Ante Budimir scored two goals for Osasuna Friday night and received a 9.0 FOTMOB rating in a 2-0 victory over Granada. The first goal came in the 11th minute when Budimir stayed just onside with the last defender, called for the ball, and chipped the ball into the far corner of the net with his left foot for a cheeky finish. Budimir would then convert a penalty kick in the 2nd half to cap off the 2-0 win. With the win, Osasuna climb to 9th on the La Liga table. With all that has transpired with the Croatian #9 situation in 2023, where would you rank Budimir in Croatia’s “Power Rankings”? Is he more valuable to the national team at 32 years old than a 25 year-old Musa?
Ajax’s season has been an absolute dumpster fire this year. Ajax lost again this Sunday (4-3 to Utrecht) and currently sit in the Dutch relegation zone with only five points from their first seven games. However, Borna Sosa came through huge for the club with two assists this weekend. Sosa blistered a pass across the box and into teammate Hlynsson’s chest for the opener. Quite the rare assist and goal. Moments later, Sosa played a perfect cross into the box for a second Hlynsson goal to level the match at 2-2. Sosa>Barišić all day long. Josip Šutalo played the full 90 minutes and has not had a great start in the Dutch capital since coming over from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer.
Mateo Kovačić remained on the bench Saturday in Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Brighton. Joško Gvardiol played the full 90 minutes and had an average game by Goal.com’s standards. He received a 6.0 rating as Gavardiol is “Getting more accustomed to City’s play with each week.”
Luka Modrić came off the bench for Real Madrid in the 67th minute of a 1-1 draw against Sevilla on Saturday. Real Madrid did find the equalizer while Modrić was on the pitch. He received a 6.0 rating from 90min.com for his efforts.
If Susic and Simic start for us going forward we will be fine for the next games and for a long time in the future.
Why is sucic not starting regularily at salzburg? is it because he is still getting into form from the acl injury?
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyvnvYIN-mB/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
If true, this will be explosive. These could be the changes Dalic was alluding to after the recent debacle.
Bravo Sosa, keep’em coming! Although I didn’t dare to watch any of the Utrecht goals😅
Dang, the coach that brought Beljo over to Augsburg was sacked during the international break. Replaced by a Dane called Jess Thorup. Augsburg won 5-2 at Heidenheim yesterday and Beljo didn’t leave the bench. Let’s hope he’ll get his chances soon.
Anyone know injury status of Luka ivanusec?
One of my fly under the radar so to speak, Ante Crnac scored today for Rakow. 19 and great height.
We need someone up top to take over . Enough
Yes, I recall you pumping him up and he looks like a great talent.
But why did Ante Crnac take such a career-limiting move by going to Poland?!?
I guess this is a similar situation to Matija Frigan where they are joining some bum nothing teams who are suddenly decent because of some big investor.
The Polish league is considered worse than the HNL, but this Raków Częstochowa team won the title last season and are currently in Europa right now. Since they were always a second league team, I assume that someone invested in them and are just buying players to try and achieve something.
Shame that he didn’t go to a top-four club in Hrvatska that would be more beneficial for his development as a player.
Instead, he has to battle his way into the starting eleven against a couple of veteran forwards who have an advantage over him being Polish and much more experienced.
Good to see he got himself a couple of starts these past two weeks (after wasting the away his talents on the bench for the first 10 games of the season).
Maybe this results in him settling himself into the starting eleven and he can get enough exposure to further develop and get himself a transfer to a higher league.
Agreed with everything. I’m baffled as well. Why the heck did he go to Poland instead of staying home for another year.
I like the young man. Perhaps he’s getting agent advice. I dunno
https://www.goalstube.online/2023/10/atalanta-genoa.html?m=m2
Pasalic assist. He comes off the bench in Atalanta as well. The role seems to really suit him well.
Yes, he’s a good ‘joker’ off the bench. Can crash the opposing box and pounce on any crosses or opportunities created by others.
Dalic really needs to stop starting him on the wing. He’s not going to send anything in.
He seems like he is big and tough enough to play a baby mandzo type role more then a winger type
Has a decent nose for goal
Obviously he isn’t a striker but a quasi type one
Something I wish we had tried Perisic in when we had orsic to deploy on the left as well and no goals to be had
5th place Osijek defeats Hajduk 2-0 at Poljud. Look for Leko to be canned tomorrow.
They were better when he was suspended and watching with the fans.
Sosa with 2 assists in Ajax loss today. Though Šutalo with one of the lower rated performances.
https://www.goalstube.online/2023/10/utrecht-ajax.html?m=m4
This is exactly what we need from him.
