Croatia faces World Champions Spain on Tuesday, September 29th, in Seville following a shaky 2-1 victory over Czechia.
Defence
Saturday’s match was truly a tale of two halves for the back four. The first half was remarkable — one of the most stable defensive halves I’ve seen Croatia play in a long time. Gvardiol and Vušković cleaned up very well at the back and the press we ran suffocated the Czechs in their own half most of the time.
However, the second half saw back-to-back gaffes by Gvardiol and Vušković, gifting the Czechs their first goal. Afterwards, we could not compose ourselves at the back, giving away countless dangerous counters and even having VAR save us with a tight offside call. We need more from these two, considering their performances for club at the moment.
Midfield
The midfield was amazing against Czechia. Modrić showed his class, Kovačić ran the show, and Petar Sučić performed once again. Definitely should’ve finished that chance in the first half, though. Nothing to change here for me, but I could see Bilić rest someone for our home games against England and Spain.
Attack
Martin Baturina’s absence was sorely felt in the last match. Marco Pašalić brought width when he came on and even tucked away the game-winner. They are must-starts for me.
Luka Sučić displayed quality, but I’d prefer him off the bench at CAM. Franjo Ivanović showed many positives in his pace, willingness to track back and direct play, but also many weaknesses, notably in his ball control, lack of dribbling and very predictable play. He also won just 2/12 duels and was dribbled past 4 times.
For me, the weakest link up front was Igor Matanović. I don’t get how he performs so well in the Bundesliga because he was simply invisible and did nothing with any of the crosses that came his way. Ante Budimir was much better when subbed on, and for this game, I’d rotate and give Dinamo’s Beljo a shot up front.
How do you think Bilić will line up on Tuesday? Will he rotate or will he bring the A team to face the World Champions on their own turf?
The new stadium 2nd. prize entry by CBA with the checkerd look and raised landscape around it is a lot better than the Italian one. Happy they scrapd the 1st one the open corners would have created a wind tunnel effect in parts of stands and on the field.Most modern stadiums today have their roof or canopy constructed from plastiques and alluminum that can bend and twist without breaking in wind and an earthquake. The concrete slab roof the 1st prize shows is soposedly desighnd to flex in an earthquake I wouldn’t trust it . The new stadium should be something special that everyone is proud of.
Any photos of this redesign?
Croatia will beat Spain tomorrow and end this unbeaten streak tomorrow. You heard it here first.
Re: Saranic puny arms
He posted himself doing bar bicep curls with 2.5kg on each side
That’s Gramma weight – come on bro
🤦♂️
Didn’t realize until now, but the pots for the Euro qualification draw are determined not by rankings, but by the Nations League standings. The top 3 teams in the 4 groups in League A make up the pot 1 teams. So basically Croatia has to avoid last place in the group. You figure beating the Czechs is a big step, because beating them again would be good enough to avoid last place.You figure the Czechs won’t be taking many points off Spain or England, if any.
Already MASSIVE improvement over Dalic
Remember when Dalic spoon fed the formation months in advance and who would start days in advance lol
Pokušali su novinari otkriti sastav Vatrenih, ali…
– Neću puno otkriti o sastavu iz više razloga. Nitko to ne radi pa zašto bi i ja. Imamo igrača koji se vraćaju iz virozica. Imamo igrača koji su se jutros tako osjećali, boli ih glava, osjećaju se teško. Čekaju nas nakon ovoga još dvije utakmice, i to je jedan od razloga. Ligu nacija smo rekli da ćemo koristiti za pokušaj ostvarivanja što boljeg rezultata, ali i kao pretkvalifikacije za Euro. Dobro smo krenuli, vidjet ćemo sutra.
Riječ je zatim preuzeo izbornik Slaven Bilić.
– Htio bih se osvrnuti na situaciju iz Praga kada sam zaboravio staviti ruku na srce. Čuo sam puno zaključaka koji nemaju veze sa istinom. Više od 100 puta sam stavljao ruku na srcu, i kao igrač i kao izbornik, njegovao sam to prije i nastavit ću. Nema tu nikakve promjene, to volim i poštujem. U Pragu sam to jednostavno zaboravio. Bio sam koncentriran na igrače. Javna isprika, neće se više ponoviti.
Just dont give up cheap goals, play comppact smart soccer. A loss is nothing wrong, the best team in world on home soil after world cup tough match just dont get pumped.
