Dinamo Zagreb popped in three second half goals in Austria Thursday night and kept a fourth straight European clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Wolfsberger. Dinamo now hold a 3-point lead on 2nd place Feyenoord and are in prime position to book a spot in the Europa League Round of 32 with one more win (or draw).
It was a scoreless first half with Dinamo missing multiple chances but the Modri broke open the floodgates after the restart with a goal from Majer in the 60′ and an unselfish 75′ pass from Ademi to Petoković in the box to make things official. Ivanušec would slip in a shot in injury time to make it 3-0.
Dinamo now sit on eight points and control their own destiny for top spot in the group going into the Round of 32 in February. If they beat Feyenoord next week, they will clinch top spot. If they draw Feyenoord AND the Wolfsberger-CSKA also ends in a draw, Dinamo will be playing in the Round of 32.
It was expected that CSKA would top the group and Dinamo/Feyenoord would fight for 2nd place, but four straight clean sheets for Dinamo have flipped this group around.
At 22, Brekalo is super skilled special in the final third.
His passing is steadily improving.
It is clear that he brings an added dimension that no other player brings to our squad. It is also clear that he is on a world class trajectory.
Rebić is our classic 27 year old prodigal player.
Who like Olić is getting better in their upper 20’s.
What he showed you in the beginning of 2020 is insight into his process.
His fine tune work in the final third is improving.
He has 5+more years of peak power in his body.
He is now competing with a legit Serie A contender.
CL is on the horizon for next season.
@ Svima
Valid criticisms have been made.
Just checking in to see once he gets his rhythm after coming back form a dislocated elbow and starts lighting it up that we give him his due.
So far I have seen two classy assists since his return.
Speaking of Brekalo. He had an amazing assist today.
Fakes the free kick outside the box, runs into a crowded box, quickly dribbles one guy, sharp turn, then dribbles out the next guy (causing the defender to lose his footing and fall over), then pauses to look up, chips it to an open teammate for the header.
We have so many talented players like Brekalo, Kramarić, Petković who can play mali nogomet in the opponent’s third in extremely tight spaces.
We need to harness this.
@Suba,
couldn’t have been said any better. Bravo!
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Rebic creates a dozen of chances per game. Literally a dozen.
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However, he botches at least one or two sure-fire scoring chances a game too, lol.
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His aggression, physicality, powerful shot, and decent technical ability (for a bull) is such a good combination to create such a ruckus in the opposing third. He’s like a bull in a china shop.
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However, his reaction to a nice pass from a teammate in a tight space (or any play that requires a cool and calm finishing touch) gets botched.
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He missed a sitter per game in the World Cup for us, but he also created a ton.
Rebic wins. Not only is he better than Brekalo, it is arguable he is better than Perisic.
@Soul Champ- some won’t see the way he stretches the D, even in a game some pundits think he played bad. Just smart, athletic soccer.
He is much less effective at Striker for Milan, partially bc of all the things he creates on the wing. Nobody on Milan can fill that void. ie Rebic needs a Rebic.
…but I like the two pertinent arguments that have been posted on the site over the last few days:
Is Rebic better than Perisic?
Is Halilovic better than Brekalo? LAknat votes Halil. I still give it to Brekalo, but boy is it close.
Happy Thanksgiving!
@Soul Champ
In a counter attacking or high pressing situation he his at his absolute best, but when the team is trying to build something, he can be horrible.
As said I love the guy and his spirit, I was just counter-balancing all the high praise for a sub par game saved by an assist.
I think that the 4-4-2 tried by Dalic lately could be a game changer and Rebic would fit well in it, I just hope that at some point he can improve his technical abilities and be a consistent world class player.
If Rebic was American, he would be playing (American) football.
If Rebic was Canadian, he would be playing hockey
If Rebic was Aussie, he was be playing rugby or Aussie Rules Football
He’s pretty much all this on a soccer field
Rebic is a poor mans boksic and rich mans olic
I like his pressing game but boy he can’t hold on to the ball
So frustrating on how good he could br
@ COL
Did you see Rebić the length of the field to be wide open in front of goal, waiting for simple pass that never came?
Did you see him explode down the left and lay it off to teammate to tap it in?
Rebić lead Milan in scoring last season and didn’t even play in 2019?
Also Brekalo is the goods too.
If Rebić was all those things he would be the best player on the planet.
At what point do we honor what a player does well?
I also think Rebić can continue to improve.
But he has stabilized his career from what was oblivion.
Power pace and heart will take you a long ways.
He’s a helluva player. I’d take a battler like him any day
When Rebić first went to AC Milan, an Italian friend of mine who is a die hard fan, asked me what to expect from Rebić. I told him that he will make your jaw drop in awe (due to something incredible he just did) then he will make your jaw drop in awe (due to something incredibly awful he just did), sometimes all at the same time. How many times have we seen him execute sublime skill like delicately reeling in a terrible pass, only to flub the very next move he makes?
All that being said, I still love him (even though he drives me nuts sometimes).
Rebic is a ball hunter without goal scoring finish- he scored against Argentina in the World Cup but he could have had 7 or 8 more- he’s great and hunting down a ball but set plays or smooth ball skils- not in his wheelhouse- in hockey- he’d be a power forward with stone hands- in his case stone feet
Great kid just missing smoothness- maybe he can do something special for us in the Euro- God willing
Sorry to say but Rebic – apart from his assist – was asbolutely wasteful the rest of the time. Unable to dribble past anyone, or to control the ball properly, a really bad performance by him.
