KALINIĆ ENJOYING A DOUBLE-DIP
When it rains, it pours. The same can be said for Nikola Kalinić’s play this season. Kalinić got the start Tuesday afternoon as his Blackburn Rovers traveled to The Hawthorns to take on West Brom. Kale got off to a fantastic start as he kept his composure on a breakaway to beat Scott Carson only 150 seconds into the match. Kalinić nearly made it two in the first half, finessing the ball just over the crossbar.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the 53′, the 22 year-old Croatian would supply the game winning goal with a header following a corner kick. Blackburn would add one more for a 3-1 victory. Kalinić now has four goals to his name this season.
It wasn’t all glory for Kalinić on the day. After being fouled in the 65′ with no call, Kale quickly got up and tackled West Brom’s Paul Scharner cleats up right below the knee. It was an emotional play for the Croatian, but still stupid. He ruined a great game for himself by being sent off with a straight red. Simply, no discipline from Kalinić. Let’s see if he learns anything from the incident. He went from ‘zero to hero’ as quickly as he scored the first goal. Will the FA suspend him now?
KALINIĆ GOALS (0:05, 1:42) SORRY FOR THE AD
MODRIĆ (R) VS. NEWCASTLE
Luka Modrić once again played masterfully in the midfield as Tottenham scored two second half goals against Newcastle United on Tuesday to win 2-0. The Spurs had to play with 10-men a second straight game as Younes Kaboul gently grazed Newcastle’s Tiote in the 66′ with a botched headbutt attempt. Modrić supplied the assist to Bale for Tottenham’s second goal, placing the ball on the left sideline for Bale after carrying the ball 50 yards. Bale did the rest as he quickly juked a defender for his patented far-side shot on goal.
Niko Kranjčar, Vedran Ćorluka and Stipe Pletikosa all remained on the bench as unused substitutes.
MODRIĆ 50-YARD DASH TO FEED BALE
Corluka had a very solid performance against Fulham. He is less of a goal scoring threat than Hutton, but he provides great passes to Lennon.
@Jersey Cro:
I disagree with you about Corluka being lazy. I was at the same preseason games at the Red Bull Stadium and the heat/humidity was unbearable even for the spectators. If I recall he played as a central defender, a position I feel he is not suited for.
The Red Bulls were fit, excited about Henry, acclimated to east coast summer weather and treated the game like the Champion's League final.
Let's relax about Corluka. I went to both games in NY and he seemed fine. He isn't a loud guy and doesn't seem to show passion, but he has a huge future to this team so let's not get all mad about this. I would have loved Niko to Everton or Newcastle but that doesn't seem lightly. I would love to see Niko stay in EPL since it's the only league I watch but Serie A wouldn't be bad. Luka has been top notch since the Manchester United game, he has really came into his own. He is a joy to watch, as for Kalinic I don't have high hopes for him. He just seems like an Inzaghi player that just scores at the right times. At this point, Olic, Eduardo, Jelavic, Petric, and Lakic are better options.
Let's relax about Corluka. I went to both games in NY and he seemed fine. He isn't a loud guy and doesn't seem to show passion, but he has a huge future to this team so let's not get all mad about this. I would have loved Niko to Everton or Newcastle but that doesn't seem lightly. I would love to see Niko stay in EPL since it's the only league I watch but Serie A wouldn't be bad. Luka has been top notch since the Manchester United game, he has really came into his own. He is a joy to watch, as for Kalinic I don't have high hopes for him. He just seems like an Inzaghi player that just scores at the right times. At this point, Olic, Eduardo, Jelavic, Petric, and Lakic are better options.
Let's relax about Corluka. I went to both games in NY and he seemed fine. He isn't a loud guy and doesn't seem to show passion, but he has a huge future to this team so let's not get all mad about this. I would have loved Niko to Everton or Newcastle but that doesn't seem lightly. I would love to see Niko stay in EPL since it's the only league I watch but Serie A wouldn't be bad. Luka has been top notch since the Manchester United game, he has really came into his own. He is a joy to watch, as for Kalinic I don't have high hopes for him. He just seems like an Inzaghi player that just scores at the right times. At this point, Olic, Eduardo, Jelavic, Petric, and Lakic are better options.
