SF2: Croatia v England

[Uppercut]

But amazing pop songs aside, England probably win, Croatia must be knackered. Not enough quality in there side once you get past the immense midfield. Mandzukic especially is bang average.

This was a great call on Mandzukic.

 

[Bahnz]

Kane just had to score from that 1 on 1 he had late in the first half. 2-0 then and it's lights out. As it was Croatia still looked fairly listless until they scored and then - just like against Colombia - England fell apart a bit. They started hoofing the ball away whenever they were in their own third rather than looking to retain possession and build, and once they had the ball Croatia just overran them. I think to an extent England's relative inexperience cost them.

Still a great campaign.

 

[Adders]

Yeah choked is not what happened here at all.......anyone that uses that word needs a month ban imo

When alls said and done we cant have any complaints. Croatia were marginally the better side over the full game and deserve the win. When we get over the bitter dissapointment we'll understand that a last 4 effort was way beyond expectation and a mighty fine effort.

Football will come home in my lifetime.

 

[BeeGee]

Still though, from a team thats probably just above middling on paper, we've done really well.

They boxed above their weight, were greater than the sum of their parts, etc.

 

[sledger]

On Mandzukic, the bloke is most definitely not bang average. He's not superstar, but he's legit good.

 

[Pratters]

One thing I like about it is that it was a clean win. I remember in 2010 when there was a ball which crossed the goal line and wasn't given, and England eventually got out in that match, there was mass scale hysteria. At least today it's not that, just sadness and dejection.

 

[GIMH]

Disappointing. But a highly enjoyable campaign.

 

[Uppercut]

On Mandzukic, the bloke is most definitely not bang average. He's not superstar, but he's legit good.

Yeah he’s won like 6 leagues in a row and scored in 2 CL finals. You especially want his crazy stamina in extra time.

 

[S.Kennedy]

One thing I like about it is that it was a clean win. I remember in 2010 when there was a ball which crossed the goal line and wasn't given, and England eventually got out in that match, there was mass scale hysteria. At least today it's not that, just sadness and dejection.

England got beaten 4-1 in that match!

If Lampard's goal stood - which it should have - we'd have just been beaten 4-2 instead.

 

[cpr]

England got beaten 4-1 in that match!

If Lampard's goal stood - which it should have - we'd have just been beaten 4-2 instead.

Don't let facts or evidence get in the way of a good old prats ****post

 

[sledger]

England were totally smoked in that match by a far better team. The disallowed goal was red herring that allowed a few people to get unjustifiably upset about how they had been thrashed.

 

[GIMH]

I think we’d have lost anyway - but it was 2-1 at the time so it’s not necessarily true that we’d have lost 4-2 as if that is given everything after is different. But we were dire in that World Cup.

 

[Zinzan]

I know English fans will be disappointed, but still an amazing effort from England to make it this far. They could still win the 3rd place playoff which would be incredible for them.

 

[sledger]

They won't, because they won't care. It's a glorified friendly

 

[Pratters]

England got beaten 4-1 in that match!

If Lampard's goal stood - which it should have - we'd have just been beaten 4-2 instead.

The argument by Piscine at the time was that that goal changed the complexion of the match and England were playing well before that, things would have been completely different had that goal not been given.

Edit: Here.

 

[S.Kennedy]

The argument by Piscine at the time was that that goal changed the complexion of the match and England were playing well before that, things would have been completely different had that goal not been given.

Edit: Here.

They were playing like a load of ****e as I recall.

 

[Burgey]

Beevs always impartial and cool-headed where England is concerned.

 

[Athlai]

Looking forward to the English press meltdown

Holy crap, the initial headlines are positive

*insert four horseman jpeg*

 

[Zinzan]

^ And rightly so. One of their best WCs for decades!

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Just hoping now Croatia wins this whole thing