Croatia's main treats come from their wings.Trippier & Young haven't been tested but I don't think it'll be a hard task Perisic, Rebic have been rubbish in the knockout stage
England is favored imo
England is favored imo
England Discussion | Finish 4th
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Going off of Croatia as a whole in the tournament I fancy our chances and they were unconvincing again tonight.
Walker is key In that RCB role as it allows him to almost operate as a second RB at times and with his pace he can mop up and intercept any through balls. He's been key to us winning the ball back countless times and stopping counters.
I posted that before the shootout meaning that whichever team won, its better they went through extra-time and penalties than winning in regular time. Croatia has been through two 120 min and penalty matches which I do think could make a difference in a close match. Except Modric, he has some wonderful engine.
I really don't understand statements like this!
How can you call yourself a man united fan and yet hate the country from where United are from?
I completely understand people supporting their home country first, but to downright hate on England really blows my mind!
Perhaps you would prefer a team in Spain, ala Barcelona or Real Madrid? Or PSG? Idk? I am English and I love the support United gets from around the world, but I really don't like the England 'hate' on here.
Maybe I am just being delusional but if I was to put my heart and soul into let's say, Juventus or Bayern Munchen, I certainly wouldn't turn around and say feck Italy or feck Germany for no real reason!
Croatia haven't been impressive at all in this tournament. Their CM on paper should dominate every other midfield but it has hardly happened. It'd be interesting to see how English midfield does against them.
I worry that it's only a matter of time before they click into gear and if they do then we're in big trouble.
But like you said, they haven't so far, maybe they just won't.
I think England will go through to the final. In my opinion, they are the better team on paper, and England finally look like a team that can make that advantage count! It’ll be tight though, and England will have to be at their best, and can’t afford any lapses in concentration from the back three.
Imagine being in your circus. Joker.
Coming home. #arrogant
There’s a lot of hype around England because of the manner of a couple of results, Croatia almost the opposite in the sense that they’ve had two shoot outs this week. Without doubt a lot more to this game than that and than what it suggests on paper.
Croatia are a a gritty, physical side with a couple of massive threats in attack. In midweek and again tonight, they’ve played against two teams who condensed the pitch and Croatia aren’t a team best suited to play around that sort of defence, I think playing England will suit their game more. I’m not sure England can or will replicate that but in Lingard and Ale, you’ve got two players who’ve got energy, two wide players who like to get forward as well which will cause Croatia’s midfield problems in other ways.
I think Croatia’s weakness is their lapses in defence and they also have periods in games where they fade considerably. They conceded a poor goal from a set piece tonight and had a couple of nervy moments throughout the game, Russia had chances but didn’t have the quality to exploit them. Lovren is always good for an error. England will need to be clinical but I think both teams will fancy themselves.
This is a step up for England, technically I think Croatia have more in them but England look mobile and will try and run their midfield around. At this stage of a tournament though, all of the analysis goes out the window, it’s cliche but it really is about who turns up on the day. Every time England have a set piece they look like they’re going to score, it’s probably getting to a point now where teams are subconsciously panicking and reacting differently that how they generally would.
Croatia are a a gritty, physical side with a couple of massive threats in attack. In midweek and again tonight, they’ve played against two teams who condensed the pitch and Croatia aren’t a team best suited to play around that sort of defence, I think playing England will suit their game more. I’m not sure England can or will replicate that but in Lingard and Ale, you’ve got two players who’ve got energy, two wide players who like to get forward as well which will cause Croatia’s midfield problems in other ways.
I think Croatia’s weakness is their lapses in defence and they also have periods in games where they fade considerably. They conceded a poor goal from a set piece tonight and had a couple of nervy moments throughout the game, Russia had chances but didn’t have the quality to exploit them. Lovren is always good for an error. England will need to be clinical but I think both teams will fancy themselves.
This is a step up for England, technically I think Croatia have more in them but England look mobile and will try and run their midfield around. At this stage of a tournament though, all of the analysis goes out the window, it’s cliche but it really is about who turns up on the day. Every time England have a set piece they look like they’re going to score, it’s probably getting to a point now where teams are subconsciously panicking and reacting differently that how they generally would.
