Wouldn't read too much into Croatia looking knackered, they have 3 days to recover before the next game and i'm pretty sure the adrenalin will get you through a world cup semi final.
They rested their entire side for their last group game, so their main side will have played 4 games (plus 2 lots of extra time) in roughly the last 4 weeks. I'm sure they can cope.
Look at Portugal in the euro's, they went to extra time in 2 of their 3 knockout games, but still had enough to beat France in extra time in the final even though France won every game in 90 minutes.
Wouldn't read too much into Croatia looking knackered, they have 3 days to recover before the next game and i'm pretty sure the adrenalin will get you through a world cup semi final.
They rested their entire side for their last group game, so their main side will have played 4 games (plus 2 lots of extra time) in roughly the last 4 weeks. I'm sure they can cope.
Look at Portugal in the euro's, they went to extra time in 2 of their 3 knockout games, but still had enough to beat France in extra time in the final even though France won every game in 90 minutes.
Yeah but Portugal didn't have to chase souped up Russians for 120 minutes...
I honestly don't see anything that doesn't make us big favourites against Croatia.
Modric?
They have one almost world class player, two or three very decent players and the rest are average. I expect us to beat them.
How would you categorise our players? - prob the same?
Yes I would, but there is a difference - we have a system that is proving very successful and I think it will give us a significant edge. Croatia dismantled a poor Argentina, but they have looked pretty ordinary outside of that. Hodgson in charge and I would expect them to beat us - but I wouldn't expect we would be playing them in a semi-final!
Can't quite believe we are in the semi final with Henderson in midfield. Sweden were pretty shite really yet could have scored twice but for Pickford. Still grumpy that Rashford did not come on earlier but hey ho you can't argue with success! Giving most of the players a game off v Belgium now seems a master stroke by Southgate. Hopefully Croatia will be knackered come Wednesday. Come on England!
Are they having a laugh?!! I must have been proper bollocksed then cos every time I saw him he gave it away
I noticed that too. I think Croatia are a team that people who think they know about football big up too much. We will be the better side on Wednesday- that doesn't mean we will win, but we are more likely to. I am delighted we are playing Croatia and not France or Belgium. Modric is a great player though on the wrong side of his best.
Forget Gareth Southgate’s worthy, well trained and well organised warriors. Ignore Harry Kane’s super leadership and Harry Maguire’s goal. It was all down to me. And before you dismiss my claim consider this.
Two years ago (2016) we were in Vienna watching Austria play Iceland in a European championship. Austria needed a win to progress beyond the group stage. We joined the many hundreds of flag waving beer drinking Austrian supporters in a big Vienna park to watch the game on large screens. Iceland scored in the first half but Austria equalized in the second. The momentum certainly was with Austria until a breakaway goal by Iceland in the 94th minute sent the crowd from delirium to despair. The park quickly emptied as the crowd quietly dispersed leaving only empty beer glasses and a few half eaten burgers.
A few days later we had moved onto a small town in Germany called Ettlingen. We joined a group of German supporters in a large restaurant to watch on a big screen, Germany played France in the semi final of the competition. Alas it wasn't to be Germany’s night. The Germans watched in silence as they were comprehensively beaten by France 2-0. The restaurant quickly emptied leaving empty plates and tear soaked tissues.
So to the final of the competition. We had moved onto France. The final was France v Portugal played on a Sunday evening. “Looks as if we’re going to be kept awake long into the night if France win” I said to Jane as we watched cars racing around the French streets sounding their horns and waving their flags, hours before a ball had been kicked. The car horns were silenced and flags discarded as France lost in extra time to Portugal.
So, two years on we were in Norway for the start of the world cup. Germany were playing Mexico in their first game of the competition. I sat with a German bloke as his enthusiasm turned to despair as we watched Germany lose. “Its your fault” he pointed an accusing finger at me. What could I say?
Now, yesterday we were in Sweden to watch a famous victory by England and the locals were very gracious in their defeat and congratulated us on the victory.
So that is my contribution to England's victory. But, I have a dilemma. We have a ferry booked from Trellebourg (Sweden) to Rostock (Germany) on Wednesday, it leaves Sweden at 3.pm and arrives Germany at 9 pm. so I will be travelling during the semi final. Do I cancel my ferry? Looking forward our plan is to cross the channel from Holland do I need to reroute my journey home via Belgium and/or France.
It did occur to me that if we play Belgium in the final, we may travel to Belgium on our way back to the U.K. to see if the magic still works. Come on England.
