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Semifinals: Croatia vs England

Who wins?

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    116
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Tubey said:
A total 50/50 game.

England will never have a better chance to reach a World Cup final in my lifetime. I think Croatia edge it though - I think England will make the mistake of playing cautious and trying to win it later, assuming Croatia will tire after that extra time. Problem with that is they aren't good enough in midfield to do it IMO.
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I think Croatia will be thinking the exact same thing.

Oh you added a bit.
 


First time England have come up against a team with a couple of major names in there in a crunch game. Get at that defence and they can do some damage but it's whether there's a bit too much respect and wariness around the likes of Modric and Rakotic that'll be key. They're good individual players but England are better throughout the XI and those two aren't amazingly consistent and both capable of switching off for a game or two.

They made very hard work of a mediocre Russia side. England weren't fantastic today but they never looked like they struggled and it was very much another day at the office.

I'd be tempted to drop Henderson for Dier but my big fear is Henderson and Dier starting and the whole knife to a gunfight mentality swamping England for no good reason other than the semis being nosebleed territory. Hopefully Southgate and the players are made of sterner stuff.
 
ClausThomsen said:
First time England have come up against a team with a couple of major names in there in a crunch game. Get at that defence and they can do some damage but it's whether there's a bit too much respect and wariness around the likes of Modric and Rakotic that'll be key. They're good individual players but England are better throughout the XI and those two aren't amazingly consistent and both capable of switching off for a game or two.

They made very hard work of a mediocre Russia side. England weren't fantastic today but they never looked like they struggled and it was very much another day at the office.

I'd be tempted to drop Henderson for Dier but my big fear is Henderson and Dier starting and the whole knife to a gunfight mentality swamping England for no good reason other than the semis being nosebleed territory. Hopefully Southgate and the players are made of sterner stuff.
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Pffft...they got past a major name in Seb Larsson today.

:hayee:
 

Croatia were exhausted today. I think it will play a role. I'm obviously going for Croatia but I think the odds are with England.
 
ilikecheese said:
You think with three full days to recover it will really be a factor?
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Last two games have been exhausting, and three days doesn't seem like that much to me. It's possible I'm rationalizing my defensive pessimism, but yes, I think they'll be tired.
 
Modric's playing a different sport to the water carriers we have huffing and puffing round the middle of the park. He doesn't have the supporting cast, though - they looked mediocre today and I reckon England will edge it.
 

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