It was a super slow weekend for the Croatians in club play. However, in a huge Serie A match that could have kept Inter Milan in first place, Marcelo Brozović supplied the lone assist for Inter in a 1-1 draw vs. Fiorentina. The draw keeps Inter and Juventus level on points with Brozović playing an integral party of the Inter midfield this season. With their loss against Barcelona earlier in the week, Inter Milan will play in Europa League after the new year.
Brozović Assist
In England, Dejan Lovren sat out Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Watford on Saturday with a muscle injury he picked up against Salzburg in Champions League. There is no time table for his return. Mateo Kovačić came off the bench for Chelsea in the 65th minute in a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth.
In Spain, Ivan Rakitić got the start for Barcelona and played 79 minutes in a 2-2 draw against Real Sociedad. Luka Modrić got the start for Real Madrid and played 82 minutes in a 1-1 draw vs. Valencia. Both draws keep Barca and Real Madrid level on points atop the La Liga Table.
In Germany, Andrej Kramarić played the full 90 minutes but did not get on the scoresheet as Augsburg defeated Hoffenheim 4-2 Friday night. Ivan Perišić came on at halftime and added a junk assist in a 6-1 Bayern Munich thumping over Werder Bremen.
Once again, not much action this weekend.
Elvis those concert goers where dancing on the graves of every fallen Croat
They all should have charged with seditious laws as they were walking out if that concert
Those Zagreb bean eaters again Suba ?
That is a disgrace can people be reminded that Yugoslavia does not exist anymore
Why is that so hard to understand are some people locked in a time machine or something
https://balkaninsight.com/2019/12/16/yugoslav-flags-at-pop-concert-enrage-croatian-generals/
Then there is the business side of things. Hns not gonna get paid, if we send the likes of Orsic instead of Perisic.
I am all for experimentation.
Maminjo-agree on guys like Petkovic. It is true in all sports. Smart teams know this, and capitalize. Sell off the guys who play well because they have talent around them.
In Petkovic’s case, his talents are good enough that he can take advantage of the space that Modric, Vlasic, Perisic, Rakitic, and Rebic afford him. He is a “system guy”. This is not an insult, as some guys can’t even thrive in a good system.
@vuki
Calling up all players on the fringes is a good idea to see them in action… But it can also create a false measurement of their skills.
For example, look at Bruno Petković.
He’s the type of player who is more valuable when he is surrounded by quality midfielders and wingers.
He was ineffective on those lower tier Serie A and Serie B teams, he became pretty good at Dinamo, and he is excellent for the National Team.
My worry is trying to evaluate talented players like Oršić or Bašić… When you have an untalented idiot like Melnjak running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
This site tends to be dominated by recency bias.
Buddha has had a good run this past week but is he really going to continue this pace in Spain…highly unlikely ,though I would love it if he continued his fine form.
@ Vuki
Big time out the box thinking!!
I like the theme of core crew resting with their clubs in March.
That C squad bum rushed Mexico in LA and was great for Vlašić.
Curious to see who would “need” to be involved in March?
Seems like an ideal opportunity for Vrsaljko if fit and healthy.
So the criteria:
– proven performers who need a run out.
-young talent that could add X factor.
-veteran player who fills a position depth need.
-wild card player in great club form.
It keeps it fresh and puts the squad on notice that you have to earn your spot in June.
Modrić needs to be resting at RM in March.
That is a non negotiable.
PS –
All the best in your career process.
You seem to be down with the intelligent Croatian crew.
You write well and have a vision for your Self.
The Croat always rises to the top!
