Dear England, will you please stop...

[Pekka]

They will begin the bombardment of their enemies with their catapults very soon.

[MikeH]

After the last game we dropped a pot to pot 2, Croatia jumped a pot to pot 1, so even if we'd beaten Croatia, or drawn, we could still have had the same group.

It's not an easy group, a lot of long distance travelling, but it could have been a lot worse IMO. Croatia are a good side and we'll need to play a lot better to top the group.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

a lot worse?!? like what... I would think we have the hardest group of all... as for us, if you prefer us in front of Italians, French or Germans, good for us, esp following the comments from Michael Owen after the draw...

that is precisely the reason why everyone enjoys so much when you lose... Michael is just "objective" , gotta love it...

[Dauphin]

The reason Croatia is a better bet for England is that Croatia are more liable to drop points to other teams than the likes of Italy or Germany who grind out results.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

well that just shows that you are not following international football enough, but as you live here, I understand that there is general lack of interest for anything non-English ;-)

We have not lost an international qualifying game since the qualifications for 2002 world cup (where we qualified too) up to the defeat last week to Macedonia in the mud (you should have seen the pitch in that game!!!, I am sure if France/Italy or England was playing that it would have not been allowed to play)...

edit:
highlight from that game

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QhiSBbBMngU&feature=related

good to see what kind of pitch UEFA allows playing on...

[Cort Haus]

I just lost most of whatever respect I had for Michael Owen. He really is an embarrassing and clueless fùcktard for making comments like that.

What does it take for people in this country to understand and respect that Croatia are a bloody good team? Their predecessors, Yugoslavia were a bloody good team and I think Bilic pointed out that Croatia inherited some good footballing habits from the old federal football establishment. Croatia came 3rd in '98 playing some wonderful football, and, after a dip, have build another bloody good team.

Also, England sometimes play better against 'top' sides like France (Argentina is the best example) than against sides that they arrogantly and stupidly underestimate.

Also, Belarus have Hleb playing for them, who is one of the finest dribblers I've ever seen. I expect England will underestimate them as well. Ukraine are no easy pickings either.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by MikeH
After the last game we dropped a pot to pot 2,

You don't even get to crap on the main toilet? Does that mean you use a portapotty now?

[BirraImperial]

Kind of hard for England. Ukraine and Croatia are formidable opponents. The others have no chance at all. England will qualify I think.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by OneFootInTheGrave
We have not lost an international qualifying game since the qualifications for 2002 world cup (where we qualified too) up to the defeat last week to Macedonia in the mud (you should have seen the pitch in that game!!!

Doesn't change the fact that Italy are a better team than Croatia - at least in so far as you think results against equivalent opposition can show that.

[VetLegion]

Right, whatever. Five games so far.

Palermo, 16. studenoga 1994.: Italija - Hrvatska 1:2 (kvalifikacije za EP)
Split, 8. listopada 1995.: Hrvatska - Italija 1:1 (k)
Zagreb, 28. travnja 1999.: Hrvatska - Italija 0:0 (friendly)
Ibaraki, 8. lipnja 2002.: Hrvatska - Italija 2:1 (sp)
Livorno, 16. kolovoza 2006.: Italija - Hrvatska 0:2 (friendly)

So far Croatia won against Italy three times and there were two draws.

Italy is a better team, like England is a better team. In theory

[Dauphin]

How many world cups have Croatia won?

[VetLegion]

Zero and Croatia (pop 4.5 million) exists since 1990. Was third in 1998.

Now how about England (pop 60 million), how many world cups won? How many third places?

[VetLegion]

Now a statement of objective fact: per capita we have probably the most sporting talent in the world. I don't say that because I'm Croatian, I say that because it is so.

[Krill]

Originally posted by VetLegion
Now a statement of objective fact: per capita we have probably the most sporting talent in the world. I don't say that because I'm Croatian, I say that because it is so.

Nice troll

[VetLegion]

Disprove me if you can. Don't mention England, you're not even a contender.

Try with Lithuania (huge basketball talent), Kenya (running champions), Finland (wife carrying), Serbia (good at team sports like we are), Greece (luck). Some northern countries like Denmark or Sweden aren't half bad.

However all things combined, we're per capita the best.