He was barely tracking back at all in the 1st half, but came back from the locker room with more energy and intensity at least.
Love the guy, so I hope its just a matter of playing more games.
We should be able to handle anyone from pot 2.
Preferably, I would like to avoid Turkey and Sweden, both these teams have been challenging in the past.
https://sempremilan.com/tuttosport-rebic-shows-a-different-side-to-milans-attack-now-he-searches-for-his-first-goal
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How about a Croatia, Serbia, Russia, BiH, Kosovo group.
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That would be fun, lol (but I think FIFA blocks this due to Kosovo).
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These are the POT 2 teams that we could get in our Group:
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Switzerland
Wales
Poland
Sweden
Austria
Ukraine
Serbia
Turkey
Slovakia
Romania
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Not bad at all, but there are some tricky POT 3 teams (Russia, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, Greece) with BiH in POT 4.
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But we have no excuses for not topping this group (unless Modric retires and Kovacic goes full beta, lol)
BEĆAR
“the play-offs will also include the two best group winners from the UEFA Nations League 2020-2021 overall ranking that did not qualify directly for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and did not enter the play-offs as runners-up”
So…if all the League A group winners already qualified, then they’ll just grab the two group winners from League B (or C or D, depending on who is left).
Well at least these two teams don’t get a direct playoff path to the World Cup for themselves (like how Macedonia did for the Euros when they just had to play Georgia to get in).
These two Nations League teams would get pooled with the remaining 10 runners up from WC qualifying, and 3 out of the total 12 teams get the remaining European World Cup spots.
Here’s how World Cup qualifying works. We’re now “officially” in pot 1(although we already knew this). Interesting that the UNL again provides a back door.
All teams within a group will play each other twice in a home-and-away format between March and November 2021. The ten group winners will qualify directly for Qatar 2022, with the ten runners-up advancing to the play-offs.
Besides the ten runners-up from the group stage, the play-offs will also include the two best group winners from the UEFA Nations League 2020-2021 overall ranking that did not qualify directly for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and did not enter the play-offs as runners-up. The 12 teams will be split into three play-off paths, which will feature single-leg knockout matches in March 2022 to determine the last three European nations to book a place in Qatar.
Dinamo looked really good. Too bad they sacked Bjelica…I think he would be able to lead this talented squad deep into the knock out phase.
Also this Alen one, amazing, hehe, what a legend!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd1J5MkQ5As
Amazing what Dinamo are doing, congrats!
Anyways, sometimes when im depressed, i load up this vid and it immediately cheers me up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF9i412ZxpE
https://www.goal.com/en/news/goal-ultimate-11-powered-by-fifa-21-luka-modric-is-the-best/d0k5rvohermu15hcdlfnz9ugv
35 years young and still ballin st a an elite level.
Luka Modrić is playing at his absolute world class Self.
What is our best system to maximize the Modrić effect?
We need him creating in the middle with limited defensive duties.
Dalić needs to figure this out.
Project maximize Modrić.
I no longer want to see Luka carrying us.
His leadership and creative genius is what we need, let other younger players do the hard running and physical work.
That is why a Marko Rog is relevant to the project and a Kovačić as well.
COVID clear lungs of Brozovic too.
Rebic wills Milan to an impressive road draw. Nice assist vs top-level team. This boy can play.
Petkovic doesn’t need Dalic to “make him do impressive things.”
Petkovic was extremely impressive during Euro Qualifying, and in the UNL.
Vs. the best team in the World (Occupist France),
a)Petkovic scored in his limited time as a sub.
b)Helped Croatia look their best in the 2nd game vs France
Dalic is blind as a bat, and is fighting the wrong fight, when he puts Petkovic in the dog house.
Soul brotha another transcendent breakdown filled with dynamic prose and majestic metaphors I salute you before I boot you ????
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Lille rested a few starters today, Bradaric being one of them.
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They are focused on winning Ligue 1 and are two point shy from first place. They will top their Europa league group anyway.
I saw the B squad for Milan.
Rebić played well.
Explosive run and a composed assist.
Was wide open before half in front of goal and the winger could not connect a simple pass to the middle.
I call BS on Italian media.
Yes his preferred deployment is at LW.
But they were a lot of scrubs on the pitch for Milan.
I was hoping to see Bradaric.
That kid is the goods.
CSKA sucks by the way.
Vlašić now needs to play with better players and in the CL.
@Mr. Black
Good to hear about Gvardiol and Majer.
How did everyone’s favourite keeper do today? 4 clean sheets still says something even in Europa League.
And what about Orsic? He seems like the most ready for the NT (back up role) out of the outfield players. Stats look avg.
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BTW Jedvaj started at LB today and completed 149/159 passes!!!
Rebic started at CF and completed a terrible 45% of passes. Brekalo>Rebic??
Bradaric was left on the bench.
Barisic was steady as usual.
So Dinamo only needs a point to clinch?
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They will probably top this group if they can avoid a defeat to Feyenoord next round.
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Zoran Mamic for next National Team coach?
😉
0-3.
Great game. Especially Gvardiol impressed me.
I think Majer and Gvardiol come close to the NT.
Petkovic often looks lazy and does complicated things but the boy can play. With the right approach, Dalic could make him do impressive things.
Up 2-0, in the drivers seat to get out of the group.