The last domestic football weekend before the World Cup has now passed. Great news across the board! Gvardiol returned to full form and no other injuries to report on. Next stop: a friendly versus Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, November 16th before Croatia begins their World Cup campaign against Morocco on the 23rd.
Joško Gvardiol played the full 90 minutes Saturday in RB Leipzig’s 2-1 win over Werder Bremen. He was fully equipped with a mask after breaking his nose earlier in the week. Gvardiol is World Cup ready!
Luka Modrić and Real Madrid started the international break early. No Liga games until after Christmas.
Mateo Kovačić got the start for Chelsea on Saturday and played the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Newcastle United.
Ivan Perišić played the full 90 minutes as Spurs pipped Leeds 4-3 on Saturday. Perišić received a 6/10 grade from Football London. “Another set piece delivery which led to the first equaliser but didn’t offer as much going forward after that.”
Marcelo Brozović played the last 10 minutes of Inter Milan’s 3-2 win over Atalanta.
Martin Erlić (defender) remained on the bench for Sassuolo in a 3-0 defeat by Bologna. Erlić hasn’t played a Serie A match since November 5th but many want him to start alongside Gvardiol. Dalić isn’t going to let the happen.
30 years ago, Drazen Petrovic led us to basketball silver at the Olympics. Modric, in his last World Cup, maybe he’ll do something special too 🙂
The Canadian pundits are out to lunch. Listening to them here in Canada is nauseating. That being said they do have Davies & David. They could hit on the counter but doubt their horrible D can be lucky enough to keep them in games.
I just hope we bury 5 past the Cetnik magarac and his ‘srpska krajina’.
I think they’re trying to strengthen that central midfield by playing Davies there.
That Portuguese guy they have who has been playing regularly at Porto is their only central midfielder. Everyone else is bush league.
By having him AND Davies in the middle, could give them enough quality in the middle to create something for themselves.
It sounds like their defence is just ok
I feel even our forwards aren’t top grade I feel we can exploit them
Like others have said before
If all we do is pump that Serb keeper I’m happy
Normally it’s like whatever but he talked dumb shit and now he may have to answer for it
Luka good for an outside boot screamer just for his dida
Nah. Canada’s CBs and CDMs are bad.
It’s going to be a huge problem for them in terms of trying to win possession and move things forward.
I’m curious if they’re just going to go full Nigeria 2018 and punt it forward to their wings.
Great post Mali Ante. I’m in Canada too. Love to spank that crap talking Goalman for Canada. Get those posts up in the dressing room and make sure we are well aware of the crap he is saying.
Bury 5 past who? If you mean Borjan I read he is born in Croatia in Knin!
Do you mean Borjan? Because I read that he is Croatian. Born in Knin!
I love how Canadian pundits just watch probaly old youtube vids and articles aging croatia sqaud we are 12th youngest team average age 26 usa is youngest at 24 its funny the think they have afew good attacking players and they will win hilarious shit.
If you scout a team well only old players but physically are beats are modric lovren perisic and vida who is also fit.
Bunch of morons imo. I cant stand these dumb ass pundits playing in edmonton on minus temps and not playing a solid team in like forever.
I respect canada but come on I am more affraid of Morocco sunrising in group jebes kanadu
Agreed
I’m Canadian
Full respect and yes they can surprise
But this isn’t Jamaica in Edmonton in February
The world is watching
It’s a different beast my friends
We are not as old as people think but our veterans are proper vets
Finals, qualifying for so much, losing heartbreaks… that kind of experience is vital
We just have to play our game
Which if we can we know it’s enough to beat any team in the world
I know we don’t want to be to cocky, but realistically anything less than 6pts thru the first 2 games would mean we are underperforming.
Prediction 3-1 vs Morocco
2-0 vs Canada
I would also say that a loss to Belgium would be underperforming as well.
No way should we be giving up all three points to that overrated team.
Worst case scenario should be a draw. A loss would be a big disappointment, especially without an in-form Lukaku.
Friendly wendsday sont risk the starters no need for a dumb injury play bench players i hope
Yeah, I imagine that Saudi Arabia will want to take it easy as well, and that it won’t be a very exciting match. However, a good opportunity for guys like Brozovic to get running and moving the ball around some more before the tournament starts.
