Photo: SkySports
It was quiet week in Europe for Croatians as only the English Premier League was in session. The Bundesliga is on winter break until mid-January while Serie A and La Liga take a one week hiatus to start the new year.
Nikica Jelavić could very well be in a drought, but in no way is to lack of talent or effort. Everton’s Croatian striker hit the post twice versus Chelsea Sunday afternoon in a 2-1 loss, sending the Toffees to sixth place on the table and three points behind a Champions League spot. Everton got on the board quickly, with Steven Pienaar cleaning up a Victor Anichebe header off the post from the center of the box 68 seconds into the match. It was then Jelavić who would start his unlucky day in the 8th minute of play, striking a free kick from 22 yards out through the wall and square off the left post.
In a match between two potentially top-4 clubs in England, a goal by Jelavić that early in the game to make it 2-0 could have been a serious momentum-changer for the rest of the season. Instead, Jelavić’s unluckiness continued in the 36th minute when his shot to the far right corner of the net following a short break was fingered away by Chelsea goalie Petr Cech. Chelsea’s captain, Frank Lampard would equalize for the Blues in the 42nd minute off a header that would freeze Everton keeper Tim Howard. The game would go into the break at 1-1, with Everton dominating the first half.
Jelavić would once again hit the post in the 69th minute, heading a cross from the center of the box from a tough angle off the crossbar. It would have given Everton the lead, but instead, Lampard would clean up a loose ball in front of the net to give Chelsea the game-winning goal three minutes later.
Jelavić was inches away from a hat trick against Chelsea; but will walk away with nothing in a pivotal 2-1 loss.
Photo: Pixsell
Mladen Petrić now has not not played in three matches for Fulham as he nurses a mild leg injury. On Saturday, the Cottagers drew newly promoted club Southampton 1-1 which gives Fulham only 21 points through the first 20 matches of the season. They are only four points safe from the relegation zone. Petrić has five Premiership goals for Fulham in 12 games played this season.
@nije bitno:
Not only did Jelavic judo flip Ivanovic, he stomped on SideShow Bob’s foot in midfield.
Nikica Jelavic vs Branislav Ivanovic
http://www.index.hr/sport/clanak/hrvatskosrpski-dzudo-okrsaj-usred-liverpoola-pogledajte-kako-je-jelavic-slozio-ivanovica/654877.aspx
I feel bad for Jela. He needs to break his scoring duck and get on a roll.
19tornado , do you smoke too ? You sound like a fun guy to drink with. Where do you party?
I will try breaking my record 10 liters of beer in 3 hours 2013 i hope will be sweet 13 haaa
@Ludbreg – I live up in St. Petersburg. I go down to FTL to watch soccer games sometimes, when we play the Strikers.
@Tornado-Bobo will be there,though he is a little under age.Bobo is a “Hrvatski dude” who can leave his ego behind and just celebrate.See you there Tornado!
Lets go drinking thats something 99% of us Hrvati are good at, foreget politics and sports, I got my self Bottle jeger bottle red label bottle of chivas bottle of jack cola juice 15 litara vina rakije 2 flavors, prosecka karlovacke ozujske i hajducke pive any penny to save hajduk, Idemo Rostiljada i kolaca, Spekatal Nova godina Zivili!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_Croat hercegovci
Ziva is still on holidays.He has a trained monkey covering for him for now.The prepared list that he has left for Bobo reads as follows-
-Take off your Homer glasses.
-No one loves Hajduk more than me(though I have never shown it)
-No one is more Croat than me(And less Commie)
-You cant handle the truth(usually done after repeated annoying comments)
-I was right about…….No one else could tell about……….
Bobo has things quite well covered,he may even rise above his master in a Planet of the Apey type scenario,but heaven help Bobo and his tight little guzica upon the masters return.
Since I see a little Florida chatter- is anyone here based near Ft Lauderdale?
ja ja, everyone needs to take off the homer glasses.
Sorry Cico, most loved team in Croatia is Dinamo but at the end of the day who cares. What kind of success have these teams from the HNL experienced on the international level recently. Nothing. What has Hajduk done at the domestic level. Nothing. Future does not look bright for the HNL.
Take off your homer glasses.
Odlazak iz Maksimira: Mamić u Kijevu dogovara prodaju Vide?
http://is.gd/1ujSZt
Pleti is the Man , because he played for Hajduk
@Ivica – When Ciro was coaching the club, he RAVED about him. Said he’s best in the league so I really watched him and I’m impressed. As you said, 9 games and is keeping them close. At 17, he’s got a ways to go, but will be someone to watch. Hopefully they stay up in the HNL, but if it’s anything like last year, no 2HNL club will be promoted, so it really won’t matter how they finish.
@Colin
Hmmm, just checking out Dominik Livakovic’s stats and they look pretty good. He’s started 9 games for Zagreb and only once has he let in more than 1 goal (and they were down to 10 men with a penalty goal in that one game).
I know it’s just HNL, but that’s still very impressive for a 17-year old. I hope NK Zagreb stays in the 1.HNL next year, just so this kid can continue to start and play.
