The 2022 World Cup qualifying draw is finally upon us.
On December 7th, Croatia will know who will be in their 2022 World Cup qualifying group. The reigning World Cup finalists will be placed in Pot 1 among the top teams in Europe. Of the 10 groups in play, all group winners automatically clinch a berth to the World Cup while all 10 runners-up with join two UEFA Nations League teams in the playoffs. Of those 12 teams, four will go to Qatar.
Which path is easiest? Which path are you rooting for?
Easiest group for Croatia: Romania, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg, Andorra, San Marino
Hardest group for Croatia: Switzerland, Russia, Bosnia, Azerbaijan, Moldova
The group CroatianSports.com is rooting for: Poland, Ireland, Bosnia, Faroe Islands, Malta
This is the easiest group my word… Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia. Cyprus and Malta.
We are only partially Slav
So far we got Slovakia and Russia.
Give us Serbia, Bosnia, all of them – whole slav group would be awesome- same as history, we finish #1. Ajmo decki.
Me above
I think he does a good job moving without the ball.
I guess that’s what I mean by workhorse.
We all know he can’t defend.
Every time I watch Pasalic, he seems lazy.
I like Pasalic, he’s a good player, but he aint no workhorse.
@caine
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This is why I’m starting to believe that Majer should be on the senior squad, over a player like Pasalic.
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Pasalic has a much better club resume and has more Market Value…but he’s not a creative force that creates goals for others.
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Pasalic is more of a workhorse with good technical ability. He runs well without the ball and always pushes forward, and tries to stay open for he teammates as he crashes toward the opponent’s third.
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But he’s not really that creative where he can make a move, and thread a pass to someone in the box and create a goalscoring chance, like Majer does for the U21s.
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Majer is very gifted like that, and would be much more useful when playing with other technically gifted finishers like Krama, Petkovic, or our wingers.
I hope we stay focus n beat whatever teams we get in the group…the U21 r quite talented to feed the Vatreni,as u saw in their euro qualification total goals scored.
Remember, only the top teams in each group qualify for the World Cup. A slip up against the group B team at home has to be avoided.
Teams will be split into ten groups of five or six (the four teams who reached the 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals (Belgium, France, Italy, Spain) will be in the smaller groups). The ten group winners qualify for the World Cup.
@Andrej
I think Majer might be better than Pašalić actually.
He’ll get a callup soon enough, but I like what I see from him.
I’ve only ever seen Pašalić play well once, so I’m a bit biased against him.
my prediction; croatia, austria, N. Ireland, slovenia, faroe islands
Good to see Sučić play again for Salzburg in the Champions League. Great experience for an 18 year old.
@CroatiaU14
We’ve been having this debate for a while. After the Euros, Dalic will definitely bring in whoever is ready (like Vlasic and Brekalo last time). Then the next question is who do you drop;
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Most would agree that we drop Badelj (another error on Monday) but is Moro better than Rog right now?? Maaaaaaybe
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Is Sutalo better than Uremovic, Juranovic, or Jedvaj?? Maaaaaybe
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Ivanusec is interesting because Perisic, Krama, Brekalo, and Rebic are a lock leaving two spots; Orsic, Pjaca, or Budimir/Petkovic. I don’t think Ivanusec is better than any of those guys right now but I like his directness.
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Majer is simply not close to Pasalic or Vlasic right now.
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Gvardiol is a definite maybe but I think it pretty logical to take two vets and two up and comers to the Euros; Pongracic & Caleta-Car and Vida & Lovren. Don’t forget about Benkovic although it seems like his current manager has.
The Pot 2 teams are all boring.
This is why having Serbia would be fun.
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Pot 3 has a lot of physical, clumsy teams. We need to keep Marko Pjaca far away from those games if we draw one of them.
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Pot 4 is the former Yugo + Eastern Bloc Cigos + Luxembourg group, lol.
We never drew Montenegro, so that would be pretty fun too. Pump some goals in them for Dubrovnik, lol.
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Don’t care about any team in Pot 5 or 6.
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It would be pretty fun to have a Cro, Serbia and Montenegro group…and watch the Nationalist Crnogorci wave Croatian flags and pump Thompson songs at their Serbia match (if they allow fans) haha.
Dalic should be exploring a lone CB formation with him spoilt for choice when it comes to MF ( DMF,CMF & AMF ). It works like this.
1-3-2-2-2
1 CB – a lone centre back ,
3 DMF – 3 defensive midfielders,but the outside DMF will drop back a little as SB (LB & RB) when the opponent has the ball, seemingly making it a 3 back…not much overlaping or no overlaping to send in croses at all,except for corner kicks. the middle DMF will act as destroyer ie Brozovic.
2 CM – this role is for talented and ball playing midfielders like Modric,Kovacic with the freedom to roam n play, i mean 2 no. 10’s. will drop back n help as CDMF when not in possesion of the ball,can also join the attack as AMF as Modric is gud with LR strikes.
2 AMF/WF – this r players that will play as AMF/WF,to send in croses into the box for the CF/SS. ie Perisic,Vlasic/Rebic.will drop to join the CMF when not in possesion.
2 CF – one will play as a typical CF n the other as a SS / 2 CF if is ok. ie Petkovic n Kramaric/ Kramaric n Pasalic(he plays as a false no. 9 for Atalanta sometimes)
2 CFS/CF & SS
Kramaric/Pasalic & Petkovic
AMF/LWF. AMF/RWF
Perisic. Rebic
CMF. CMF
Modric/Vlasic kovacic/Basic
CDMF
Brozovic/Basic/Bistrovic
DMF/LB. DMF/RB
Bradaric. Unknown
CB
Pongracic/Duje CC
GK
Basically playing 5-7 midfielders
Good probability that we get a fellow Balkan side from Pot 4 (BiH, CG, Slovenia). Those would be a fun tie, especially if we get to a spot where fans are allowed again.
Lol
I’m rooting for a group of gypsy’s ,Romania or Serbia…Hungary …Albania…Kosovo…Malta.
If we lose we can at least be entertained by watching them parade thru the streets in their 1983 Mercedes while their cousins fornicate with their sisters in the backseat!
oh for sure, i agree.
@Miloš yes, but I’m thinking long run. These games go throughout the whole year right? Of course, let the young guys play in the Euro haha. But after the knockouts and into fall, I feel it would be nice to see some young talent in the squad. Who knows, maybe Sucic will be called up right away because he didn’t participate in the U21 Qualifiers. Maybe Biscan wants to keep the exact squad he had in qualifiers for the tourney.
curses r made to be broken n history to re-writen,must Croatia always perform poorly in qualifiers? There is soo much talent n brighter Vatreni future ahead.
@CroatiaU14 that is unlikely because the U21s have their euro21 group stages in the March international break. it’s an interesting setup with the group stages in march and the knockouts in summer. If the u21s don’t make it through the group stage we may see some of those guys join us for the senior tourney
Don’t qualifiers begin in March? Hopefully the coronavirus will be calmer by then, I wouldn’t be surprised to see fans let into the stadium.
I’m hoping to see Dalić call up young guys rather than guys like Badelj, Rog, maybe even Vida, etc. We don’t need to play guys that are in their late 20s or early 30s that hardly do anything for the team. Dalić doesn’t even have to think too young, he can call up guys like Majer, Moro; Ivanušec. Maaaaybe Gvardiol if he wants to go really young?
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Nah. Serbia would be fun.
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The risk of getting fines or docked points would be reduced because of no fans.
I think the Vatreni would want to avoid Serbia, too much tension more than just football. Switzerland would be a worry too. Honestly I’m more worried Croatia slipping up against weaker teams as is usual the case.