I would play P sucic in the #8 role to me he’s the guy who needs to take over this team. He is the engine enough of playing him on right wing like in WC or in the #10 role. The other day he was running everywhere again he needs to be in the middle close to CB’s and in transition.
Yes.
Plenkovic canceled the Maksimir tender
They are starting again from scratch lol
Stadium will never be built, they will go to re design not have money for the one that everyone likes and go in circles and circles. Same song for basically 30 years
Why do they do that? They are anti-progress.
I see nothing wrong with the design.
People are such whingers.
F*ck “public opinion” and just build the damn thing.
“Public opinion” is mostly a bunch of bots anyway.
I like the sharp lines and the over lapping corners. 4 separate stands isn’t ideal but I love that it’s only 35,000 and with the seats much closer to the field. Beats the standard round bubbly look I see everywhere.
Atmosphere will be intimidating!
atmosphere in hrvatska will never be intimidating once a new stadium is built. too many will be there just to be at the game so others can see thm. it will be like a event premier that happens all the time in zagreb. bit će to kazališna publika.
our most intimidating atmosphere is when we play at world cup in europe or euros. those are the real fans coming to match. world cup in usa and canada was not a good atmosphere. we had too many people who could not sing or speak in croatian. zero atmosphere for team.
Euro 2024 in Germany wasn’t any better.
Smart phone generation need the phone in their hands at all times.
If Spain replaces all the starters and goes with 2nd or 3rd backups and crush us it will reveal everything
this is the type of game where Vuskovic has a tough match because he is slow. hopefully on corners and free kicks in the box we have set pieces designed around him. first game for spain at home since world cup. they will be up for it. a loss is expected here and we should be ok with that.
Spain replacing players for the Croatia game
Bilic – you call up Jagusic for Spain yet? Olic qualified – no excuses – in fact let’s see how he does without Jagusic – that would be a great test
#####
The story continued with the U-21 national team and the hero of the victory against Hungary, hat-trick scorer Adrian Jagušić.
– I spoke to his manager the day before yesterday after the game, and I asked him about the situation at Panathinaikos because in the first five rounds of the Greek championship he didn’t play a single minute. He played eight games in Europe and the Greek Cup. He says there is no reason to worry, that it is all part of the plan and that he will play a lot more than last season because they are seriously counting on Jagušić. They haven’t even thought about selling him or loaning him out – commented Andro Polić.
– It’s just a matter of time and the needs of the young national team when he will debut in the A national team. This is a player who will definitely mark the future of the Croatian national football team. Every first year is difficult when you are a young player, especially when you come from Slaven Belupo, and not from Dinamo or Hajduk, a bigger and more serious club. He also needed to adjust. Panathinaikos is doing well, although we have the impression that he should have been given a little more opportunity in his first year – Puljić replied.
Matanovic was fine. Plus, he was the reason we got the first goal. He made the interception that went to Luka. Don’t see much that he did wrong.
GOAT Anonymous 100% hit rate !!!
And u wonder why Anonymous calls u guys MORONS
384 matches of the Croatian National Team since 1990
In the previous 383 – the manager (and all the players save Ivan Juric in 2009) put their hand on their heart during the National Anthem
Bilic didn’t – and NOT ONE OF U MORONS picked up on it
Only Anonymous did – that’s why Anonymous is the GOAT of all GOATS
Honestly guys – this is BASIC ATTENTION TO DETAIL – something most 4 YEAR OLDS WOULD PICK UP WATCHING – yet not one of u did
U should all be ASHAMED how mediocre your eye tests are – it’s seriously embarrassing – the corollary is if u can’t even figure out what’s happened pre-game – why bother posting what happens during the game as you don’t have the attention to detail to have any actual insight – so please stop posting
***.jutarnji.hr/sportske/nogomet/bilic-objasnjava-zasto-nije-stavio-ruku-na-srce-u-pragu-i-najavljuje-ispravak-u-sevilli-15750698
U 384. utakmici hrvatske nogometne reprezentacije od 1990. godine, u Pragu se prvi put dogodilo da izbornik nije držao ruku na srcu kod intoniranja himne. No, iza toga nema velike priče niti bilo kakve politike. Slaven Bilić zanio se i zaboravio. Bila mu je to prva utakmica otkako se vratio, dugo je radio u inozemstvu, i to u klubovima gdje se ionako ne puštaju himne, bio je uzbuđen, što nije krio, pun dojmova i razmišljanja, pa kad je krenula himna misli su se očito našle na nekoj drugoj temi.