@ Andrej
we dont have to agree thats fine…your points are just your opinions and i have mine…at the end of the day this is not a Kovac v Palacios. someone has to man mark Gerrard, Fabregas, Lampard…it sure as hell isn't going to be Modric or Kranjcar…there is no way you can play 4 guys like Kranjcar, Modric, Rakitic, Srna across the middle…who the hell is going to defend. and its not about Palacios only, I'm stsaing players like him are important! you think Gennaro Gattuso could hit the ocean off a dock? but he is a tireless hardworker and gets the ball back to his teams possession!
dosta vise! who do we have in good scoring form right now? thats what kinda scares me!
i am no fan of the last three you mentioned, but you can not play Modric, Kranjcar and Rakitic together against the top teams. Their lack of defensive ability would be greatly exposed. You can play them against average to sub par teams, but we will be in trouble against the big boys.
@Slavonac, Niko Kovac was a far better player then Palacios will ever be. While you may have enjoyed his defensive play the guy could shoot the ball at least and was always a threat in the box, in the air, and from distance something a player like Palacios isnt. Palacios has no brain…to me he runs around like a headless chicken and yes he is working hard for the ball but he is so out of position so often…he gives away stupid free kicks…and once a player like him picks up a yellow…what then? I mean he cant be played on a yellow because he is a ticking time bomb for a red. To me Tottenham play to attacking to have a liability player like Palacios misplacing passes. Not only does he ruin the game in the final 1/3 of the pitch but also gives away easy passes and you are often being countered. He just isnt consistent 1 game great next game you want him off after 10 minutes…
Going back to the Kovac and Croatia talk. He did have a huge influence on our side but we also were playing a different style then…we didnt have the talent in midfield we do now. No Modric, Rakitic, Kranjcar…these are great attacking players hitting their prime years to come. We cant play the hard tackling game…we cant sacrifice not playing one of them so we can play Vukoshit, Pokrishit, Lekoshit…
@ Andrej
your points are fair but i will say this… every playmaker, technician, distributor, soccer talent…appreciates having the hard nosed, hard working, diggers, fighters…playing alonside them! its just a necessary element to a team. i get your point about watching teams palying with flow, fluidity, finesse…but i'm certain the hard workers is key…niko kovac somewhat played that role for us until he retired…jurcic and soldo did as well in the late 90's!
nevertheless, i can appreciate your views because it seems like you enjoy watching the same type of soccer as most of us…i just think players like palacios (even though he can't make a great play) are key components to having a successful team…players like him sacrifice their body…they would dive into a tackle and leave themselves vulnerable where most would avoid it…its for his teammates! watch him play closely and you'll notice just how hard he works at regaining possession for his teammates…and they he normally will just pass the ball off to a playmaker!
@Slavonac and THC, I dont know ask Barcelona who does the hard work….? Haha not really a fair point but winning the ball is far overrated when you consider the liability a bad passer in the team is. We may have different views on how the game should be played but I enjoy the flow of the game and playing football like that. Croatia cannot sit back and defend…nor can Tottenham they dont have the players to. I am sorry I hate Palacios he plays the game the way I hate to watch it…we may just have to disagree. I just dont enjoy hard tacklers who possess far to little elsewhere…Andy Gray not to long ago Messi would have a hard time against the Stokes of the PL…guess what if Modric can destroy them he sure as hell can too. The PL and the English in general dont enjoy technical football and thats why I have never been the biggest fan of PL and that is also the problem with England at international level. They try to enforce the pace of games but it just does not work against top teams as they lack so much technical ability. I love watching players like Lennon, Walcott, Bale…ect but it also does not amuse me to see somebody just run past players just because of speed. I rather watch Kranjcar and Modric play great 1,2 passing and beat defenders with skills then pace. When healthy and in form our midfielders are as good as any teams in the world…our only problem is everything outside of midfield. If you put our midfield together Kranjcar, Modric, Rakitic, Srna…would there be room for a Hudd, Jenas, or Palacios…i doubt.
Corluka at least does not misplace as many passes and is far better going forward then a player like Hudd who does not even use his strength to stay on the ball as Corluka does. I am not saying he should be starter for a top 4 team…simply he does deserve apperances because Hudd, Palacios, Hutton, and Jenas…well they are not the most consistent to be playing non stop football. It does not matter to me because I dont care for them I care for Croatia and if he isnt playing he isnt getting chosen for us either…
Holding midfielders are a killer to the flow of the game. People can talk all they want about the PL being the best and roughest league in the world but the better team controls the tempo and style of the game. Look at international game…it is generally slower in tempo but does Brazil or Spain or Germany usually change the flow of their game? I dont think so…at least not very often. Idk great tacticians find their ways I find HR a good coach but not a good tactician….to an extent i find the same with Bilic but he is improving slowly.