Now that someone mentioned calling up someone like Budimir, I would like to talk about something I’ve been thinking about. Why bother calling up our established players for the friendlies in March? Why risk them in meaningless games. I’m pretty sure we’ll play a couple of friendlies just before the Euros to tune up our squad’s chemistry and try a couple tactics. I say call up ALL of the players who are on the fringes of making the team or are competing for a starting role. So basically, don’t call up the likes of Modric, Rakitic, Perisic, Brozovic, Lovren, Vida, maybe Vlasic, and depending on how far you want to go with it, Livakovic, Kovacic, Barisic, and Petkovic. Maybe also leave Vrsaljko at home since he’s been injury prone and we need him healthy. I would include Kramaric in there with or instead of Petkovic, but I think he has to prove why he should still be our man. So if I was Dalic I would consider any choice of 23 from these guys:
GK: Simon Sluga, Josip Posavec, Adrian Semper, Ivo Grbic, Ivan Nevistic (no Kalinic until he gets some confidence back)
DEF: Borna Sosa, Domagoj Bradaric, Dario Melnjak, Marin Leovac, Duje Caleta-Car, Dino Peric, Filip Benkovic, Nikola Katic, Matej Mitrovic, Marin Pongracic, Filip Uremovic, Toni Borekovic, Tin Jedvaj, Josip Juranovic, Karlo Bartolec
MID: Marko Rog, Milan Badelj, Mario Pasalic, Mijo Caktas, Luka Ivanusec, Nikola Moro, Ivan Sunjic, Filip Krovinovic, Toma Basic, maybe Ante Coric if he starts to play more
ATT: Mislav Orsic, Ante Rebic, Andrej Kramaric, Josip Brekalo, Marko Pjaca, Alen Halilovic, Stipe Perica, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja
Do I expect this to happen? No. But I would love to see it. I don’t care if we lose some random friendlies. The argument against this is that it prevents us from building chemistry, but they aren’t going to play together again until at least after the club season.
This is, in my opinion, a great way to get a look at everyone we aren’t sure about as well as give some of our players that might not get their shot. Always remember club form and international form are not always the same. Sometimes you just need the players that work the best for your tactics. Hence why Olivier Giroud was France’s starting striker when they had other who were better players. He just fit the team the best. What do you guys think about it?
@jokich
love it!!!
i love serie a.
too much hustle and hockey in pl.
What’s with all the “white” stuff on here yet again?
ESPN top 100 players not one Croat…boy what a coaching staff we must have!!
The left’s fake opposition Bill Oreilly said “there can’t be an all white anything” – that is direct support of genocidal policies already in place, it’s called “integration”. He’s safe though b/c he’s got his nose so far up law enforcement’s and the military’s assess they can’t possibly lose respect for this traitor.
If a black guy went around saying the existence of black countries is not good, they should become non black, would that make him a traitor or not? What if his defense was “race doesn’t matter” even though he keeps saying black is bad?
Can you point to ANYTHING that would be more treasonous to blacks? If you think all this guy deserves is a slap on the wrist, then you do don’t believe in treason, you must be a traitor yourself.
Marko Pjaca might go back on loan to Dinamo in January.
There is talk that Dinamo could resurrect his career, the same way they did Bruno Petkovic (after his failed spell in Serie A).
Problem is Pjaca’s large 3.5 million Euro salary that Dinamo will obviously not want to pay.
But if Dinamo is cashing in on some of their players in January, and Juve is okay with eating some of Pjaca’s salary… it might be a great move for Pjaca.
It’s funny how Boban was Mamic’s biggest critic.
Now, he’s in the same position as Mamic was, and he’s failing miserably (so far). I guess it’s not that easy running a team.
Rebic was a bad move. Most of us called this out on this message board, as there was enough data to go by (during Rebic’s previous spell in Serie A) to show that his game isn’t great for that league.
Hopefully whatever it is that is holding Milan back can be resolved, or both Boban and Maldini will go from club heroes to ZERO very quickly.
Honestly, I watched a few Serie A games this season, and it puts me to sleep.
UEFA has Serie A ranked as the fourth strongest league, just behind the Bundesliga.
I don’t watch Bundesliga really, but it’s probably an accurate assessment.
Serie A is definitely below La Liga and EPL in terms of intensity and quality of play.
