Mario Mandžukić was given the night off, staying on the bench, as Bayern Munich steam rolled Manchester City 3-1 Wednesday night in Manchester. Goals from Ribery, Muller and Robben gave reigning Champions League title holders Bayern complete control before Alvaro Negredo added a late 79th minute goal to break up the shutout. With the win, Bayern lead Group D by three points with minnows Viktoria Plzen next on October 23rd.
Darijo Srna played the full 90 minutes as Shakhtar came back to draw Manchester United 1-1 in Ukraine Wednesday night. The 2nd half was all Shakhtar as they pressed hard for a winner but never got it. Srna had a free kick just outside the box blocked by the wall midway through the 2nd half and with the draw, sit atop Group A with four points, tied with Manchester United. Eduardo remained on the bench as an unused substitute.
Luka Modrić got the start for Real Madrid as they cruised by Danish champions FC Copenhagen 4-0 at the Bernabeu. Modric was subbed out in the 67th minute with Real up 2-0. They would add another two late in the second half from Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel di Maria to complete their doubles for the day. Real Madrid control Group B with a perfect 2-0 record as they sit four points in front of Juventus.
Howard Webb lets the game get physical. I am unsure if that will help us or not against Belgium.
Yeah I think you have already mentioned that several times in several threads papagaj istina.
any word on ticket sales for the game. I’m hoping the fans no show.
howard webb, lol we are facked now
Whoa boy… Just read Howard Webb is the ref for the Belgium game
If Dinamo wanted to increase Halilovic’s awareness, why aren’t they starting him for every HNL match? Granted the U17 tournament is going to give him more exposure than a HNL game, but, I’m pretty sure most of the European club sides know who he is.already.
I can see Dinamo not fielding him for the European games (other clubs wouldn’t be able to use him), but where is his playing time in the HNL?
Then again, if he can’t start for Dinamo in the HNL, he won’t have much of a chance to start for another European club involved in the Champions League or Europa League anyway. So, how good is he really and are they really worried about cup-tying him?
His whole situation doesn’t make sense. He must of insisted on being in the U17 squad. It must have been his call – nothing more than wanting to play with his friends type of thing.
NIce goal line clearance by Modric.
Real Madrid could use Super Mario. They create so many chances that get wasted.
Tons of missed headers from 6-10 meters out.
@Bobby V…….i am surprised they are letting him play. This goes against their usual practice of not letting their young kids go with the junior national teams when conflicting schedules. I wonder if they are doing this so they can raise his price or increase awareness/visibility for him so he can be sold during the winter break. There is a good chance Dinamo may not get anything for him if they wait until next summer, depending how his current contract is written.
I wonder who would win in a race, joe or corluka
@Armada87
Ok. We agree to disagree on that point regarding our d.
I am not saying we are solid on the d but as bobby points out our midfield and forwards have to pick it up. This has been my concern this entire qualifying period. Damn it I want to see Modric have the game of his life next week. I want them all to step it up a notch.
That Scotland game stills gives me nightmares.
@ Luka
I think our D is shaky…
Granted, Mandzo does need help up front – hopefully Rebic can fill that void, but a solid D can act as a security blanket when Mandzo is neutralized and there are other attacking optins.
@nije
If Lovren keeps it up in the EPL, he’s literally guaranteeing his spot on the repka. The only two guys that can’t be touched are Corluka and Srna. Two spots open now, and not many solid defenders to fill that spot.
Nothing wrong with our defense and midfield – it is our forwards that are the problem. Other than Mandzukic, there is a serious shortage of talent in this position.
Yet, in the game against Serbia, Stimac fields 3 of them to start ….while admitting that he was laying back in a bunker for the first half. Fuckin Kobilo.
@Armada87
You said it. “Once this crop of guys in d gets their shit together”.
That is the problem. This new crop can’t seem to get their shit together. I loved the way Vida played a few seasons ago with Dinamo but now he is not playing at the same level. Our d has actually played well during qualifying and our last euro. It’s the other positions that concerns me.
Next week hopefully the entire team can impress us all against Belgium.
October 17
The U-17 World Cup in UAE will begin on U-17. Croatia’s squad has been announced. Sadly, Josip Basic, the captain and leader, will not be playing due to an injury.
I remember telling Ziva that Halilovic wiould be allowed to participate in the tournament, just like he was during qualification. Ziva commented that Dinamo would not release him during the season……release him from what?….the bench?
Here’s the squad:
Marić (Rapid Beč), Ivo Grbić (Hajduk), Dario Miškić (Dinamo), Marko Stolnik (Dinamo), Duje Ćaleta Car (Pasching), Franjo Prce (Hajduk), Petar Mamić (Dinamo), Zoran Lukas Ćuljak (Borussia Dortmund), Petar Bočkaj (Dinamo), Hrvoje Džijan (Dinamo), Ivan Šunjić (Dinamo), Frane Vojković (Hajduk), Ante Roguljić (Red Bull Salzburg), Karlo Lulić (Osijek), Ivan Fiolić (Dinamo), Bojan Knežević (Dinamo), Elvir Maloku (Hajduk), Alen Halilović (Dinamo), Fran Brodić (Dinamo), Ante Blažević (Hajduk), Robert Murić (Dinamo)
I appreciate what Joe has done. He’s a legend. But he’s not the Joe of the early 2000’s, he’s lost a step or two or three. Between Joe, Srna, Scifo and Carli, we have a slowwwwwww backline and that lack of speed gets exposed quite often.
Guys like Vrsaljko, Strinic, Lovren, Milic, Kelic, Bubnijic, Pavlovic, etc. need to either need to get with the program, play better and start cracking the NT rotation. I’m done with Vida.. Guys has been regressing for a while now, don’t think he’s a regular starter at Kiev and is usually good for a reckless takcle or two per game. I’ll pass.
