#62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

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#62 England 1-2 Croatia - Semi-Final 2

Post by Samba »

Weds 11th July
k/o 7pm

Our English dream continues, until the 11th of July, at least.
We have the perfect manager for this. Sir Gareth Southgate has been there himself, as a player, in a major football, semi-final.
He will know exactly what to say to the players, which will be so valuable.
Croatia (with absolutely no offence meant to recent opponents, will be our sternest test yet.
Earlier, Lee Dixon said that he was worried because he felt Croatia hadn't got into their stride yet & that they were getting better, as time went on.
I actually see it as the opposite. Croatia were very good early on in the competition (so good that quite a few on here tipped them to go all the way & to win it) but to me, are now starting to look a little battle-weary.
They have had to battle harder (in terms of overcoming teams), whereas England, have slowly been getting better, with each game.
It will still not be an easy game for either team, but perhaps, for the first time in 52 years, the stars just might be aligned, again. If any team can do it, this England team (& set-up), can!
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Puff Daddy »

England had better win this one, as on a cautionary note history has shown that the winners of the 3/4th place match have a rather uneviable record of not making it to the next World Cup at all and even the losers don't fare much better
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by jastons »

I was hoping that Russia would win the game last night because I believed Croatia would be harder for England to beat. However after yesterday's games I think we have a really good chance of winning this one. Stop Modric from dictating play and attack them at every opportunity. England to win 2 - 1.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by e17 »

Croatia forced into 2 extra time games with an additional 60 minutes followed by the stress of penalties

Both teams knowing their opposition before they play

England beating Sweden in their most convincing and composed performance yet

It’s coming home.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Morocco Mole »

Same team with Lingard to quasi-man-mark Modric. We can win.....and it scares me that I genuinely believe that. :arry:

And I want Les Grenouilles in the final. A legit grudge match/rival team and previous WC winners. One of the big dogs. A second star shoot out. Then they can’t say we didn’t play anyone proper.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by The Old Man of Storr »

This will be your most difficult match I think , even if you get through to the Final .

Too close to call so I won't .

Hope you win but I've got lots of respect for the Croats .
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Faithless »

Only worry here is nerves from the players. Croatia have failed to beat either Denmark or Russia in 240 min of football. They all looked as dead as the corpse maestro Modric at the end of yesterdays match. Good in the group stage but that's it, peaked too early.

C'mon England!
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by fmgod »

Same team for me, they have plenty of attacking talent but the defence isn't amazing, Šime Vrsaljko is a good player but very, very aggressive, prone to a reckless tackle(hopefully in the box or a red), Lovren is half decent, Vida and the left back can be exposed. I mean the attacking talent is a joke and has a bit of everything, Persic is a goal scoring winger, Modric and Rakitic are class, Brozovic is a lovely player and Rebic is energetic, Mandukic is quality and that's without the players on their bench like Kramaric, Kovavaic and even Badej
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Het-Field »

Faithless wrote:Only worry here is nerves from the players. Croatia have failed to beat either Denmark or Russia in 240 min of football. They all looked as dead as the corpse maestro Modric at the end of yesterdays match. Good in the group stage but that's it, peaked too early.

C'mon England!
I would be genuinely more reserved about writing Croatia’s death note based on the last two games. The have shown a resilience in coming back from a goal down on both occasions, and but for a defensive lapse for the second Russian goal, and Schemichael saving Modric’s penalty, they would have beaten both teams outright.

Also, Croatia’s squad is full of integral players from top European Clubs, who have gone the distance at that level, and have generally been knocking around international tournaments since Euro 2012. The one major advantage they have is experience of major games at club and country level. They have also won two penalty shootouts in the tournament which speaks to their mentality, as does the retrieval of two post group stage deficits against Russia and Denmark.

Yesterday, England came up against a well organised Swedish team, but a team with limited technical ability with the ball at feet, and a team who are fairly notorious for letting other teams play with the ball and inviting them onto them. What makes them better at it that most, is the high line they play. But, Croatia are technically very gifted, and are as organised as the Swedes. The game will undoubtedly be entirely different from yesterday, and will probably differ from the Colombian game in terms of the link-up play that Croatia will bring.

England will never have a better chance of making a final, but think will be a hard fought win if it does happen.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Faithless »

Het-Field wrote:England will never have a better chance of making a final, but think will be a hard fought win if it does happen.
I agree it won't be easy and of course they'll feel exactly the same way about reaching the final, I'm just not that worried about them. England did indeed come up against a well organised team in Sweden who imo aren't much different to Russia or Denmark (Eriksen excluded) and didn't concede and won. Against Colombia only a lapse in concentration prevented England wining in 90 min.

I also agree that they have the edge in terms of experience which is why my only real concern is nerves from our players. World Cups are littered with teams that stormed through the group stages and didn't make it.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by e17 »

Morocco Mole wrote:And I want Les Grenouilles in the final. A legit grudge match/rival team and previous WC winners. One of the big dogs. A second star shoot out. Then they can’t say we didn’t play anyone proper.
Wonderfully put.

It would be a cracking game too. New generations of footballers on both sides.

Whereas I see Belgium v Croatia as being the one great chance of their best ever squads to join the WC pantheon.

Whatever happens, very exciting last 4, & not the usual tedium of a Germany/Brazil/Argie procession
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by e17 »

Dunno about us never having a better chance

I think what’s so exciting is that this squad has progressed at least a step further than expected a tournament or two before its time.

