for anyone that feels anxiety about a penalty shootout..  there's an app for that..  (my wife has a meditation app that she uses and couldn't believe that she saw this)

I hope (and think) that Croatia will win this.

Hope Croatia takes this one. Unlike France, they've actually tried to play some attacking football this world cup.

Don’t think I’ll bother watching but I should imagine France will win. Better players and fresher

Kel Varnsen wrote:

Hope Croatia takes this one. Unlike France, they've actually tried to play some attacking football this world cup.

I think that's a myth(people probably think so because they see Modric in their midfield). In reality, they are just another very cautious/defensive outfit. Against England they had to attack because they conceded early, and after equalising, they felt England were there for the taking and went for it (like France did against Argentina). But once they go ahead, they generally try to shut up shop and kill the game.

Slightly off topic but this is the frenchest pronounciation of French names i've ever heard.

Tactics wrote:

Kel Varnsen wrote:

Hope Croatia takes this one. Unlike France, they've actually tried to play some attacking football this world cup.

I think that's a myth(people probably think so because they see Modric in their midfield).

Kel is right and it has little to do with Modric. They played the best football of any team in the group stages by a long stretch. They then met two notoriously packed sides in Denmark and Russia but still made a big effort, and they played dazzling stuff against England after that. No team has played more consistent high quality football this tournament. No team has looked more like an actual football team either. Most of France's brilliance has been the product of individual moments by contrast, mostly from Mbappe and Pogba.

I think France will be too much for Croatia to handle.

Klaus wrote:

Tactics wrote:

I think that's a myth(people probably think so because they see Modric in their midfield).

Kel is right and it has little to do with Modric. They played the best football of any team in the group stages by a long stretch. They then met two notoriously packed sides in Denmark and Russia but still made a big effort, and they played dazzling stuff against England after that. No team has played more consistent high quality football this tournament. No team has looked more like an actual football team either. Most of France's brilliance has been the product of individual moments by contrast, mostly from Mbappe and Pogba.

Probably a minorit - borderline hipster - opinion but I'd argue that Japan was probably the team that ran them closest when it comes to tactically advanced and attacking football.

allez les Bleus!

Mirth wrote:

Klaus wrote:

Kel is right and it has little to do with Modric. They played the best football of any team in the group stages by a long stretch. They then met two notoriously packed sides in Denmark and Russia but still made a big effort, and they played dazzling stuff against England after that. No team has played more consistent high quality football this tournament. No team has looked more like an actual football team either. Most of France's brilliance has been the product of individual moments by contrast, mostly from Mbappe and Pogba.

Probably a minorit - borderline hipster - opinion but I'd argue that Japan was probably the team that ran them closest when it comes to tactically advanced and attacking football.

Yeah, weird to have Japan playing the best football in the entire tournament. Belgium was great to watch too

Clrnc wrote:

Mirth wrote:

Probably a minorit - borderline hipster - opinion but I'd argue that Japan was probably the team that ran them closest when it comes to tactically advanced and attacking football.

Yeah, weird to have Japan playing the best football in the entire tournament. Belgium was great to watch too

Belgium scored a lot of goals and were particularly good against Brazil but I can't quite forgive that their plan to counter attack Japan (and France) was basically to lump the ball to Fellaini.

Klaus wrote:

Tactics wrote:

I think that's a myth(people probably think so because they see Modric in their midfield).

Kel is right and it has little to do with Modric. They played the best football of any team in the group stages by a long stretch. They then met two notoriously packed sides in Denmark and Russia but still made a big effort, and they played dazzling stuff against England after that. No team has played more consistent high quality football this tournament. No team has looked more like an actual football team either. Most of France's brilliance has been the product of individual moments by contrast, mostly from Mbappe and Pogba.

Did you miss the borefest against Nigeria? Both teams sat back and cancelled each other out. Croatia eventually fluked one from a corner, got another goal later due to some pushing and shoving in the box. They employed the same tactics against Argentina:  sat back, soaked up pressure and capitalised on a keeper cock up,  their tails went up and Modric scored a fabulous goal - think people remember that little spell of good football in that second half and concluded that's how they generally played in this tournament. Their matches against Denmark and Russia were another borefest. 

Klaus wrote:

Tactics wrote:

I think that's a myth(people probably think so because they see Modric in their midfield).

Kel is right and it has little to do with Modric. They played the best football of any team in the group stages by a long stretch. They then met two notoriously packed sides in Denmark and Russia but still made a big effort, and they played dazzling stuff against England after that. No team has played more consistent high quality football this tournament. No team has looked more like an actual football team either. Most of France's brilliance has been the product of individual moments by contrast, mostly from Mbappe and Pogba.

Yup. Pretty much. 

Tactics wrote:

Kel Varnsen wrote:

Hope Croatia takes this one. Unlike France, they've actually tried to play some attacking football this world cup.

I think that's a myth(people probably think so because they see Modric in their midfield). In reality, they are just another very cautious/defensive outfit. Against England they had to attack because they conceded early, and after equalising, they felt England were there for the taking and went for it (like France did against Argentina). But once they go ahead, they generally try to shut up shop and kill the game.

I have definitely seen intent from Croatia. They have a top midfield sandwiched between average forwards and defenders .

They had little to play for against Nigeria and it showed. I really hope Croatia win.

France relative to their talent all over the pitch have been extremely boring. 

Rohit wrote:

Tactics wrote:

I think that's a myth(people probably think so because they see Modric in their midfield). In reality, they are just another very cautious/defensive outfit. Against England they had to attack because they conceded early, and after equalising, they felt England were there for the taking and went for it (like France did against Argentina). But once they go ahead, they generally try to shut up shop and kill the game.

I have definitely seen intent from Croatia. They have a top midfield sandwiched between average forwards and defenders .

They had little to play for against Nigeria and it showed. I really hope Croatia win.

France relative to their talent all over the pitch have been extremely boring. 

Little to play for ? It was their 1st match which they were desperate to win. Are you sure you watched the match ?

I keep hearing people talk about their 'attacking football' , could anyone list for me the matches where they displayed this good attacking football everyone is talking about ? 

No, because you're being just as insufferably boring as France right now.

Mirth wrote:

Klaus wrote:

Kel is right and it has little to do with Modric. They played the best football of any team in the group stages by a long stretch. They then met two notoriously packed sides in Denmark and Russia but still made a big effort, and they played dazzling stuff against England after that. No team has played more consistent high quality football this tournament. No team has looked more like an actual football team either. Most of France's brilliance has been the product of individual moments by contrast, mostly from Mbappe and Pogba.

Probably a minorit - borderline hipster - opinion but I'd argue that Japan was probably the team that ran them closest when it comes to tactically advanced and attacking football.

What's it about their attacking play that you'd class as 'tactically advanced'? They use a very rudimentary attacking style : get it to the wings and cross or hoof it to Mandzukic and look for knock downs.  

A tactical advance attacking play is what I'd class Belgium's approach against Brazil: a strikerless set up with both Hazard and Lukaku on the wings and the Brazil CBs scratching their heads about who to mark. Belgium have generally played better and more attacking football than Croatia IMO, England have also been much more positive in their play too. And if we are talking about only the group stages, Mexico were much better to watch IMO.