England v Croatia - Euro 2020 - 13/06/21 - Group D - Match Thread

gormdubhgorm · 13-06-2021 3:52pm

Liamalone wrote: »

Massively disappointing performance from Croatia, barely had a sniff, barely bothered their hole.

I thought they would try and play keep ball tiring England out in the heat. But Croatia looked wrecked.

Bounty Hunter · 13-06-2021 3:53pm

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Phillips, the guy who spent most of the game kicking and fouling the opposition ?

There ain’t more than one Phillips and sure That can be an important thing to have in your side

kowloonkev · 13-06-2021 3:54pm

England don't have a prayer with Southgate as manager. BBC will rave about mediocrity until they get knocked out by the first competent team they come across.

Mr.Nice Guy · 13-06-2021 3:54pm

Think Croatia will offer more against the Scots and Czechs. Privately, I think they will be pleased with the way things are shaping up. Seem to recall England were in a similar situation with Belgium in the World Cup and wound up with the nicer pathway due to not winning the group.

sligeach · 13-06-2021 3:55pm

Very average from England. Croatia were poor.

SlickRic · 13-06-2021 3:55pm

Just saw, no Sancho in the squad. And he's not injured. And two GKs on the bench?

Southgate is a madman.

CSF · 13-06-2021 3:56pm

Not sure any team from this group is reaching the quarters. England fairly guaranteed to get one of France, Germany and Portugal in the last 16 now.

Nerdlingr · 13-06-2021 3:56pm

One game in and as usual the English media are getting ahead of themselves. They never learn.
A solid one nil win against a poor aging Croatian team. It's nothing more than that really.

Tom Mann Centuria · 13-06-2021 3:56pm

Spouting a lot of old bollocks lads :pac: We were average, Croatia less than average.

CSF · 13-06-2021 3:56pm

SlickRic wrote: »

Just saw, no Sancho in the squad. And he's not injured. And two GKs on the bench?

Southgate is a madman.

2 GKs on the bench is mandatory but I still can’t believe Sancho didn’t make the bench

RoryMac · 13-06-2021 3:56pm

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Think Croatia will offer more against the Scots and Czechs. Privately, I think they will be pleased with the way things are shaping up. Seem to recall England were in a similar situation with Belgium in the World Cup and wound up with the nicer pathway due to not winning the group.

I'd fancy Scotland to beat them

Nerdlingr · 13-06-2021 3:57pm

SlickRic wrote: »

Just saw, no Sancho in the squad. And he's not injured. And two GKs on the bench?

Southgate is a madman.

Uefa rule you have to name two keepers on the bench. His hands are tied in that regard.

SlickRic · 13-06-2021 3:57pm

CSF wrote: »

2 GKs on the bench is mandatory but I still can’t believe Sancho didn’t make the bench

Thanks. Didn't even cross my mind that it might be mandatory.

JeffKenna · 13-06-2021 3:57pm

This will be great when they flop.

lawred2 · 13-06-2021 3:58pm

Imagine being asked if you've justified yourself

13-06-2021 3:58pm

kowloonkev wrote: »

England don't have a prayer with Southgate as manager. BBC will rave about mediocrity until they get knocked out by the first competent team they come across.

Absolutely love reading these thread when England are playing.

World Cup 2018: 99% of thread, England have been found out against the first competent team they have played (Croatia)

Euros 2021: win first game against (Croatia), England will be found out against the first competent team they play.

flazio · 13-06-2021 3:59pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

This will be great when they flop.

Ah soccer, the beautiful, non political game.

Tom Mann Centuria · 13-06-2021 3:59pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

This will be great when they flop.

You say it like any England fan will be surprised when they do. :pac: :pac: (using my pac while I still can)

SomethingElse · 13-06-2021 4:00pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Absolutely love reading these thread when England are playing.

World Cup 2018: 99% of thread, England have been found out against the first competent team they have played (Croatia)

Euros 2021: win first game against (Croatia), England will be found out against the first competent team they play.

Doesn't always take a competent team a la Iceland

gormdubhgorm · 13-06-2021 4:00pm

SlickRic wrote: »

Just saw, no Sancho in the squad. And he's not injured. And two GKs on the bench?

Southgate is a madman.

Fairness to him he got Phillips, Sterling and Trippier right. Maybe he does know something? Pickford was dodgy on the kick outs though. Not tested saves wise. Kane not involved in the game.

13-06-2021 4:01pm

SomethingElse wrote: »

Doesn't always take a competent team a la Iceland

Absolutely, got what they deserved that day and they are definitely vulnerable to another shock in this tournament.

Bounty Hunter · 13-06-2021 4:02pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Absolutely love reading these thread when England are playing.

World Cup 2018: 99% of thread, England have been found out against the first competent team they have played (Croatia)

Euros 2021: win first game against (Croatia), England will be found out against the first competent team they play.

Do you see a difference between the standard of the Croatia team last time and this year? At 35 Modric is still their best player by a good bit.

