Semi Final 2: Croatia Vs England (ITV, KO @19:00)

[Baptista_8]

Just now, themadsheep2001 said:

Still don't get why we didn't drop in someone like Delph for this game.

Yep definitely. At least have brought him on.

I can't help thinking what if with that Kane chance 😣 Also...the booking is what shook Walker up, but he never should have been booked as he was fouled as he conceded that throw-in.

[GunmaN1905]

Has there ever been a team that conceded first in every knockout game and still got to the final?

 

[toon_84]

England had their faults today but I thought Croatia were fantastic. Their coaches must have really done their homework. Don't give away too many set pieces and we've got this game won. Keep on your toes and we'll nick something.

England hardly had any set pieces and I lost count of how many times they switched off. 

[Coulthard's Jaw]

I hope France destroy Croatia in the final  

[akura]

3 minutes ago, elgreenio said:

Pickford was concussed probably

I see what you did there.

[Rio_V]

4 minutes ago, themadsheep2001 said:

Still don't get why we didn't drop in someone like Delph for this game.

Agreed. It was odd. There were clear signs by minute 55-60 that a change needed to be made. Dier. Delph. Maybe both. I don’t think the Rashford sub was smart either. Sterling was best player coming forward. Should have stayed on. 

[Baptista_8]

3 minutes ago, toon_84 said:

England had their faults today but I thought Croatia were fantastic. Their coaches must have really done their homework. Don't give away too many set pieces and we've got this game won. Keep on your toes and we'll nick something.

England hardly had any set pieces and I lost count of how many times they switched off. 

Apart from the fact we could have had the game to bed by HT with one clear cut chance (Kane) and another strong chance (Lingard).

[av3ry]

Do we all want to win the bronze medal? Better than nothing I suppose, although it pretty much killed the Netherlands who having been shocking since their bronze four years ago.

[grff]

2 minutes ago, toon_84 said:

England had their faults today but I thought Croatia were fantastic. Their coaches must have really done their homework. Don't give away too many set pieces and we've got this game won. Keep on your toes and we'll nick something.

England hardly had any set pieces and I lost count of how many times they switched off. 

Agreed. Croatia could've easily buckled after barely being in it first half but they showed almost total control in midfield from then on. We just weren't able to hold the ball in midfield like Modric/Rakitic could which dictated how the game was going to go.

[GunmaN1905]

Stats are showing that Brozović ran 17km.

What the hell.

[Coulthard's Jaw]

 

[SteveUK]

We can have our first final in 2022 where we can lose to Qatar.

[Hodgy]

Just now, av3ry said:

Do we all want to win the bronze medal? Better than nothing I suppose, although it pretty much killed the Netherlands who having been shocking since their bronze four years ago.

I genuinely couldn't give a toss, I won't even watch it, two losing teams playing, I stated the same in the playoff thread that I've never ever watched one as they're irrelevant to me so won't watch this one because England are in it, Belgium wished they'd already flown him and England would love to leave Russia tomorrow, waste of time.

[kpain16]

2 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Stats are showing that Brozović ran 17km.

What the hell.

Real life Forest Gump. He can run forever

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, kpain16 said:

Real life Forest Gump. He can run forever

Intelligence is also spot on.

[kpain16]

Just now, GunmaN1905 said:

Intelligence is also spot on.

Yes 

[grff]

Keane and Wright to scrap.

[Astafjevs]

Keane absolutely going for it. Go on 

[Marc Albrighton]

3 minutes ago, av3ry said:

Do we all want to win the bronze medal? Better than nothing I suppose, although it pretty much killed the Netherlands who having been shocking since their bronze four years ago.

Not really, its a nothing game, hope he just plays 11 lads who haven't had a chance in this comp yet.

[Coulthard's Jaw]

The Irishman being the most angry person in the studio has cheered me right up.

[akura]

Keanes a legend and hilarious.

[Bunkerossian]

The Mandrill goes on and on. He is made of reinforced concrete.

A country of about 3.9 million inhabitants could win the World Cup.

[Bliss Seeker]

1 minute ago, Marc Albrighton said:

Not really, its a nothing game, hope he just plays 11 lads who haven't had a chance in this comp yet.

Who one cares. Hope the reserves get a kick a bout though. 

No going to bother watching. Glad to have my life back

 

[ginnybob]

1 minute ago, Bunkerossian said:

The Mandrill goes on and on. He is made of reinforced concrete.

A country of about 3.9 million inhabitants could win the World Cup.

I mean, a country with less than that has already won it...twice.

[PMLF]

1 minute ago, Bunkerossian said:

The Mandrill goes on and on. He is made of reinforced concrete.

A country of about 3.9 million inhabitants could win the World Cup.

Croatia becoming the new Uruguay.

[Marc Albrighton]

Populations have absolutely nothing to do with anything football related, we all know this so lets not do that.

[Weezer]

20,000 posts \o/

Was hoping to save that for the HOF World Cup final thread but, oh well.

[Paul Bacon]

So the 2 times we play Belgium in a World Cup, and both times it could be the reserve team playing them

[av3ry]

1 minute ago, Marc Albrighton said:

Populations have absolutely nothing to do with anything football related, we all know this so lets not do that.

Same with rugby. New Zealand have roughly the same population as Croatia and are best in the world at rugby.

If population had anything to do with how well a team does at football, China and India will dominate.

[toon_84]

If I was Gareth I'd try and use as much of the squad as possible for the play off. I'd even swap keepers at half time.

[GunmaN1905]

3 minutes ago, PMLF said:

Croatia becoming the new Uruguay.

Tbh, considering all the Croatians around the world and that no relevant player chose to play for another country, it's closer to 10mil.

