KRANJČAR HAPPY TO GET THE START
With Luka Modrić (high fever) out of Tottenham’s Champions League Group A closing match against Twente, Niko Kranjčar received a rare start in midfield with Vedran Ćorluka right behind him on defense. Spurs had already clinched a knockout round berth before the game started, however, a seed for the Round of 16 would be earned with a result equaling or bettering that of Inter Milan. Spurs drew Twente 3-3 Tuesday night in a wild, wild game that had everything from back-pass own goals to injured players receiving yellow cards- while leaving the pitch. With Inter Milan losing to Werder Bremen 3-0, Tottenham top Group A and will avoid the likes of European juggernauts Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the Round of 16.
ROUND OF 16 DRAW: DECEMBER 17
Niko Kranjčar started the match in an unnatural right wing position, but quickly shifted over to center-mid when Jermaine Jenas was subbed out early in the first half to injury. Kranjčar played well in a game that was anything but ‘must- win’ since Inter Milan were losing early. However, Niko fell to the ground in the 87′ while clenching his right hamstring. He was immediately subbed out; walking off the pitch under his own power. Hopefully it’s just a hamstring strain and not a tear. Should the injury be serious, this couldn’t have happened to Kranjčar at a worse time with the transfer window right around the corner. CSR will update the injury news as it unravels.
ĆORLUKA IN THE STARTING XI AS WELL
Vedran Ćorluka also received some love from Spurs manager Harry Redknapp; receiving his first start since Champions League Day 1 against Werder Bremen back in September. Although the match was more of a friendly than anything else, Ćorluka played well in the back and was not at fault for either of Twente’s three goals. Will we see more of Ćorluka in a Spurs shirt before the Georgia qualifier in March though?
MEMORIES OF ENGLAND IN ’06 COME UP…DON’T THEY?
Pranjic done for the year
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/540287-fc-bayern-munich-mario-gomezs-flu-means-automatic-changes-in-the-line-up
@ jersey cro
i have it on very reliable sources in zagreb that robi is the brains behind the national teams 'successes' in the past couple of years. i generally agree with your comments, but am afraid that you are way off on this one. compare the results of the squad during the wc qualifying campaign when he was away due to his illness.
either way, it's a huge sramota that he goes back to belgrade. really disappointing.
it's "cili svit ide u kurac"…..and I don't think this came as a huge surprise after all Robi made his career with ZV, he won the CL and the WCC with them in 1990
yea it was surprising they made the offer, and I don't think he will have a great advantage cuz the club is not in good standing but it's his decision and I will always support Robi…he was one of my childhood idols
Davor
cili svit ide u kurcu…..Zuti je novi trener crvene zvezde.
Nice hair Ćarli!
@Boris,
What a play by Bogut for the game winner. Tom Brady couldn't have made a better pass. Bogut made #1 on ESPN top10. Always a confidence booster when you win at the buzzer.
Lakers-Clipps game was great tonight. Fish high off the glass for a W.
bogut with a game-winner with .5 ticks on the clock against the pacers tonight!
i thought niko and corluka played well enough. vujicevic looked good too. i hadn't heard of him before. surely his pro Cro NT comments merit a spot on "Croatians Around Europe".
if niko stays at spurs i hope that means he's going to play more. if not, i'd be happier seeing him at another EPL club where he can contribute in every game.
probably…but he is pretty much a scout who gets to sit on the bench, pretty much just an image. That may be unpopular to say, but I doubt he really gets involved in the tactics and selections, won't be a huge loss
I'm surprised this has come up though, Zvezda is the least stable of the "Velika Cetvorka" and Prosinecki has no experience. This can end up either very well for him, or horribly wrong. If he turns Zvezda around he will be a hero, if he fails he will simply be an Ustasha to them…
Does this mean he will not be helping with Slaven BILIC?
Check this:
http://supersport.com/football/europe/news/101208/Prosinecki_set_to_be_Red_Star_coach
As a neutral observer I actually enjoy having the big clubs in the competition because when you get to the knockout stages the smaller clubs that tend to make it that far start getting killed. Shaktar has the resources and players to compete depending on who they draw, but a side like Copenhagen will likely get drilled in the next stage.
Give me a Roma-Man U matchup, even if that turns into a one-sided tie, instead of matchup with the smaller clubs.
As for Kranjcar…..I'm not to concerned with the injury. Next time the national teams plays will be in March, so plenty of time to get better. I think Spurs should not sell him and they should keep him on the bench. They are going to the next round of the competition, the EPL schedule increases during late Dec and January, plus the FA Cup starts for the big teams. Spurs will need some depth and Kranjcar is one of the better players on the bench.
If you look at what they have done in the CL and in the EPL this year, Spurs have made all the right moves, and that includes sticking Niko on the bench.
Looking at the qualified teams(and Roma, Shakhtar, and Arsenal tomorrow), only 2 teams are outside the big four leagues(Shakhtar and Copenhagen). I'm tired of watching the same teams, year after year in Champions league.
Hopefully all 3 Italian teams go out in round of 16. The only bright spot is that this year we have Croats in champions league.