Matt Lebo and Anthony Zorić of CroatianSports.com discuss the pros and cons of the Croatia vs. Brazil friendly on Sunday, where the 5-time World Cup champions defeated the Vatreni 2-0.
Ante Rebić and his hard work stood out.
Ivan Perišić had a bad game.
Where to put Domagoj Vida for the World Cup?
LMMFAO.
https://www.facebook.com/moto55RacingTeam/videos/1021644244655200/
The key will be Raketa providing support in attack once the tournament starts. I think he played a very reserved role against Brazil and you could tell a big difference. Perisic thrives on the diagonal ball and the support has to come from Midfield when our strikers get the ball. Modric is skillful yet pass first, even in the final third. Rakitic has the cannon with both feet, there fore his late supporting runs are important to unlocking chances.
We have to get some shots off from outside the box…we can’t depend on predictable long crosses into the box all the time. Our midfield needs to help out with goals.
Slavonac, I pray the sense of urgency kicks in at the start of the world cup.
Good post Mixed Grill.
Seems like none of our backline can really splash the ball. Corluka used to have it in him.
I understand Lika but if we look at the chances created in the last few games they are far and few between. maybe I’m just being a pessimist but thats whats worrying me.
Cilic into the French quarters, plays Del Potro
Guys let’s not panic just yet. The boys will be pumped when the world cup starts. Yesterday was just a friendly…the second half was horrible…the first we looked decent. I just hope Dalic knows what he is doing.
or we can just put Perisic at leftback, and all our problems are solved except for Subasic.
Slavonac, I remember Perisic during world cup Qualifying with Belgium he was horrible. I pray he snaps out if this. Stef TO I agree about our midfield and our strikers.. We can move the ball to the final third then nothing.
Hope that the players can produce in the final third especially the first game vs. Nigeria
Perisic definitely had a weak game but he’s a proven elite player. I’m hopeful that he’ll bounce back.
Some things to consider; He didn’t play with a LB who was committing overlapping runs as he usually would even with Strinic. Therefore, he was left to fend against Danilo with Paulinho and Willian pinching in as well. I also think Danilo had an excellent game defensively.
Decent game overall, let’s see what Dalic tries on Friday.
Anyone here see the latest news from Mamic? He’s provided the media some text messages that show the they are trying to tell the judge he has to be found guilty….this doesn’t look good!
When your best player is a midfielder who barely connects the ball into the final third that is a bad omen
recently for inter and croatia, perisic would rather roll his eyes and complain with teammates than work off the ball. he has always been mentally weak, reminds me of his dortmund days under klopp when he would have tantrums. brozovic is similar when frustrated, he has a good teacher.
Agree with Slavonac on Perisic.
From the 2014 world cup to last Euros, Perisic was on fire every game. Don’t know what happened to him? Regardless of how he plays at Inter, he plays well some games for us, but many times he has been totally non-existent.
What happened to him, I don’t know. I hope he shows up for the world cup, but nobody knows if he will.
Our midfield never connects with the forwards because of our defensive end. For years now our back players can’t get anything started offensively. They are hopeless and lack confidence. This pulls back the midfield and isolates the forwards. Put a Ramos on this team and suddenly a Mandzukic works. That is why modric has to play back just as he does for Madrid,despite everyone wanting the opposite.
Moving forward Cro must play the following line up to get the best balance and scoring threat. Sub Brozovic for Badelj against Argentina.
Mandzukic
Rebic or Kramaric
Perisic Brozovic Modric Rakitic
Strinic Vida Lovren Vrsaljko
I meant to say we aren’t gonna go as Modric goes….
ps, my post is awaiting moderation.
“Perisic will show up – he’s the least of our worries”
Ummm…I’m really not sold on that comment. You see, Perisic was one of the crappy players for us in the last part of the qualifying cycle and if you think a player has a switch they just turn on and off as they wish, I think thats being naive.
Maybe I’m just being the negative Nancy today but I just disagree with the midfield comment. Yeah, on paper, each of those midfielders we have are great at their current clubs but we haven’t seen them provide a real good performance against an average team in a long time! We lost badly to Peru and then our second team did better vs Mexico. This game vs Brazil saw us play decent, but decent didn’t translate to a single goal or even a great chance….maybe a few half chances.
