Luka Modrić and Real Madrid fell 2-1 to Villareal on Saturday. Modrić played 70 minutes with a rare 6/10 rating as he “Put himself about to try and dominate in midfield but could only do so much.” With the loss and a Barcelona win on Sunday, Real Madrid now trail their eternal rivals by three points in the La Liga title race.
With the Bundesliga still on winter break, there wasn’t much action elsewhere in one of the slowest weekends in CroatianSports history.
Mateo Kovačić and Chelsea are in a complete downward spiral. Kova only played the first 1st half Sunday in Chelsea’s 4-0 loss to Manchester City in their FA Cup tie. It’s only the second week of January and Chelsea have already been eliminated from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup; and sit 10th in the English Premiership. Chelsea is sinking and Kova needs to start thinking about jumping ship this summer.
Ivan Perišić and Spurs defeated Portsmouth 1-0 in FA Cup play. Perišić did not make the squad for this game in lieu of rest. Spurs will now play Preston North End in the Round of 32.
Marcelo Brozović did not suit up for Inter on Saturday vs. Monza due to a lingering knock. Inter conceded an injury time own goal to let Monza escape with a 2-2 draw. Inter now sit 10 points behind leaders Napoli.
It is clear that Dalic is the best manager Croatia has ever had. The results speak for themselves. Is he perfect? No… not by any means. But he’s done a good enough job of not over thinking things . Making minor adjustments. And keeping the locker room together.
Once agian, far from perfect…but perfect doesn’t really exist.
That being said, I get a bit hesitant about a coach staying on for so long. Over time, players start to tune them out and are no longer as motivated.
In general, this next generation that got a medal so early in their career will not be as motivated on the national stage. Modric and crew were starving for anything in 2018. These guys already got it and expect these things to come.
On the other hand, anything short of winning a major tournament will now be a disappointment for these guys, so the bar has been raised, and the culture of the national team will be elite. That’s actually been the difference between our accomplishments and those of Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, and Argentina. Those teams don’t approach matches as the underdog. They can win championships because they aren’t wasting all of their energy fighting. They have more confidence, and they know how to dominate a game. The future of Croatian football will be about playing on that level. The coach’s job will be to keep the team on that level.
Add Brazil to the list.
Funny thing about all this is that it’s usually Croatia who dominates the game every time we’ve faced these teams you mentioned (France, Portugal, Italy, etc.).
We’ve also medaled more at World Cups in the last 24 years than almost all of these teams too.
But I get what you’re saying.
We used to approach our previous two achievements (in 1998 and 2018) as some rare thing that is more of a miracle than an expectation.
I think this time feels different, because most of us though it would take another 20 years to achieve the same feat as we did the last two times… but the fact that we repeated the success so quickly proves that Croatia actually has always been at that level.
It was our ‘small country’ mentality that had to catch up to our quality talent, which could always dominate possession against the elite.
There was never any need to play as an underdog against any of these teams. Games are generally won in the middle of the field, and we were always the kings of the midfield.
Exactly. Croatia had excellent teams in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2016 (I can’t speak for 2002 and 2006 because I didn’t get to watch much of those world cups) but lost closely contested matches against other excellent teams. The difference was in the details, moments during which the defense would lapse for a split second for no reason at all, and unhealthy attitudes. Dalić came in and insisted on more focus and a healthier attitude. The result is that the team can consistently perform at its actual skill level, rather than always underperforming in the clutch. Spain went through something similar in the decades preceding their most recent dynasty, but once it finally clicked, they were unstoppable.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnMEWokMeRl/?igshid=NTdlMDg3MTY=
It seems like Gvardiol will be staying in Leipzig.
He wants to go to Liverpool I think.
I remember this last year, when he kept saying how he and his dad were big fans.
He could be the next Igor Biscan over there. 😉
Kova needs to jump ship. 😆 More like Chelsea needs to give him the axe. Kova has no goals and no assists. He’s lucky they keep him around. Mr useless possessions.
tell me you know nothing about the game without telling me you know nothing about the game.