Well, he looked dangerous in the moments that he did play for us.
Definitely should be ahead of Barisic in the pecking order.
Yes if he had more mins very well could have hooked up with musa or beljo
I felt if both sosa and beljo had more time together, we probably get a bit of magic
I know barisic is supposed to be tighter on the back end but jebi ga we need something off that left side
I would think after last round that Dalić would see that Sosa is a better option than Barišić.
I heard Barišić got pulled early with an injury in his match with Rangers. I’m not sure the severity of his injury, but if he is unavailable for our November matches, it would be interesting to see who Dalić considers as our 3rd option at LB.
Is sutalo just not up to snuff to play in Ajax or is he not fitting in well and is home sick?
I wish he stayed at Dinamo for one more season. Dinamo is really missing him, and maybe he would have had a better opportunity next year….who knows?
I read somewhere that Sutalo isn’t happy and is homesick. He apparently isn’t hanging out with any of his teammates either. It’s hard to be engaged and play well when your mind is elsewhere. Hopefully he can adjust and or get moved. He’s an important piece for us right now.
How Barisic plays ahead of Sosa is beyond me. Good to see Sosa playing well…should solidify him starting the next set of qualifiers.
I guess Dalic was at the Rijeka game. Guarantee he calls one of Pasalic/Pjaca/Jankovic from Rijeka. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Budimir get a call if he keeps playing this way.
Also think Sucic, and Baturina get call ups…could use a Vidovic type of player though.
Calling up these young guys might light a fire under the asses of our vets.
The way Rakitic has been playing, I would love to see him called back….if his wife lets him.
Not sure what Dalic thought of Musa, Beljo, and Brekalo’s performances, but I could see him demoting a few guys back to the “standby” list to make room for new callups.
Moro, Musa, Beljo, and Brekalo are probably at risk of being demoted (either to standby or to the bench).
Same goes for Kovačić and Šutalo. I think we might see them both on the bench if they’re still out of form at their clubs.
I think we see at least three new callups…
– Ante Budimir
– Niko Janković
– Marin Pongračić
I get the strong feeling that he will call all three of these guys up.
If Ivanusec and Krama are still injured, we may see additional new faces like…
– Luka Sučić
– Marco Pašalić
– Martin Baturina
– Josip Mišić
Baturina is awesome and will eventually get called up, but I think he’s always going to be an U21 player first before being called up ‘early’. I don’t get the vibe that Dalić would call up Marko Pjaca or Gabriel Vidović yet (despite needing wingers).
I think he goes with Ivanusec, even if he’s only at 50%. I think Sosa will definitely get a start, so that may satisfy the offense on that left flank. Maybe he calls up Marco Pašalić. Who knows.
Hodza before Kosova caps his ass just sayin
Is he any good?
I didn’t realize he was Gorani background. Thought he was a Bosnjak.
Also, Ivan Sunjic from Birmingham might be called up by BiH.
Young Broz
Next Broz is a big title. I watch him play every week and he’s good but not sure he goes to world class level like Marcelo.
No no. I meant a young Broz type. Soldo if you want to go back, very important players. He might in time grow into that role. I certainly hope so
I am reading that Primož Gliha is the coach for Kosovo and he’s going to Rijeka to try and talk Veldin into playing for Kosovo.
I remember Gliha when he played for Slovenia and scored a hat trick on us (when they tied us 3-3).
Now, ol’ Primož is back to his old tricks. Someone needs to pay him a visit.
Bingo. Yo, Dalic cap this kids ass already!
Well it was great while it lasted
Need to look for new solutions now!
Kova the lateral and back passer that usually loses the ball when he goes on a run, has a weak shot that usually misses. The most overrated player that has very little impact as evidenced by his lack of scoring or assists.
The striker was not the problem this cycle of qualifiers. I think R9 with the service our team offered would not score unless he did solo dribble past the whole team.
The igra was terrible no crosses in the 16m no dribble no nothing. Only beljo found soace and could have scored a goal was unlucky.
MBK midfield is coming to end for me doesnt offer much going foward to me this campaign all of them gusili prostor did nothing going foward too many back passes.
I am reading panic mode in hns because of results and the way Dalic Modricx handle the Livaja situation.
MBK midfield may be coming to an end, but it’s not because of this past round.
It was clicking on all cylinders in June and in September.
This October round wasn’t the magic month for it to all-of-a-sudden collapse.
Reason they played poorly is that Kovacic was injured and was a horrible weak link in those two games. He should have been subbed out for Majer in central midfield, but Dalic opted to fill the RW spot with Majer instead. On top of this, Modric and Broz didn’t have great games.
