England vs USA & Croatia | Its coming home

[GlastonSpur]

It's disgraceful that every England international match is not shown on a free-to-air channel.

The taxpayer's pump in around £29m to the FA each year, not to mention multi-year grants of £120 million specifically relating to Wembley Stadium in the FA's account for 2015.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

Isn't Nations league a two year thing? So next cycle will be in 2020, is it being used for World Cup qualifying?

Think 2020 is correct, but I doubt it'll be used for WC qualifying.

EDIT: Guess there's still a possibility.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Nations_League#Possible_FIFA_World_Cup_link

 

[Damien]

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[Damien]

Pickford

Walker Stones Gomez Chilwell
Dier
Delph Barkley
Rashford Kane Sterling​

What an awful midfield. Quick rise for Chilwell who only came into the squad last international break because Shaw withdrew due to injury. Now he's become first choice for country.

Croatia team:

Kalinic

Vrsaljko Lovren Vida Jedvaj
Modric (c) Brozovic
Rebic Vlasic Perisic
Kramaric​

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Lucky for us Rakitic isn't playing

Think our midfield is poorer then the WC semi midfield, but we'll see.

 

[Foxtrot]

I expect England to beat Croatia today, a sell-out crowd and an in-form England team will be too much for Croatia. The last two games were draws though so it won't be easy for England, but I still expect England to edge this narrowly.

 

[Treble]

Easy win for England. Croatia are quality but will be a bit tired imo.

 

[Utdstar01]

Pickford

Walker Stones Gomez Chilwell
Dier
Delph Barkley
Rashford Kane Sterling​

What an awful midfield. Quick rise for Chilwell who only came into the squad last international break because Shaw withdrew due to injury. Now he's become first choice for country.

Croatia team:

Kalinic

Vrsaljko Lovren Vida Jedvaj
Modric (c) Brozovic
Rebic Vlasic Perisic
Kramaric​

Could be because Shaw was carrying a knock. May be precautionary.

 

[GeorgieBoy]

Easy win for England. Croatia are quality but will be a bit tired imo.

Kept telling ourselves that last World Cup.
Think the home advantage should edge it for us. Narrow England win I'm predicting.

 

[SquishyMcSquish]

Really wanted to see Sancho & Sterling together, but didn't expect it after he started vs USA. Hope we see it at some point during the game though.

 

[Raees]

Pickford

Walker Stones Gomez Chilwell
Dier
Delph Barkley
Rashford Kane Sterling​

What an awful midfield. Quick rise for Chilwell who only came into the squad last international break because Shaw withdrew due to injury. Now he's become first choice for country.

Croatia team:

Kalinic

Vrsaljko Lovren Vida Jedvaj
Modric (c) Brozovic
Rebic Vlasic Perisic
Kramaric​

Chilwell is a decent player he has done well since his promotion.

Is Rakitic injured or has he retired?

 

[Dante]

Pickford

Walker Stones Gomez Chilwell
Dier
Delph Barkley
Rashford Kane Sterling​

What an awful midfield. Quick rise for Chilwell who only came into the squad last international break because Shaw withdrew due to injury. Now he's become first choice for country.

Croatia team:

Kalinic

Vrsaljko Lovren Vida Jedvaj
Modric (c) Brozovic
Rebic Vlasic Perisic
Kramaric​

I reckon we'll be playing a solid 4-2-3-1. Delph and Dier anchoring, with Barkley supporting the front 3 with plenty of runs into the box. He'll be playing the role Alli does for Spurs.

Kind of weird when Alli is on the bench.

 

[duffer]

Is Rakitic injured or has he retired?

Hamstring injury.

 

[shamans]

It’s funny how England think they are on level terms with Croatia. Minnow bashers getting a little confident here!

 

[Raees]

Hamstring injury.

Thanks.

 

[FootballHQ]

It’s funny how England think they are on level terms with Croatia. Minnow bashers getting a little confident here!

Well if you just count normal time last two games have been a draw and then before that it was a 4-1 and 5-1 win in the 2010 qualifying. Not sure Croatia have beaten England in 90 minutes since the infamous 2007 Wembley game unless I've forgotten a friendly game (although of course no Croat cares about that considering they won the semi final in the end).

Reality is there's little between the teams. Croatia got more technical excellence but on home turf you'd expect England's pace and power to really trouble them once they get past the midfield.

I'd have still started Sancho ahead of Rashford. Full of confidence and playing at a very high level currently for his club.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Well if you just count normal time last two games have been a draw and then before that it was a 4-1 and 5-1 win in the 2010 qualifying. Not sure Croatia have beaten England in 90 minutes since the infamous 2007 Wembley game unless I've forgotten a friendly game (although of course no Croat cares about that considering they won the semi final in the end).