Are they having a laugh?!! I must have been proper bollocksed then cos every time I saw him he gave it away
I noticed that too. I think Croatia are a team that people who think they know about football big up too much. We will be the better side on Wednesday- that doesn't mean we will win, but we are more likely to. I am delighted we are playing Croatia and not France or Belgium. Modric is a great player though on the wrong side of his best.
I don't think anyone has 'bigged up' Croatia besides doing the obvious thing of pointing out Modric. It's not people 'who think they know about football'. It's people who don't want to underestimate opposition then get stung for it. That's happened once or twice before with England.
I'm sure Southgate won't be underestimating them - and nor should he. They are dangerous. But we are the better side and you can give me a long list of names ending in 'ic' but that fact isn't going to change. We are going into a World Cup semi final as favourites to win it. Clear favourites!
Are they having a laugh?!! I must have been proper bollocksed then cos every time I saw him he gave it away
I must’ve been as drunk as you I thought he was toilet
But the stats above disagree
Not really - as I am sure you already know, stats can be interpreted any way you like.
87% pass accuracy sounds impressive, but in reality how may of those passes were 5 yards going backwards and sideways.? Based on what he does for RM, quite a high percentage.
Very good player no doubt about it, but along with Rakitic, we shouldn't build them up too much, just because of who they play for in club footballl.
We haven’t had to beat a team of any note in the tourney so far and Croatia are no different . The best bit of luck was losing to Belgium . It’s the easiest run of matches we will ever ever get to get to a final . We will then have one proper match to be world champions , anything can happen . I mean Croatia in the semi is a dream fixture
Damn - just realised that the TV coverage will be on ITV. Means that we'll have to listen to that pair of idiots Tyldesley and Hoddle waffle on and on again.
Also ITV don't have a great record of covering England successes. Throw in we won't be playing in our lucky red shirts and I'm a worried man!
We haven’t had to beat a team of any note in the tourney so far and Croatia are no different . The best bit of luck was losing to Belgium . It’s the easiest run of matches we will ever ever get to get to a final . We will then have one proper match to be world champions , anything can happen . I mean Croatia in the semi is a dream fixture
Agree - respect them if you want - Southgate definitely has to - but above all lick your lips and relish the fact we have Croatia in the Semi Final of a World Cup!!!!!
I know their Manager goes on to say that we're a team with a lot of strengths but England / Argentina are two very different sides and dont see our World Cup revolving around Harry Kane, yes we're fucked if he were to be injured yet if they concentrate on him during the match thats fine with me as we're dangerous all over the pitch (unlike Argentina!!)
IF Croatia were told at the beginning of the Tournament they would get England in a semi final they would've bitten your hand off.
I hope the story that Henderson has a tight hamstring is fake news because surely he only came off against Sweden because he was a booking away from missing this game and we were 2 up with minutes to play. Henderson has improved so much in the last year by not just being a water carrier. Massive loss if not fit.
Talking about the final before you win a semi final is crazy in any sport.
Croatia were superb in the group games now some English folk are saying they can't play is a giant LOL.
Pleased to see that Tutt Tutt thought Sterling should be replaced by Rashford in the last game. Rashford will be the man in this game. Be pro-active and make a change GS because as good as Raheem is at getting into goal scoring positions he has been firing blanks for so long now for the national side it's painful to watch. (Nearly 3 years and 22 games !)
Heskey scored a goal every 9 games for England. Sterling has scored a goal every 21 games for the national side. If he did more assists then fair enough but his best feature seems to be winning the odd free kick. I will support him if picked by Gareth for the match but it baffles me as an ex coach and manager at youth level.
PS. Raheem should be the sub who comes on with 20 minutes to go and runs at a tiring defence who have played a lot of minutes.
But probably at the expense of allowing Sterling the freedom of the park. At some point he'll punish teams, I reckon once he scores once the goals will flow, you don't score 23 goals last season without having goalscoring talent
Comments
They rested their entire side for their last group game, so their main side will have played 4 games (plus 2 lots of extra time) in roughly the last 4 weeks. I'm sure they can cope.
Look at Portugal in the euro's, they went to extra time in 2 of their 3 knockout games, but still had enough to beat France in extra time in the final even though France won every game in 90 minutes.
But the stats above disagree
Forget Gareth Southgate’s worthy, well trained and well organised warriors.
Ignore Harry Kane’s super leadership and Harry Maguire’s goal.
It was all down to me.
And before you dismiss my claim consider this.
Two years ago (2016) we were in Vienna watching Austria play Iceland in a European championship.
Austria needed a win to progress beyond the group stage.
