day 6 - 12/6; germany vs. croatia and austria vs. poland

The croatia performance against England is overrated anyway

They only won because of a shocking howler and 30 yard hit and hope

Germany unfortunately should overrun them, but we can always hope

the croats are missing eduardo big style imo and have been seriously affected by this.

Afellay wrote:I can see the extra motivation, the Croats seriously needs to improve if they can we could have a real good game on our hands.

Blut how do you see the midfield battle panning out?

Well, a lot will depend on how well Frings and Ballack can contain Modric, who is the heart and soul of their game, has most ball contacts and initiates almost every attack. Taking Modric out of the game will seriously weaken their attacking potential. However, Olic is an annoying player to play against, because he works unbelievably hard for the team, often moving to the flanks, creating space for the other attacking players. Petric has an excellent shot, and is a very good finisher - it's not just Modric who we will have to be aware of. Should Rakitic play, he'll be another potentially dangerous player who can create something out of nothing.

But our players know Olic, Petric and Rakitic from the Bundesliga, they should know how to play against them.

To win this match, we have to take advantage of their rather weak fullbacks, put pressure on their flanks, get some quality crosses / passes into the box and let our strikers do the rest against Kovac and Simunic, who are very experienced, but rather slow. Ideally, we score early, so they can't play their usual (and dangerous) counter-attacking game, giving us the opportunity to kill them on the counter with our pacy forwards.

Conceding early against them would make the task more difficult, so I hope that we keep a clean sheet. Croatia will start strongly, like they always do, and try to score an early goal. We have to make sure that they fail to do so.

The-Frank-Tavern wrote:the croats are missing eduardo big style imo and have been seriously affected by this.

feed the Croats and they will score

IF Olic & Petric play well I fancy Croatia. problem is they probably will not.

HRVATSKA!


Where's Krikic?

Rakitić starts, Petric on the bench.

I just want 5-5 5-0 or 0-5. Terrential rain wouldn't harm either.

Smart move playing Rakitic in stead of Petric.

BBC say that Germany are unchanged from their first match, so:

------------------Lehmann

Lahm--Mertesacker---Metzelder--Jansen

Fritz-----Ballack--------Frings-----Podolski

---------------Gomez----Klose

Think Germany will be too good for Croatia. Much more solid team with strong players all across the front. I can see Croatia resorting to long balls as I don't see them having much joy in the middle.

Having said that if Srna gets enough of the ball he should have a lot of joy against Jansen (who is the weak link)

Am hoping for a good game though

Sheffield gunner wrote:BBC say that Germany are unchanged from their first match, so:

------------------Lehmann

Lahm--Mertesacker---Metzelder--Jansen

Fritz-----Ballack--------Frings-----Podolski

---------------Gomez----Klose

Croatia
01 Pletikosa
05 Corluka
04 Kovac
03 Simunic
22 Pranjic
11 Srna
14 Modric
10 Kovac
07 Rakitic
19 Kranjcar
18 Olic

Germany will win today's game 3-0

Gomez will prove he is WORLD CLASS

think about it



and have a great day

What do you guys think about the habit they have in some countries to when the teams are introduced let the stadium announcer shout the players first name, whereafter the crowd shouts his surname?


Reminds me of Mussolini...

Don Leo wrote:What do you guys think about the habit they have in some countries to when the teams are introduced let the stadium announcer shout the players first name, whereafter the crowd shouts his surname?


Reminds me of Mussolini...

Both Roma and Arsenal do it, I like it for club football. Would prefer the Announcer to say the players full name simply for the Neutrals in the stadium who aren't exactly familiar with some of the players.

Reminds me of the Bundesliga..

Anyway, lets all rise fur das Deutschcuntslied!

So who will Croatia play off Olic /closest to him? Kranjcar or Modric?

Don Leo wrote:So who will Croatia play off Olic /closest to him? Kranjcar or Modric?

kranjcar

Don Leo wrote:So who will Croatia play off Olic /closest to him? Kranjcar or Modric?

I think kranjcar will play out wide on the left.

Where will Rakitic play?

Hlebtastic wrote:

Don Leo wrote:So who will Croatia play off Olic /closest to him? Kranjcar or Modric?

kranjcar

Pity

BM Knows Best wrote:

Don Leo wrote:So who will Croatia play off Olic /closest to him? Kranjcar or Modric?

I think kranjcar will play out wide on the left.

Where will Rakitic play?

can play LM or centrally, even behind striker

They dont even sing their cuntish anthem...just mumble a bit!

All passes to Srna! If he can't get past Jansen, I'm donald Duck.

ITV says Kranjcar at SS and Rakitic on the left.

Hahahah, germany is so $h!t! Look how many mistakes Ballsack already made!

Thats one hell of a Corky, Srna was on the verge of crying, Metzelder would be hailed at my school for delivering such a painful cork.

How gay looks Jansen, you just cant be a defender with a face and hair like that!

Do Germany have any flair players btw?

L.r.d wrote:Do Germany have any flair players btw?

Marin & Kroos, but they rather see Fritz

L.r.d wrote:Do Germany have any flair players btw?

No

zero!!!
Ballack is best thing they have!

And the ones they have dont get a call, they prefer to stop the opponent.

L.r.d wrote:Do Germany have any flair players btw?

In the squad, Odonkor.

L.r.d wrote:Do Germany have any flair players btw?

It's why they get so excited about Lucas Podolski


I'm still waiting to see what on earth this Gomez hype is all about. Let's hope I don't see why today