Except they can actually play well when they want to. Which leads me to: Switzerland: Sure, they might not be "sexy" and won against Northern Ireland with a bad penalty, however, it's still a team with some interesting people like Rodríguez, Shaqiri and Xhaka that has made it to the round of 16 the last two WC and only lost in this qualification cycle against a red-hot Portugal. I see them making it to the round of 16 again unless they end up on a truly ridiculous group.
It wasn't an outlandish claim. Last time Denmark qualified they finished third in their group, which roughly translates to "better than 7-9 other teams". And that was one of their worst world cups...
Oh boy! these European qualifiers are really something else! Oh the drama! Amazing! Wow! Geez... ZZZZzzzzzzz....
They were the more attacking team over both legs. Not sure what match you were watching(?). Croatia v Greece was similar. After Croatia did enough there were no goals and little happening for 130 minutes. The onus was on Greece to do something.
Croatia: Modric, Rakitic, Mandzukic, Vrsaljko, Brozovic, etc, etc. The talent is there to make noise (they're arguably more talented than the 2014 version), but they just had a coach change and couldn't top their group despite being the most talented team it had. Can they play to their potential?
More depth more experience than 2014 and a goal keeper that plays at champions league level now. We didn't have it between 2002 and 2014.
From an admittedly limited outsider POV, seems like their most talented team on paper since the Davor Suker days.
Certain people think this one might be even better than the suker boban prosinecki generation but they got to prove it with a run.
Talented group, but Serbia has younger talent and is more up and coming. Croatia is on its last legs: Modric will be 33, Rakitic 30, Perisic 29, Kalinic 30, Mandzukic 32. Not to mention that Croatia has a lot of club bench players in the current squad and no really exciting young blood, just passable talent. You can even see this season that Modric is dropping off quickly and is nowhere as good as last season. Mandzukic has two league goals in a freescoring Juventus team and seems to be slowly playing himself out of the starting line-up. I fail to see why Croatia 2018 is stronger than in 2014. If anything they are weaker. If anything Serbia should be the team to look out for: Ljajic, Zivkovic, Gacinovic, Milinkovic-Savic, Mitrovic. No superstars but much better youth talent.
hahaha your hate about croatia is insane. Who cares about being good between septemper and december in club? Modric outclassed the most important games of these last months the ones involving Croatia. You think that the maestro that is considered as one of the best midfielders in real madrid history won't rise his game in the spring? 29 is old now? Perisic is one of the best wingers in europe at this right moment. Even at 50 mandzukic will be something mitrovic can only dream about lol But just for your information kovacic rog brozovic pjaca vlasic rebic ante coric brekalo benkovic krovinovic jedvaj vrsaljko kalaika sosa mitrovic kramaric Don't worry for croatia lol they will still be there...you won't see them not qualifying for ten years if you see what i mean.
For the past 8 or so years if not more Croatia has been the better team. But I feel they are past it. Don't expect much from them in Russia.
It does not matter whatever you expect from them or not. Just underestimate them as you did already before lol You will see if Modric Rakitic Perisic Mandzukic and the youngsters behind won't be ready for the event. The 4-0 against Cameroon must give you nightmares still