I honestly think England have a very good team and squad, not a great Manager but Croatia aren't great and France / Portugal are most peoples favourites so it can't come as a shock that people think that one of them might knock England out in the 2nd round.

c.p.w.g.w · 13-06-2021 4:03pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Fairness to him he got Phillips, Sterling and Trippier right. Maybe he does know something? Pickford was dodgy on the kick outs though. Not tested saves wise. Kane not involved in the game.

Aside from the goal, sterling was very poor, made the wrong decision in attacking positions 4 times today, wasting great opportunities

Tom Mann Centuria · 13-06-2021 4:03pm

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Do you see a difference between the standard of the Croatia team last time and this year? At 35 Modric is still their best player by a good bit.

I honestly think England have a very good team and squad, not a great Manager but Croatia aren't great and France / Portugal are most peoples favourites so it can't come as a shock that people think that one of them might knock England out in the 2nd round.

I think it'd be a tight game against Portugal. I think France would kick our arse.

CSF · 13-06-2021 4:05pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Fairness to him he got Phillips, Sterling and Trippier right. Maybe he does know something? Pickford was dodgy on the kick outs though. Not tested saves wise. Kane not involved in the game.

Sterling was pretty poor today. If he doesn’t have that one minute in the game he’d be getting slated. Foden had about 3 touches in the game right?

Bounty Hunter · 13-06-2021 4:05pm

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

I think it'd be a tight game against Portugal. I think France would kick our arse.

tbh I think most teams are afraid of France, if England are lucky it'll be your old enemy Germany in the next round.

Scotland should take heart from that game and think they can take Croatia or at the very least take a point from the game.

13-06-2021 4:06pm

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Do you see a difference between the standard of the Croatia team last time and this year? At 35 Modric is still their best player by a good bit.

I honestly think England have a very good team and squad, not a great Manager but Croatia aren't great and France / Portugal are most peoples favourites so it can't come as a shock that people think that one of them might knock England out in the 2nd round.

I think France would defiantly beat England whilst Portugal might be more 50/50 at Wembley.

It’s more the moving of goalposts I’m getting at, if England were to go out and knock France later in the tournament you could guarantee half the people here would be saying “they’ve proved nothing yet, wait until they meet a competent team”

As for Croatia, they seem much for muchness to me. I think this game and the semi final were both fairly even and 1 win each seems about right.

Faugheen · 13-06-2021 4:06pm

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Aside from the goal, sterling was very poor, made the wrong decision in attacking positions 4 times today, wasting great opportunities

Yet he was the only player who could get into those attacking positions. He was their biggest threat by a mile.

Tom Mann Centuria · 13-06-2021 4:08pm

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

tbh I think most teams are afraid of France, if England are lucky it'll be your old enemy Germany in the next round.

Scotland should take heart from that game and think they can take Croatia or at the very least take a point from the game.

Being an England fan who likes Chelsea it would be completely expected if Werner all of a sudden remembered how to finish.

Neeson · 13-06-2021 4:08pm

Have you justified your selection and then she tells him he has? So why bother asking him!

Bounty Hunter · 13-06-2021 4:09pm

CSF wrote: »

Sterling was pretty poor today. If he doesn’t have that one minute in the game he’d be getting slated. Foden had about 3 touches in the game right?

I think the BBC really wanted to say he was great as they were lauding his performance even before he got the deflected goal. He wasn't poor though but you would wonder with some of the calls "Southgate got right" if he had selected the people being called for like Grealish or Sancho in ahead of Sterling or an actual LB ahead of trippier (who I rate and think actually did well) would they have done just as well or potentially even better.

I wouldn't put Phillips in that category as I don't think Henderson is fully fit but will get game time in the other group games probably. The place should be Phillips to lose now though.

Trey13 · 13-06-2021 4:09pm

Well deserved win for England. Thought Phillips and Rice were excellent in the middle of the park. Completely dominated any threat Croatia had. I think going forward Grealish offers more than Sterling. Thought Sterling was very poor in nearly every aspect - got the ball in good positions and gave it away. He got his goal alright but when you’ve got Kane in there I think it’s better to have a more consistent and creative player beside him.

The key for England is to avoid France. Manage that and I think they’ll go all the way.

Deeper Blue · 13-06-2021 4:09pm

"Have you justified your selection"

"Absolutely not, I only scored the winner"

gormdubhgorm · 13-06-2021 4:10pm

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Aside from the goal, sterling was very poor, made the wrong decision in attacking positions 4 times today, wasting great opportunities

Fair point, but he did get the goal. Interestingly he was asked by a reporter just there ‘did he justify his selection?’ Hamman just said Sterling was good first 20 mins.

lawred2 · 13-06-2021 4:10pm

Getting off on a win is always a good start. They'll get more confident. They could easily finish group with 9 points.

Bounty Hunter · 13-06-2021 4:12pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I think France would defiantly beat England whilst Portugal might be more 50/50 at Wembley.

It’s more the moving of goalposts I’m getting at, if England were to go out and knock France later in the tournament you could guarantee half the people here would be saying “they’ve proved nothing yet, wait until they meet a competent team”

As for Croatia, they seem much for muchness to me. I think this game and the semi final were both fairly even and 1 win each seems about right.

