World Cup: Day 17

We made it. The group stages are complete. I’ll be honest and admit this has completely fried my brain. Things gradually start to slow down now in terms of match volume, with “just” three a week coming up (after a very quiet Sunday). Let’s get into it.

Group L

Qualification wasn’t really on the line as much as a first/second/third placed finish. Both Ghana and Croatia needed a win to be sure of a top two spot, with the potential for first place if the other game went their way.

Croatia are the most annoying team to play against in international football (complimentary).

You think they’re all getting old. You think they’ll tire. You think that the game will swing your way. But somehow a bunch of geriatrics just get better and better as the match goes on. Somehow you end the game with a 40 year old Luka Modrić having more touches than anyone else on the pitch.

This was perhaps always a poorer fit for Ghana than the England game. You can’t easily sit in a low block and just give Modrić and co all the space they want to run the show. Though I do have some sympathy for Ghana. I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do if Petar Sučić decides to just whack it in the net from miles out.

Ghana had decent spells of possession in the second half that they just didn’t do much with. They didn’t have the ideas to break down a Croatia side happy to sit deeper at times. The equaliser came from a set piece and their only threatening chance of the game. Croatia got their winner the same way. This was not a thrilling encounter, with one team set up to defend and the other old and tired enough to only attack when they absolutely need to. But Ghana should have shown more ambition here. The Carlos Queiroz approach was the wrong one against Croatia. IF they wanted to win the game, that is. Because maybe they shouldn’t have?

Croatia now have a Round of 32 tie against Portugal, before potentially either Spain or Austria. Ghana actually look to have the gentler route now, facing Colombia then Switzerland or Algeria. Moving on…

I’ve watched almost every England game of the 21st century. I’ve watched many of them multiple times to analyse and write about. This was the first World Cup game I can remember feeling exactly like a qualifying match (derogatory).

Tactics Tom made five changes, though this was not a “rotated” side as such. Reece James’ injury meant Jarell Quansah came in. While Quansah is a centre back by trade, Tuchel has been using his right back as an extra centre back anyway, so it made some tactical sense. Nico O’Reilly returned at left back after Djed Spence didn’t impress against Ghana. Declan Rice had a knock, though Tuchel implied afterwards that it was mainly about being on a yellow card. The manager went really bold and brought in Morgan Rogers for Rice, with Jude Bellingham moving slightly deeper. Anthony Gordon was dropped for Marcus Rashford while Bukayo Saka was deemed fit enough to start, replacing Noni Madueke.