We were missing Krama/Perisic/Petkovic/Ivanusec around them…and we had a semi-injured Kovacic, so Dalic’s plan was to rely entirely on Modric and Brozovic (again) with no backup plan in case they did not deliver.
Well, they didn’t have good games and it came at the worst time.
Not subbing out Kovacic was a big mistake.
Another mistake was callup up Nikola Moro if you had no intention of ever playing him.
We didn’t have the luxury of depth this round with almost all our offensive wingers/forward being out.
We had only one creative player as backup (Majer) and we used him on the wing. Guys like Vlasic, Pasalic are more off-the-ball type guys who don’t create.
Next round we should have guys like Petkovic, Ivanusec, Juranovic, and (maybe) Krama back.
We should also have Kovacic back in form hopefully, and Broz and Modric will probably be able to breathe this time (without everything coming down to them).
We will have an in-form Majer and hopefully start using him in central midfield (where he’s supposed to play). Whoever has a bad game between Modric, Broz or Kova…you sub them out immediately, and throw in Majer or Ivanusec.
Also, if you’re gonna callup the younger guys (like Moro), then do so if you intend on playing them.
Sucic will probably get a callup. So will Budimir. Beljo should continue to get some late sub minutes to change things up. Maybe Roko Simic too.
But definitely need to start looking at backup midfielders like Baturina, Misic, Jakic, etc…to give guys like Modric and Brozovic some relief in central midfield (with Sucic, Majer and Ivanusec being able to do so as well, if needed).
You’re right about Kova. He started the season really well with city, and played well for the repka. After his injury, he’s been terrible. Either he’s not physically well yet, or he is simply out of form. Whatever the reason, he shouldn’t play for the repka until he gets his form back at city.
Yeea Dalić doesn’t need to make massive changes.
If Kovačić isn’t playing well for ManCity by next month (he didn’t play today) then it’s pretty easy to just put Majer in there (with Modrić and Broz behind him).
Agree that the central midfield was the problem. Also didn’t play 1-2 passes to Barisic to put him in position to cross. The lack of crossing isn’t Barisic’s fault if he isn’t ever played into crossing position. The midfielders just hogged the ball and tried to go up the middle even though the only free space was on the wings.
Gvariol already made a couple of darting runs vs. Brighton, past several players
Is his best position as CB / LB ?
Given our squad (lack of standout young midfield talent)- why not play Erlic and Satulo as CB – and move Gvardiol into midfield
So we can actually take advantage of his offensive abilities
Last 2 games we didn’t utilize his offence at all
Thoughts ?
Dalic is an absolutely shit manager!
He won’t dare to use this formation.
……………… R Simic ………. Ljubičić ………………
Ivanusec………….. Pasalic …………Juranovic
………………Lv Mayer………Lk Modric……………..
……….Gvardiol…..Vušković…..Stanisic………
…………………….….. Livakovic ………………………..
This is when we are going to attack –
the formation is quite formidable –
……………… R Simic ………. Ljubičić ………………
Gvardiol…………..Pasalic………….Juranovic
…….. Ivanusec….Modric…..Lv Majer …..……
……………..Vušković……..Stanisic……………….
…………………….…. Livakovic ……..…………………..
Dalic is a low-tier tactician and absolute shit
He will never figure out this masterpiece line!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
This site has become a one trick pony 🐎
Change the name to nogomet only from Croatian sports!
On and on we moan And groan about the one that got away…the love of our life that left us for her boss.
We have the miocic fight coming up. The nba starts with a few Croats still in play and I’m sure we can find something else to talk about in the sports world.
It would be rather refreshing!
Well, those of us who’ve been around a long time can remember when the site was called croatiansoccerreport.com 😉
They are just giving the people what they want. NBA season starting soon, so months and months of borderline meaningless games before the “playoffs” begin.
Dalić is gonna be like “Well Yeah! Budimir is who I wanted to call up but we were doing well!”
On current form and from what we have seen from Musa and Beljo, Budimir should be called up for the qualifiers in November.
It’s a shame Ante couldn’t bring his club form into the repka somehow
Was he given enough chances or it would be one of the mysteries unsolved?
Guess we would never really know what happens behind closed locker doors
He started almost every game in the Nations League for us (prior to the actual semifinals).
He didn’t do much for us, and slowly got phased out.
Let’s be real, Ante isn’t going to suddenly become a prolific striker at 32. Apart from the Valencia goal, most of his scoring has been vs minnows, and even some of those were from the spot. That’s at least better than he did in Serie B, but better to push on with Musa, Beljo, and Simic at this point.