Beljo with the brace and Bakrar, Kuelnović with the opening goal. The win means Dinamo are 99% certain to play in the knockout playoff round next month no matter result vs. Midjylland.
For Dinamo not to make the top-24 and advance, they would have to lose to Midjylland in the final League Phase match AND have Lille, Brann, Young Boys have better results on the night paired with Celtic AND Ludogorets victories. A lot would have to go wrong.
Dinamo Zagreb will need a win in their 7th Europa League match versus Romanian side FCSB Thursday night at Maksimir if they want to keep their knockout chances alive. A draw may be able to get them in the top-24 but a dozen other results would have to go their way…so Dinamo can’t really count on that.
FCSB only has six points through six matches. Dinamo earned 7 points through their first three and have been ice cold (against Spanish and French opposition) since. This is a must win. Let’s see what happens.
Beljo, Bakrar and Hoxha starting up top for Dinamo on a freezing 30 degree F night in Zagreb.
After watching this game, why the hell hasn’t Dalic given Mišić a shot. The guy is exceptional.
Because Sideshow Bob won’t retire
Erlic is an average centre back at best..playing in a mid tier league. He has the offensive performance of his life which will NEVER be replicated.NO ONE has even talked about him in the last year.
Now some of you want him starting for our national team…WTF?
People want to try starting him because of his defence (not his offence).
He is a pretty boring player with zero flair, but he also rarely makes mistakes.
Šutalo is fast and technically gifted, Duje is great for headers, Pongračić likes to push forward too and make nice passes…but when they’re paired with one another, one of them always seems to make a stupid gaffe that costs us a goal or two.
Vušković is the guy we all want starting, but we need to see him out there first…but with Gvardiol’s injury, it would be better to try a safe CB partner for him. Erlić is worth trying out (assuming he’s actual killing it at Midtylland).
People forget a few years back in NL when our CB pairing was Sutalo and Erlic for the away matches against France and Denmark we won both matches without conceding a goal.
I’m of the opinion that defenders are there to prevent the opposing teams from scoring, that is their main objective and anything going forward like scoring an odd goal or two is a bonus.
I doubt that Gvardiol will be fully fit for the WC, last thing we want is Dalic playing him like he did with unfit Perisic at the EURO.
For the WC we need experience at the back so I would say that barring any further injuries Sutalo and DCC will probably start with Erlic, Pongracic and Vuskovic as back-ups.
Unfortunately, I think Dalic will push to play Gvardiol (and Gvardiol will also push himself to do so too).
Perisic is a good example. He was a non-factor when coming back from his injury, and when you compare to how he is now, it’s not even close how much better he is. I want Gvardiol to take his time and get back to full strength instead of risking it.
I am also worried that Dalic is still stuck on his “Gvardiol at LB” phase.
So even if we do play him, we end up wasting Gvardiol at LB, pushing him to make runs forward (while he is still recovering and out of form)…and in the end, STILL probably play some combination of Duje, Sutalo or Pongracic in the middle (rendering our backline with the same defensive issues that have plagued us for at least 2-3 years now).
If Gvardiol comes back, it should ONLY be for that LCB position.
Sorry, I don’t believe Dalic will push him to play.
Dalic is they type of coach who lets the player make the call (which isn’t the right thing to do).
Gvardiol will want to play, even if not 100% fit or healthy, and Dalic won’t stand in his way.
Gvardiol injury is not half as bad as Perisic.. it’s broke bone not joints or ligaments.. he will be back strong enough if he heals well by end of March and trains hard for 6-8weeks
@Mart
Re: Sutalo
In Ajax’s last 10 games i.e. 900 minutes – Sutalo has played 105′ i.e. he has played 11.6% of total minutes available
In the one game he got 90′ in the Cup – they let in 6 goals (he was responsible for multiple goals and basically gave up trying after 3-0 like a beta-cuck)
On this basis, based on current status, Sutalo shouldn’t even make the NT squad never mind be a guaranteed CB starter
Hopefully he turns it around
https://www.transfermarkt.us/josip-sutalo/leistungsdaten/spieler/371001
Why not Prpic from Porto to pair up with Vuskovic.. after all they played together U-21…. They have chemistry
I agree about Dominguez, I’ve felt that way all season. Should never have signed him let alone give him all the starter minutes. This is where boban and kovacevic make me scratch my head.
Galesic is better to me and yes jakirovic should have been rotated from
Beginning. Back line when valincic is back should be as follows with current players
Valincic. Galesic. McEnna. Goda
Also stojkovic looked good when he came in some nice passes great individual run where he hit the cross bar just a great talent that needs to play. Again a head scratcher how does Ljubicic start I don’t know guy does nothing well not good enough for Dinamo.
Yea. I get why they signed Zajc and Ljubičić. It’s good to have veteran depth.
But man, I didn’t think they’d be hoarding ALL the minutes over a much talented player like Stojković.
I didn’t mind Boban signing some foreigners, so long as they’re very good (like McKenna and Bakrar) and so long as you’re majority starting eleven are still Croats.
But Dominguez does not fall into this category at all, and all it did was push a great young Croatian talent in Jakirović away from us (into a potentially stupid premature move that could hurt his career and our National Team).
Matanović with three goals in his last four games.
Hoping he keeps scoring like this.
Watched the second half and Matanovic scored with a wonderful header and should have had another goal but hit the bar from point blank range.
It is either Matanovic or Musa as a replacement for Budimir at the WC it will all depend on form as I cannot see Dalic taking both of them.
Nor should she.
We have too many guys in our forward/winger positions that brings something unique.
Budimir, Musa, and Matanović have too much overlap and you cannot bring all three (as we’ll need the spots for guys like Baturina, Jagušić, Ivanović, Perišić, Krama, Marco Pašalić, etc.) and these three strikers only play one role.
Dalic has to choose Budimir. So it is one of the other two. Should it be Matanovic or Musa?
LOSC just lost, looks like Dinamo clinched it.
4-1 Kulenović bags one!
Erlic with two and Matanovic scored. Imagine having a healthy back line with the likes Gvardiol, Stanisic, Vuskovic, Erlic, and Jakic. I don’t know how many other reliable defence we have. Caleta-Car or Pongracic seem average. That would be way better than previous starting lineups or having backups like Strinic, Jedvaj and Vida.
I would cut one of Duje or Pongračić and replace with a RB like Valinčić. Gvardiol, Erlić, Vušković, Šutalo and only one of Pong/Duje are needed.
I’m tired of us loading up on CBs in our callups but have zero backup RB or LB.
I think they need to sub out Dominguez he doesn’t look like he is having a good game at all.
He’s not a good player.
Drives me insane that we’re giving him starter minutes, but we’re selling off Jakirović’s son without even giving him any garbage time minutes.
Why are we fine with going through the growing pains of developing Spanish youngsters?
2-1. FCSB back in in this one. Defensively Dianmo are not looking to good. They seem on the backdoor a lot. FCSB is pressing hard. Not sure how much I like Dominguez as a defender.
Back-foot I mean!
Beljo should have put that one away. It should be 3-0.
Beljo with a nice one too!
2-0 Dinamo so far.
Really nice header from Bahrar! nice delivery too for that first goal.