We joined the many hundreds of flag waving beer drinking Austrian supporters in a big Vienna park to watch the game on large screens.
Iceland scored in the first half but Austria equalized in the second.
The momentum certainly was with Austria until a breakaway goal by Iceland in the 94th minute sent the crowd from delirium to despair.
The park quickly emptied as the crowd quietly dispersed leaving only empty beer glasses and a few half eaten burgers.
A few days later we had moved onto a small town in Germany called Ettlingen.
We joined a group of German supporters in a large restaurant to watch on a big screen, Germany played France in the semi final of the competition.
Alas it wasn't to be Germany’s night.
The Germans watched in silence as they were comprehensively beaten by France 2-0.
The restaurant quickly emptied leaving empty plates and tear soaked tissues.
So to the final of the competition.
We had moved onto France.
The final was France v Portugal played on a Sunday evening.
“Looks as if we’re going to be kept awake long into the night if France win” I said to Jane as we watched cars racing around the French streets sounding their horns and waving their flags, hours before a ball had been kicked.
The car horns were silenced and flags discarded as France lost in extra time to Portugal.
So, two years on we were in Norway for the start of the world cup.
Germany were playing Mexico in their first game of the competition.
I sat with a German bloke as his enthusiasm turned to despair as we watched Germany lose.
“Its your fault” he pointed an accusing finger at me.
What could I say?
Now, yesterday we were in Sweden to watch a famous victory by England and the locals were very gracious in their defeat and congratulated us on the victory.
So that is my contribution to England's victory.
But, I have a dilemma.
We have a ferry booked from Trellebourg (Sweden) to Rostock (Germany) on Wednesday, it leaves Sweden at 3.pm and arrives Germany at 9 pm. so I will be travelling during the semi final. Do I cancel my ferry?
Looking forward our plan is to cross the channel from Holland do I need to reroute my journey home via Belgium and/or France.
It did occur to me that if we play Belgium in the final, we may travel to Belgium on our way back to the U.K. to see if the magic still works.
Come on England.
Enjoy
87% pass accuracy sounds impressive, but in reality how may of those passes were 5 yards going backwards and sideways.? Based on what he does for RM, quite a high percentage.
Very good player no doubt about it, but along with Rakitic, we shouldn't build them up too much, just because of who they play for in club footballl.
Could be a long night.
The best bit of luck was losing to Belgium .
It’s the easiest run of matches we will ever ever get to get to a final .
We will then have one proper match to be world champions , anything can happen .
I mean Croatia in the semi is a dream fixture
"I wouldn't say there are any glaring weaknesses - they are in the semi-finals, that says it all.
"They showed from the games I've seen so far that they play direct football and they are very fast.
"They are really good at set-pieces and their tall players are dangerous at corners.
"I think Raheem Sterling is an important player because he is really fast and his combination with Harry Kane is really dangerous."
"They dealt with Sweden relatively easily so we know they are going to be a difficult opponent and we respect them," he continued.
Also ITV don't have a great record of covering England successes. Throw in we won't be playing in our lucky red shirts and I'm a worried man!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44757912
I know their Manager goes on to say that we're a team with a lot of strengths but England / Argentina are two very different sides and dont see our World Cup revolving around Harry Kane, yes we're fucked if he were to be injured yet if they concentrate on him during the match thats fine with me as we're dangerous all over the pitch (unlike Argentina!!)
IF Croatia were told at the beginning of the Tournament they would get England in a semi final they would've bitten your hand off.
I hope the story that Henderson has a tight hamstring is fake news because surely he only came off against Sweden because he was a booking away from missing this game and we were 2 up with minutes to play. Henderson has improved so much in the last year by not just being a water carrier.
Massive loss if not fit.
Talking about the final before you win a semi final is crazy in any sport.
Croatia were superb in the group games now some English folk are saying they can't play is a giant LOL.
Pleased to see that Tutt Tutt thought Sterling should be replaced by Rashford in the last game. Rashford will be the man in this game.
Be pro-active and make a change GS because as good as Raheem is at getting into goal scoring positions he has been firing blanks for so long now for the national side it's painful to watch. (Nearly 3 years and 22 games !)
Heskey scored a goal every 9 games for England.
Sterling has scored a goal every 21 games for the national side.
If he did more assists then fair enough but his best feature seems to be winning the odd free kick.
I will support him if picked by Gareth for the match but it baffles me as an ex coach and manager at youth level.
PS. Raheem should be the sub who comes on with 20 minutes to go and runs at a tiring defence who have played a lot of minutes.