Here is to new household names being made during WC ’22. Hoping Sosa /Pasalic develop into a deadly scoring conundrum. And from his efforts,” Who is that masked man” Gvardiol, wears the captain’s arm band at WC’26, as the best lockdown defender in croatian history. Just sayin’.
The masked man looks mean and intimidating- I love it!
@ Maminjo
If you watched the clip, Rebic timed his run perfectly and yes Modric made a great pass. Schmeichel came way out and was at the top of the 18, leaving Rebic with little else other than to try to get around the goalie. He wasn’t walking it in.
Making a run like that leaves you little time to chip the goalie or get a shot off with the defender at your heels. But of course you know that.
I think he should’ve just cranked it, Argentina-style
The future of Croatian football is uncertain. Nothing really but prospects and gvardiol. As I’ve pointed out many times on this site, there is a tendency by this site and the media to overhype these Croatian youth. Remember last years piece on buik being the next messi after he scored 2 goals that required more than 3 dribbles?
You take away the bite of this team which has been perisic and the stability which has been modric and your left with a lot of questions and no definitive answer. Has any other Croatian emerged as a star in all these years? No. So what makes people think that one will?
Sucic might be good but who really knows. Nothing to say he’ll be a difference maker beyond kovacic, bozo vic or vlasic even
Mandzo, Perisic, Modric and Rakitic were all stars.
Don’t be fooled by the hype. Modric didn’t do any more than they did during the last World Cup. He’s just the biggest “name” out of the foursome, but all four of them are equally responsible for our silver finish at the last World Cup.
Brozovic has emerged as a star now, and is now as equally important to this squad as Modric and Perisic.
Gvardiol is showing signs of getting there, but he’s only 20 years old. This is the exciting part with him. He has the rare potential to have a Modric-like impact in his position. All the top clubs in the World agree. This cannot be understated.
He may not be there as of this moment, but it really puts a damper on your ‘uncertain outlook’ argument, since there are less than 10 teams in the World that have young talent of his caliber.
So, if four stars (and a collection of excellent role players) is what it takes to do well in tournaments, then I would say our outlook is fantastic.
We lost two stars from our last World Cup, so we’re probably down to three stars right now (but A LOT more balance and depth in all other positions). So our performance will very likely be knockout rounds, but it can go either way once we’re there.
Assuming Modric leaves after this tournament, we’ll still have two stars in Perisic and Brozovic…but Gvardiol very likely emerges as one during the next cycle…with Majer looking like a big time prospect as well (and Sucic possibly getting there as well).
So it seems like we’re going to always have at least 3-4 starts at any given time, but with the rest of the squad being filled out with elite role player types (Sosa, Kovacic, Vlasic, etc.) which is all you need to win a tournament.
Future is bright never been better! Maybe we won’t have a another Modric but a lot of talent in all areas. And regarding Sucic yeah people know dude a future star. He’s way further @20 than any of the current players were at that age he has more to offer now than kova now never mind in a few years.
We went from having players like Giovanni rossso and Ivica mornar once a generation ended to now players like Majer ,Sucic , sutalo etc etc our next generation may not reach World Cup final but they won’t be bad and will represent just fine.
Euro 2024 we could be without LM10 but we should still be good new generation this generation is its last run lets do some damage i hope.
Looking at 2024 i know its a bit early but maybe we get a number 9 beljo matanovic musa ljubicic simic.
Sucic will be heir to modic we have majer maybe ljubicic from dinamo when he acually plays his 8 position broz will still be their kovacic not same without luka cannot control age retirement. Also have moro as cm misic sunjic baturina ivanusec krovinivic franjic
Wings brekalo biuk pasalic marin kacavenda sego hopefully Vidovic
Back line looks good hands gvardiol erlic cc pongracic vuskovic sutalo J And B smolcic Uremovic jedvaj even hehe
Goalkeepers Still have these 3 labrovic kotarski pandur nevisitic semper
Looking good others who will step up remember in2018 they did what croatia will look like 2022 the team looked like this
Kalinic Vrsaljko Lovren Gvardiol Sosa Kovacic Broz Vlasic Rebic Pjaca Brekalo i remeber reading after Wc biy were they wrong haha
Watching Atalanta v Inter which has just started. Pasalic is in the starting 11 for Atalanta and Brozovic is on the bench for Inter. Let’s hope that there are no injuries. Not sure why, but Erlic has not played at all in the last two matches for Sassuolo ? Hopefully just being rested ?