Saw something where Rebic talking to Frankfurt
Guess he may go back
Right now he needs them they need him
Can get a bunch of quality minutes and get his form back for euros
Do you guys feel bundesliga lacks in overall competition to aerie A?
I figure Rebic would be a good fit in England overall
Love watching AC Milan fail, as they let Rebic rot on the bench.
Their fans deserve that shitty team, and somehow they think Rebic is the reason they suck, even though he has barely played in their miserable season.
Is that “not ideal” story true? If so, that’s very racist. I dislike racism.
I think if Budimir gets a callup, it would be to fill one of the last spots on the roster (at best).
We’ve pretty much got our squad set for Euro2020.
There may be a small handful of 4 or 5 spots for young players (that we want to bring along for experience) or an insurance player like Budimir (in case there was an astonishing amount of injuries). But they would probably call Mandzo out of retirement before calling up Budimir.
Ante Budimir has bagged his 6th goal of the season, and that’s outta 17 matches. His club Mallorca drew Celta Vigo today 2-2.
And besides scoring a goal, he also won his team a penalty. Last week he scored 2 against Barca, so he’s been in red hot form.
I think he’s scored the most goals outta any of our guys in a Top 5 league.
If he continues to play like this surely, he’ll earn a call up…
juve-udinese commentators expressed surprise about no mandzukic this season. that allegri loved him. they called him the ultimate team player.
Portugal might win back to back Euros they are big Catholics. Ronaldo and Felix. We usually get defeated in heartbreaking fashion the Euro 2008 loss to Turkey, Spain Group Stage Euro 2012 and Portugal Euro 2016.
@chicro
thanks for the article. i’m now much less annoyed by it (smiley face).
Pjaca back on the bench today for Juventus.
^
Covington lost as well.
A reporter from Sports Illustrated said that Croatia being all white was “not ideal”. An anti-white on this site said that reporter was “an idiot”. I say that reporter should have his head severed.
I appreciate the kind words. I know I’m an intelligent guy and would be an asset to any company that I work for, it’s just a matter of someone giving me a shot.
Truth Troll plays FIFA in his xbox with his 4th grader friends, and calls it “running simulations.
He’s quite bright for his grade
Keep it up vuki
I for sure appreciate your talents you provide here
You will catch that break if u keep digging
If vrsaljko is healthy and takes his spot back
Is Jedvaj essentially the guy that will auto fill Any spot on the back four?
Assuming it should be Barišić vida Lovren then vrasaljko and jedvaj at this point won’t start?
Doesn’t Ziva do data analysis type work??
Vuki will be a huge upgrade to your Xbox predicting percentages on us winning the euro cup!
Vuki
Never give up in getting your dream job and keep your head up buddy you’ll catch your break
Right now I just work as a part-time supervisor at UPS, but after a move in the company didn’t materialize, I’ve been looking for different jobs. I have an information systems degree and I think what I’d like to do is data analysis but I’m genuinely not sure. I’ve applied to stuff that has had nothing to do with it, but really don’t know. I basically just want to do something I’ll enjoy doing.
What kind of line of work are you in vuki
And I updated the stats spreadsheet this morning for anyone that is interested:
https://www.reddit.com/r/SoccerCRO/comments/csikns/youngnot_established_croatian_footballers/
So it’s been a while. Busy with work and searching for jobs. But here is the player of the week thread now that I finally updated it:
https://www.reddit.com/r/SoccerCRO/comments/cxqsge/croatian_young_player_of_the_week_thread/
Jedvaj easily shuts down Kramaric.
Persic with a scrub time assist.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10522489/chelsea-mateo-kovacics-goal-celebration-downs-syndrome/
For those of us who thought Kovacic’s goal celebration was weird (including me), here is the context. He does it to give a shout out to his young niece with Down Syndrome. He says he’s very close to her. Pretty cool.
Looks like Kovac wasn’t the only prob at Bayern