My nothing seems to be a little more than your something champ.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnKpEHvrP3-/?igshid=NTdlMDg3MTY=
Brekalo to Dinamo rumours have started. I think he’s mostly a lost cause at this point, but it would probably be a good move.
Nah.
He should go back to Serie A if he can.
I think he’s a free agent soon, so I’m sure he’ll sign with a team that is a good fit for him in the summer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnKAAmcsOGS/?igshid=NTdlMDg3MTY=
It looks like Dalic will be extended until the World Cup in 2026.
Mr. Agadmator knows this team well
by his lines up for the world cup 2022:
………………………… Antonio Colak ……………………………
……… Perisic …… Luka Modric …… Mirv Orsic ………
……………….. Kovacic ……………. Brozovic ………………..
Bor Sosa …….. Gvardiol ……. Sutalo ……… Juranovic
…………………………….. Livakovic …………………………………
so far… Dalic was relying on his luck
to make him until WC 2026,,,
that’s wasting our time 🙁
Why do you keep changing your name…are you deep down ashamed of your constant non-sensical bs babbling?
Stick to one moniker, it’s not like we don’t know who it’s coming from?
Looks like his people did a good job paying folks in the media to put out rumors of other associations looking to take him away from us (triggering contract extension talks).
It’s similar to how well Robert Ljubicic’s agency has been paying the Cro media to keep interviewing him about who he would rather play for and for writing about FIFA approving his citizenship switch (making it a constant talking point)…as if anyone in the HNS would have ever contacted him about playing for us in the first place.
Extending Dalic makes sense. Even if he botched Euro2024 the same way he botched Euro2020, it probably would not be enough to let him go anyway. Since we don’t really have many alternatives (most of our good coaches are in good coaching situations), Biscan is probably the next in line, and he’s way too green and unproven to take over the National Team.
The Ljubicic scam, however, is just a shill project to give a player a callup over the 30-40 players who are ahead of him in line.
Good to see him doing well at Dinamo, but an above average Dinamo player (in him mid-20s) with below average technical skill is not good enough for the National Team. I don’t care what Index and Jutarnji are being paid to say.
Lol why do you hate ljubicic so much, he played really well last year, and raised his game in most champions league matches… he’s behind sosa, but seems like he could be a good straight swap for him in a pinch! Did he steal a GF of yours at some point?
I don’t like when different agendas get in the way of winning.
I actually like Ljubicic as a person. He seems to be a very die hard Croatia (with his family coming from the Kiseljak area in Bosna) and puts Croatia ahead of Austria despite being born and raised in Austria.
But it’s obvious that he and his agent have an agenda to get him into the National Team, and they are both using the sports media across Croatia to do it.
Dinamo also has an agenda to increase his transfer value, and capping him on the National Team is a good way to do it, so they’re always going to provide supportive commentary to the media about his ‘switching’ allegiances.
Pletikosa and the HNS have been aggressively pursuing diaspora talent (which is a good thing) but he wasn’t one of the diaspora players they pursued for their junior team. Simply put, he’s not some big talent with much of a ceiling. However, they are also going to be supportive as this shows other diaspora Croats that if you choose Croatia over your birth Nation, you will have a good chance to get capped for the National Team. So it doesn’t hurt their agenda if he does get capped.
Now, Dalic is in a position where he will feel pressured by the media to cap Ljubicic. He generally wants to satisfy people, so he will now have to decide on who to cut, to make space for Ljubicic when he plays a position where we don’t really new callups for.
Does he cut Barisic now?
How will Barisic’s mafioso uncle feel about this?
Now Dalic will probably have to keep both Ljubicic and Barisic on the team…taking away TWO spots from other positions, when realistically, we would never play Ljubicic or Barisic at LB during a tournament.
…and how will other players feel if someone gets cut to make space for these two?
All of this is a distraction that takes away from our goal of winning a tournament.
You don’t reward players and agents who are playing strategic games to get their player into your squad.
Dalic should only call him up, if and when he plays well enough to warrant it.
In my opinion, he hasn’t…and I hate how the paid-for Croatian media keeps bringing it up like it’s a foregone conclusion that this guy is a National Team player with it simply being a formality for him to get his FIFA passport updated.
