mjazzg

I like this description and it holds with my impressions of seeing him live too. Next week in London with Five Elements, can't wait

Not too sure who you're referring to here but no-one's making you watch it

Football's a sport not an art. We fans romantically talk about artists on the pitch and the aesthetics but we're only the fans. For the players it's a win or lose competition, not art. I really appreciated both sides' displays tonight. France defended marvellously and also created chances. Belgium failed to take their chances but created some good ones. If you can't appreciate the skills on display tonight from Hazard, De Bruyne, Mbappe, Varane, Pogba, Matuidi, Lloris then you're watching the wrong sport. The fact that there are more French names, and defenders at that, in that list goes some way to explain why they won

We'll see

Terrific match. Well played France. Great to see Mbappe in the final

Really enjoyed that half of football.

Not for me, they're not. Love them all as well as Kikuchi's solo and trio ECM discs

Charles Tyler - Saga Of The Outlaws [Nessa]

Saunier, Halvorson, Miles - New American Songbooks, Volume 1 [Sound American]

Good post. There's invariably sides in these competitions that by teamwork and good coaching play better than everyone expects and Russia have certainly exceeded the initially low expectation of the home crowd No need to apologise. I've said all along that England are a limited side with a lack of midfield creativity which will be an issue when they come across a side that has what we don't - this could well be Modric and Rakitic. But so far an excellent coach has a young, internationally inexperienced team (this seems to be missed by many commenters because the names are known from the PL) playing to their strengths which have been too strong for their opponents, and long may that come to pass. And whilst as football fans we all want to see the beautiful game let's not forget this isn't a beauty contest.

One of the best

I can understand that. As a neutral I want the beautiful game but right now as an England fan I'll take boring and a victory into the semi-final I'm not too sure who I want to win the other match.Croatia are the better side but Russia with home advantage in the semi could be equally difficult?

But, they are in a World Cup semi-final. That's what it's about

Well played England! Professional job. Some top goalkeeping helped us through to Russia or Croatia. I'll take either of those

Fine by me. Just like a mid Premier League match

This, for the first time after the posts about it here

Good. I've just ordered a copy!

and anyway, my response was to this post where you were trying to explain away Brazil's inability to convert shots and corners into goals as bad luck. No mention of the Belgian first goal here that I see...hello?

But would have been headed in by the Belgian forward if not, just that Fernandino got there first

Forever in his debt for "Shipbuilding". I've enjoyed other occasional albums and songs too It's a tough fight, here's hoping he wins it soon

Yes, I've read lots of good things about that one. It's on the "to buy" list!

but for all those shots and corners they didn't score enough which was down to some very good Belgian defending and goalkeeping. That's not luck that's performance. I agree, I don't think Brazil were unlucky - what example of bad luck can you give? An unfortunate deflection, hitting the post or bar with the goalkeeper beaten, goal-line clearance? I can't remember any of those Belgium were better all round.they tore Brazil away on the break and then with a very organised defence kept Brazil at bay as your statistics prove.Brazil weren't good enough to find away to win and for once there was a referee who was suitably dismissive of Neymar's attempts to cheat an advantage. Maybe that's where Brazil's bad luck came in?

Eric Kloss - Introducing Eric Kloss [Prestige, mono] one of this week's new arrivals. Really enjoying it and to think he was only sixteen. Next up it's companion Eric Kloss - Love And All That Jazz [Prestige, mono]