World Cup 2018 Semi-Finals preview - England vs Croatia
England is on the verge of advancing to the World Cup Finals after its long-forgotten win in 1966. Croatia has returned to the Semis after 1998, and looks to advance even further. This is a historic moment for both sides which will throw everything they got to advance to the Finals. Will England advance to bring Football back home, or will Croatia go ahead to exceed the feats of Davor Suker after 1998?
Hello Rankers!
To help you score better in RankingBall and win more, here's a strategy guide which can kick you off. From tomorrow 18:00 UTC the second match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia will take place. In this guide, we will go over which players you can expect to put in your RankingBall bingo.
England preview
Despite the fame and popularity of the English Premier League, the English national team has not been considered as favorites for the World Cup. Well, this is another issue, as criticisms about EPL being a 'Belgian' League has been going for years. However, this time, the English manager Gareth Southgate has managed to organize a team not only talented, but also that can actually work around as a team. He even took inspirations from NBA and NFL to create set-piece tactics. Considering that set pieces revolve around teamwork and organization, this is a huge boost to the English team, which was notorious for being never able to work as a team. This year's England is definitely different. They beat Sweden, they won a penalty shootout, and will now try and advance to the finals. But Croatia is no walkover.
Expected Starting XI
RankingBall Strategies
Attack Point - Raheem Sterling. Statistically-wise, England does not have much players that can consistently provide both goals and assists, and the stats have been very sporadic. However, I can give reasons why Sterling will shine today's match. Sime Vrsaljko, the Croatian right-back, is sidelined due to an Injury, and Croatia would have to bring in the old, rusty ex-Tottenham defender Vedran Corluka who is 32 years old to fill in the gap in defense. England would definitely use this to their advantage, and Sterling's youth and talent would be key in exploiting Corluka. The English playmaker Jesse Lingard is another option to consider.
Goal - Who has scored 6 goals in 4 appearances this tournament? Harry Kane. Kane is England's most reliable and talented striker. Expect him to score tonight against Croatia as well. Sandly, not many other offensive options are working out for England. Try your luck on John Stones and set pieces as he is England's second scorer, with 2 goals so far. If England is to win, Kane must score. Who knows whether Jamie Vardy will come out as a super sub and work wonders like Chadli did for Belgium?
Assist - As stated above, the England squad does not have a reliable source of assists. Try your luck on Jesse Lingard or Ashley Young. Both have performed well for United this season.
Fouls / Cards - Both sides are equally as physical as the another. Each side would be equally viable for fouls/cards, and there is not a single player who has collected many cards or have a reputation for playing tough. (Another factor that makes England this year very distinct. England used to have many tough guys)Also, don't expect either side to come out tough here as well, because fouling near the penalty area could spell defeat as both England and Croatia are dangerous during set pieces. Maybe you can expect Jordan Henderson to put up some foul play to stop Rakitic and Modric from dominating the midfield.
Corners - As stated above, England has set its set piece tactics meticulously. Expect them to get many corners when they can't get through the Croatian defense in field play. Why not go for a corner when you have a higher rate of aerial duel success? (Croatia 58%, England 62%)
Saves - If it was Pickford vs Subacic both full conditions, it would be a difficult situation. However, with Croatia down with fatigue, I look forward to Pickford being the better keeper of the two.
Croatia Preview
Phew.. Croatia has come a long way to the semifinals. They defeated Denmark and Russia after penalty shootouts, and ran over 130 km in both the matches. On paper, the 'Golden Generation' of Croatia seem to be more than a match for anyone, but will they be able to stand up to England after two tenuous battles? Honestly, I feel this is a repeat of South Korea in 2002. After beating two formidable opponents in extra time and shootouts, tired out in the semis and burnt out in the bronze match. However, Croatia's midfield boasts far superior quality and depth when compared to that of South Korea in 2002. Who knows whether this depth will come to Croatia's rescue and send them to the Finals?
Expected Starting XI
(why did this image got moved to the top.. steemit plz..)
RankingBall Strategies
Attack Point - The Real Madrid playmaker Luka Modric seems as the definite choice in this case. Modric has been the core of the team's offense both in the club and the nationals. He even was appointed the Man of the Match even with the Subacic and Cheryshev performing well. Another good choice would be the FC Barcelona midfielder Rakitic. If you would bet on the chances on Mario Mandzukic coming back to his scoring instincts like he did against Denmark, I would call it a safe bet as he can at least make assists like he did against Russia.
Goals - Croatia has a even more sporadic statistical distribution of goals and assist than England has. Go for some offensive options such as Modric, Madzukic, Brozovic. Or, if you think that set pieces will come to the rescue, try betting on Vida and Lovren.
Assists - As stated above, the stats are very widely distributed for Croatia. If you want consistency, I would put Mandzukic or Modric, whomever you have not put for attack point.
Saves - Subacic has undergone a strain versus Russia, and is unsure. However, if he comes to save Croatia, putting him would be a valid option.
Fouls / Cards - Both sides are equally as physical as the another. Each side would be equally viable for fouls/cards, and there is not a single player who has collected many cards or have a reputation for playing tough. Don't expect either side to come out tough here as well, because fouling near the penalty area could spell defeat as both England and Croatia are dangerous during set pieces.
Corners - Although England has a higher aerial duel win rate, Croatia has the height advantage.(185 vs 182) Also, keep in mind that Croatia has faced taller teams past the group stage. If they can keep a 58% win rate against Russia and Denmark, why won't Croatia use set pieces versus England?
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