Reality is there's little between the teams. Croatia got more technical excellence but on home turf you'd expect England's pace and power to really trouble them once they get past the midfield.

I'd have still started Sancho ahead of Rashford. Full of confidence and playing at a very high level currently for his club.

Rashford has been in good goal scoring form for England though, scored home and away against Spain.

That has probably edged out Sancho

 

[Adisa]

I don't know if anyone else does this or am I alone. When I see lineup sheets, the first thing I look for is skilful attackers. I'm always very disappointed when I don't see any.

 

[FootballHQ]

Rashford has been in good goal scoring form for England though, scored home and away against Spain.

That has probably edged out Sancho

Accepted but I'd have kept him as impact sub as he's still struggling to get going for Man. United. If he had Martial run of form he'd be a certain starter in my book.

Would've gone for Sterling and Sancho either side of Kane with Rashford second half option.

 

[Cassidy]

Accepted but I'd have kept him as impact sub as he's still struggling to get going for Man. United. If he had Martial run of form he'd be a certain starter in my book.

Would've gone for Sterling and Sancho either side of Kane with Rashford second half option.

Agree

 

[FootballHQ]

I don't know if anyone else does this or am I alone. When I see lineup sheets, the first thing I look for is skilful attackers. I'm always very disappointed when I don't see any.

Rebic is a hardworker and had a good world cup but yeah 100 stepovers isn't his thing, Vlasic struggled to impose himself at Everton.....

 

[Adisa]

It’s funny how England think they are on level terms with Croatia. Minnow bashers getting a little confident here!

There's not much between the two teams. The semifinal proved it.

 

[Adisa]

Rebic is a hardworker and had a good World Cup but yeah 100 stepovers isn't his thing, Vlasic struggled to impose himself at Everton.....

Yeah. I was looking at the two lineups. Can't see any flair player. Lots of pace and power but little else. Hope Sancho gets a run out .

 

[wythyred]

Gomez & Stones looks like a really good partnership on paper.

Pretty sad to see that we only have one united Player in the England team when traditionally it has been littered with them.

 

[SquishyMcSquish]

It’s funny how England think they are on level terms with Croatia. Minnow bashers getting a little confident here!

We beat Spain .. in Spain, in the same competition 2 games ago.

It's hardly shocking that England fans might think we're on a similar level to Croatia who only beat us due to a late ET goal in the World Cup.

 

[Dumbstar]

Right, that team sheet decides it. I'm off to do the shopping.

 

[FootballHQ]

Croatia anthem so nice to listen to.

 

[duffer]

No Rakitic or Kovacic is a plus for England.

 

[duffer]

Right, that team sheet decides it. I'm off to do the shopping.

When the going gets tough, the tough goes shopping!

 

[SharpshooterTom]

If England go onto win the UEFA Nations League I would make them favourites for Euro 2020 due to having home field advantage from the semi's onwards.

 

[Adisa]

It's disgraceful that every England international match is not shown on a free-to-air channel.

The taxpayer's pump in around £29m to the FA each year, not to mention multi-year grants of £120 million specifically relating to Wembley Stadium in the FA's account for 2015.

Also, done FAs get a piece of every transfer fee?
It's a disgrace really.

 

[Andycoleno9]

I don't know if anyone else does this or am I alone. When I see lineup sheets, the first thing I look for is skilful attackers. I'm always very disappointed when I don't see any.

Hm, Perisic?

 

[Needham]

I don't even recognize some of the England fans.

 

[Needham]

Wembley sees it fit and proper to play Oasis fecking in the Bushes for an international audience of kids and ordinary decent people.

 

[FootballHQ]

Also, done FAs get a piece of every transfer fee?
It's a disgrace really.

Sky were really clever in signing up the Nations league. I believe ITV will be showing England again from March.

I agree it's poor after the success of the WC the public feel in tune with England again so ratings from Spain and Croatia games would've been really good I think.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Well that was awkward.

 

[SquishyMcSquish]

It's disgraceful that every England international match is not shown on a free-to-air channel.

The taxpayer's pump in around £29m to the FA each year, not to mention multi-year grants of £120 million specifically relating to Wembley Stadium in the FA's account for 2015.

It really is.

Especially since this isn't even a friendly, it's a competitive game.

 

[duffer]

Lol Rebic!

 

[duffer]

It really is.

Especially since this isn't even a friendly, it's a competitive game.

Barely.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Rebic!! How you can miss that?? Ffs