Another shocking blow to Dinamo’s title hopes have furthered them from the top.
The Cubs have already defied the odds, New England are champs, but now I may have brought a daughter into this world where Dinamo are not crowned kings of Croatia? Didn’t think it could get THAT bad. But hey, at least the Pens may repeat!
Dinamo found themselves on the wrong side of a 2-1 score line against Slaven Belupo during some midweek HNL Action on Tuesday. The loss is the team’s second in a row, after losing 2-0 to Hajduk Split on Saturday.
The Modri were kept scoreless at home against their biggest rivals on Saturday, but league leaders Rijeka dropped points on a road trip to Pula where they dew 1-1 to Istra. The damage was manageable, but a crucial three points were dropped against Slaven while Rijeka soundly defeated Osijek 2-0 at Rujevica the same afternoon.
Rijeka has distanced themselves from Dinamo by eight points with six weeks to go. Those matches still include one more meeting between Dinamo and Rijeka, Rijeka and Hajduk, and Dinamo and Osijek. There is ample time for points to be won and loss, so no winner can be crowned yet.
The final match of the season will feature Dinamo hosting Rijeka at Maksimir and could have major champion implications.
HNK Cibalia has struggled greatly throughout their return to the Prva Liga but made – what some may call – history last Friday with their second victory of the season.
The win came as the club hosted Slaven Belupo and defeated them by scoring in the second minute and following it up with two penalties; one in the 72nd minute and another in the 86th minute.
The club touted the win as an act of holy intervention where the poorest region of Croatia can still compete in the big leagues. Cibalia shocked their opponents again on Wednesday, drawing 1-1 against Inter Zapresic. This draw inched Cibalia within four points of potential safety, but still remain in last place behind RNK Split.
H
Laknat- That is the old Balkan mind melt. Precursor to mental midgetcy. Do not succomb.
We can go whoever players are in our starting lines up,
as long as Cacic would make earlier subs in the 2nd half.
This uneasy feeling overflowing in my mind. I am b3ing plague by this unesy feeling. I am act8ng on a whimp here, I am not sure what ghis bad feeling means.
Crnkovic – you could as the formation is more of a 3-3-2-2… but alternatively with same personnel…
Kramaric-Kalinic
Mandzo-Kova-Raki-Modric-Perisic
Jedvaj-vida-Lovren
mandzukic more charismatic than shy boy rakitic. agree BZ kovacic highlights were amazing. his best game so far for madrid. if he plays like that he definitely has big future. although BZ you cannot play kramaric as wide man in 352 formation. instead you can have brozovic. lovren will never play again for repka. too many mistakes and we have a lot of other top talented young defenders. mitrovic is excellent for example. then there is benkovic, simunovic, caleta-car, jedvaj, peric, leskovic….we won’t see lovren in the shirt again trust me. forget about him. halilovic Faux Cro? are you kidding me? one day perhaps. he has a long way to go. I hope one day he will fulfil his potential. maybe before next euros in 3 years time. before that? i don’t think so…
The problem is who’s gonna be a captain after Modric. Mandzukic Perisic they aren’t charismatic .. I want Rakitic for captain.
Are you kidding me? Kovacic’s highlights were amazing. That was a season’s worth of getting past the first & second defenders for some other MF’s (cough, Badelj, cough)
He took some Boban style risks, which we all know doesn’t always end well (cough, Thuram, cough). But that is how I want us to play.
In the unlikely event Vrsaljko is out, I say we just go 3-5-2.
Cacic doesn’t have the balls to do it (nor the necessity as we can win with soo many different line-ups in our group. I’m just seeking Alpha)
Mandzo-Kalinic
Perisic-kovacic-Rakitic-Modric-Kramaric
Jedvaj-Vida-Lovren
Can’t believe the injuries are probably going to bring Lovren back into the mix.
4-3-3 anyone?
———–Perisic————–Mandzukic——–Halilovic—————
————Kovacic————-Badelj———-Modric——————-
Strinic————–Lovren—————Vida——————-Vrsaljko
———————————Subasic—————————————-
Nice video.
