What are your expections and hopes?

[legendz]

Agree with Stuttgart88. There are some changes to how we play. Both JoSH and Ward got forward a lot more last night than what we have come to expect under Trapattoni. Both this left us vulnerable to Hungary's speed on the counter.

Overall though I'm feeling more confident about the Croatia game. There are signs that Trapattoni is willing to change his approach and his comments about a 5 man midfield should keep forthcoming opposition second guessing what we will do - which is great as we have been so predictable up to now.

I can't see the full-back getting forward like that on Sunday. We played a more open game. Agree we are unpredictable. I don't think we've shown our hand ahead of Sunday even if we started with that 11. My optimism has dimmed though but if that's the smokescreen put out, I won't be complaining. I'm hopeful for an opening day win. I think we'll get the right performance on Sunday.

[Stuttgart88]

So what do we seriously know about Croatia? Some good forwards, a top drawer playmaker and a dodgy defence?

All I really know is that they lost their last game to Greece but in the play-off they got a great 3-0 in Turkey. Didn't Sweden then beat them easily in a recent friendly?

[jbyrne]

All I really know is that they lost their last game to Greece but in the play-off they got a great 3-0 in Turkey. Didn't Sweden then beat them easily in a recent friendly?

pretty sure they lost 1-3 at home to sweden in february and i know they drew 1 all away against Norway last week

[shakermaker1982]

Croatia - slow defence but their full backs do like to get forward. I've seen a lot of the 'experts' say that Croatia will look to counter. McGeady vs Corluka will be an interesting battle. I don't know anything about their gk, is he solid? Where is Edmundo when you need him?

Is Modric out of gas after a hard season? I bloody hope so. He makes them tick and if he's struggling then the only other BIG dangers IMO would be Snra and Jelavic (if he starts). Olic is a massive loss for them. His energy would have been a nightmare for St Ledger, Ward and O'Shea.

I'm going for a draw. 1-1. Plenty of nervous moments but we hold on.

[Bottle of Tonic]

I'm bricking it that we will be blitzed like the Russian game in Dublin. I know that appears to have been a once off but a couple of slices of bad luck early on vs Croatia and/or Spain and we could have our heads in our hands and be enduring very uncomfortable games.

On the other hand the hope is that our knack of nicking an early goal continues and sets us up for some hellish battles!

Whats the chances we will get some actual deadly performances like Paris? I agree with the Greece fear. Would hate for us to be remembered as a backs to the wall side out of their depth....

[Stuttgart88]

I think Liege might be the template. Have little of the ball but score from a set piece / shot, and make the occasional threat from wide. I have a feeling that Trap didn't want to show his hand from set pieces in the two friendlies and I think we'll see Andrews / Gibson having a pop more often.

If we can beat a decent Italy XI 2-0 with Keogh, McShane, Forde, Coleman and O'Dea in the starting XI and no Duff, Given, Dunne, Keane, McGeady etc. we can beat Croatia with our best XI. Scotland beat Australia in rugby today FFS. Tsonga has just had 4 match points against Djokovic (OK, he lost them all and it's 2 sets each now!). It's sport, not a lab experiment.

Stuttgart mantra no. 6: we'll get chances.

[paul_oshea]

we'll get chances alright, like russia at home, but by that stage its too late.

We have to hope that we contain all 3 teams for the first 50 minutes, if they take their chances like russia didn't at home, and hungary didn't last night, then it wont matter how many chances we get.

I'm worried now, we have seen this too often, not 1 game after the next, but still too often. Eventually like Russia at home (for us) it will go against us.

I'm bricking it that we will be blitzed like the Russian game in Dublin. I know that appears to have been a once off but a couple of slices of bad luck early on vs Croatia and/or Spain and we could have our heads in our hands and be enduring very uncomfortable games.

Thats my point we dont even need bad luck, all that needs to happen is the opposition to take their chances.

[Tipp Townie]

I didnt mean to sound overtly negative yesterday - and i don't disagree with most of whats been said since.

The losing-the-first-two-matches-and-already-being-out-before-Italy scenario is something i don't believe will happen; it's just a fear, like that which most fans will have before a tournament. And with our group its not inconceiveable eh.

Its interesting to hear some of the positivity re. a slight change in tactics by Trap. I'll admit i've only seen bits of the recent matches (there's only so much you can taken in on blurry internet feeds). However i still 100% believe that Traps priority v Croatia will be to avoid defeat. He knows that losing your first game is a killer and we'll be kept tight to start with.

[legendz]

Having gear changing hopes and expectations from optimism to pessimism and back! Based on our history and the current squads history I can't see us losing all 3 games. This squad had two decent draws with Italy, a friendly win for what it's worth, disappointing home game against France but a great reaction in Paris until we were robbed. We didn't exactly play well in the two games against Russia in qualifying which will be a worry. Still, I'd agree with Roy Keane that we will get a big result, it's hard to call a game that will happen in. I'd be optimistic we'd only lose one game in the group, while Spain is obvious, it's hard to call as well. Between all that, I'm hopeful for a win and a draw at least. There's no guarantees that'll get us through.

[gustavo]

Not expecting us to get out of that group but the hope is always there . We'll certainly be hard to beat and there's no reason we can't get a win or two , 4-5 points certainly isn't beyond us.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Agreed. 4 points is my prediction.
And that's based on wild-eyed optimism.

[geysir]

Wild eyed optimism? that's dangerous territory for you AB.

[Closed Account]

God I'm nearly sick with nerves now.
Not flying out to Poland until Monday so going to watch the Croatia game in the pub.

My hopes are the same as everyone, that we perform to our ability, put in at least two good performances out of 3. No regrets afterwards basically.

My expectations..... I find it very hard to be rational when thinking about Ireland. With a group of players with very little Champions League experience, and very little tournament experience, you'd expect us to come up short. Either burn too bright too quickly or too late. We'll get chances, but its of paramount importance that we take them. If we can get more than 3 goals in the 3 games, we've a good chance of going through as I don't think we'll concede that many. (Unless we lose an early goal and the heads drop, i.e Russia)

[legendz]

Despite his concerns over England, Shearer feels the Republic of Ireland could spring a surprise despite being drawn in a difficult group.Giovanni Trapattoni’s side face Italy, Croatia and holders Spain in Group C, but the former Newcastle talisman believes the Republic of Ireland squad can reach the knockout stages.
He said: “I’ve got a sneaky feeling they might get out of that group. The Italians are in disarray, they’ve had three straight defeats so if there was ever a chance of Ireland getting a result then maybe this is it.
“I think the important thing is you don’t get beat in your first game. If you get a result it sets you up for the next one and confidence will be there for the other games. If you can avoid defeat there who knows.
“They’ll be hard to beat.
They don’t score many goals but they don’t concede many either and they’re on a decent run. If there was a team to get out of a hard group I would say Ireland have a shot.”

I hope he is right! Better prediction than that crooked Crooks.