Pasalic had a quite match and was substituted in the 82 minute in Atalanta’s 3 – 2 loss at home to Inter. Brozovic came on in the 79 minute for Inter. He hardly touched the ball, and this is a big problem for us. We all know that Brozovic can run all day, but he has had only about 60 minutes play time in the last 7 weeks. His form cannot be good, and we need to see how he goes in the friendly against Saudia Arabia.
Betting lines for first two group games (via pinnacle.com):
••
Morocco +362
Draw +235
Croatia -106
••
Croatia -142
Draw +292
Canada +371
•••••••••••
For sake of comparison, this is Belgium-Canada line:
Belgium -224
Draw +376
Canada +663
Kovačić has been a consistent performer for club and Croatia over the last two years.
Chelsea have a list full of over rated under performing players, that Kovačić is not on.
Never allow any fan base to scapegoat the nogometaš. Luka “worse signing in La Liga,”scapegoated for toxic Real Madrid locker room and last minute transfer.
Who brings the speed and dynamic dribbling to break lines like Kovačić for us?
I just hope his knee is ok?
I like both JJ and Stanisic getting minutes this World Cup. The depth at the full backs is encouraging. You need fresh legs to both defend the best players in the world and give us something up the flanks.
As we will always have space on the flanks to play because of our dominance in the middle.
5 subs will favor us.
Who you start will depend on match ups and tactics.
Kovačić will not need to play the full 90 either depending on how his knee feels and what the game calls for ?
With Pasalic, Vlašić, Majer, Sučić, Jakic we have plenty of squad depth.
This World Cup for us could be one for the entire squad to step up.
How many national sides are as deep as us right now?
I’ve seen some Chelsea fans not so happy With kova online
But they suspect His knee has been bothering him
Hopefully he is proper fit for Qatar
Kova is Kova.
Good as your third-best midfielder in you central midfield trio, but if you have higher expectations of him (like some Croatia and Chelsea fans) you will be disappointed.
Those who expect him to be Modric’s heir once Luka retires, will be disappointed.
However, he’s fine as our third-best midfielder behind Brozovic and Majer.
Sucic will surpass Kovacic by the next World Cup anyway.
I’m pretty sure we see JJ playing right back in the first game. Just as sure to see Stanisic play in the second to mark Davies.
Also think Lovren plays game one and his poor play has him lose his spot to Erlic/Sutalo.
With all of our depth it will be important to have some players rested along the way.
I posted on the previous thread that on TSN here in Canada they showed the Denmark WC game from 2018.
Man, having the Rebic that played that game at RW and a competent striker to replace Mandza would be nice. Perisic and Rebic swapped wing positions that game…each playing a half at LW and RW.
Rebic played well in that game. He created and had defenders on their heels. He also created the PK in OT that Modric missed. Miss his aggression…too bad he’s a head case.
Hard to get the bull without the horns and in rebic case there is just too much horn
Speaking of stanisic he just signed contact extension with Bayern till 2026
Either they really see a future or just want to make him more lucrative by looking like they want him long term
Either way, good for him
Yea, gotta love that PK “creation”.
Modric beautifully sprung him loose and he tried to walk the ball into the net, got fouled, and somehow the ball didn’t roll into the net anyway.
I like what Rebic brings in certain situations, but it’s met with things like this that makes me not miss him at all.
Would the consensus here be start stanisic cause of what is seen as a more stronger defender? Truthfully if anyone knows Davies it’s him
I feel like dalic likes JJ tho
I personally like Stanisic, he was exceptional against Mbappe.
Statements to be said by this board repeatedly in the next 3 weeks
Lovren wtf
We should’ve started grbic. Livakovic should’ve come out of his net
Croatia needs an actual right winger
Dalic messed up again, not getting a consistent back 4
Your name should be “The Nonsense”.
Mario Vuskovic at HSV tests positive for EPO and is suspended from all football activities at the club. Mixed bag for the family as his 15-year-old brother Luka is wanted by PSG for a reported 5 million if we are to believe the media?
What is EPO?
Since you cannot Google and have never heard of the drug? in short EPO helps your body make more red blood cells and improves your energy levels and endurance. Widely used by cyclists, most famously by Lance Amstrong during his winning (cheating) streak at Tour De France.
Gvardiol is a tough hombre. He’ll be just fine.
He was boxing on Tik Tok before.