How does Kane tend to do against Lovren? Is it like Lukaku vs Lovren?
Kane had a rough time in the knockout stages with some very good CBs covering him. Maybe the next game is his chance to shine
Kane had a rough time in the knockout stages with some very good CBs covering him. Maybe the next game is his chance to shine
I think we will drop one of Alli or Lingard in favour of Dier or Delph and make ourselves more compact against Croatia. Also expect us to go the same way in the final should we get there.
I actually think Kane has played well in the knockout rounds.
He's had no service but he's held the ball up well, passed the ball well and been very good at winning cheap free kicks that kill time. He scored loads in the group stage but I thought his all round game was a bit sloppy.
Wasn't it last season that Lovren was struggling so much up against Kane he had to be subbed off after 30 minutes?
England has a lot more pace than Croatia. It's a clear advantage and shouldn't be sacrificed for holding mids.
Cant believe some of you have never seen England in a semi final. Makes me feel old! I remember Italia 90 and all that heartache.
Really? He's been one of our best players. He did especially well vs Colombia.
England will beat Croatia easily. They have become the tournamemts dark horse for me. All the way to the final to play France / Belgium.
So am I alone in thinking that apart from his lack of goalscoring, and a couple of dodgy finishes, Sterling generally played well today? Held the ball up, got in behind the defence and made chances?
Nothing Rashford might not do, but I don't think he's that bad if you discount the lack of goals.
Nothing Rashford might not do, but I don't think he's that bad if you discount the lack of goals.
He let himself down badly with his end product but in terms of overall performance he was head and shoulders above Alli who had an absolute stinker aside from popping up for the second goal.
The Swedish defence were bricking it every time Sterling ran at them, with or without the ball.
I am not saying he played badly. He was very good at holding up the ball. The problem was he got enganged in many physical battles against the CBs the last few games. Can‘t remember one scene of him being dangerous in the box. Yerry Mina and Lindelof did great at clearing headers, also Granqvist was very good again at stopping low crosses into the box.
I was just wondering if he will have it easier against the croatian centerbacks.
Jedvaj will probably play, not Ćorluka.
Easily?
To be fair, England has gone over a penalty shootout too, so the difference is 30 mins of football that Croatia has played more.
We haven't been impressive but who has? We always have problems vs the teams who park the bus. On the other hand we tend to be good vs big opponents.
Modric could be the difference imo. He is world class . Tough test for england ,Croatia looked tired so maybe this is the right time to get them . And In a final ,well it comes down to the day anything could happen the other team could be suffering with food poisoning for example .
Didn't lovren get take off v Spurs at Wembley earlier this season in the first half?
One thing I'll confidently predict from this game, won't finish 0-0.
England tbh
Not really.
I am not English and although I find English fans to be giddy and arrogant, I don't understand what's the harm in them believing in their team. They have reached the semis after a long time and have a golden chance to play in finals. I would be doing the same if my country achieved the same. Nothing wrong in that.
You'll be their hardest match by a distance and I take the point about you being better against good opponents. I just think they'll find a way to beat you, they've impressed me.
Thats not the same.
no team has been impressive but it will be a tough tough game. Whatever happens its already a huge result.Thats not the same.
I just can't figure Croatia out. Watching you destroy Argentina made me fear for the potential semi-final against you, but since then it's like you're a different team.
Either Argentina were poor opposition, or Croatia played very well but have since declined. I was expecting you to smash Denmark.
Denmark is no pushover. They defended good and were dangerous when attacking. We tend to have problems against stacked defenses and we don't create enough chances. Argentina was bad but all in all we had a hood game. I think we will be better, England will attack and leave spaces and we tend to have food games against good, big opponents.
England's midfield will get over run as Alli-Henderson-Lingard are no where near as good as Modric-Rakitic-Kramaric
We will probably play Brozović in midfield.
Deny Modric and Rakitic time and space and you've basically won the game (unless you're cack like Denmark and Russia). Their forwards don't have the ingenuity to work without a constant supply. Delph will definitely play.
The had a lot of space today. That wasn't a problem.
Not in front of them.
I don't expect England will be that defensive.