Imagine being Croatian...

[Tiger]

For me the second best team in the tournament behind Germany. I've not been convinced by the Spanish who only snuck that game when Croatia threw men forward to get the goal they needed because of the strange way it is all calculated. Based on normal goal difference a 0-0 draw would have send them through.

Feel for Modric and co as I thought they were a class act....

 

[Aztecs27]

Yea, the Croatian's (Croats?) have impressed the heck out of me and I was gutted to see them fail to qualify. They have some proper good talent in that squad and as you say, only lost because they had to gamble to try and get the goal they needed.

 

[bladeplayer]

our group panned out exactly as i thought it would to be honest , our performance against croatia disapointed me , it was the one game we may have edged something out of . IMO, so we should had a real proper go ..

 

[JustOne]

only lost because they had to gamble to try and get the goal they needed.

Isn't scoring goals part of the game? Which part is the gamble? If they WON both their previous matches wouldn't they be through?

 

[Aztecs27]

Isn't scoring goals part of the game? Which part is the gamble? If they WON both their previous matches wouldn't they be through?

Well yes, but because they'd put themselves in that situation from the previous two games they had to put all their eggs in one basket, so to speak.

 

[Mattyboy]

The TV pundits said that Spain were poor. I agree with you guys. Spain were average because Croatia played so well. Spain were their for the taking and nearly were IMO.

However, its better to play crap and take your one chance than play great and take none of your 3 chances.

 

[Tiger]

Isn't scoring goals part of the game? Which part is the gamble? If they WON both their previous matches wouldn't they be through?

Had it stayed 0-0 all three teams would have been tied with 5pts and the Croats would have had a better goals scored tally than the Italians BUT because Italy scored more goals in the fixtures between the tied sides they would have topped the group. If Croatia and Spain had drawn 1-1 Italy would have been out.

But I've been more impressed with Italy than Spain who only really looked good against the Irish. I feel that their players are knackered. They are not getting any younger and mostly come from Barca and Real Madrid both of whom had long tiring seasons. It's the Germans tournament to lose in my opinion

 

[GreiginFife]

Spot on Tiger, Germany have been the most impressive so far, young squad but playing together.
Spain haven't set the tournament alight BUT (and it's a big but), neither did they in 2008 nor 2010, they just plugged away at getting results (1-0 mainly) and won both tournaments but at no time do I remember anyone saying they were impressive.
The flip side is that Spain haven't been that impressive, granted, but they haven't lost either. So if they can beat the "second best team in the tournament" whilst not being that great that tells me that they can beat everyone else (except maybe Germany) whilst still not being great.

 

[Region3]

I thought Croatia should have had a penalty about 2 minutes before Spain scored, when the guy went up for a header and the Spaniard pulled him over his shoulder by his arm.

I've not been impressed with Spain and not overly worried about the big (for me) lay bet I placed against them before the tournament started.