Meh. Blazevic is awkward and smotan.
He could never be a first choice goalkeeper.
The good news at least, is that you only need ONE goalkeeper and it’s a position that can be played well after the age of 35.
Stipe (after many years of being shaky) has turned the corner and has been very steady since Euro2008. He should start for the next two tournaments. Hopefully someone can emerge as a decent starter in the next four years.
Livakovic from NKZ is definitely a top keeper in the league. He’s young, so I hope he can develop into something that can benefit the repka. It’s a shame he’s on such a bad team.
Pletikosa imo can still play for another 4-6 years as long as he plays regularly for his club.
When talking about the HNL alone, Kelava isn’t even a top 5 goalkeeper, he only gets rave reviews because he makes a good save once in a while and Dinamo don’t concede many goals because they are too good for the league
But guys like Blazevic, Lisjkak, Vukovic, Rodic are all better than him. Blazevic imo is closer to the NT than Kelava
Man i miss the MLS & the HNL . Can’t wait till the break is over so i can watch the Most Loved Team in Croatia , Hajduk .
Stipe can play until 40 and start for the repka based on all these other guys.
Honestly, I don’t know what anyone ever saw in GPS Keleva other than the fact he played for Dinamo. Dude has always been a pig (when Dinamo has the ball in the opponent’s end GPS Kelava has been seen eating a topli sendvic) and always out of position on crosses, corners and free kicks.
Kresic……received his christmas gift earlier in the year when Bilic signed him. Increase in pay and a nice bonus for his manger (and Bilic’s buddy).
Serb Subasic…….I’ve never been a fan of his play. I always thought he was better than GPS Kelava, but you all know what I think of GPS. Maybe he has improved in France. I have no clue because I have not watched his games.
Regarding Niko Kovac taking over the U-21 side. It means shit if the club teams continue to refuse to allow their best players to play. Also, I see Niko is brining in his brother as an assistant coach. Not sure what qualifications he has to be a coach, but the savez showing nepotism at its finest.
http://is.gd/TcOyvI
@IvicA
http://is.gd/TcOyvI
Niko Kovac new UNDER 21 coach, and we dont have a future shot stopper Stipe Stipe Stipe.
@Ante
Subasic is pretty bad. At no point was he ever good, and I think he’s a lost cause.
Kresic had his moments, so I still hold out hope for him as being that decent stop-gap goalie until some younger player can surface.
Goalie has always been our weakest position, which is odd considering that (as a nation) we produce arguably the best combination of height and athleticism in Europe.
I dunno, maybe Simon Sluga might turn out to be decent since he’s being developed in a goalie-crazy nation like Italy. Delac (being loaned out three times and never played) and Antolovic (on loan in Bosna) look like they’re already done, lol.
Love my Homer-Glasses!
re: Kelava
Kelava shouldn’t even be top 3 on our goalkeeper depth chart. He plays for Dinamo Zagreb in a sub-mediocre Prva HNL.
Have we all forgotten about Subasic? And if we have, I’m at fault for that for not including him in our weekly CAE reports. Subasic is the starting keeper for Monaco in Ligue 2 of France…and at the pace they are at right now, will gain promotion to the top flight next season. He’s been out the majority of December due to a red card he picked up on Dec 11th…
And Dario Kresic, who is under Slaven Bilic at Lokomotiv Moscow, is only 28 years old and has played in 11 games for Loko so far this season. He is now back on the bench in a backup role.
So who cares about Kelava?…
@Ziva:
You may not be a fan of “Sveti Ivan”, but Pletikosa can’t play forever. I only hope there is some young diaspora in Germany that wants to be a keeper. Hell after watching Begovic maybe Canada.
I would love to know where all the GPS Keleva lovers are today. They were in full force a few years ago proclaiming their blind love for this guy. It’s just another example in a long list of examples of fans reacting with their homer glasses on. Take them off folks, you can see the game much better.
Haha Sv. Kelava might need a new GPS
http://sportske.jutarnji.hr/ultimatum-kelavi-skini-kilograme-i–zivi-sportski-ili-gubis-kapetansku-vrpcu–/1074974/
http://prvaliga.tportal.hr/234227/Kelava-zivi-sportski-ili-gubis-mjesto-u-momcadi.html#.UN8amoUb1Mg
@Jack – Yep. And there’s no shortage of any Strong Islanders down here either.
New Jersey is ripe with people that use the Godfather movies as their gospel.
^^^ LOLOLOL Nice
@Jack – Florida full of idiots? Only in the winter time when all the northerners come down 😉
No, seriously, you have no idea. We breed stupid here, and it’s contagious.
Colin O’smanovic?
Clippers – 16 in a row
@Colin:
I am watching Dateline about a fellow Floridian and Bosnian refugee named Osmanovic who was philandering with some crazy broad. They then try to extort $50k from her husband who makes $1.3M a year.
The good news is they pronounced his name correctly.
Florida seems like it chock full of idiots with you being the exception.