With the way Tottenham is playing right now no changes will be made and I do understand that but you cant accept it as a player always as you have to have the mentality no matter what you are good enough to get your shot here and there as you cant think you are 2nd best.
On the great note the Perisic great goal today or all 4 of them. He would be great behind a striker like Jelavic. The one thing I know is we have some talents coming up soon and i hope they can keep pushing to the next level but ffs can we produce anything but midfielders…a decent defender or two would be nice as we only have average at best defense and our strikers are only hot and cold.
@Myself
Playing a CM at dinamo does not "always" equate to playing a CM in the EPL..
@Andrej
My apologies. I didn't actually know that he played CM at Man City.
Im sticking with my guns though. He might be smart and composed on the ball, but he doesn't have pace nor the mobility to be a starting CM in the EPL.
He was brought to Man City as a defender…not a midfielder. And playing CM at Dinamo, does not equate to playing CM in the EPL.
The videos you sent definitely showed some class. But to counter those videos I have to say this:
For one, Corluka was playing against Newcastle in the first video. They finished 12th that season, and Man City was nothing to brag about at the time either(finishing 9th). The second video, even though he may have had some good moves, shows him botching pretty easy wide open through balls.(not just once either) I mean yah, he's decent…but to start for Tottenham..No.
Perisic with 4 goals today for Brugge
@ Andrej
my last comment didnt get posted so i will try again.
Wilson Palacios is an incredibly physical presence, the type of player every team needs to win games. he runs miles and challenges all game…similair physical types of players are Gattuso, Gentile, Cannavaro… all won the ball back for their team and sacrificed their bodies! if a team has 11 skilled playmakers who would do the hard work?
@ JerseyCro
i think Corluka has proven he is definitely capable and has what it takes to play in the EPL…hands down! and Kranjcar…on je veliki znalac…even if he is slow he definitely can play! Kranjcar has vision, he's strong on the ball, amazing shot and cross and he has composure…most players don't have all those elements!
Kalinic has the talent but he doesn't have the brains, he showed that at Hajduk and yesterday in the Blackburn match. You are up 3-1 in the 65th minute and you want to slide tackle like a maniac?
And let's get real, Corluka and Kranjcar aren't exactly players the English like. Corluka is very lazy, I saw it even in preseason when Spurs played two matches in NJ, he just didn't give a crap, even though it is preseason that attitude was unprofessional.
Kranjcar will stay with Spurs until the summer is my gut feeling, Corluka too. Neither will play much though unless there are injuries/suspensions
If it were up to me, Corluka shouldn't be starting for the NT anymore, he needs to change his attitude, quick…but in Croatia we don't care if players are lazy or unprofessional, which is why our NT very rarely does anything great at tournaments
Corluka with the ball is quality, no question about that. However, no way in hell can he play holding midfielder (Vuki's role) simply because he doesn't have the pace. When Carli runs, he looks like the hunchbach of Notre Dame. @Ziva re: Tudor.. took the words right out of my mouth. However, I think Corluka is better with the ball at his feet.
RE: Kalinic
You can't be successful at a club if you are a young forward playing 4-5-1 like Blackburn have been playing all season. He needs help. can't do it all by himself.
maybe Corluka can play CM but he's slower than molasses, hes much better at CD or RB. Tudor had a little more speed and he reacted quicker although I absolutely like Corluka's composure and positioning. per Rakitic, I am tired of Juve's defensive system… for that matter the whole Italian league frustrates me…Rakitic would do better to stay in Germany or go to Spain or England…he does well when the ball is played through him and he is involved in a more free role rather than a defensive system.
Hutton deserves to play but Corluka will get his chance…he didnt lose his spot due to poor form so its only part of sport to wait your time if the guy that took your spot is doing well.
Agreed on some points. Corluka can play CM and has done it. Very similar to Igor Tudor back when he played for Juventus. He played in the backline and in CM. Like Tudor, Corluka is better in the backline, but very good with the ball. If I am Spurs, I dont make any changes to that lineup unless they start losing or injuries pop up. Tough luck for Kranjcar and Corluka, but that is the price you pay when you play for a top club, your spot is not secured.
