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You, me and PPV: CRO-ENG

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    You, me and PPV: CRO-ENG

    From the Sava
    To the Drava
    From Zagorje
    To Primorje
    The Croatian
    Nation
    Is stirring!

    #2
    Croatia will win the tottycam side contest, based on today's evidence.

    Comment


      #3
      The third consecutive contest where there are significant ghosts for England.
      Against Colombia it wasn't specific but general, i.e. losing knock-out matches and losing penalty shoot-outs.
      Against Sweden it was record of 2 wins and 5 losses in 15 games stretching back to the 1960s.
      And Croatia is a couple of more specific incidents, that Gary Neville own-goal bobbling over Paul Robinson's foot in Zagreb and 3-2 defeat in the return at a sodden Wembley. The slapstick nature of both those losses seemed somehow emblematic of the issues that England teams have had down the years.

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        #4
        Rain in the forecast for Moscow on Wednesday. Hope Southgate remembers his brolly.

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          #5
          The boycott remains in force. Don't care. I'd say sorry for being a liberal, bedwetting SJW but that would mean me caring.

          So bollocks to the lot of it.

          Comment


            #6
            Ghosts for Croatia as well, two humpings in the 2010 qualifiers- and they still have a couple (?) of players still in the team from then. Modric at least. Might not matter much, both sides are kind of on, well, very seldom explored territory shall we say.

            Comment


              #7
              Of the four teams left, three have not been in the semi final of a world cup or euros this century.

              Comment


                #8
                In 2014 they all had. (Sub copa america for euros, obv).

                In 2010 they all had.

                In 2006 they all had.

                Comment


                  #9
                  2016 - 3
                  2012 - 4
                  2008 - 2
                  2004 - 2

                  Comment


                    #10
                    My first thought seeing the Croatia-Russia result was "PPV gets to take on everyone else again."

                    Mrs Thistle wonders if the Russian crowd in the semi will cheer on England because Croatia beat Russia.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I will be joining PPV in taking on everyone. Naprijed Hrvatska!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Patrick Thistle View Post
                        Mrs Thistle wonders if the Russian crowd in the semi will cheer on England because Croatia beat Russia.
                        Given the crowd have been chanting 'Russia, Serbia, brothers forever' at Serbia games and the, erm, strong relationship those two countries share, they are not likely to be immediately sympathetic to the Croats. I didn't have the sound on for much of tonight's game, so don't know if the atmosphere was toxic. I was fearing it would be once this particular pairing emerged.

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                          #13
                          I'm not sure England wants Russian support, but it helped Trump to an unlikely victory so it could be helpful.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            As for colours... Croatia nominally the 'home' team, but yet again facing a team with white/red home and away (or vice versa) which will mean they'll have to don black again. I think they can either allow England to wear their first choice (or all white more likely), or not, but perhaps england would prefer to stick with red, they've come through two knockout games in it after all.

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                              #15
                              I have many profound, life-changing thoughts about this game but will save them for the inevitable replacement thread.

                              Comment


                                #16
                                Depends which Croatia shows up: the one v Argentina or the one v Denmark. Last night was a mix of the two.

                                Biggest factor in Croatia's favour may be that they had to play better teams to get to this round, but we also said that about Sweden.

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                                  #17
                                  England to win this one, without too much effort too...

                                  Comment


                                    #18
                                    England 2 Croatia 1

                                    But I could see it being very close, with a very late winner as Croatia's legs go.

                                    Comment


                                      #19
                                      First of three meetings between England and Croatia before the end of November - they meet home and away in the Nation's League in the autumn.

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                                        #20
                                        England I think, which would be OK by me. Though I really like Modric, possibly my favourite player of the past decade or so and this, I 'd guess, is his last shot at an major international trophy.

                                        Comment


                                          #21
                                          Originally posted by Janik View Post
                                          And Croatia is a couple of more specific incidents, that Gary Neville own-goal bobbling over Paul Robinson's foot in Zagreb and 3-2 defeat in the return at a sodden Wembley. The slapstick nature of both those losses seemed somehow emblematic of the issues that England teams have had down the years.
                                          Although those particular ghosts were perhaps exorcised a couple of years later in WC qualifying, when England thrashed Croatia 4-1 away (Walcott's hat-trick) and 5-1 at home.

                                          None of the England players from either set of games are still involved, while Modrić, Rakitić and Corluka played some part in both sets (although Modrić missed the 5-1), with Mandzukić involved only in the defeats.

                                          Comment


                                            #22
                                            Probably the most important takeaway from that is less about ghosts of games past, and more that England are a significantly younger team.

                                            Comment


                                              #23
                                              Originally posted by Amor de Cosmos View Post
                                              Though I really like Modric, possibly my favourite player of the past decade or so and this, I 'd guess, is his last shot at an major international trophy.
                                              This. In fact, this is the only reason I'm even slightly torn on who I want to win on Wednesday.

                                              Comment


                                                #24
                                                Originally posted by N est à? View Post
                                                As for colours... Croatia nominally the 'home' team, but yet again facing a team with white/red home and away (or vice versa) which will mean they'll have to don black again. I think they can either allow England to wear their first choice (or all white more likely), or not, but perhaps england would prefer to stick with red, they've come through two knockout games in it after all.
                                                Croatia to change, England in all-white. Unsatisfactory, but once again shows that the FA are missing a trick in not having a navy and sky blue (or sky and navy blue, according to preference) third kit which would have solved this one. So many teams play in red/white that this will always happen.

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                                                  #25



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