Chapter 341: Dual Core Coexistence? McClaren’s Nonsense!

"Hey, are you guys for real? This is bullying!"

"You were the one scoring the most! A hat-trick! Damn, you went all in!"

"I only scored two, okay? Asking for a hat-trick isn't too much, is it?"

Mandžukić stretched his neck defiantly. "I scored two as well, so asking for a hat-trick isn't too much either!"

Šimunić: "Who didn't score two?"

Šuker shook his head in disbelief.

These brutes...

In this match, Croatia had goals from multiple players. Although the win wasn't exactly honorable, it was still a big morale boost ahead of the upcoming battle.

After taking this match, the Croatian team began to feel the tension.

The toughest challenge in the Euro qualifiers group stage was about to arrive.

They were going to host England at home.

For Croatia, the only good news was that Rooney was suspended and would miss the match.

The bad news? Liverpool's 201cm tall striker Peter Crouch might start as the center forward.

On October 7, England had only managed a draw against Macedonia at home.

This result left the English team frustrated and itching to unleash their fury on Croatia.

But Croatia was no pushover either.

Even before the match began, the English media had already started stirring up drama.

"Beckham: England's experience gives us the edge, even away from home!"

"McClaren: It's time to give the youngsters a chance!"

"McClaren drops Beckham!"

"Beckham still captains the squad but will mostly sit on the bench."

"McClaren claims he's solved the Gerrard-Lampard issue!"

When Šuker saw these headlines, he couldn't help but sneer.

"Bullshit!"

The so-called 'Gerrard-Lampard coexistence issue' had plagued the entire England era, and McClaren had supposedly solved it? What a joke.

All he did was position one ahead and one behind.

Lampard focused on offense while Gerrard was tasked with defense.

But Lampard lacked playmaking ability and refused to drop back.

Gerrard wasn't a true playmaker either—he ended up running himself ragged in the backfield.

Without Beckham, England's industrious midfield now lacked a metronome, and their lack of playmaking became more and more obvious.

The Three Lions were turning into the Three Kittens.

Despite media hype calling them the world's best and all the buzz surrounding them, this England team wasn't as strong as it seemed.

Croatia was deep into training.

Assistant coach Van Stoyak definitely knew his stuff—he pointed out the rigidity in England's midfield and called for high pressing from Croatia.

Even though Croatia could opt for positional play and defend England's static midfield, it would lack initiative.

Both Bilić and Van Stoyac wanted Croatia to play proactively.

The game against Andorra was just an experiment. The real test would be against England.

Whether the Three Lions would be turned into Three Kittens would be decided in this match.

The Croatian players were fired up. Unlike the Andorra match, this upcoming clash carried the hopes of the entire nation.

On October 10, England arrived in Zagreb.

Naturally, they were greeted with loud boos from the Croatian public.

Booed from the airport all the way to their hotel.

England was still led by Beckham, even though Coach McClaren stated he'd be on the bench.

This English squad was still star-studded:

Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Campbell, Lescott, Barry, Phillips, etc.

But most attention focused on the midfield.

Everyone hoped that Gerrard and Lampard—the Liverpool and Chelsea midfield duo—could work together.

At the national training center, the Croatians watched footage of the English squad.

Modrić suddenly said, "If it's Gerrard and Lampard starting together, we'll have the edge in midfield."

Modrić respected Gerrard as Liverpool's captain and a worthy opponent, but he pointed out that Gerrard lacked organization—Alonso was the real orchestrator for Liverpool.

Same with Lampard.

Basically, they were both "bombers."

Put a workhorse beside them, and they can thrive.

But just the two of them? That midfield becomes a disaster.

"We'll control the midfield better. If we keep possession and pace, England will panic!"

And England had this problem:

Once they panicked, they abandoned all tactical setups and reverted to their primal instincts—long balls and aerial duels.

"I'll hold the line," said Šimunić.

Modrić turned to him. "Crouch may be tall and good with headers, but he actually prefers shooting with his feet. Watch out for that."

Šimunić nodded in understanding.

In the Croatian squad, Šimunić, standing at 195cm, was the only one tall enough to match up physically with the 201cm Crouch.

"Tomorrow's game day. Everyone stay sharp."

Šuker clapped his hands and left the gym.

The Croatian players also started heading out.

Meanwhile, in the coach's office, Bilić and Van Stoyac were deep in tactical discussion.

"We must press! Take the initiative. England's midfield isn't that strong. Shake them up, and they'll lose composure!" Van Stoyac stressed. "Without Beckham, they have no creativity left. Compared to them, our midfield is far superior."

He believed that despite their fame, Gerrard and Lampard together were less than the sum of their parts.

Their styles were too similar—completely incompatible.

McClaren was just bluffing.

He had no real solution.

Plus, those two didn't even try to cooperate.

Conflicting egos!Clashing traits!Tactical mismatch!

How could they possibly coexist?

In contrast, Croatia had much better tactical harmony.

Bilić thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I get it."

He knew that succeed or fail, they had to try.

This formation had been in the works for so long—it wasn't built to crush minnows.

He hoped it would shine at the Euros.

And now, they had a chance to sharpen their blade against England.

If they lost, he'd take responsibility and try again next time.

If they won, it would prove the tactical system's viability—and Croatia's overall strategy could evolve.

The next day, Croatia was buzzing with excitement.

Though it was only a Euro qualifier…

Facing England had ignited the nation.

The media rallied in support of the Croatian national team.

From October 8 onward, commentators, legends, and analysts crowded the broadcasting platforms, all discussing how the match might unfold and offering different scenarios.

The overall sentiment was one of anticipation.

This was no longer the Croatia of old.

With the right tactics and structure, beating England wasn't a pipe dream.

Sure, it'd be tough.

After all, England's squad was the cream of the Premier League.

But Croatia's players weren't slouches either.

In terms of fame and value, they weren't necessarily weaker.

These Croatian players had already made names for themselves in their respective leagues.

With proper cohesion and chemistry, their performance was highly anticipated.

That night, Croatia's broadcast team invited two heavyweights:

Croatian football legend Davor Šuker and Dinamo Zagreb's head coach Bešić.

"Welcome to the live broadcast studio. Before the match begins, let's hear your predictions."

Davor Šuker immediately declared, "I fully support Croatia. I believe we will win."

Bešić was a bit more cautious. "It depends on the tactics and how the coaching staff execute their plan."

"Didn't Bilić consult with you about tactics?" Šuker said bluntly.

Bešić rolled his eyes, thinking, "This idiot…"

Ahem! Bešić cleared his throat. "Yes, I did exchange ideas with Coach Bilić. Since I've worked with many of these players before, we had some in-depth discussions and verified our concepts together. Based on that, I believe Coach Bilić will make the right decisions."

Bešić then added, firmly, "So yes—I also believe Croatia will win!"