"In the next match, we'll adopt a compact defensive formation. Luka will be responsible for long passes into open spaces up front, and the forwards will rely on individual ability to create scoring chances!"
Van Stoyac combed his stubborn strands of hair to one side, his belly getting rounder by the day, and laid out the strategy.
Modrić's eyes lit up—this was a tactic he'd been eager to try for a while.
Everyone turned to look at Suker and Mandžukić, trying hard not to laugh.
Suker looked dejected.
Even on national duty, he couldn't escape the fate of being the "dog."That damn "fetch-the-frisbee" playstyle—he just couldn't get rid of it.
Still, for Croatia, this match needed to be won.And this was the most stable defensive strategy available.
A tight, compact defense would secure the backline and make it hard for the rough English players to organize fluid attacks.At the same time, counterattacks could pose serious threats to England's defense.
In Van Stoyac's view, facing such a high-stakes match, England's coach McClaren would be cautious—very cautious.He wouldn't dare take excessive tactical risks.
Even if England adjusted their formation, Croatia could rely on disciplined defense to neutralize the threat and wait for opportunities to strike.
It was clear from Van stoyac's tactical setup—Croatia was out to eliminate England.
"We'll run a training drill this afternoon," he said. "But the most important thing is defense."
"Vukojević and Modrić, you need to cover a lot of ground—block passing lanes, slow down attacks, and buy time for the backline."
"Understood!" both responded in unison.
"Suker and Mandžukić—work on coordination in the final third. Especially you, Mandžukić—draw defenders away from Suker when needed."
Mandžukić nodded.He knew a solid defense was key, but they also had to take advantage of Suker's world-class individual skills.
Clap!Van stoyac closed his tactics notebook and called out:
"I think you all know what our goal is in this match."
The room fell silent.
Some things didn't need to be said aloud—but Van Stoyac wasn't the subtle type.
"Take down England!" he said with a grim smile.
The players exchanged glances.
Suker slammed the table.
"Crush England!"
With Suker joining in, everyone loosened up and started yelling:
"Crush England!"
"Down with the Brits!"
"Been sick of them for ages!"
In coach Bilić's room, Van Stoyac laughed:
"The squad morale is great—spirits are high."
"Whatever formation England comes up with," he added, "we can handle it."
Bilić nodded:
"Once we eliminate England, we'll face one less powerhouse in the knockout stage."
"One less title contender, you mean." Van Stoyac grinned."Don't tell me you're just here to put on a good show. If we don't aim for the title, we won't get far."
Bilić waved his hand and chuckled bitterly:
"Let's take it step by step."
Van Stoyac sighed internally.
He felt Bilić was too conservative.
A young team like theirs should be full of fire—go all in and knock out the big names while they can.
"You're the head coach, your call," Van stoyac said with a smile."But we agreed—tactics are my domain."
"I trust you," Bilić replied."That's why I hired you."
"Let's hope it stays that way," Van stoyac muttered under his breath.
On the first day of training in London, Croatia ran everything by the book.
Even though the squad didn't play together regularly, they still had decent chemistry.
Of course, national teams could never match club teams in tactical cohesion, which meant a bit of unfamiliarity was inevitable.
But that was true for England as well.
The Next Day – London Heats Up
Crowds of England fans flooded across London Bridge toward Wembley Stadium, the iconic venue for every major football event in England—from FA Cup finals to must-win qualifiers.
And today, it was the stage for Euro 2008 Qualifier Round 12, the do-or-die match for England vs. Croatia.
RAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH——BEEP BEEP BEEP——BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO——
English fans were passionate—and LOUD.
Even in chilly December, Wembley felt like a furnace, radiating heat from tens of thousands of cheering fans.
With England's qualification on the line, fans weren't going to miss this.
And their opponent?None other than Croatia, who had been phenomenal across the first 11 rounds.
Even though Croatia was strong, the English fans believed in their team.
After all, these Three Lions players were the cream of the crop from the Premier League—every one of them a key figure in a top-tier club.
Sure, Croatia was no pushover—but on home soil, the fans believed England would prevail and secure their place in the Euro finals.
As cheers roared around the stadium, both teams finished warming up.
After last-minute preparations in the locker room, they entered the players' tunnel.
"Let's go! Let's go!"
Croatia's coaching staff and substitutes were first to step out, shouting encouragement along the way.
As Bilić and Van Stoyac emerged from the tunnel, Van Stoyac caught sight of England's starting lineup.
He raised an eyebrow.
"McClaren's lost his mind," he muttered.
Three-at-the-back!McClaren had actually changed formation—a back three.
This formation typically emphasized offense—sacrificing defensive depth to bolster the midfield and attack.
But it demanded extremely versatile center-backs.
Apparently, McClaren had immense faith in Carragher, Ferdinand, and Terry.
Individually, they were excellent.But Van Stoyac couldn't help but laugh.
Because they weren't facing average strikers.
They were facing Suker.
And McClaren, bless him, hadn't realized that Suker had played as a winger all through qualifiers.
Only for this match… he was now a striker.
Starting Lineups:
England (3-5-2):
GK: Paul Robinson
DEF: Carragher, Terry, Ferdinand
MID: Gary Neville, Parker, Lampard, Carrick, Ashley Cole
FWD: Crouch, Rooney
Croatia (4-4-2):
GK: Pletikosa
DEF: Srna, Simunic, Kovac, Pranjić
MID: Rakitić, Vukojević, Modrić, Kranjčar
FWD: Mandžukić, Suker
Seeing Suker listed as a striker made McClaren's heart skip a beat.
He stared wide-eyed at the lineup sheet.
"Suker's playing as a striker?"
He gaped slightly, stunned.
What the hell…
England was running three at the back.But Suker wasn't playing wide anymore—he was up top, ready to tear into the backline.
With support from Modrić and Simunic's distribution, Suker could directly threaten the entire back three.
McClaren had hoped his five-man midfield would contain Suker and fuel the attack.
But instead, it had backfired.Spectacularly.
"Was this part of your plan too?" Bilić looked at Van Stoyac in shock.
Van Stoyac's tactics were sharp—but this level of foresight?
"I guessed," Van Stoyac admitted with a shrug.
"Didn't expect McClaren to cooperate so perfectly though."
"Three center-backs?" He beamed."This is going to be brutal."
From tactics alone, Croatia had already seized the upper hand.
England was trying to control the midfield with pressure and possession.
Croatia sidestepped the fight entirely—tight defense, fast counters.
Van Stoyac didn't believe England's bruisers could pull off Spain-style intricate passing.
This wasn't Arsenal, after all.
But the real killer?
England's back three.
Against this formation, Suker at striker was like a blade hovering over their heads—ready to strike at any moment.