Kalinic…the first goal was a great finish. Fully expected him to choke on it. The red card was deserved, but he had no intent with the tackle. Simply mistimed it.
I said so long ago to try Corluka in CM opposed to Vuki, Dujmovic or Pokrivac. The guy has talent but he first needs to get some playing time. I think Hudd is pretty good though. You can even see in those videos that Corluka holds onto the ball too long instead of playing it quickly. Maybe he should move on as he is getting no love from Harry.
Juve should be a great fit for Rakitic.
I hope Kranjcar goes to a top club in a good league because playing with lower level competition is not ideal for him at this point of his career like in Scotland.
Lets hope Kale keeps this going because him and Jelavic would be absolute monsters up front for the NT (in the future obviously)
TGC, Corluka played CM at Dinamo for a period of time and in Man City? So I dont know how much you have watched him over his career. The guy is composed on the ball and the only thing that holds him back is his mobility because he is a smart player. Palacios is one of the most dreadful players I have had to watch in CM…the guy cannot make a simple pass I mean thats the fundamentals of football. As for Jenas he runs…yep…thats pretty much it. Does not tackle and does not score does not assist. I have not seen Jenas make an advancing pass…always to the sides and back. As for Hudd he has same problems Corluka does with mobility but isnt as good of a defender as Corluka. He has attacking features that Corluka does not but Corluka is still great with his technical ability. Please if guys like Dujmovic , Leko, Pokrivac, and Vukojevic have been our CDM…Corluka can to and I have watched him play there and though he was good.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3xw3t_corluka-plays-in-the-midfield-vs-ne_sport
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x405nw_corluka-plays-midfield-vs-livrpool_sport
Yes he can play in midfield and yes sorry I do think he is more talented then the likes of Jenas, Palacios, and Hudd…the 3 he is competing with for that position.
@Andrej
Corluka cannot play CM. Is that serious? You just said he is a future defender.
Kalinic has spotty performances. I hope he gets back to better form. I think Lakic or Perisic should get the call over him for the NT though.
Corluka and Hutton are both competent right backs. Redknapp seems to play his defenders until they break, and then he rotates in the minimally used backup. Hutton sat on the bench for a long time which probably contributed to Corluka getting injured.
Kranjcar should go. I hope he doesn't go to Celtic. That league is weak and biased against Celtic. Aston Villa is looking good for him.
Corluka should probably stay.
Rakitic should stay although he has the skills to play on most Champion's League teams.
New owners / new coach and Blackburn finally gives decent service to Kalinic. Under the old coach he would only receive long balls to his chest when his back was up against two or more defenders. I know he has a lot of critics on this site, but he is going to mature into a quality striker. Did you see his composure on the 1st goal? Very Suker-esque.
Klasnic,Olic,Petric and Eduardo are heading into the twilights of their careers so he and Lakic have big shoes to fill.
That Bale goal…was definitely a cross to Crouch but who wont take it. In all realism though Bale has to much hot and cold in the last 7 or 8 matches and he shows moments but goes cold for much of the game. I thought Modric played great best player by a mile today…he is catching form and he is in a level of his own right now. I suggest Corluka and Kranjcar leave Tottenham for their sake as there is no rotation policy…and as good as Tottenham has been they are still better then some of the players getting into the rotation.
Kalinic was hungry and he scored 2 times on goals that were actually not lucky but just good finishing. He was deserving of the red card but I know he is a hot head but I didnt see much intent when he did it…just terrible timing from a striker.
Rumors are a possible move for Rakitic to Juventus…I think he would fit great into their team but he should only go play where he will be 1st team choice and I do think he can play there.
As for Kranjcar rumors I hear a possible Celtics move. In all honesty it makes no difference to me where he goes as we know he is quality at international level. I would still suggest him to go to a slower paced league with better technical players around him so it suits his game more. I dont think PL will offer him that. He is to good to be sitting on the bench of Tottenham…the only thing is he has VdV and Bale ahead of him in his positions…so cant say he is 1st choice over them but most others…yes.
Corluka I have heard nothing about….He is better then Hutton but looks like he isnt getting back into the team and isnt getting much looks in from subs bench. He is one of our future decent defenders so we cant have him riding the bench…he can play in CM next to Modric too but i dont think Harry would do that…but I think Palacios and Jenas are some of the worst players I have seen on a good team who get consistent playing time…