I think Ljubicic could actually be a more useful player than Barisić in certain situations, and I really like Borna Barisić. The difference is that Barisić contributes when he can go forward, put in looping crosses, and shoot directly on goal, whereas Ljubicic is more of a defender who wins balls with physicality and holds his position. The Barisić skill set is also Sosa’s skill set, and Perisić has that skill set times two! The national team still needs an outside defender on the left who can just defend. We have two on the right side, in Stanisić and Jakić. I’m not advocating for Ljubicic to be incorporated into the squad immediately, but I do think that his defensive performances for Dinamo put him in the mix to be that defensive substitute on the left, especially since he’s still in the development phase of his career. At the very least, Dalić can pull his signature move and put the guy on the Stand-By list. That’s Dalić’s way of acknowledging players without actually having to make room for them. I don’t think it’s fair to cut Barisić, but should an injury happen to Barisić or Sosa, Ljubicic seems to be ahead of Domagoj Bradarić or Dario Melnjak at this point, don’t you think?
Otherwise, it’s pretty obvious that the team just needs to replace two or three strikers (Budimir and who else?) and maybe Dejan Lovren to make room for Čolak, Musa, and Marin Ljubicic.
What even makes him further ahead of Bradarić or Melnjak?
Melnjak had a great year in the HNL too, and Bradarić actually plays in Serie A.
I don’t think any of these guys have done enough to make the team, but I do see your point (assuming Dalić is looking for a more defense oriented backup on that left side).
I just hate the way Ljubicic and his agent are playing this through the media to ultimately apply pressure and get him into the team.
My opinion is based only on role-playing value. Melnjak is a good player, but he is better as a wingback than a fullback (we saw when he was on the Repka that he was good going forward, but too weak defensively). Bradarić is an even better player but also a wingback (he was an offensive substitute at Lille, and Salernitana is playing him as a wingback in a 3-5-2). They are the same profile of player as Sosa and Barisić. If Barisić does get cut, Perisić is also there to play LWB behind Orsić. Ljubicic basically isn’t in the same queue because he isn’t the same kind of player.
Did you know? (@truth primarily, but also others who struggle with basic logic) that there is a direct correlation between ice cream sales and shark attacks?…
That’s a true fact. Who can tell me why? Just to get you thinking I’m going give one possible interpretation of this statistical evidence: “sharks have a very keen sense of smell, when people eat lots of ice cream, they have very sweet blood and the sharks can smell this from miles away in the water and are attracted”…what do you think?
Did you know that saying ‘true fact’ is redundant?
Lisa, I’d like to buy your rock
Both Kovačić and Brozovic are under rated and under appreciated.
Ironic that with a fading kroos and inexperienced “Frenchmen,” Modrić now has it easier with Croatia than Real Madrid!
Yesterday it was fake Madrid that at this point Real Modrić can’t rescue.
Perišić, Kovačić, Modrić, Gvardiol, Juranovic, Sosa could all have joined Modrić in the starting 11 at Real Madrid.
Benzema
Vini Jr
Valverde
Courtois (Livakovic would be serviceable)
Isus .. how good are we?
Oršić is in his prime and the Southampton move is good for him.
Need a striker and a right winger and we are in business.
The leadership of Luka legend has ushered two generations and set us up for success for the next 18 months.
If Brozovic was in form, he probably hits on that pass from Petkovic (after Bruno nutmegged those two Brazilian defenders).
It would have been the goal of the tournament, simply because of the sequence and how important it was
I’ve noticed over the many years of using this site that there seems to be a lot of weirdos that make comments on this site
Saying all kinds of bizarre nonsense? I don’t really understand why?
It’s gotten a lot better since Ante changed the setup and email system but it still has weirdos, just not as many!!!
I wonder what’s the point? Weird trolls with a lot of time on their hands I guess?
It’s just one guy who goes well out of his way to change his name and email over and over again
Brazil NT 🇧🇷 want Zlatko Dalic ???
https://www.tportal.hr/sport/clanak/senzacionalna-vijest-brazil-za-izbornika-zeli-zlatka-dalica-foto-20230107
If true (which it probably isn’t) this would be a better move for him than becoming a club coach.
