I'd like to start by saying well done to Croatia, to play 120 minutes for the 3rd match going is some achievement.
Now to England, it all started so well with that early goal and the first half all went to plan, apart from getting a second goal. This team have looked good this tournament and from set pieces have always looked dangerous. Well organised and with a belief in themselves they have done far better than expected. The only downside has been a lack of chances from open play.
This is what undid us, in the second half Croatia came out fighting and you could see a goal was coming. When it did Croatia were in the driving seat and harried us for every ball. For long periods of the second half we looked like a punch drunk boxer constantly defending but we stayed organised and the misses of the first half came back to haunt us.
Extra time saw some half chances but when Croatia scored you just knew it would take a set piece for England to level. Alas although we had a couple it wasn't to be. England hardly ever looked like they could break down the defence or conjuror up a moment of brilliance to score without a dead ball. I said after the Columbia match that England couldn't rely on penalties and we wouldn't get them in later rounds and it would be harder against better teams to keep getting goals from set pieces.
England number 1 Jordan Henderson again proved why he is first choice between the sticks with some fine stops and great distribution and the team showed their togetherness and desire, what they lack is that something in the final 3rd.
(image sky sports.)
Going forward after the world cup the main thing is to keep this manager Garth Southgate and I believe he will see the job as unfinished business. We have a good team and defensively we look good and that will get better as this young squad grow and learn. What we need is more goals from open play and while we got some great balls into the area we just couldn't get the final touch. This team has the mental strength for the game but need to be more clinical.
We have two years before the Euros so time to work on that during the qualifications and I think if this team keeps improving we will have a good chance of repeating the successes of this world cup and maybe going one better. I've not felt this positive about an England team in, well as long as I can remember.
Football isn't coming home but going forward we can believe.