The immediate benefit of last night’s 0-3 win away to Alashkert, is that the manager can use Wednesday’s return game as an opportunity to get squad fitness to the required level, without having to worry about qualification.
We have 180 minutes football to get ready for Rosenborg or Valur. The former are 16 league games and five months into their season. And you do not need to be reminded, Rosenborg dusted themselves down after defeat to Celtic last season to end Ajax’ interest in European football before the end of August.
Did you notice Craig Gordon seemed anchored to his six yard box, allowing space between him and the defence for long balls to be pitched into? Not sure what the plan was here but it didn’t help. There is a newness about the defensive line-up which would benefit from the keeper taking a more active role.
Odsonne Edouard and Moussa Dembele looked a real handful. Both held the ball and withstood attention from multiple opponents. James Forrest got a goal and, technically, two assists, although his contribution to the opener was a shot he will try to forget. James produced the difference between Celtic and Rosenborg a year ago, his experience at this level will be valuable in two weeks.
There will be tougher tests for Lewis Morgan but his directness impressed.
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Croatia gain possession but can’t seem to find a team mate with the simplest of passes when in a good position.
Auldheid, St .Stivs
Very well put.
If you actually paid them to go walk about in a field all day, even laid on free booze and pies, they’d knock it back to march any route which offers the biggest high in hatred spouting. For me its ultimately down to a lack of education.
I liked this Ietter in today’s Herald..
‘Imagine what the world would be like if every battle was celebrated by the victors for hundreds of years after the battle’.
A pathetic wee country.
Croatia have no chance if they continue to pass the ball this badly..
Kane does a Morelos a misses a sitter
Captain Kane misses a sitter. ?
Rakitic and Modric have been anonymous for the first 30 minutes.
Croatia got money on england to win it?
inept.csc
KLV
Wouldnt write off Croatia yet.
James gang
As far as I know he’s a forward’s goal scoring coach & not a FK specialist….but some poster might confirm
HH
This game looks bye , Croatia so far poor , referee a huge help to england .
In and out of crappy hotel broadband, so catching up a bit.
I agree with TURKEYBHOY’s comments from last night about our awful set plays. I know players are getting up to speed etc, but c’mon, can they not take a corner? Ntcham’s efforts last night were laughable. Why was he taking corners and free kicks? His first two corners didn’t clear the first man, and the rest were feeble floaty efforts, easily scooped up by their goalie. His free kicks were equally erratic and there was no danger from any of his set plays. Our central defenders towered above their defence, but nobody managed to get a clean header onto even one dead ball into the box . Compare and contrast with the havoc Engurland have been creating with their set plays this last few weeks. It worries me that presumably Ntcham has showed up best in training at set plays. If that is the case, well we still need another midfielder (not McGinn).
Otherwise a professional, measured performance and an excellent result from a game with many banana skins, well done coaches, players, fans and backroom guys.
However, we will rue our profligacy from set plays, against better opponents. Corners and free kicks may be our best chance to score against the better European teams. I hope that we can improve on this aspect of our game in the coming weeks.
?⚽️
Croatia are dire – WTF!!
My thoughts exactly JIMTIM, Croatia look beat and ref is a homer. Croatia are so slack it scary.
fingerscrossed.csc
KLV
Rakitic is a man down, worth noting that Barcelona supporters really don’t like him.
Sterling is Englands out ball.
Croatia can’t cope with his pace.
You have to say England deserve to be where they are. They’ve made Sweden and Croatia look pretty crap.
Perisic is an imposter.
Promises a lot but delivers nothing.
Ref has been very selective in Englands favour.
Croatia doing a pretty good job of making themselves look crap without help from England, but yes, England deserving of their lead.
England the better side, no doubt.
I’m predicting 3-0.
But I’d still like to punch f*** out of the commentatorson the telly.
Just because……………
Headtheball on 11th July 2018 7:39 pm
You have to say England deserve to be where they are. They’ve made Sweden and Croatia look pretty crap.
==
Maybe because they are / were crap. England have hardly been dazzling us with amazing footballing skills
This guy looks bought off, two big Euro countries in the final.
Ref we have seen many times, non contact sport, a joke.Never a FK and GK gave him to much to aim at; ball went in about 6 feet from the post.
I think both teams are pretty similar in the decent players they have, the makeweights in their team, skill levels etc. England have implemented their system better in this half, their game is based on set pieces they got pn early on and have defended well since.
Croatia look poorly coached and it could be their downfall…
Not much football played in any of the England games I’ve seen, reminds me of when Greece won the Euros:))
ABE
Croatia peaked during the sections , they are a poor team , England dominating.
!!BADA BING!!
Exactly it wasn’t even a good FK, goalie sold the jerseys!
sorry ghuys, the lions would beat any of these 2 even 22v11, or maybe I’m biased.
Was of the opinion that I might be alone in thinking the ref. appears to favour the three whatever they. But I see some on here agree.
Croatia one of the favorites for the World Cup? Set piece looking like their only hope of a score.
Cant stand to watch or listen to them,thought England would win comfortably tonight but surprisingly Croatia still in in even though judging by comments they have been really poor.
viveleFranceCSC
Dreadful football in last twenty minutes by both teams.
PHILBHOY on 11TH JULY 2018 7:43 PM
England the better side, no doubt. I’m predicting 3-0.
But I’d still like to punch f*** out of the commentators on the telly. Just because……………
*I’m watching it on Fox sports for that reason, rather have septic tank commentators than the limeyscheissen on the Canadian networks
Connaire 12.
The commentator and Glen Hoddle both agreed after 20 mins, that the ref had made a few wrong decisions which benefited England.
So even they noticed.
In saying that England are well worthy of their lead and should be even more in front.
Hail Hail
“It was really odd” said Young, “I couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but everywhere I went I had this really odd feeling that there was someone looking over my shoulder…..and what was worse…it felt like Lee Wallace!!”
http://alturl.com/6yhkz
Hail Hail
Matt
Suduva beat Apoel 3.1 in The Champions league qualifier. A bit of a shock, Apoel scored 90 plus 4.
Hail Hail
BMCUWP…
You might have missed the 12th but by feck this birthday of yours will be remembered, as it looks like Engerland will make the final. :(((
SAINT STIVS on 11TH JULY 2018 5:58 PM
AULDHEID on 11TH JULY 2018 6:59 PM
Just sat down after a very busy day. I wholeheartedly agree with what you are saying and there is only one reason and we all no what that is!
I met with council officials today and our views will be represented to the Leader of the Council and Police Scotland. I have meetings arranged with our local MP, Police Scotland and the Leader of Glasgow City Council so we are making progress!
There is more I want to say but cannot at this time but don’t want to pre-empt anything. Suffice to say we are going in the right direction!
I’ll keep the blog up today as far as I can!
KTF
as bad as Croatia have been they really are playing against the ref aswell. we know refs are bad in scotland but Jesus this fella is so biased it’s unreal. with the benefit of VAR they chose not to watch england centre back wrestling lovren to the ground right on half time as the free kick came into the box. shocking!!
Matt Stewart on 11th July 2018 7:58 pm
:)))))))))
made me laugh
This is a terrible game reminiscent of an end of season mid table clash rather than a WC semi. Croatia showing no urgency or desire to get forward and Engerlund aren’t doing too much despite being the better team on the night.
Any sign of a central defender coming in?