I'd agree with the bolded part but if anyone says France (The world champions) are not a competent team they are mad (or just anti English) and should just be ignored.

Croatia really don't seem anything special though. Which is a pity as I always liked them. A country with roughly the same population of Ireland and have always produced great players going back to the days of Boban and co. Seems the well is drying up now though.

gormdubhgorm · 13-06-2021 4:13pm

Trey13 wrote: »

Well deserved win for England. Thought Phillips and Rice were excellent in the middle of the park. Completely dominated any threat Croatia had. I think going forward Grealish offers more than Sterling. Thought Sterling was very poor in nearly every aspect - got the ball in good positions and gave it away. He got his goal alright but when you’ve got Kane in there I think it’s better to have a more consistent and creative player beside him.

The key for England is to avoid France. Manage that and I think they’ll go all the way.

Yeah they deserved it. England won’t win it though likely Portugal last 16 and Spain in QF. Not sure wins are a given in those two games.

Trey13 · 13-06-2021 4:13pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Fair point, but he did get the goal. Interestingly he was asked by a reporter just there ‘did he justify his selection?’ Hamman just said Sterling was good first 20 mins.

Yeah it’s very tough to argue with that. They’ve got an embarrassment of riches up there. Even Saka, who hasn’t really been mentioned could be lethal with quality players around him.

Fr Tod Umptious · 13-06-2021 4:26pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Absolutely love reading these thread when England are playing.

World Cup 2018: 99% of thread, England have been found out against the first competent team they have played (Croatia)

Euros 2021: win first game against (Croatia), England will be found out against the first competent team they play.

The usual narrative in the 2018 WC thread was

England will definitely lose to Columbia.
England get through, Columbia are only a pub team.

England will definitely lose to Sweden.
England get through, Sweden are only a pub team.

sterz · 13-06-2021 5:40pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Absolutely love reading these thread when England are playing.

World Cup 2018: 99% of thread, England have been found out against the first competent team they have played (Croatia)

Euros 2021: win first game against (Croatia), England will be found out against the first competent team they play.

What name did you use back in 2018?

Hitchens · 13-06-2021 6:03pm

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Croatia really don't seem anything special though. Which is a pity as I always liked them. A country with roughly the same population of Ireland and have always produced great players going back to the days of Boban and co. Seems the well is drying up now though.

......and they're Catholic as well

13-06-2021 6:18pm

sterz wrote: »

What name did you use back in 2018?

I was a lurker at that stage, always enjoyed the threads though!!

tastyt · 13-06-2021 6:32pm

Trey13 wrote: »

Well deserved win for England. Thought Phillips and Rice were excellent in the middle of the park. Completely dominated any threat Croatia had. I think going forward Grealish offers more than Sterling. Thought Sterling was very poor in nearly every aspect - got the ball in good positions and gave it away. He got his goal alright but when you’ve got Kane in there I think it’s better to have a more consistent and creative player beside him.

The key for England is to avoid France. Manage that and I think they’ll go all the way.

I thought Rice was anonymous really , absolutely no impact on the game whatsoever and probably played one pass forward more than 5 yards , the lad has the best PR team in England . Jude Bellingham did more than him in 10 mins he was on

Phillips was excellent.

markest · 13-06-2021 8:03pm

0 in goals against column was best i was hoping for after the first 15/20 mins. Will probably get beat by Scotland now.

Francie Barrett · 13-06-2021 8:45pm

People saying Croatia were poor, that is true, but it's only because they were made to look poor by England.

Southgate got the tactics spot on today. Instead of pressing the Croatian defence, they pressed their midfield ensuring Modric and co. spent a lot of the game in their own half with little space to operate in. With Modric nullified, Croatia lacked quality in other positions to compensate and they were often forced to go long. What's most impressive about the England performance was in the past if they had a lead against a decent team, they would end up dropping back and inviting pressure on. This didn't happen today, they were almost entirely in control from start to finish.

Will be really interesting to see how this group finishes, given the winner will play one of Germany, France, or Portugal. I wonder would English consider tanking their final match to try and finish second.

13-06-2021 8:54pm

tastyt wrote: »

I thought Rice was anonymous really , absolutely no impact on the game whatsoever and probably played one pass forward more than 5 yards , the lad has the best PR team in England . Jude Bellingham did more than him in 10 mins he was on

Phillips was excellent.

And Phillips was played out of position to accommodate Rice.

Though Phillips looks like the type who'd be comfortable in any position between the keeper and the striker, he really is the fulcrum in the Leeds team and tactics.

JPA · 13-06-2021 9:21pm

tastyt wrote: »

I thought Rice was anonymous really , absolutely no impact on the game whatsoever and probably played one pass forward more than 5 yards , the lad has the best PR team in England . Jude Bellingham did more than him in 10 mins he was on

Phillips was excellent.

Rice is like an extra centre back but in midfield. Southgate loves that.

England v Croatia - Euro 2020 - 13/06/21 - Group D - Match Thread

Comments