It’s being reported from multiple news outlets in Croatia that 31 year-old defender, Dejan Lovren, could be ruled out of EURO 2021 due to injury. He did not report to training on Friday and stayed in the team hotel. Lovren has not played for Zenit since April 5th.
In the long run, this could be a blessing in disguise for the Croatian defense. The pairing of Lovren/Vida has been anything but successful since the 2018 World Cup and a changing of the guard – sooner than later – was inevitable.
If Lovren is unable to go, it’s expected that Duje Ćaleta-Car takes his place alongside Vida at center-back with Vrsaljko and Barišić on the outsides.
I don’t know if it’s a blessing in disguise?
I think it’s a blessing in PLAIN SIGHT!!
Hopefully we get some new blood in there on defense and we can run a strong complete team without having to worry about a bunch of Swiss cheese holes in our backfield.
We Also need to keep the momentum going for Euro 21 from our DEEP WC 18 run to the final that we got scammed on Against France on the Persic handball penalty with the fake VR and the shady unsure double checking second guessing ref. It completely zapped the energy and life right before halftime and took the wind out of our sails For the game. Can you even imagine introducing and trying out a brand new game review technology, rules and system that could be totally manipulated to favor whoever for the first time in the WORLD CUP finals! We were cheated Right there folks!! It’s that simple. Anyways I think this will be great for the team.
Whose in better form to replace?
DCC & Marin Pongračić
DCC & Skoric
DCC & Gvardiol ( or is he better used at Left Back)
Gvardiol
Lovren’s formed has dropped since last World Cup. Even if he was healthy, not preforming enough to start. He’s also a bandaid too and has numerous injuries over the last few years. He was never a starter for Liverpool and rightfully so. As of now, the back four should be Barisic, Bradaric, Vida and Jurnaovic. Vrsaljko and Lovren are always hurt and could turn into a Strinic. Get the youngsters in and fresh legs.
That makes no sense Barišić and Bradaric are both LBs… and what about Caleta-Car? How you gonna start Vida and not him.
Not sure this guy is watching our games here… Lets just randomly chose some defenders and BAM! perfect back 4! lol
@ARMADA1987 I watch the games mate. I’ll I’m saying is we have too many left backs. Vida as centre back because he’s been solid in the Turkish league. Gvardiol as the second centre back. I guess you could have Jurnaovic as right back and then Barisic as left back. You do realize Barisic plays central attacking midfield? You think Caleta-Car over Vida?
LB Barisic
CB Vida or Caleta-Car
CB Gvardiol
RB Jurnaovic (Vrsaljko hasn’t played and too many injuries)
You could have him playing upfront because of his speed
I understand your concerns and points, all valid.
Barisic is a lock for LB.
Given that Lovren has now been cleared, I think that locks in Vida/Lovren for the starting CB pair. Not my favorite pair, but assume that is what Dalic will go with. I’d prefer DCC and one of Lovren/Vida, but assume now that DCC will be the first CB off the bench, especially if one of Vida or Lovren are in shit form.
Vrsaljko at RB. I understand the piece of his health and not being in form, but I assume the logic is that even while not in the best of form, Sime is levels ahead of anything else we can put out at RB and I actually agree with that logic. Hoping we only see Juranovic in the event of really bad form, cards or injury by Vrsaljko.
@Markus Ok well Barisic is also a centre attacking mid. My mistake to put him there. I guess your right. Caleta-Car has started a lot for the national team.
LB Barisic
CB Caleta-Car
CB Gvardiol
RB Jurnaovic
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Aside from all of Lovren’s antics, I have to say he’s been relatively solid for us. I’d prefer he’s healthy and plays in a rotation or a sub, I still think he can help us!
He was only good at the World Cup 2018.
He somehow kept his gaffes to a minimum at the World Cup (his biggest mistake being that stupid handball in the meaningless Iceland game).
But, everything before and after that, he was bad.
Unfortunately, the always defensively steady Vida has dropped off quite a bit too… So I don’t know anymore who is the more valuable CB between the two of them.
Either way, I’d rather just take the risk and go with the younger talent , It’s not like you’re getting some steady low-risk veteran.
The even bigger risk of keeping Lovren as a starter at these Euros, is maintaining an expectation from him to be a starter at the 2022 World Cup.
The sooner we squash this notion, the better for everyone.
What’s going on with Rebic?? Is he ok
@Dannyj It’s a calf injury and he didn’t do a full training session prepping for Armenia friendly Tuesday.
Now we just need Vida to pull his hammy, Skoric to tweak his ankle, and…
badda boom, badda bing!
Dalic will finally start a competent CB pairing with Gvardiol and Duje
Pongracic next man up for an invitation?
Reportedly. If Dalic goes CB for CB swap, Pongracic would be next in the pecking order but barring more injuries and cards, him and Skoric would be our last 2 CB’s we’d call upon. If Vida is ruled out, you can lock in Vida and DCC as our starting CB pairing, unless Dalic reads this site a bit and realizes he should go with DCC/Gvardiol pairing. 😉
I’d take Pongracic but Skoric? Skoric looked brutal in that one game we lost 3-2 to Portugal in nations league. Never started after that game. Call of Melnjak instead.
I’d rather have neither one on the NT. They’re the perfect type of players to have on the provisional list i.e. if we have a rash of injuries at one position, guys like Skoric and Melnjak are 4th/5th choice at their position. Neither one of them should see a second of play at the Euro.