Austria vs Croatia [R]

[lonelycowboy]

I'm afraid Pogatetz deserved three red cards but he was forgiven and I'm just glad it didn't affect the score. How can someone who has a yellow pull a player who passed him and then in the end kick him with both a leg and a hand. It was a direct red card and ref put his hand on the pocket and just changed his mind because he realized that he already gave a penalty against the hosts. He then whispered something to Pogatetz who miraculously never made a risky tackle after that through the rest of the game. I mean, someone who don't see that is BLIND

BTW: The referee would have sent Pogatetz off with a second yellow card but then he talked through his headset to the assistant referee and did not show the yellow card.

The assistant referee was not far away so I think we can trust his judge. I will put the video in slow-motion on youtube.

[Borussia]

The Croatians totally disappointed me after the interval ... and to be honest, the outsiders from Austria deserved to get the draw in the end!

[Sleeper]

BTW: The referee would have sent Pogatetz off with a second yellow card but then he talked through his headset to the assistant referee and did not show the yellow card.

The assistant referee was not far away so I think we can trust his judge. I will put the video in slow-motion on youtube.

There were 10-20 slowmotions from all angles during the broadcast and halftime. Pogatetz pull Olic's shirt, then he holded him over the shoulder (here you can see the assistant referee started to wave his flag) and finaly you can see a kick with the foot in leg and hand in head/shoulder...

The ref didn't spoked with the assistant... He was talking to the Pogatetz.

THAT GUY SHOULD GET 2ND YELLOW AND TWO DIRECT RED CARDS, 3 IN TOTAL... MR. GRAHAM POLL WOULD DO THAT :D



But, it's not about the penalty and the red card and 3 points...

It's about how Croatia played. Wrong tactic is used in last 4-5 games...
We are playing like we stil have Eduardo in team who was capable to get the ball and keep it until few other teammates join him in opponents half.

The major problem is we stil play most of the game with 7-8 players active... 4-5 of them are out of the game most of the time (it's not their faults.. they are just in wrong postions and useless in those roles). Kranjcar (off-def), Pranjic (off-def), both attackers, Modric (way to back from the opponent's box)

And the worst thing is we'll start the game against Germany in the very same formation as here and after 60 minutes, when Germans will use the hole in our left def-side at least 10 times, Bilic will help Pranjic with Simunic (by getting Kranjcar out and putting Rakitic or Knezevic)...
IT JUST CAN'T WORK. PERIOD

*********************************
SAMO JE JEDNO U MOM ZIVOTU VRIJEDNO
DA PUSTIM SUZU JER TE VOLIM JA.
ZIVOT MI DALA BAS KAO DA JE ZNALA
DA NIKAD NECE NESTAT S MOJIH USANA...
H R V A T S K A!!!
S PONOSOM NARODU SVOM
LJUBIM GRB NA DRESU TOM!!

[Hrvat]

I actually thought we were horrible, by comments I see it did not look that bad on tv. That late minutes were really difficult to survive. Anyway, three points are what counts, but yes, we have every right to be worried.

[Marbur66]

Croatia started strong and looked as if they would dominate the entire game. The latter part of the second half was worrisome, as the Austrians pushed forward and controlled the play. The Austrians were worried about getting emberrased, but they showed that they can play against talented clubs. BTW, Pogatetz is dirty as hell, and I can't believe he didn't get red-carded.

[lonelycowboy]

Croatia started strong and looked as if they would dominate the entire game. The latter part of the second half was worrisome, as the Austrians pushed forward and controlled the play. The Austrians were worried about getting emberrased, but they showed that they can play against talented clubs. BTW, Pogatetz is dirty as hell, and I can't believe he didn't get red-carded.

In England they call him Mad-Pog. Even there where they play hard but fair football for men he is feared. Thank god he has worked a bit on his "blood thirst.":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYuftSg8jO0

Despite that I really dont like his style I dont remember much other "dirty as hell" stuff. In the end I would say it was an intense but not brutal match.

