Do you know what, I am so glad that we play football like we do in this country, unlike teams like Argentina with their skullduggery and nastiness that totally disrespects their opponents. If, by playing our way, it means we will never win another major tournament then I can live with that. After this game I was sad, but more importantly, extremely angry. From the very first whistle Argentina targeted certain England players with some diabolical challenges which went unpunished from a referee who was clearly under orders from above. No bookings and no red cards which could have quite easily been given such were the roughhouse tactics of the South Americans in the first-half. One tackle was a carbon copy of the tackle that led to Jarell Quansah's red card in an earlier game, but this time the player didn't even get a yellow.

As for the game of football that went on between all this dastardly goings on, we certainly made a big mistake after half-time, by sitting deeper and deeper, hoping to repel anything the Argies could throw at us. The trouble was, when Argentina concentrate on their football they are a good team and can play some devastating football, so why do they insist on always roughing up their opponents first?

There was little to record as regards goal chances in the first-half and Elliot Anderson took the brunt of the punishment from the rough challenges being fouled several times in the opening quarter. A corner for England after seven minutes saw John Stones bundled over in the box, nothing given. Lots of pushing and shoving at set pieces which seems to be the theme of this tournament.

On 14 minutes Anthony Gordon sprints down the left but is eventually crowded out but almost every tackle seems to be an unfair one and the referee was eventually blowing his whistle more often, but still no cards. Morgan Rogers sees a low cross saved by a diving Emiliano Martinez and then Reece James does well to send in another cross gathered by Martinez. Both sides were probing but Argentina made little inroads against the England defence. Marc Guehi was superb at the back, very cool and calm and he and Stones are a good partnership. England had more than held their own as we reached the first drinks break.

On 32 minutes Stones was close with a header and then, finally, the referee decided to get his cards out booking one from each side. Lionel Messi saw a free-kick cleared and then he went on a dangerous run before being stopped by good defending and not a lot more happened as England made it to the interval in good shape.

Argentina stepped it up after the break but on 54 minutes a brilliant goal from England gave them the lead. Anderson's long pass was only cleared to Declan Rice who fed Rogers on the right. He put in a low cross to the far post and there was Gordon steaming in front of a defender to shoot the ball home. It was well deserved and the England fans were cock-a-hoop. Three minutes later it was Argentina who broke away through Guiliano Simeone and the situation looked ominous. A wonderful tackle from Djed Spence, who was playing well, cleared the ball from danger to huge cheers from the English in the crowd.

But the goal heralded a period of pressure on the England defence and Enzo Fernandez shot just over in one attack. On 65 minutes a fine headed clearance by Stones again cleared a dangerous moment whilst at the other end Rice fired in a low shot which was gathered by Martinez. At this point it was crying out for England to get back on the front foot but Argentina were forcing the defence further and further back. Just before the next drinks break Pickford made a brilliant save from a close range header from Nico Gonzalez, diving to his right to push the ball away from goal. That chance was created by a cross from Messi and it was noticeable that the South American genius was now having more of an influence on the game, much to the worry of England. Thomas Tuchel decided that he would try and shore up the defence and after the water break he took off Gordon and brought on Ezri Konsa.

On the restart Alexis Mac Allister dived to head a cross against the post and then Pickford is forced into another save. Substitutions from Argentina were making a difference and the pressure was mounting and the general feeling among the England fans was that a goal was imminent. By defending in depth there was no outlet, no front foot play and Tuchel then sent on Dan Burn and Nico O'Reilly, so at that point there were six defenders on for England. Mind you, it was more like 11 defenders because there was little action in the Argentine half.

On 84 minutes Messi bends a shot just wide, and it was one-way traffic. Enzo Fernandez had already tried a long range shot and another sails just over. Then a minute later and from a corner, Messi finds Fernandez 20 yards out and in lots of space. This time he makes no mistake and his shot whistles past the diving Pickford for the equaliser. It had been coming as everytime England cleared the ball it came straight back. In the past all out defence worked but against Argentina it was never going to.

To make matters even worse, and predictably at this stage, Argentina scored again. This time Mac Allister's shot pings back off the post, England don't clear properly and Messi's darting run and cross from the bye-line is missed by Stones and headed in from close range by Lautaro Martinez and the stadium erupts all around the England fans who are crestfallen.

Tuchel, about half an hour too late, then decided to bring on Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford, but it was too little and too late. England pumped high balls into the box but to no avail and the final whistle ended the match.

Yet again England are left with bitter regret having made tactical changes that played into the Argentine hands. There is no doubt that Argentina are not World Champions without reason but it must be said, over the years why is it in football that cheats very often prosper?
  

Source Notestrong>