Thank God Josko is okay and ready for the WC. I was a little worried he might not be 100%. It’s awesome to have a strong defense with a world class player
Hope we have a good run and play to our potential.
Anyone watch him play?
Was he his same aggressive self?
Since we’re going to be one of the better crossing teams in the World Cup, we need him to push forward on those crosses and deadball plays since we’re scoring by committee.
Read online Jakic was questionable for their match with a swollen ankle
So doesn’t seem to severe overall
If jakic is hurt misic gets a call
If broz and Jakic were injured I wonder who would take his spot? Stanisic potentially, he’s played that spot
Can’t put luka there
Don’t think kova would be great either
Lovren is like I’ll do it!!
Any word on Jakic injury?
Hoping broz puts in a half tomorrow and feels good
Who’s your starting back 4 vs Morocco 🇲🇦?
Mines:
Sosa Gvardiol Erlic Stanisic
I could get behind it
It will be
Sosa batman lovren JJ
What would you do with Canada to stop Davies?
Sosa Batman erlic/Sosa stanisic?
Lovren???
For Canada 🇨🇦 game
I’d put Stani on the right,
Very smart
Kept up with Mbappe
Will be just fine with Davies
May as well do the same with Morroco and Belgium, since Morroco’s biggest talents will be coming up the flank, and a lot of Belgium’s play comes from the flank as well.
Canada has some good players, but none of their goals have come against European sides. Stifling the midfield and controlling possession can take any sting out of their offense. I watched some of their qualification matches, and their mf lacked cohesion even against other CONCACAF clubs. I think their only hope is to bunker and counter, but ultimately a draw in any of their 3 matches should be considered a successful result.
They’re like Nigeria in 2018.
Good on the wings and up top, but bad in the middle.
If we play them the exact same way we played Nigeria, we’ll blow them out 3-0 or 4-0.
I think this is the reason their coach is trying to make Davies at CAM work.
He knows they’re fucked against Belgium and Croatia if they they’re going to be outpossessed 70/30 as they don’t have the backline or CDMs to handle it.
I suppose that they have similarities to Nigeria 2018, but I would be hesitant to predict that large a gap simply because some of the key players on our side are long gone or no longer in their prime. Our 2022 side is better defensively, but we are waiting for players to grow into the important Rakitic and Mandzukic roles. I think the growth in the mf is imminent, but we’re going to have to score through less orthodox channels for this tournament and into Euro qualification. Hopefully they prove me wrong.
Yeah it is pretty nuts to have league games a week before the WC. But to be fair, that’s on FIFA, not on the domestic leagues.
When Qatar was a possibility, the leagues said right away, no way. FIFA assured them it would be during the summer, they would build all indoor stadiums. Then only after it was awarded to Qatar, FIFA changed course, said summer games aren’t really possible after all, they had to do it during the winter. The leagues protested more, but FIFA wouldn’t change.
So now, I don’t really blame the leagues for not trying to bend over backwards to accommodate FIFA’s schedule
Some German media were reporting that Sosa was injured. Sosa has spoken to SN and has said that there is no injury and that in agreement with the club he will be resting this weekend. Great news, I think that all the clubs with players going to the WC should be doing the same thing and resting the players to avoid possible injury.
Can’t believe it’s almost time😃 Been waiting 4+ years for this WC to start. 🇭🇷🔥💪⚽️🥇My neighbours here in Canada are going to be mad when the Croatian soccer songs are full blast at 3am getting primed up 🍻
Hey cuz…I hope to see you at GMR for some of the games!!
This weekend is an absolute embarrassment for soccer … the break should have started a week ago, if anyone gets hurt, there’s almost no chance for recovery, I can’t imagine the elite players across the world will do anything but try and avoid injury- bet the minnows this weekend
Ya you can’t tell me luka all the sudden lost that much form?
He obviously isn’t wanting to do anything stupid with his last World Cup moments away
He had one poor game, a game where the entire team was poor and many got 3/10 ratings at (for example) managingmadrid.com. Yes he missed a “sitter” on Thursday but he played well, and his beauty outlet pass started that effort in Real’s own end. • Let’s watch the game/the player before such statements. •
Oh a few people on the Real subs were commenting. Luka is king. If we will do anything it’s on his pint sized back and Popeye calves!
Swear to God I didn’t know till two weeks ago that there are games this weekend. I just assumed — of course the break has started by then. It’s nuts.