He can connect with Brazilians with his pious devotion to Catholicism, and build relationships and motivate using similar ways he did with Croatia.
Being a club coach is a completely different beast and he’s a complete unknown in this area. So there’s a lot of risk and he could end up like Vladimir Petković (who was quickly fired by his club after such a successful stint as Switzerland’s coach).
yeah…
try his luck with the unlucky team! ~
want to know if He can change it…
meanwhile, we need to have a new manager
seems Mr. Agadmator knows this team well
by his lines up for the world cup 2022:
………………………… Antonio Colak ……………………………
……… Perisic ……… Luka Modric …… Mirv Orsic ………
……………….. Kovacic ……………. Brozovic ………………..
Bor Sosa …….. Gvardiol ……. Sutalo ……… Juranovic
…………………………… Livakovic ……………………………….
For the below:
https://twitter.com/WolfRMFC/status/1611746888172142594
That pass by Luka just now was delicious.
U15 Wonderkid Luka Vuskovic HAS TO BE SOLD THIS WINDOW ..
Apparently if Hajduk don’t sell him before Feb 24 ( his 16th birthday) he’s free to sign with any team, and they would only receive small Fifa fee 200k
If sold this window they can garner €5 million plus
The next Gvardiol Apparently
This guy keeps getting hype.
He is doing well in junior tournaments, so that’s good. His technique for a guy his size is excellent, so that’s good.
I see that he’s 6’4″ tall.
Why did I think he was 6’8″ in height?
I recall us all talking about him earlier last year…was that just us predicting what his height would be (because he’s only 15)?
Hopefully he doesn’t grow too much. Maybe a couple of more inches, but I wouldn’t want it to impact what he is currently bringing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnHE0ZDsbhi/?igshid=NTdlMDg3MTY=
Robert Ljubicic has been given the blessing to represent Croatia.
Guy sucks
Focus efforts on positions where we’re not stacked
Is brozović playing?
He’s the best defensive midfielder on earth. I heard he’s ailing a tad
I hear there is growing debate if Croatia is better off without brozovic. The last 5 times he didn’t Play a full game, croatia played better without him than with him
Lose 3-0 to Austria with him vs beat Austria 3-1 without him
Tie Morocco 0-0 with him vs beat morocco 2-1 without him
Losing to Brazil 1-0, to tying Brazil 1-1 and winning in penalty kicks (remember the counter started for the goal in bozos usual middle place of the pitch)
Tied with Saudi Arabia 0-0 with and then winning 1-0 without
Losing 2-0 to Argentina in the first half after middle of the field breakdowns with him, vs only giving up 1 goal to Argentina in the second and not off a breakdown but an incredible goat messi effort
That’s 5 for 5. maybe it’s time to challenge our conventional thinking
The only one debating it is you.
Like any team does, when you need offence you’ll strategically sub out a more defensive minded player.
Against Saudi Arabia or Austri you can easily play a with more offensive minded players with success.
The Argentina game was BS as we all know. BS penalty call (which also came about from poor defensive communication ie Lovren didn’t play the offside trap the rest of the backline was doing) followed do by unlucky goal with two consecutive bounces/bad plays going Argentina’s way. Two gift goals.
Quit trying to make something out of nothing. Brozovic is easily are most underrated and important pieces.
I have to agree with Mali Ante on this one. In many of the games Broz was exceptional for us, it is easy to overlook a defensive midfielder like Broz. Not to mention how much ground the guy covered. To overlook him is a mistake. I am not saying don’t look at strategies and swap out players in different games, but Broz is too key of a player for me. Hands down one of our best players against Japan, among other games. I couldn’t disagree more with anyone who is saying to dump the guy. There were other players I could do without and the majority of them were in the offensive lineup. That is where our focus needs to be. Broz almost put us level with Brazil, now he was nursing an injury which is why I think he missed. However, if the guy made that shot and put us level we would.ve having a different discussion right now.
too many delusional
+ roaming around +
to make a health forum…
my figure is so important!
Your figure is so important?