[Dead Fingers]

Everyone is more than welcome to participate in this thread, though trolling/insults from any point of view are not welcome and will be dealt with infractions/bans.

[code1390]

Just doing the math here and I'm guessing the referees for the two group B matches will be Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain) and Massimo Busacca (Switzerland). MMG is basically a guarantee to do one of the matches as he will be on his seventh day of rest with most refs getting five or six. Busacca will be on his sixth day.

[Borussia]

Poland has to rely on an Austrian victory over Germany and itself needs a higher win against Croatia's B team (what should be very possible).

So all Poles will be Austria fans on Monday! :-)

[RibbyBollywood]

Fifa match base.

1996 Croatia 2 Poland 1
1998 Croatia 4 Poland 1
2003 Croatia 0 Poland 0
2006 Croatia 0 Poland 1

Maybe Croatia's B team, but they've got to be competitive because it can effect everyone.

Though I'm for Poland, if Austria could defeat Germany, they'd sure deserve to go on and advance. It wouldn't seem right for Poland to advance, if the 98th ranked team Austria defeated the 4th or 5th Fifa ranked team.

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Virtual replay of Guerreiro's goal.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...?goalid=502035

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I mentioned it beforehand, I was honestly afraid that Germany might have embarrassed the Poles, with some big scoreline, as they have ripped some teams in the past in tournaments, but that did not happen. If anything, some sloppy play by the defence aided Germany's play. The same sloppy play on display in the opening of yesterday's game.

[D0M0]

I believe Croatia will win against Poland. Poland is not bad team, but Croatia is better. Croatia may start with B team, but if something goes wrong Bilic will put his best players on the field.

[TariboWest33]

Originally Posted by D0M0

I believe Croatia will win against Poland. Poland is not bad team, but Croatia is better. Croatia may start with B team, but if something goes wrong Bilic will put his best players on the field.

Result for Croatia isn't imortant, IMO Bilic wouldnt put his best players on the field in any scenario
Prediction draw or Poland victory

[Borussia]

Poland will win this game ... unless Croatia wants to do a favour to Austria.

[fh 1]

Bilić claims that he wants a victory and I believe him but there are two problems:
1) He'll probably bench the carded players and those who ran most the last two matches: This is Olić, Modrić, Srna, Kovač-brothers, Šimunić, which is at least half of the team. So, Croatia will IMO indeed play with a B-team.
2) The motivation of the Croats vs Poland is low and our team needs a lot of motivation to play good, otherwise they are capable to lose even to Malta, that's our mentality, nothing to do against that.

So, it may not be a bad idea to put a so called B-team onto the pitch: The players are motivated to show their class, eventually to get even into the first team, if in superior shape and the most important players take a pause, regenerate and don't get the second yellow until quarters.

Polish will be more motivated, but will also depend on the other match: If Germany gets an early lead and the result at half time is already clearly in favor of Germany, the Polish will lose a lot of motivation.
But don't forget, there is also 1 Mio Euros worth a victory, this may also help to motivate oneselves - on both sides.

And I think that Poland is a team which would make also the best Croatian team much problems, so maybe the "B-team" which is technically not so skilled but physically top, may have even better chances to get a good result against Poland, who will eventually underestimate them.

[BMike86]

all i can do now is hope for the best, prepare for the worst

polacy do boju!

[DannyCro]

We will play with:

Pletikosa - Simic, Knezevic, Vejic, Pranjic - Leko, Pokrivac, Vukojevic, Rakitic - Klasnic, Petric

So Corluka, Srna, Kovac brothers, Olic, Kranjcar, Modric on bench.

But that is still quality side and should be able to win against Poland.