I thought we’d be a challenger by the next euros
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Het-Field »

Faithless wrote:
I agree it won't be easy and of course they'll feel exactly the same way about reaching the final, I'm just not that worried about them. England did indeed come up against a well organised team in Sweden who imo aren't much different to Russia or Denmark (Eriksen excluded) and didn't concede and won. Against Colombia only a lapse in concentration prevented England wining in 90 min.

I also agree that they have the edge in terms of experience which is why my only real concern is nerves from our players. World Cups are littered with teams that stormed through the group stages and didn't make it.
Sweden are different to Russia and Denmark in terms of technical ability. They also didn’t have a player like an Eriksen who can make a world of difference, and Forsberg is just not in the same category. That type of attritional play can work (heck Ireland almost qualified playing a rudimentary style of rudimentary football), but it comes a cropper when you come up against a technically gifted team like England are. Denmark are a good footballing side, with the ability to break successfully and they are not easy to break down.

I would still feel that this is a new challenge for England, and that even if nerves don’t okay into it, it is hard to see England being allowed dictate the play like yesterday.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Faithless »

Het-Field wrote:I would still feel that this is a new challenge for England, and that even if nerves don’t okay into it, it is hard to see England being allowed dictate the play like yesterday.
Fairplay. I think they'll run the midfield and we'll revert to a more counter attacking side in this and the next match be that the final or 3rd/4th place play off.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Faithless »

e17 wrote:Dunno about us never having a better chance

I think what’s so exciting is that this squad has progressed at least a step further than expected a tournament or two before its time.

I thought we’d be a challenger by the next euros
Obviously can't see the future but with England I've been used to us having better squads and not making it and there's no guarantee that players will be on form or fit in two or four years time. Carpe diem England
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Het-Field »

Faithless wrote:
Obviously can't see the future but with England I've been used to us having better squads and not making it and there's no guarantee that players will be on form or fit in two or four years time. Carpe diem England
Success breeds success. Last decade’s generation was littered with failure and underachievement which became a culture. Failing to qualify for Euro 2008, drawing with Algeria, barely beating Trinidad and Tobago, losing last minute to the French in 2004, the penalty shootouts against Portugal, being expunged from World Cup 2014 before the last game of the group stages, being played off the park by Italy in 2012. That has an effect on the mentality. That was the legacy of the 2004-2014 generation.

Players like Trippier, Maguire, Pickford etc know little more than succcessful qualification, and now being in the last 4 of a World Cup. This is a serious culture shift which will serve England well.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Faithless »

Het-Field wrote:Success breeds success. Last decade’s generation was littered with failure and underachievement which became a culture. Failing to qualify for Euro 2008, drawing with Algeria, barely beating Trinidad and Tobago, losing last minute to the French in 2004, the penalty shootouts against Portugal, being expunged from World Cup 2014 before the last game of the group stages, being played off the park by Italy in 2012. That has an effect on the mentality. That was the legacy of the 2004-2014 generation.

Players like Trippier, Maguire, Pickford etc know little more than succcessful qualification, and now being in the last 4 of a World Cup. This is a serious culture shift which will serve England well.
My response indirectly through e17 was to your post saying
England will never have a better chance of making a final, but think will be a hard fought win if it does happen
So it's either we'll never have a better chance or success breeds success so don't worry we'll make more final's in years to come, it can't be both. Considering we haven't managed to reach a World Cup final for 52 years I stand by seizing the day.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Het-Field »

Faithless wrote:[

My response indirectly through e17 was to your post saying


England will never have a better chance of making a final[/b], but think will be a hard fought win if it does happen


So it's either we'll never have a better chance or success breeds success so don't worry we'll make more final's in years to come, it can't be both. Considering we haven't managed to reach a World Cup final for 52 years I stand by seizing the day.
Not exactly. This is appreciating that England’s draw has been kind, and also accepting that other teams may come back stronger after a period of rebuilding in the future. Spain and Brazil are examples. Success can just be bing in contention, which England haven’t been for more than a decade.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Clucking Bell »

I think we'll win this. Modric is a fantastic player: possibly the best midfielder in Europe but, this will be the first game where their opponents aren't just going to let him have the football. They'll also be facing some players who maybe aren't quite as good on the ball but, who are fitter and faster than those that they've faced so far. I also think that having played two 120 minute games in a week will have taken it out of them and while I don't think we'll thrash them I reckon we'll win fairly comfortably.
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Re: #62 England v Croatia - Semi-Final 2 ~ Match thread

Post by Rio »

It’s no secret I really admire the Croats. In Modric & Rakitic they have 2 of my favourite current players. I’m praying that fatigue for them will play a huge role and aid us. But national pride and adrenaline will possibly help counter that.

We need to start positively again. Not as lax as the opening 15 minute period for sure, they are a class above Sweden.

I think Southgate will keep faith with the starting 11, though I do think some fresh legs from the outset could benefit us. For me rose in for young, loftus cheek for lingard if I had to choose.

It’s more than possible we’ll be in the final, calm heads, composure and belief will play a huge part in winning this game.

Whatever happens we’ve exceeded expectations. Exceeded hope. I said on the Sweden game it’s scary how we’ve got this far when our forward line hasn’t really excelled. It’s just as pertinent.

Southgate must have a huge sense of redemption surging through him. I’ve never disliked the fella and all credit to him for being a massive part of bringing the nation back to actually caring about the national side again
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