And it's always been a constant with top players, it's just that there was no indenpendent country from '45 to '91.

Just now, av3ry said:

Same with rugby. New Zealand have roughly the same population as Croatia and are best in the world at rugby.

If population had anything to do with how well a team does at football, China and India will dominate.

We got top athletes in other sports and a lot of trophies/medals.

Edited July 11, 2018 by GunmaN1905

[ReggaeBwoy]

Lovren gets his critics but he was immense tonight.

[PMLF]

1 minute ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Tbh, considering all the Croatians around the world and that no relevant player chose to play for another country, it's closer to 10mil.

And it's always been a constant with top players, it's just that there was no indenpendent country from '45 to '91.

It's still impressive though, an optimistic prediction before the World Cup would be Croatia reaching the quarterfinals. Now if they win it will look more than fair.

[The_jagster]

1 minute ago, av3ry said:

Same with rugby. New Zealand have roughly the same population as Croatia and are best in the world at rugby.

If population had anything to do with how well a team does at football, China and India will dominate.

Well there's a reason France, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Spain and Brazil have consistently been near the top, and it has quite a lot to do with population compared to countries of similar wealth and interest in football.

[GunmaN1905]

Also, maybe you guys should convict some football-related people or throw someone down to League One.

2006. - calciopoli, Italy wins

2018. - Croatian FA leaders get convicted for money laundering, players about to be prosecuted for perjury, Croatia in the final.

[EnterUsernameHere]

2 minutes ago, ReggaeBwoy said:

Lovren gets his critics but he was immense tonight.

He's hit and miss but when he's on it there's not many better around.

Unfortunately when he's not there's not many worse around....

[elgreenio]

Blah blah blah, if only we weren’t completely terrible and set up in a way where our best player could thrive. It’s coming Home???

[Federico]

7 minuti fa, av3ry ha scritto:

Same with rugby. New Zealand have roughly the same population as Croatia and are best in the world at rugby.

If population had anything to do with how well a team does at football, China and India will dominate.

And I'd add Finland with ice hockey to the list.

[celtic_fc]

Just a heads up for everybody in the UK

MOTD highlights on in 10 minutes. 

[GunmaN1905]

Are my eyes deceiving me or England tried to score while Croatian players were celebrating?

[PMLF]

1 minute ago, The_jagster said:

Well there's a reason France, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Spain and Brazil have consistently been near the top, and it has quite a lot to do with population compared to countries of similar wealth and interest in football.

Brazil's growth and the biggest success also coincided with the period our population grew faster, probably a side effect of the 'youth bulge'. Now as our population is aging (fecundity rates below replacement levels already), we will probably produce less players too (although still more than most, given our big population).

[PMLF]

1 minute ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Also, maybe you guys should convict some football-related people or throw someone down to League One.

2006. - calciopoli, Italy wins

2018. - Croatian FA leaders get convicted for money laundering, players about to be prosecuted for perjury, Croatia in the final.

Brazil have had awful football related people too, just as bad as those ones, but it hasn't brought any success in recent years...

[Big Geordie]

No shame tonight. It's been a great run and couple of weeks. It's allowed to many of us to reconnect with the national side and I think that's great. For the match itself - we had no-one in midfield to change the game, as Croatia gradually got on top. That's why Jonjo Shelvey should have gone - because he can take a risk and pass the ball forwards. Eric Dier isn't going to do that!

Have had a cracking night at the local club, with my family. Everyone stay safe, as doubtlessly some nuggets will see it as an opportunity to cause bother.

[av3ry]

If Oxlade-Chamberlain wasn't injured we'd have done more I reckon. There was a slight criticism that we should have brought another central-midfielder in the 23.

Lingard and Alli are both too attack minded, there were a few times in that game where Jordan Henderson was our only midfielder and with him marked out of the game it forced our back three to either pass back to the keeper or go long.

 

[Lermon]

ah well, Croatia played well. England look promising under Southgate for the Euros.

[sc91]

1 hour ago, celtic_fc said:

Just a heads up for everybody in the UK

MOTD highlights on in 10 minutes. 

When’s the Scottish highlights? 

Oh ****, about 20 years old.

[Astafjevs]

How strong are Croatia mentally? Absolute granite. Got to respect that

* Go behind in all three knockout games

* Play 120 minutes in all knockout games, still have more energy than England

* Miss a late penalty against Denmark, beat them on penalties

* Concede a late equaliser to Russia, beat them on penalties as well

Edited July 11, 2018 by Astafjevs

[ArsenalFan7]

Love the images of Southgate consoling the players afterwards, what a splendid man.

Edited July 11, 2018 by ArsenalFan7

[Firehouse]

5 minutes ago, Astafjevs said:

How strong are Croatia mentally? Absolute granite. Got to respect that

* Go behind in all three knockout games

* Play 120 minutes in all knockout games, still have more energy than England

* Miss a late penalty against Denmark, beat them on penalties

* Concede a late equaliser to Russia, beat them on penalties as well

They were playing it safe, especially with their interviews. But with Modric as their leader, they were only thinking about reaching finals between themselves. 

I am really really over the moon right now, even though I dont really realise what we have done tonight. I think France is too much for us in finals, but I still do believe.

[Federico]

Just watched this video when Trippier scored. Blown-o-beer.

https://video.gazzetta.it/inghilterra-segna-trippier-hyde-park-esplosione-di-birra/14043142-853c-11e8-a491-5360e95a7f5f?intcmp=VideoBar&vclk=VideoBar|inghilterra-segna-trippier-hyde-park-esplosione-di-birra&refresh_ce-cp