I’m one guy who stresses a strong backline for the following reasons – say we encounter a team with a strong defense or a team that bunkers and neutralizes guys like Modric, Olic, Mandzukic, Srna (sometimes) etc. Which as we have seen recently, happens quite often. After our big guns, who are we going to rely on? Rakitic? He’s not gonna win games for us. Kranjcar? He’ll have a great game every other year. Kovacic? Still too young. Same with Rebic.
I really don’t have faith in our current backline to hold down the fort and ensure the other team doesn’t score when they neutralize our big guns. We’re suspectible on the counter and we just make plain ole’ boneheaded mistakes pretty often, with some of those mistakes and lapses due to our guys being slow as shit.
Like I’ve said, once this crop of guys in defense gets there shit together and we one day see a backline, like the below, where they all play in decent leagues, play together regularly for the NT and are in form, that’ll change the look of the NT.
Vrsaljko — Lovren — Kelic/Pavlovic/Bubnjic/Datkovic/Simunovic — Brucic/Milic/Strinic
And even though I’m a homer with him normally, I’ve given up hope on my fellow Istrijan Manuel Pamic. The guy is almost 30 and still not 1 NT cap. No reason to call up a 28 year old LB now…
@jarac. I couldn’t agree more- if we can’t beat Scotland in one of two match’s we don’t deserve to go to Brazil…
i’ve been doubtful of siminuic for a while and thought he should be replaced for younger legs. he’s proved me wrong though. he’s been far from flawless, but he’s been solid
Should of been addressed as @Armada87
@Armada
The thing with big Joe is that he has been reliable and overall played well for us. People like to crap on him and I recall in the past those stupid comments by certain people on this site i.e. Laknat. People have not appreciated him and underestimated his contribution to the team.
I agree with you and it would make sense for someone like Lovren to show us he can do it and Big Joe takes more of a substitute role. I hope this plays out but I have said it before with Lovren he is a Jekyll and Hyde. You don’t know what you will get……..but I have been encouraged with his recent play with Southampton. He is playing good defensively and contributing offensively.
I hope this play at club level can translate to the national level but as we all know, this is not always the case.
I am looking forward to seeing what our brillant coach Stimac will do. (I had to throw that in about Stimac)
Eventually when Big Joe retires and walks off the field I hope the fans bring down the house and give him a hell of a send off as the guy deserves it.
Apologies for the rambling on.
so No joe v final 2 games its a chance for lovren but also sifo im guessing back line Vida Carli Lovren Strinic v belgium Srna Carli Lovren Strinic i dont think stimac will put Vrsaljko in the games also maybe sifo starts in one of the two games beacuse carli can get a yellow v belgium.
is mandzu not playing?
DC United. We Win Trophies.
United 13; Metrostars 0.
@nije bitno……..fair point. But, I dont see a reason why they should attend the game. I think an empty stadium sends a picture across Europe. Will it send change anything???? Nope. But, who cares. I’m for embarassing the repka and the leadership of the savez. They deserve to be embarrased. I know it wont happen, but I think it would be great if there were more Belgium fans in Maksimir for the game. Or, if our fans will be there, if they turned on the team and started rooting for Belgium.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IllrJah0GgA
@ Jarac
that’s the truth…
We do not deserve to go to brazil is we can’t beat scotland for a second time.
@ nije
I know a lot of folks on here have a hard-on for Big Joe, but the dude should not be our first choice CB at this point. Dejan needs to step up, have two solid games, Joe can them become our first sub off the bench in terms of coming in for a CB and then in the near future, have a friendly where he can have the proper NT send-off and call it a career, internationally at least.
Simunic 2 game suspension for the red card tackle in the serbia game. Serbian savez fined 50K swiss franks cause of the chair throwing and laser pointing during that game.
This is an opportunity of a lifetime for Lovren. No Simunic against scottland and belgium. In these next two games Lovren either reserves his spot as croatias CB or he fails and we rely on older simunic.
Ziva – what good what that do? your dealing with the most arrogant/stubborn sons of bitches in CRO. I doubt an empty stadium will budge them. Plus they know people like discounts and free things so they will always discount the tickets or give them deals like buy one get two free just to get the people at the game. These guys will not resign until they find more money to steal somewhere else. The situation frustrates me you have no idea. I’m surprised some fanatic fan/war veteran hasn’t lost it yet and put a bullet in one of those guys head.
PS to all the sensitive people – I’m not saying anyone should or that i wish death upon them or anybody. Just saying out of all the crazies out there I’m surprised it hasn’t happened.
Badelj scored last night!
Interesting read.
I predict the first goal by Mandzukic today
I’m just hoping the public is not dumb enough to actually buy tickets for the Belgium game in ZG. That plays needs to be empty or only have Belgium fans in it. A message needs to be sent to the savez. People, I urge you to encourage your family and friends back home in Cro not to attend the game.
http://inserbia.info/news/2013/10/cia-forced-croatia-to-unite-with-bosnians-against-serbs-in-1993/
I’ve been studying the second place teams for the World Cup qualifying over and over and over.
By no means are Croatia guaranteed an automatic place in the play-offs. We will be slight favourites against Belgium and slight favourites against Scotland. As unlikely as it seems, if we take 0 points from the two games it’s looking pretty likely we will be bottom of the second place league table and there will be no Brazil. 3 points should be enough from the remaining two games and we will be seeded for the play-off. We will want to avoid France as they will be unseeded.
I wont say I’ve lost faith in Stimac any more than I would say that I have lost faith in Croatian football. In the last four years I would say that we have created less than 10 clear cut chances. Chance creation is a huge problem.