Prema informacijama koje imamo iz reprezentacije, to nije nikakav stav izbornika, u Sevilli će držati ruku na srcu kao što je to činio na svakoj od 65 utakmica u kojima je vodio Vatrene od 2006. do 2012. godine. I još dvije godine ranije u mladoj reprezentaciji. To je i sam odlučio kazati na press-konferenciji.
Otkako postoji moderna hrvatska reprezentacija, izbornici i igrači drže ruku na srcu. To je dio rituala, domoljubnog, ali i više od toga – preraslo je u jedno od nepisanih pravila koja čine kult nacionalne vrste. Nakon Praga bilo je tekstova i komentara o tome kako to da Bilić nije stavio ruku na srce, a momčad predvođena kapetanom Lukom Modrićem jest. Izbornik i igrači moraju biti jedno srce i pogotovo jedna duša, ako žele uspjeh. Sve drugo bilo bi jako loše. Tko privatno drži ruku na srcu, a tko ne, to je osobna stvar, ali reprezentacija je služba poput vojske, pravila pisana i nepisana nekad su bitnija od kvalitete igrača jer se zahvaljujući zajedništvu i ekstra-motivu u jakoj konkurenciji dolazi do dobrih rezultata.
Mauricio Pochettino je Argentinac pa kao američki izbornik drži ruku na srcu kad svira himna SAD-a. Dagur Sigurdsson je Islanđanin i jednako postupi kad igraju naši rukometaši. Mnoge reprezentacije ne drže ruku na srcu nego se svi zagrle.
Jedini igrač koji nije držao ruku na srcu bio je Ivan Jurić 2009. godine na prijateljskoj utakmici s Rumunjskom u Bukureštu. Također je zaboravio.
Radi se o trademarku moderne Hrvatske od 1990. godine. Reprezentacija NDH nije držala ruku na srcu, po fotografijama možemo vidjeti da je ili stajala mirno ili dizala desnu ruku u nacistički pozdrav. No, to su bila neka druga, ružna i teška vremena.
Just a quick review of our first game. I watched it twice. I did a report but it got flagged as spam for some reason. We completely controlled the first half and got better towards the end of the half creating a few good chances. Second half was the same. Even after the gaffs by Josko and Luka we immediately had control back. Sloppy passes began to come into our play, perhaps tiredness, giving away possession and that allowed Czech to get some control on the counter. You could see what Bilic is trying to achieve with a higher line and consistent width. But it gives our midfield wider spread spaces to cover which is probably why we began to tire as a team midway through second half. Some tinkering to do but overall a very good start
We will have to be more compact against Spain
For sure we will be.
There’s no way we play Spain the same way we played against Czech.
The Prague game was a very winnable game, and I’m glad we took the risks…because we came away with the most important win in this Nations League tournament for us.
Spain unbeaten in their last 40 matches, and our chances of getting a result in Seville are pretty slim.
We need to think about the home matches against England and Spain where our chances of getting a result against the two tough opponents are higher.
I would therefore rest most of our senior players and would not start with Modric, Kovacic, Perisic and would also rest Gvardiol. Upfront I would play Budimir since he plays in Spain and would have Beljo coming on as a sub.
Bilic needs to give everyone a chance including the goalkeepers.
They are on an 8-game win streak, since their draw against Cape Verde.
Spain are due for a draw, and there is no better team equipped for it than us.
I could see them playing a bit more cautious, as guys like Modric (and even Budimir) are feared in Spanish circles.
Just have Rakitic and his annoying wife distract the Spanish players with their “half Spain half Croatia” kits that they’ll likely wear at the stadium together.
I agree with MART. This is probably the game to rest key players.
Budimir as striker. (Beljo sub).
Midfield: I would go with Luka Sucic again starting in the midfield, probably as CAM behind Budimir, with the two La Liga players on the attack. I might also start Majer and Vlasic in the midfield, giving some rest to Kova and Modric and Petar.
Probably start Smolcic at right back, and then have Stani start both games in Croatia, playing Stani a full three out of the four games.
Net: Kotarski or Pandur. Give one of them the start.