Kovacic has a great dribble.
kovacic highlights from yesterdays game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulkvICnV8hc
FYI cuz nobody mentioned it, the guy who messed up on Dinamo in the 89th min. of the Hajduk game which lead to the second goal was Pivaric. If he is 28 yrs old and still making mistakes against teams like Hajduk…maybe Cacic should look for other options.
Soul Champ, good understanding of what modric does on the pitch. really good analysis of his game, why zizou likes him etc. here is someone who actually watches the game. Nice one champ
@ BZ
It is a beautiful thing when Luka takes the space. The difference in my mind is that he first creates the space with his subtle shifts with or without the ball at his feet. This skill has gotten better with time. The space he opens for himself or team allows for attacking flow to develop. Zidane was the master and loves that Luka can play with this level of awareness.
Kovačić is blessed to have both mentors and manager in Luka and Zizou to learn from. I see he is growing as a player being around them on a daily basis.
Way too early Rejkavik line up:
_________________Mandžukić
Perišić _____Modric_______Kovacic____Kramaric
_________________Rakitic____________
Milic_____Vida____________Lovren___Vrsaljko
_________________Subasic
Subs- Kalinic, Brozovic, Badelj
Čačić needs to sub Mandžukić, Rakitic as soon as they tire.
Then maybe a Kramaric towards the end?
Iceland run hard for 90+ and at home even harder. See last minute Finland match.
Our guys have been major contributors for a long season against the best competition in the world.
Cacic needs to bring in fresh legs early in the second half.
@Soul Champ:
You are right about LM’s low center of gravity and MK’s superior pace.
Modric has the heart of a lion, I do not think MK does.
@ Soul Champ- The best is when Luka attacks space. He does it so well, but his Madrid role has turned him into a full-time creator.
Luka’s best asset=balance. It is unparalleled.
Let’s hope Mateo gets rid of that Eli Manning “deer in the headlights” look. When he does…look out.
@Cacic: Kova-Rakitic-Modric…Make it work.
@ Faux Cro
I wonder Is it more physically gifted or just stronger in certain aspects?
Kovačić has the explosive speed, but Modrić is more agile.
Mateo is bigger, but Luka has a lower center of gravity.
Kovačić attacks space, Modrić creates space.
Mateo is one v one, Luka is team flow.
@ Svima
I still believe there is a way for
Modrić – Kovačić – Rakitic
to create the midfield magic together.
Maybe the maturation of Kovačić can finally bring it together.
All three have common skills, but distinct styles.
Forgive me but an Allegri type would figure it out have them all on the pitch to maximum effect.
Dude has one goal in nearly 40 appearances for us and it was against Gibraltar. Enough with the Iceland slalom..
@Soul Champ:
Kovacic is more physically gifted than Modric.
I think it’s Modric’s intellect and personality is what makes him a special player.
@ Armada
I am all in for Rijeka!
My mother is born in Fiume and my father is from Zadar and was apart of the Rijeka academy back in the day. We still have apartment on the water near kazalište Ivan Zajc.
I played some ball for Kvarner in the early 90’s.
I was blown away to see Sevilla na Kantrida.
Could you imagine champions league in the new Stadion!
Ah my beloved Zadar.
Maybe Luka Modrić builds an academy their ?
@ Svima
Did you see Mateo bring the goods today ?
He has added power to his explosive runs.
He is growing into his man body, very strong on the ball.
He is bigger, faster and stronger than Modrić, but Luka has that touch and awareness that is master class.
Hopefully Kovačić solidifies his growth the rest of the season and once again gives Iceland the slalom attack runs.
@Armada87
I hear you and I cheer for any Croatian team but i recall how bad Rieka played against Aberdeen!! Just brutal. .
Dinamo did get a good draw but they still won when it mattered and made it to the CL. Problem as you know once you get to CL you get a team like Barcelona or RM and you are done.
