Tag Archives: Croatia football

Unpacking the 2018 World Cup: Hart, Walkes, Hislop and Sheppard talk France, trends and lessons from Russia

“Teams that couldn’t adjust defensively and show patience and discipline to withstand those spells [of possession from opponents] found themselves chasing the game. France were without question the best at this…” “There was […] a return to what we would consider ‘outdated’ centre forwards like Mario Mandzukic, Olivier Giroud and, …

Read More »

Sputnik 2018: Oh là là! France wins cracking final against Croatia; Downer rules on controversial penalty

Compelling, crazy, comic, controversial… France are now the World Cup champions and the greatest international team on the planet, after a 4-2 win over Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow today. The first own goal of a final, a controversial penalty, VAR, a teenaged goal scorer, stifling reactive tactics, …

Read More »

Sputnik 2018: Coming home? England continue aerial assault on Russia; while Croatia enjoy la Vida loca

Eh… It’s coming home? Barely two months ago, Russia president Vladimir Putin expelled nearly five dozen British diplomats, as the two countries bickered over the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in London. Who would have thought that the England football team would be more difficult to dislodge? For …

Read More »