BTW: Two minutes before that, tackling with both stretched legs by R. Kovac is a yellow card too but the same Pogatetz was so fair to just walk away and not act like he was hit by a bullet like I think most Croatian players would have done in this situation...:rolleyes:

That said I think Niko Kovac will get some BOOO´s in Salzburg for his theatrical shows on the field. But I like him. If Austria had him and Bilic they would have won. :p

Instead there is Hickersberger and his freaking line-ups of not the "best" but the "right" players. :eek:

[Marbur66]

Instead there is Hickersberger and his freaking line-ups of not the "best" but the "right" players. :eek:
I was surprised that Hoffer didn't even get a chance.

[catenaccio_L'pool]

We were giving away too many silly fouls in our half and just could not deal with long balls to the right flank...Kranjcar, Modric and Srna were desperatly out of position - Kovac did very well but I could really do without all that diving - I can't make fun of Portuguese, Italians and French otherwise:D.
And Sleeper was right, Pogatetz should have gotten three yellows just on that one foul.
After all is said and done, we have 3 big points in the bag - the negative - Germans look massive and Poles are a good, solid team - we must get better fast.
Good showing Austria...great fighting spirit - after first 30 mins I thought Croatia was cruising to an easy 3-0 but a lot of heart was shown by Austria - go now and do us a favor and beat Poland:D

[MetroFever]

I actually thought we were horrible, by comments I see it did not look that bad on tv. That late minutes were really difficult to survive. Anyway, three points are what counts, but yes, we have every right to be worried.

Trust me, we looked just as bad on TV. :(

[footyfan1]

I actually thought we were horrible, by comments I see it did not look that bad on tv. That late minutes were really difficult to survive. Anyway, three points are what counts, but yes, we have every right to be worried.


Right on. You guys were one of my early favorites to win this thing, but they need a boot in the ass after that performance.

They let Austria take it to them for all of the second half. Austria deserves great credit for that and had they scored, that draw would not have been undeserved.

[footyfan1]

The Croatians totally disappointed me after the interval ... and to be honest, the outsiders from Austria deserved to get the draw in the end!

Sure, they WOULD HAVE deserved it Uwe, but I don't care how well you play, if you're losing 1-0 and you don't put the ball in the net yourself, you don't "deserve" a damned thing.

[BlitzKrieg]

As I said before, everyone will see Croatia's real strenghts against Germans against which I think we'll play excellent and certanly won't loose. It will be a redemption for this pale match against the hosts who have shown that sometimes it is not about the quality of the team...

[blanc]

Austria impressed me; if they play like this they have nothing to be ashamed of.

[Hrvat]

Hopefully the Austrians won't be too downhearted by this defeat, although I doubt it. If they keep playing like this they' ll win at least a point by the end of the group stage and that's all Croatia needs. I wish them luck.

[footyfan1]

Austria impressed me; if they play like this they have nothing to be ashamed of.


I think they have a very bright future. This tourney might have been a bit too soon for them.

Or perhaps the Austrian fans here are right and they just need a better coach.

They certainly have the talent and spirit. I think they just need tactical know-how and the coolness that will come with experience.

[Redondo85]

Not the best performance but three valuable points in the end, i hope Croatia aren't as complacent against Poland and Germany as Austria were quite unlucky in the end. Hopefully Bilic takes heed of this and changes tact to protect the backline, maybe deploying a 5-3-2 with Srna and Pranjic as wingbacks.

[sinner78]

Not the best performance but three valuable points in the end, i hope Croatia aren't as complacent against Poland and Germany as Austria were quite unlucky in the end. Hopefully Bilic takes heed of this and changes tact to protect the backline, maybe deploying a 5-3-2 with Srna and Pranjic as wingbacks.

Deploying a 5-3-2 with their backline would be suicide .
They dont have central defenders that suit it.
They should go with 4-4-1-1

[MicFW]

As I said before, everyone will see Croatia's real strenghts against Germans against which I think we'll play excellent and certanly won't loose.

I wouldn't bet on it... :p

Congrats Austria, no points but a plucky performance in the second half. Should have been rewarded with the equalizer.

[footyfan1]

Congrats Austria, no points but a plucky performance in the second half. Should have been rewarded with the equalizer.

Not if they couldn't put it in......

[Hrvat]

Not if they couldn't put it in......

Exactly. A fine game by them, an unbelievably motivated performance but they still lack real quality. Of course, I wish them best against Poland.