Ante Budimir has been sent home due to a “fever” and will not play in Croatia’s two friendlies this week, the HNS made official today. Budimir is currently the 2nd leading scorer in La Liga this season. Many believe — including myself — that Croatia’s #9 striker role is his to lose at Euro 2024. Absolute shame.
In the long run this shouldn’t change things too much. I can only assume that Budimir would have started one match this week and Petković the other. We will get to see Budimir in checkers again in June when Croatia play two more friendlies, against North Macedonia and Portugal, prior to Euro 2024 kicking off.
A good time to try Mario Pašalić as a #9 again and maybe also Vlašić. Also a good time for Marko Pjaca to get some playing time.
No way.
It’s absolutely not the time for experimentation, especially with two decent strikers in good form.
Just need to figure out what combination of these existing players works best.
Yeah, but is Bruno Petković going to play all 90 minutes of both games? What I’m saying is that someone is going to have to play the minutes that Budimir would have played in these friendlies and eventually will play in the summer. I’m not proposing radical changes. But Pašalić might play as a false 9 anyway in games (he’s done it before), and Vlašić has never really found his place on the repka but has a deadly finishing ability, so maybe his place is as the third string striker.
Pjaca should obviously play in his natural position, and it’s even more vital that he get familiar with the team given the Perišić situation.
Dalic probably just goes with Krama up top and just tries out the Rijeka winger combo on the left and right.
“Rijeka winger combo on the left and right”
Yes please !
At minimum they know each other’s movements, propensities, etc
Given his passion – hopefully Marko Pasalic steps it up for HNS – versus his sleepy performance at Rijeka recently
“Vlašić has never really found his place on the repka”
50+ caps in – we still can’t find a spot for him !
He can’t play wing (according to everyone – but we play him there)
He’s not good enough for #10 (and we’re stacked at the position – including youngsters)
So why not try him as #9, lol
No thank you !
Square peg in round hole – never works (he would be the shortest #9 in history probably)
Why can’t Dalic just realize this and give a youngster his place in the roster
Otherwise we’re going to still be asking same questions once he reaches 100 caps – it’s crazy
I agree that Vlašić doesn’t really fit at this point (except when a match goes to penalty kicks), but since he is on the squad, maybe being the shortest striker is not a terrible idea. Look at the Japanese striker Ueda. He’s very short but still effective. Vlašić is strong and finishes well. It would be better for Beljo, Brodić, Kulenović, or some other striker to get a shot, but Dalić has made his selections.
@Maminjo — You’re probably right. I don’t like to admit it because Kramarić is a midfielder, but Dalić will probably put him as the #9 once again. Hopefully not. The Rijeka winger combo would be a good thing to try out.
Everyone on Budamir’s dick lol. Petkovic will start over him regardless of Budimir’s form.
Petković is having a good season too.
I wouldn’t be too fussed over who should start between the two of them.
If we can get Oršić back in form (who has been a Godsend for us these past two tournaments) then both Petković and Budimir would benefit greatly from that.
Yup we need them both
We all know petko can be super effective but he is not 90 mins for a month long tournament effective
@ maminjo… more games simply means more variability. it’s a fitting time to discuss this given we have the ncaa tournament starting which is famous for its unpredictably and upsets when you stack a ton of teams together.
So here is why it becomes harder for croatia to medal in future tournaments.
In previous years, you essentially play 8-10 games of qualifying to make the final 32. Once you get to that final 32, of course there is random variability like Croatia medaling, but it’s still only 32 teams. You’ve essentially leapfrogged the other 16 teams that will be added through a large sample size qualification process that limits that variability.
Now you’re large sample size event of qualification is simply to get you to the final 48. At that point, the greater unpredictability of tournaments takes hold and suddenly you need to flip the coin on heads 7 or 8 times in a row rather than only 6 times. And simply mathematically, it is harder.
|It doesn’t matter because it works both ways.
For example, the Euros added 8 more teams and have now gotten easier.
A Spain/Croatia/Italy group is usually a death sentence, but all three of these teams will probably make the knockouts and the group phase essentially means nothing (whereas this exact same scenario hurt us back in Euro2012).
Latest report on Perisic in SN is not good. According to the report he cannot fully extend his injured leg and the knee swells up after every training or exercise.
Apparently, the knee swells up even if he sits down for a prolonged period of time. Some medical experts are saying that he has been pushing too hard and too soon with his rehab. It is good that he is not flying to Egypt which to me was a dumb idea in the first place. Perisic is better off staying in Split and getting physio and rehab on his knee. He will need a miracle to be fit for EURO.
How is Orsic’s progress?
Orsic is doing better, from what I have read he is in full training with the team and is ready to play. He was on the bench for Trabzonspor on Sunday but did not come on against Fenerbache.
too bad Bjelica was unsuccessful in bringing Orsic over to Union Berlin in January.
He probably would have started him and gotten him ready for the Euros.
Someone was saying he was on the bench in Turkey on the weekend
That’s such a positive
Ironically they both have knee and orsic time to finally have the spot cause he is recovering better
Let’s hope for no set backs
So realistically who can be our wingers
Orsic, ivanusec, marko pasalic,Pjaca
Mario pasalic If need be, vlasic?
Yeah it shows he was an unused sub for the Fenerbahce game.
Hopefully he gets gametime in the coming weeks.
I don’t trust Dalić to call him up unless it’s blatantly obvious that Oršić is in full club form.
Such a shame that he has such a short leash after all that he’s done for the National Team.
Impossible for him to go if he’s swelling up like that
High risk for blood clot (6 1/2 hour flight)
Who’s replacement for Budimir – Moro getting his 2nd cap ? lol
Call up Petar Sucic (as reward for “switching”), Luka Vuskovic (as reward for good showing in Poland so far – I mean he’s scored more goals in 2024 than any #9 we have) or Brajkovic (based on his wonder strike alone)
They – amongst others – are the future (hopefully)
Bummer
Perisic was really coming back to form before the injury
He will go down as a legend
That was my worry, guy is an athlete and I’m sure was pushing it hard
Hard to replace time even with all the modern medicine we have
May he heal
As time goes on, i feel the odds of luka playing in the 2026 World Cup go up
Luka got that hard headed dalmatinac overconfidence. He definitely still thinks croatia can win it so he’ll by tempted. Unfortunately with the expanded tournament, Croatias medal finish odds will go down significantly
LOL. Yea, adding those extra teams like Jamaica and Oman are really going to threaten Croatia’s medal chances.
All this is going to do is create some more 4-1 beatdowns like the one we gave to Canada last tournament. Each group will get a Canada to slap around in their group and it won’t change anything at the top.
You are forgetting about the other elements, such as yellow/red card bookings, injuries, fatigue, etc that would benefit the large countries with stacked benches and hurt small nations like Croatia
Croatia is not a small nation in football, and have a deep enough bench to handle this.
Uvijek nešto, idi figura.
OMG hopefully he doesn’t have COVID!!!
Sending thoughts and prayers. 🙏