Eze dribbles like 4 players and almost lobs the keeper. Well not really close in the end, but an exquisite audacious bit of skill. Then Barcola scores France's 2nd on the ensuing possession. 2-4. Fun game this.
Rice is imperious today. He's my MOTM up until this point. BUT he looks totally shagged. Time to take him off, along with Saka. Hello Thomas???
66' Mbappe's 2nd and it's now 3-4. Probably locking up the golden boot. Bonkers game. Tale of two halves.
76' And now Saka is down in serious pain. Hobbling. About to be replaced by Jude? Let's hope it's just a bruise or something.
Spence earns a PK. (he's another MOTM candidate) If England convert they'll win. But WHO do you give the ball to?? Jude it seems? Nope... STARBOY... COME ON! Edit: YES! A PERFECT PK! HAT TRICK! 5-3 to England. Now take him off?
98' Jude on an amazing solo effort makes it 6-4 to England. After Dembele tried to make it intersting a few mins before. WOW just WOW.
FT FRA 4-6 ENG. Feckin crazy fun game. Very happy for England and the Arse boys. Even if it was risky to play them like that. p.s. Nice sharing the moment with so many of y'all. Ah, the sound of one hand clapping
Saliba was on the sidelines in uniform for this. Not in a hospital yet. Really curious how his next several days will unfold.
Word is that there's a chance it's just going to be treatment or therapy. They will know in the next week or so - I guess when London Colney evaluates him.
He was on the pitch talking with Declan after FT. They were both smiling. Saliba didn't look like someone in serious pain. It gave me a tiny bit more optimism. That said I don't expect to see him play for us for quite a few months, even if he avoids surgery.
Rice shouldn't see an game till sometime in September bare minimum if I were to have a say in the matter. Saka as a sub or subbed off after an hour at most.
Eberechi Eze LCM performance against France: 56/56 passes completed (100%)2 chances created1 big chance created1 assisted 3/3 dribbles completed (100%)5 passes into the final third4/5 ground duels won (80%) pic.twitter.com/t9pfsmvHqy— ∞ (@TheFalseNein) July 18, 2026
See I'm more worried about Saka (Achillies) than Rice (calf?/knee?/sciatica?). I was more miffed to see Bukayo go 97' yesterday than Rice, but I wanted them both off after 45. Now I suspect the players had a lot to say in what happened, and I suspect Saka in particular is pretty thrilled that he was still on the pitch to take the PK, further exorcize any old demons, and bag a trick! I bet they both were asked if they felt up for starting and they both said "hell yeah!". The other issue with Saka was: why the hell did he have zero involvement against ARG? At that time, I figured it must be fitness related, but then when he started yesterday I said "huh? did Tuchel just voluntarily decide not to use him last time??" (if so another huge strike against Thomas) Edit: All that said about Bukayo & Declan, I just watched the end of that crazy match again, and the ONLY player who went to the ground at FT and just sat exhausted on the pitch for many minutes was... Rice. Hopefully it's just extreme, cumulative fatigue. But, knowing him, he could've been playing through one or more of the above-mentioned, painful ailments. If nothing else, he's earned a rest of a few months, minimum.
Why wait? After kickoff, send him off to join Trump & Infantino in their special bulletproof enclosure.