The name of the game versus Wales on Sunday is to go up early and put the Welsh on their back foot as soon as possible. A win in the UK will clear the air of any bad joo-joo from the Turkey loss for Croatian supporters. It will also put the Vatreni back in control of easily qualifying for Euro 2024 next summer as a top-2 nation in the group. Unfortunately, I have to say the following: a draw would not be the end of the world. Obviously, Modrić and the boys are coming off a disappointing loss and will be gunning for a W to get back on track going into the final two qualifiers against Latvia and Armenia in November.
So what changes does Dalić need to make from the Turkey match to ensure Croatia get out of the gates hot against Wales?
Starting with the backline, Barišić should never be starting for the Vatreni…in any match. How much push is Dalić getting from Tata Barišić to make that call? Sosa gets the start at left-back. Gvardiol is a lock but Šutalo has had a shit start in Amsterdam to the season and it showed against Turkey. Erlić has been solid for Sassuolo in the early Serie A season. Give me a CB pairing of Gvardiol-Erlić for Wales. Unless Juranović is healthy, Dalić is forced to play Stanišić at right-back even with his shaky defending two days ago in Osijek.
Brozović is a lock as the #6 in central midfield. Even with Modrić and Kova both in mini-slumps, they will get the start in the middle. I thought Brekalo was great in the Turkey match. He deserves another start with all the injuries. I would have liked to see a few more crosses from him to Musa, but it didn’t happen. Pašalić was invisible on the right and I would sit him and start Majer instead. Majer injected tons of energy and speed once he came on in 62nd minute. Ride the hot hand, Dalić!
The #9 situation is a bit more complex. If Petković is healthy, I suppose Dalić starts him up top, but I don’t buy his 100% health. Petko looked slow and out of sorts against Turkey. Musa is useless unless he gets service in the air from the wings so I would be doubtful starting him in a game where Croatia should expect to score 2 goals. By default, give me Beljo. He looked good against Turkey even though he missed the sitter that should have equalized the match.
Give me those changes and Croatia wins 2-1 in Wales.
I don’t understand Dalic. Sosa has bad games against Brazil and Argentina (two of the most difficult opponents to face in the world pretty much. All of sudden that means he is in the doghouse and Barisic gets the start?? You cannot tell me this is guy is that much better than Sosa.
Anyone have a valid link? I exhausted my fubo free trail
Under Zlatko Dalić, the repka rarely loses, and when they do lose, it’s always really ugly. Maybe it is the price of the success they have had.
Dalic is usually good in finding a winning lineup and strategy, and he milks it as much as he can.
However, if another coach figures out a good way to counter, then it takes a lot for Dalic to change things.
Subs take a long time (and he never makes them at the half when he should), and it even looks like he’s just going to roll out the same lineup and formation again against Wales today.
Hopefully they bounce back today.
How can we watch the game here in us?
Find a stream. Maybe 24stream or rojadirecta
Fox sports
Fubo sports***
There’s an app called “live soccer tv” it basically shows where all soccer games are broadcast in each country… it’s worth the download
One of my media buddys just texted me and said this the lineup tonight
HRVATSKA (4-3-3):
Livaković – Stanišić, Vida, Gvardiol, Barišić – Modrić, Brozović, Kovačić – Majer, Musa, Brekalo
Reports are cpming out some hooligan fans will try sabotage tonight so heads up i hope its just a rumor but never know
Matches so far against Wales – 4 wins & 3 draws.
Should have played them in Osijek earlier this year and had Turkey in Split.
2002 prijateljska, Varaždin: Hrvatska – Wales 1:1 (Petrić… Davies)
2010 prijateljska, Osijek: Hrvatska – Wales 2:0 (Rakitić, Gabrić)
2012 kval. za SP, Osijek: Hrvatska – Wales 2:0 (Mandžukić, Eduardo)
2013 kval. za SP, Swansea: Wales – Hrvatska 1:2 (Bale… Lovren, Eduardo)
2019 kval. za EP, Osijek: Hrvatska – Wales 2:1 (Lawrence ag, Perišić… Brooks)
2019 kval. za EP, Cardiff: Wales – Hrvatska 1:1 (Bale… Vlašić)
2023 kval. za EP, Split: Hrvatska – Wales 1:1 (Kramarić… Broadhead)
Pinnacle:
Wales +366
Draw +245
Croatia -113
Tough match ahead as Wales needs a win to stay in contention for EURO. At some stage of the match Wales will need to attack and unfortunately, we don’t have any quick players upfront to catch them on the break.
Draw might be enough for us, but we also need to go for a win in this match. Often when teams play for a draw, they end up losing. I would start with Beljo upfront and have Musa coming off the bench. Majer needs to start the match and so does Sosa.
Whatever happen to our “kontra”? When did we have become so slow in our attack?
When we lost the Mandzo, Rebic, Perisic trio from WC2018.
Perisic lost a step and has slowed down now.
Kramaric, Petkovic, Ivanusec, Majer and even Brekalo are all very technically gifted…but they’re all slow.
We have to play to our strength, and it looks like tika taka is what we need to continue to do.
If you want to play the counter, then you could probably put Roko Simic up top (as he is a runner and seems to do well on the counter).
You could play Juranovic at RW for some speed and crossing. Maybe Sosa at LW.
Or you could go with two strikers and pair Simic with Beljo (who plays this way at Augsburg).
We’ll see how these younger guys develop over the next year or two, to see if we can play this style too.
Also, if Rijeka keep killing it in HNL, it may be hard to ignore wingers like Marco Pasalic and Marko Pjaca.
Not sure how well they’ve both played, but they look good in the highlights.
@ Ante
This could be your best line up post ever!
I too would like to see Beljo start.
Serivce or not Musa had an opportunity to run himself into meaningful minutes and didn’t.
Plus he is a sub at Benfica and scores all the time off the bench.
Majer is our RW period.
No one is even close to his quick dribble and craftiness.
Can’t fly Rebić in from Turkey I too think Brekalo gets the nod at RW.
Modrić looks depressed. Not playing at RM has is body fresh but his Soul deactivated.
He needs to go deep into his heart and once again bring his Soul to Croatia. Jebi ga you might not got many minutes for the next month at RM!
Musa has started 5 of Benfica’s last 8 games.
All this Brekalo love absolutely perplexes me. Am I the only one that thought he was useless?
No. I feel it too. Especially watching his one pass from the wing across the field to connect with Modric midfield, and then having it easily intercepted with two Turkey players in the path of the pass.
Brekalo needs to focus on crosses. Crosses all the time and with each possession. You can’t have a scoring chance if the ball never makes it into the box.
Maybe Majer on the right takes the focus away from Brekalo on the left.
I do have faith in the players and the team. Maybe Brekalo comes alive as do a few others.
Oh my God let’s not overblow the Modric/Real minutes here too. He played majority of both CL games and was fantastic in them. They have an overload of quality midfielders and have to play the younger guys. (Would have been better off upping their game up front after Benzema left.)
My apologies, minutes-wise, I mixed up the Napoli CL game with the Osasuna LL game. He played majority of latter, played as a sub in the former. Anyway. Had a lot to say in each.
Petkovic didn’t even accompany the team to Wales.