View Full Version : Darkhorse: CROATIA
essie_majedi
27 Nov 2005, 11:33 PM
After looking through all 32 in the World Cup I've come to the conclusion that Croatia are the tornaments "darkhorse". Other would say Czech Republic or USA. But come now...Croatia have everything you need to win the World Cup in my opinion. Talents like Niko Kranjcar, Ivan Klasnic, Dario Srna and Igor Tudor could really cause problems for the worlds best. Now I'm not saying Croatia are the best team in the tornament but I think they what it takes to make quite a strong cup run.
tamachan
27 Nov 2005, 11:41 PM
Croatia will get owned they are too inconsistant.
essie_majedi
27 Nov 2005, 11:42 PM
Croatia will get owned they are too inconsistant.
I agree consistancy is an issue but I think they could still mount a challenge
Gunners11
27 Nov 2005, 11:47 PM
After looking through all 32 in the World Cup I've come to the conclusion that Croatia are the tornaments "darkhorse". Other would say Czech Republic or USA. But come now...Croatia have everything you need to win the World Cup in my opinion. Talents like Niko Kranjcar, Ivan Klasnic, Dario Srna and Igor Tudor could really cause problems for the worlds best. Now I'm not saying Croatia are the best team in the tornament but I think they what it takes to make quite a strong cup run.
I hope you're right. I think the biggest factor in how Croatia does is how their defense does as a unit, including the keeper. Just thinking back to the Euro's the reason we struggled was because of the way the defense played.
essie_majedi
27 Nov 2005, 11:52 PM
I hope you're right. I think the biggest factor in how Croatia does is how their defense does as a unit, including the keeper. Just thinking back to the Euro's the reason we struggled was because of the way the defense played.
Croatia has great defenders but can they work together? I hope so...But Zlatko Kranjcar (The Coach) I think has been doing quite well with the defence as of late. THey only let in 5 goals in qualifying. Also, in the Euros they had Butina in goal who was 2nd choice because Pletikosa was injured.
FlanInTheFace
27 Nov 2005, 11:54 PM
didnt they beat sweden twice in qualifying or something? thats pretty good
essie_majedi
27 Nov 2005, 11:56 PM
didnt they beat sweden twice in qualifying or something? thats pretty good
thats great...i realy dont think many teams except probably brazil would pull that off twice in a row.
JanBalk
28 Nov 2005, 03:53 AM
didnt they beat sweden twice in qualifying or something? thats pretty good
That they did, but they also tied aganist Malta and that is not good.
LarsSon
28 Nov 2005, 10:20 AM
Their defense is really excellent and they can go far with that in the group stage but i am far from impressed with their offensive qualities. Ultimately they will get knocked out in the quarter-finals...
STHLM
28 Nov 2005, 10:54 AM
didnt they beat sweden twice in qualifying or something? thats pretty good
That was a good achievement :) Both were very tight games. The second didn't mean much as Sweden were basically through anyways... I think if they are free from injury I think the both Croatia and Sweden could go very far in the tournament.
Knave
28 Nov 2005, 11:33 AM
Hasn't Croatia always been the dark horse when it's qualified?
Timanfaya
28 Nov 2005, 12:04 PM
Hasn't Croatia always been the dark horse when it's qualified?
I did enjoy it when they knocked out Germany in the QFs in 1998.
It'd be nice if they could do that again... especially since I put my money on them reaching the Final (this was six months ago when they were fourth in their qualifying group and the odds were higher).
split3clemente
28 Nov 2005, 12:59 PM
look for a similar performance in 06 from the glory days of 98, the talent, although not as good as the 98 talent, is strong again
Autogolazo
28 Nov 2005, 01:58 PM
Croatia's defense will keep them in any game, but I don't see where the scoring is going to come from.
Prso doesn't really impress me. How has Klasnic been playing lately?
They don't have the equivalent of "Sukerman" to step forward this time.
Come April or May, if they have a forward or two who's on fire for his club team, I may reconsider them as a serious darkhorse, but for now I'd say they need more punch up top.
Timanfaya
28 Nov 2005, 07:23 PM
look for a similar performance in 06 from the glory days of 98, the talent, although not as good as the 98 talent, is strong again
I'm glad you said that. Thanks!
Serb
28 Nov 2005, 08:30 PM
i AGREE, THEY ARE A strong team.
I still think Sweden is better, though.
I can see Croatia reaching the quarter-finals, which is a great achivement for a small country like that.
essie_majedi
28 Nov 2005, 11:20 PM
I agree that we dont have a real "strong" forward. i think prso id shiit but klasnic is real class along with balaban. with krancjar behind them two could prove very scary.
balaban--------klasnic
kranjcar
Knave
29 Nov 2005, 11:05 AM
Various posts deleted. It's real simple folks. Play nice or be banned from this forum.
Hrvat
29 Nov 2005, 04:51 PM
1/8 final is a success... But somehow I don't see that happening. Our only hope is granite defense (but still we have the keeper problem), and set-pieces.
Serb
29 Nov 2005, 09:26 PM
1/8 final is a success... But somehow I don't see that happening. Our only hope is granite defense (but still we have the keeper problem), and set-pieces.
You don't see Croatia egtting out of their group? :eek: :confused:
Or did you mean 1/4 final?