I just don’t see how Rijeka will make CL play. As you point out past two years for them has not been pretty in EL I think people are putting the cart before the horse here. I guess will see this summer,
I actually prefer they go to CL over EL due to the money they make which hopefully they invest in the team and stadium.
Rijeka could luck out and get a lucky draw the way Dinamo did this year and play Vardar, Dinamo Tsibili and RB Salzburg and qualify.
I wouldn’t want that though, in all honesty. Rijeka would get absolutely murder in CL Groups. Hoping to get a nice result or two in CL and maybe enter the EL playoffs and get some group stage games there vs. more appropriate opponents.
@ TZ
Nice point and I assume you can tell who I root for based on my username.
Rijeka had above average campaigns in 13-14 and 14-15. EL isn’t CL, but they held their own vs. Lyon, Sevilla and Feyenoord. They absolutely stunk the past 2 years, losing to a Scottish team and a mid table Turkish team.
If Rijeka makes it to CL and get some mickey mouse teams paired with them, I could see them winning their 2nd round tie, but getting into the 3rd round, you’re playing the champions from Greece, 2nd place team from Belgium, 3rd place team from France, 2nd place team from the Netherlands, etc. Don’t see them making it past that, unless they luck out on this draw too.
“I’m just happy because Rijeka (unlike Dinamo) actually plays amazing against Western clubs and won’t embarrass us in CL or Europa”
Hold your breath on this comment. Rieka has never played in Champions League so unsure how they will perform but I doubt it would be “amazing”. CL is night and day from any other tourney.
As for Europa does anyone really pay attention to that and regardless the play was not spectaculor in the past.
@soul champ
“That Jugo nostalgia is soul stunting for Split.”
you summed it up perfectly
@ Soul Champ
Shame about Zadar. Great fans and history. Wish they come back to the Prva Liga soon. Hopefully get a new stadium while they are at it.
@ Svima
Colin and I were trading messages with that jugo trash bag Aleks Holiga on Twitter yesterday and I think we’re in agreement that there is a long way to go to 36. kolo. If Dinamo doesn’t drop any points and Rijeka drop points to say Hajduk, Slaven and Lokomotiva (certainly realistic, if the entire team is putting it into cruise control already) – that could mean that Dinamo might have the ability to at least tie Rijeka on points, not sure how goal differential plays into that.
No forward thinking exists in the country to transform the league or in fact football in the region (we see that clearly in the politics and economically as well)…corruption not just in CRO, but throughout football world-wide including UEFA and FIFA makes it especially difficult contemplating real change.
Forza Fiume !
Is this the ultimate bogie article ?
Only up 5 pts with 7 to play and touching the money ?
I pray Rijeka can win it as this will mean even more investment into developing young Croatian footballers.
Hajduk needs to resurrect their majestic place in Europe as footballing power house. They draw on one the richest footballing talent on Earth and can’t prosper ?
That Jugo nostalgia is soul stunting for Split.
I know the politics are a challenge to navigate but damn.
Beautiful city, Poljud Stadion, local talent pool, historic dominance, the potential is limitless.
Actually like to see a visionary business man build something in my beloved Zadar.
With all the footballing talent in Dalmacija it will be a gold mine.
Croatia should become the Argentina of Europe. Just churning out world class footballers by the bushel.
Mamić is a soul sucking Kretan but aspects of his business model work.
3 players from Zadar in the CL semis ?
Extraordinary from a city that currently has a club in the treća liga !
Bananas
Anyone going to Iceland? Should I wait to get a ticket there?
More than half the leagues in Europe are shady.
Who cares about this.
I’m just happy because Rijeka (unlike Dinamo) actually plays amazing against Western clubs and won’t embarrass us in CL or Europa.
If the reign must end at least it’s not to Hajduk.
I wouldn’t write them off yet though.
Not in this shady league.
does it make the league more interesting…NO…why would it? it was shit when Dinamo were champs, nothing’s changed!
Hajduk is still shit, but the good thing is we might have a new “organization”…not just club, that may have a strong foundation for a decent future! I hope Rijeka is the real deal!