sightseeing at The Acropolis. We were starting to click at Forest before the hiatus and we need to hit our groove again quickly when we get back.
Star quality
The World Cup is a showcase for the best footballers in the world but in a different life I reckon many of them could have excelled in different sports. Certainly when I was younger I played everything at school, and the athleticism required of modern footballers could be applied elsewhere.
Similarly, I know I’m not alone as a footballer following a lot of different sport, not just because I love watching elite players in action but because sometimes you end up getting to know them and learn from them.
After Tyson Fury beat Derek Chisora last Saturday, Tyson reposted my Instagram story saying how well he’d done. I got to know him through my brother and have been ringside to watch him.
He’s been through his well documented troubles in the past, including mental health issues – a subject close to my own heart. But he’s turned his life around and bounced back and there’s a lesson there. I’m planning to start a podcast in the New Year and I’d love to have him on it. It won’t be just famous people – I’m hoping to speak to all sorts of people from all walks of life.
Back to sport, I love watching Wimbledon tennis, NFL, basketball, F1, you name it. I’ve been to an NFL game in London and to the NBA’s Summer League in Vegas. I’ve got to know Odell Beckham Jr, the former NY Giants, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, and last saw him at a Drake concert.
I’ve been fortunate to get to the F1 in Abu Dhabi and see Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. I’ve not met Max but I’ve messaged back and forth with him on Insta, always keen to find out what makes high performers tick.
