I hadn't noticed that... Pete (was maybe too kind to LaCroix, because now it looks like he just followed Oyarzabal into no-man's land)
I watched it multiple times...>LaCroix has to challenge Oyarzabal because he could have played that pass...but instead let it through to Olmo. He ends up vacating the space where Porro makes his run, but if he doesn't and Oyarzabal plays the ball, then Oyarzabal is the open man with a clear line to the goal. Pete (supposes LaCroix was in a hopeless situation on the play)
Another angle of the play...with the full runup... Esta jugada en una semifinal de la Copa del Mundo debería de estar enmarcada en todas las escuelas de fútbol base del planeta. Qué barbaridad. pic.twitter.com/NHXfDrTVDJ— Moscardó (@moscardol) July 15, 2026 Pete (found the prior passing display equally impressive.)
There sure is a lot of (off the ball) running to get open vs 'manning a post' and expecting the ball to be played to their feet.
An interesting match up between England and Argentina The teams are in:🏴"Looking at that England front four — Kane, Rogers, Bellingham, and Gordon — it looks very physical. That is a big group of players who run hard, who enjoy contact and are all highly technically accomplished." - @SebSB🇦🇷"The stadium is only 10, 20% full… pic.twitter.com/eSNatUfqPu— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) July 15, 2026 England appears to be a deeper more physical squad that 'creates more'... But they don't seem to finish their chances like Argentina/Messi does... Silly to 'bet against' Messi, but if he doesn't bring some magic today England should be favored. No connection/bias with either, just want to witness a competitive and entertaining match!
And Thierry Henri breaks it down for us! OMG! Thierry Henry’s deconstruction of the build-up to #Spain second goal, on @FOXSports is pure gold! pic.twitter.com/bwM7WSV3kW— Lloyd Mathias (@LloydMathias) July 15, 2026 Pete (might be overly fixated on this one play haha)
“The toxic racism and swaggering hyper-nationalism that has for decades accrued around the English game has contaminated our national symbols, left millions feeling excluded from the national game, and damaged our reputation abroad. The rot has grown deeper in recent months, in part because our political leaders have allowed that poison to fester and – when they calculated that it was in their electoral interests – cynically refused to condemn it.” Southgate showed us a new England. But the old one hasn’t gone away https://www.theguardian.com/comment...a-new-england-but-the-old-one-hasnt-gone-away
I think the referee deserves praise for that first half. Both teams came out to fight, and the fact that he's gotten through the first half with most of the bullets still in his gun gives him a lot of control in the second half. Pete (sees England getting pretty frustrated though)
I agree, but I would have liked the first card for each team a bit earlier. There were certainly "card worthy" offences on both sides. We are watching the match in the recreation room of a packed Hostel outside of Venice, Italy. We are staying at a pretty crappy hotel a few blocks away, but the bus to Venice is at out door. €1.50 and 10 minutes and we were eating pastries, sipping wine and enjoying one of the best pizzas I have had in years!
And a mistake opens the door for England! And Molina (Arg RB) slow to react...he has looked weak against Spence when he has joined the attack. They should be targeting that matchup for the second. Fantastic tackle by Spence in his own box (while I was typing)!!
Victoria Beckham apparently didn't like the criticism that she seemed disinterested from the Norway game! Pete (laughs at her slightly overly celebratory response to this goal)
Sitting back and defending for 30 minutes against Messi (and playing out of the back) is a very, very bad strategy for England.