[Slick_Footwork]

Only because they lost one game to iceland, their results in the group were solid enough.

Croatia's MF and AT was frightening! I think you are doing them a disservice. Rakitic - Barca; Modric - Real: Perisic - Inter; Brozovic - Inter; Mandzukic - Juve- they are all technically better than the english players. Big athletic players like henderson don't win you tournaments. Neither him or alli are capable of setting the tempo in a game like that.

To be honest it was all there in the Tunisia match. Woefully profligate in front of goal, utterly reliant on set pieces and a defence that was one miskick away from meltdown. Be grateful you never came up against france as they would have tore you a new one.

I'm one of these sad people that watches tons of football, so I'm completely aware of who the Croatian players are and who they play for.

But completely disagree that Brozovic and Mandzukic are top class. Mandzukic was a top class player, a few years ago. He's spent recent times playing his trade in a work man like wide midfield role, covering the full back. He looked very average in the entire tournament and let's face it, his goal was simply because Stones switched off. As for Brozovic, I've watched lots of him and always thought he was distinctly average. But it's all about opinions.

The reality is, we lost 2-1 with a side playing numerous square pegs in round holes and that was completely nonreactive to the changes in the game due to poor management. We didn't lose because we matched them up and they then played us off the park - we lost because we failed to match them up.

As far as 'being grateful for not making it to the final', what complete nonsense. By this notion, let's just quit watching football now. Do you do that if Hibs are in the semi of the cup and Celtic are awaiting in the final? Do you celebrate losing?

Any sane fan wants their team to go as far as they can and we've seen on numerous occasions how anyone can beat anyone else in a 1 off game. Hell, West Brom went to Man United away last year and won 1-0 when we couldn't buy a win and they were flying high.

Would France have beaten us? Probably. They have better players across the board. 'Tore us a new one'? Doubtful. Nobody seems capable of ripping anyone else apart in this tournament. I've watched all of France's games and the only game they have won by more than a goal was against Uruguay, which was a complete fluke. France struggled to beat Australia, needing a very disputed penalty and fluked their way past Peru. I'm not sure if you've been watching something else to suggest how great they are. I would've fancied them against us, like I do against Croatia, but seen nothing to suggest there are any full gone conclusions.