(During the next 30 days, starting May 10th, CroatianSports will be giving “season grades” to 30 of Croatia’s most important football players: Starting XI, bench, fringe, prospects. Grades will be given on preseason expectations vs. actual season performance; not stats.)
Day 14: Nikola Vlašić
Season Grade: C+
National Team: D+
Torino: B
Season Highlight:
Ran the ball up field against Brazil before passing off to Oršić for the Petković equalizer in extra time.
A fantastic winner from 22 yards out to beat Verona 1-0
Team Next Season:
- Vlašić went on loan at Torino this season from West Ham and made the best of it. He scored five goals and assisted six times in 33 appearances for Torino, who will finish top half of the table in Serie A (7th-9th).
- Vlašić has made it clear in 2023 that he would like to remain in Italy at Torino on a permanent deal (Chances: 90%)
- West Ham brings him back to London (10%)
What the Future Holds:
Vlašić is only 25 years old and had the resurgent season he needed in Italy after warming the bench in London (West Ham) last year. He has 11 total goal contributions in 33 appearances having to sit out four consecutive matches in February/March due to a hamstring injury. This is the season Vlašić was looking for as he played ample minutes (2,639) and started regularly for Torino under Croatian coach Ivan Jurić. Vlašić has yet to solidify himself in the Croatian starting XI as a RW or CAM though. He only played 205 minutes at the World Cup in seven of Croatia’s matches; starting once. Vlašić is still relatively young at 25 and could have 5-7 great years for Croatia if he has another healthy year in Italy under his belt. He can easily score 10+ goals next season with the right cast around him.
He came on as a sub in games against Japan and Brazil, and subsequently buried the first penalty in both shoot outs. This on it’s deserves a B rating for the national team!
How does Vlasic get a season grade of C+ and then get a Torino grade of B? Isn’t the season a reflection of Torino?
Overall he’s more like a C+ and that’s being fair to him. I’ve rarely seen him do much for our National Team and he’s just OK at Torino…better near the end of the season while the season consists of 37 games and he was what…good in 7? I don’t use sofa score as any means of reference but even they put him at an overall score of 6.82 which is 68% out of 100%….not sure that constitutes even a C+
Vlasic, in my opinion, is playing at a level far lower than I ever expected from him considering his tires were pumped up soo much!
You’ve probably haven’t seen him do much probably because he’s been played anywhere but the midfield for the last 3 years. And if every other player has been reflected on their season both country and club, why would Vlasic’s season reflection just be for Torino? Should be for both like what has been showed on this post.
Look, don’t get me wrong he hasn’t done well for Croatia as of recent and for Torino, he sort of gotten in the rhythm towards the end after a bit of a drought after the WC but if he hasn’t been playing in his preferred position for the National team in that long, how would he be impactful?
Even though he’s always looked a little underwhelming to me, he had a solid finish to his season. Almost half (5) of his goal contributions came in his last 7 games. Hopefully he can build on that momentum.
————– CROATIA —————-
National League players level -o
this is the standard – not to divert.
World Class [Gold Type]
Luka Modric
Be Considered [Silver Type]
…………………………………………….
Decent Players [Bronze Type]
High Level –
………………………………………….
Mid-level >
Perisic, Brozovic
Low level –
Gvardiol, Kovacic
______________________________________| below list]
Be Considered as Decent Players –
…………………………………………………..
Average players
Livaković, Juranovic, Kramaric, Mario Pašalić,
Lovro Majer, VLASIC
Not Impressive
LIVAJA, Petkovic, Sosa, Stanišić, Šutalo, Barišić
Martin Erlić, Vida, Ivica Ivušić, Labrović,
Ivanušec, Petar Musa, Dion Drena Beljo
Niko Sigur picked Cro U21 over Canada. Anyone know anything about him?
Yes!
What’s Sigur’s season grade?
Big pickle baby!
Who is this ljubo puljic kid? Signed by Bayern from osijek?
Another solid cb prospect it seems
The Big pickle🥒 will relish an opportunity to have a full healthy season under Juric.
It has all the makings of a breakout term for Vlasic next year!