- Luka Modrić remains sidelined with thigh injury as Real Madrid face Betis Saturday, ruled out for all three September Croatia World Cup qualifiers
- Mateo Kovačić comes on at halftime for 10-man Chelsea in 1-1 draw vs. Liverpool. “Kovačić came on at half time and was fantastic in both attack and defence, helping his side get up the pitch. The Croatian could’ve been the hero, having the Blues only shot on target in the 2nd half.”
- Ivan Perišić, Marcelo Brozović both play 66 minutes on Friday in Inter’s 3-1 win over Verona
- Ivo Grbić gets first win in France with Lille in 201 victory over Montpellier Sunday
*All times Eastern
No Modrić or Budimir.
Dalić will play Kramarić up top probably.
Stanišić should have been called up to the senior squad and not the U21s. Typical “you gotta earn your stripes” process that is conducted by a coach without regard for what the player can do right now.
I really hope Dalić has been watching some of these club games.
We can’t afford to play our most talented players in their least desirable positions.
Kramaric hasn’t scored yet, but it you watch his games, he’s playing better than ever. He covers so much ground, it’s incredible. Keep in mind that he has been assisting his teammates more and more beginning the end of last season and continuing through these fews games. He had a couple of good shots last game but one hit the post, and another forced a great save.
Not a good weekend for the Croats. Modric and Budimir are missing out on next month’s qualifying games. Huge blow but Modric needs to rest. He’s almost 36 and can’t do real and Croatia back and fourth. Disappointed that Kovacic was in the starting 11 and the fact Kramaric hasn’t scored yet. Barisic had a nice assist and Gvardiol played well even though RB lost.
Kova wasn’t in the starting 11 but he came in after halftime, to replace Konte and run the midfield down to 10 men. Although he didn’t receive praise from the English media, he took control of the game against a hungry liverpool. I think he played fantastic under a high pressure situation. Chelsea held on for 45 plus minutes to come away with a point. Kova actually had a goal scoring opportunity, but hit it wide.
Rijeka really didn’t deserve the win today… but I’ll take Rijeka beating Hajduk in Poljud no matter how I can get it.
4 way tie for first early on. Curious to see how the top 4 shape out as we go into the fall.
what do you think about Marin Jakolis lately. Seems to be gaining his confidence back?
The positive with the luka situation is course trying to make a new identity
But as we know dalic has been riding Luka coat tails
So it just gonna buy him time
Boys…..anyone have a link to the Osijek-Dinamo and Hajduk-Rijeka games today? Hvala
Was about to tune into the Osasuna match but saw that Budimir isn’t in the squad. Tough luck. At least we have a proper striker in Colak, and Livaja has experience at that position. We really just need someone who can receive long balls and hold up the ball and draw the defenders away from Kramaric. Colak is doing that at Malmö, so maybe he has a breakthrough in these games.
Sucic is called up correct?
Love to see him get capped now with the old luka injured
Fuck yeah!
Throw him into that number 10 spot. I’d love to see that
That’s shit for budimir
Was really hoping he would get his shot
This is awful timing for these injuries
But maybe one of these less rated dudes will catch fire?
Livaja?
Orsic can hopefully pull off a hatrick:)
Kova continue his slightly more offensive play
Vlasic to the hammers pretty much a done deal…should be interesting when he plays his old club Everton.
best lineup to develop younger players:
……….…………….Colak?………..…………..
Biuk…….….Vlasic/Sucic?……Brekalo
…..….Kova/Majer….Basic/Moro?……
Sosa……Gvardiol…..DCC……Stanisic
……………….….Livakovic?…….….…………
Budimir is out with an injury. Lovric is the likely call up.
awwww, he was finally gonna start, and i had a feeling he was gonna bang in some goals this cycle. also ppl dont realize actually how good lovric is
Yea, but isn’t Lovric more of a winger?
I was hoping to see Sosa come in and send in some crosses for Budimir. Oh well.
“Yea, but isn’t Lovric more of a winger?”
Yes.
No petkovic, budimir, rebic. i guess it was good thing rebic called out dalics idiocy and got dropped or else dalic would have played him striker again. I guess colak will get a good opportunity here. even if he doesnt score i wouldnt mind, just as long as we have someone up there who can challenge 50-50 balls.
best lineup stats wise from last season:
……………………..budimir…………………….
Rebic……………Kramaric…………..Orsic
………………Brozo……..Modric……………
Sosa…………..Vida….DCC……………..JJ
…………………….Livakovic………………….
this is pretty much wut the lineup should have been since the first slovenia qualifier game through the euro cup. with the exception of perisic instead of orsic. but orsic should have been playing more often every game, but he wasnt which is sad, considering he scored two hattricks in europe competition. also vlasic and kramaric should have been exchanging starting spots every other game given who the opponent is. and both only playing as center attacking mids!
i still cant get over that slovenia game, where dalic put perisic striker and krama and vlasic as wingers, putting wide players centrally and central players wide, literally stupidest lineup i have ever seen a coach make.
Ha ha. I forgot about that. Maybe Dalic is playing 4D chess.
He’s got the “inside outside” strategy. Central mid on the wing, and the wingers in central mid or striker up top. Trick the opponents. They’ll never see it coming.
Funny that our LOSS to 69th ranked Slovenia while doing this strategy, resulted in confirmation that we should continue using it in the Euros.
Lineup prediction is we play with Livaković and some back 4, with Brozović and Kovačić in the pivot, Kramarić as CAM and Perisić, Budimir, Vlasić as the other forwards. Definitely see Pasalić coming on for Kovačić or Kramarić because he’s been playing very well lately. Orsić for Perisić and maybe Čolak for Budimir
Congratulations to Lovro
Hope he demonstrates that there will be life after modric
All the best to him
So what are realistic line ups then with luka gone?
Kova has to step it up
Luka to coach and he bring back rakitic for a stop gap
Jakic isn’t NT quality is he?
Badelj type player. He can play, but if he has to, boy, there must be a lot of problems…..
Jakić to Eintracht almost complete
Majer has been called up to replace Modric.
Stanisic staring again
RB hasn’t been a position of strength for our senior team lately, meanwhile we have a RB starting for Bayern Munich (!) and he gets the call up to the U21’s?
I know right
Has anyone seen Martin Erlić of Spezia play much? He is 23, last year I noticed he was starting at RB and lost year CB. I have not seen him play much but wondering if he will/should contribute to senior team.
Even without Luka, we are sooo much better than Russia and Slovakia.
The fact that our coach has such a losing mentality is alarming.
Going into these two games without the expectation of six full points is unacceptable.
He’ll probably go with something similar to the Scotland lineup, since that was his most recent “success”…but with Kramarić in the starting eleven.
I watched a bit of the Hoffenheim match against Dortmund. Kramarić was deployed as a “lone striker” but really he plays a free-moving role. He leads the press up top on defense, but on offense he goes everywhere to receive the ball and distribute it, like a Modrić or Messi type player. The games he doesn’t score goals, he is doing so much of the dirty work to keep his team alive. Maybe he steps up in that playmaking role with Modrić out.
Gotta learn to play life without luka. Like someone mentioned Dalic will bitch if we drop points nemoze se bez luka but every team needs to learn to play without their best players chance for kovacic to step up and broz to get head out of ass should be interesting to see what sreckovic dalic does i dont think he experiments with 3 5 2 its too risky after just 2 trainings v russia. Expect 4 3 3 maybe Livakovic Juranovic Vida Lovren Gvardiol Broz kovacic Perisic Pasalic Vlasic Livaja krama budimir colak up to?
Modric out for the qualifiers
May be back for the sovenia game