In the period where we were really good in midfield, we dominated our opponents and held them in their own third of the field…when have we seen that recently? I really don’t consider Greece a big challenge, we’d get the same quality game if we played against a Croatian select team playing in the HNL.
I keep saying that we go as Perisic goes! We really are gonna go as Modric goes, I can guarantee that…his influence is very different than Perisic’s is. Perisic creates his own chances and brings many to our other attackers. but all that only happens when he’s engaged….and for this past year he hasn’t been close to the player he can be!
What I don’t get is how everyone can’t see what the real problem is. It’s been an issue now for years! It’s goal scoring.
There continues to be absolutely zero link up between our mids and strikers in the final third. The strikers don’t get the ball! This has to be fixed for us to do anything at the WC. Playing Modric up there is just stupid he’s a deep lying midfielder. If anything switch him and Rakitic or go 4-4-2. This craziness has to stop.
Perisic was Inter Milan’s best player in the second half of the season and the main reason Mauro Icardi had 29 goals this year.
Perisic will show up – he’s the least of our worries.
What has been painfully obvious to watch lately is not having two good overlapping fullbacks on the field at the same time (Vida looked lost in that position) and the lack of quality first touches from our forwards in the box.
Overall, we have the quality in midfield and should advance from our group and, after that, anything can happen
as I stated beforehand about Perisic and the other prediction worth mentioning… the future of this national team will become nothing, only a present of a God will guarantee you that things would change!”
The good news is that (at full strength) during that first half, Brazil never looked like they overwhelmed us and Brazil is easily a top-3 team in this tournament.
We looked like a team that was holding back a lot in these past few friendlies (probably to avoid injuries), so I am hoping this is the case. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a completely different team out there once we start the World Cup.
I only care about tournament results, so I will hold off and judge Dalic after the Euros. But if we continue to play like this (with concrete blocks tied to our feet, struggling to score goals and not pressuring the opponents when they have the ball) then we are done in the first round.
Thanks for the upload, Ante! I like this kinda content, it’s a nice chill thing to relax and listen to for a game i didn’t actually get to see myself.
Perisic looks like he has weights tied to his feet.
Don’t know what happened to him since the Euros? Maybe he needs some rest?
Well, I hope that’s the case too cause he’s really our best attacking option we have. I’m kinda pissed off at how little he’s done.
Nice passing but not putting ball in the net= losing games in world cup
Perisic stepped up in the last two tournaments for us (he was our best player in 2014 and 2016). I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. He might just be a lazy Splicanin who doesn’t care and will step up when it matters.
I’m hoping that’s the case, or we’re going nowhere this tournament.
Kvartuc, if we are gonna be honest and out responsibility where it belongs then we better start admitting this wasn’t just a bad game for Perisic. He hasn’t had a good game in at least a year! We shouldn’t misrepresent what’s actually happening on the field, the guy is playing like he’s some kind of spoiled baby.
Strong performance from Rebic, he was energetic but also looked clumsy at times….which really didn’t bother me too much cause the guys a hard working, scrappy and feisty player.
Modric was average, Krama had no service, Badelj and Rakitic played well. Our backs were all ok, Vida looked very uncomfortable and didn’t lunge or challenge for the ball not even once when he was on the defensive side of an attack.
Kovacic, Car and Jedvaj all looked pedestrian and completely out of place. Pjaca was just ok, Subasic kinda makes me nervous when he gets causual while knocking the ball upfield.
Our starting lineup was above average. I enjoyed watching them press high and cause pressure, Brazil looked beatable in that first half. The only real weakness I felt was Perisic and I won’t stop harping on this guy cause I feel like it’s his attitude that’s holding him back and not his abilities. It’s a real shame he’s playing so horribly, I may eventually lose hope and start to support Pjaca playing with Rebic instead of him! It’s unbearable to watch in my opinion.
Ante Zizic getting some NBA finals minutes at the end of this game 😀
yolo
Vida lovren caleta vrsaljko