I would stick with it in future if we have a more varied middle 3. A holding passer, a tackler, and a 'driver'. The driver would be the player capable of bombing forward, turning 352 into 3412 or 343. To keep us on the front foot. One could argue he thought Lingard or Alli could do this, but both were lightweight. I feel Loftus-Cheek's strength may have helped us do this more. Without that variation (as we saw) we end up falling back into a defensive 532.

Having met them both, they certainly are.

Have I missed something? What record does Cook have in the Championship? Don't get me wrong, I think he'll keep them up based on his ability to unite what is a decent squad. But basing it on his record 'at this level' is daft. Otherwise we'd be expecting playoffs as a minimum based on Mowbray's 'record at this level'.

We've had proof these last few years of his vision from 2011. After ridiculing his appointment as England manager, I want him to be on-site long term. I'm talking 10 years at least. I'm sold on him.

I know it's not the same (to a lower league, rather than to a foreign league), but that's what excites me about Davenport.

China has 1.2bn people and not a decent footballer among them. Ever. Population is irrelevant imo, esp in an age where inherited nationality counts for a lot.

Well Nuttall seems to be in the first team plans. If he goes on loan, that'd leave us with Graham and Samuel. So yes.

Need a Dack to drive forward from midfield too.

That bump back to Earth hurt. But that team has absolutely embarrassed our so-called Golden Generation. Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes, Beckham, Cole, Neville, Ferdinand, Terry, Carragher, Owen. All individually better than any of the current crop and crap for England. Some of these lads upped their game for England. Very proud England fan.

A very tidy lower league player, but not sure I'd want him unless it was to cover a loan for Nuttall or something.

England being in the semi is trippy. England LEADING in the semi? That's Trippier.

I'm terrified. But I'm proud whatever happens tonight. A semi-final is once in a generation, but a final is once in a lifetime.

Or he's not flash enough to cost the club a few quid extra for the sake of 30mins on the train. Pennies and pounds.

And with money not being No#1 in football back then, the 'lesser' Brazilian league was most likely the equivalent of Second Division at the time at worst. Those same 'lesser' Brazilian league's produced 3 WC winning sides out of 4 comps. No doubt Pele was fricking phenomenal.

I wouldn't underestimate how angry he gets if you refuse...

Interesting to see Butterworth knocking on the door.

I think ourselves and Croatia are both teams that have grown into this World Cup as it has progressed. Hopefully they'll be feeling leggy after about 5 of them got cramp yesterday.

It's as eloquent and thoughtful as the sentiment deserves. Where are all those elite teams you mention? On the plane home. We can only beat what's in front of us, and we've done it. The WC semi final is a great achievement and something we couldn't achieve in either of the years you mentioned. We've only done it twice before in our history, so I (and right-minded folk across England) will enjoy it instead of dumping on it.

Who gives a shit?

How daft it can be to say players can 'do a job' out of position.

Even Queenie knows it's coming home: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1882776585119145&id=563338173729666

Under a proper manager too.

Out of position ?

I thought it was a left winger playing on the right wing (or vice versa) so that they cut in on their strong foot to shoot instead of crossing from the byline.

I think this is why it feels so different this time. We're supporting a team again instead of a bunch of egos.