Modrić the Magician strikes again! Modrić played 83 minutes in a 4-0 Real Madrid victory over Celta Vigo Sunday. Although his name did not make the scoresheet, Modrić received an astounding 9.7 Sofascore rating and won ‘Man of the Match honors. This is the first time in Sofascore’s history that an outfield player who did not record a goal or assist in a match, received a 9.5+ rating. Simply amazing from the 38 year-old Modrić. Amazing!
ManagingMadrid.com gave Modrić deserved 9/10 rating as “The 38-year-old put on a show at the Bernabeu. A constant outlet feeding vertical passes into dangerous areas. Whipped in countless corners, including the corner that led to Vini’s opening goal and the Rudiger goal. His delivery from corners is second to none. An insane 8 key passes (many from corners) in this match.”
Mario Pašalić assisted on Atalanta’s opening goal in a 2-2 draw vs. Juventus. He tricked the Juventus defense during a free kick from the corner of the box in the 1st half. Instead of taking a shot on goal, Pašalić laid off a low pass across the 18-yard box for teammate Koopmeiners to one-time into the top corner of the net. Pašalić earned a 7.9 FOTMOB rating for his efforts.
Mateo Kovačić came off the bench for Manchester City in the 69th minute against Liverpool Sunday. Liverpool would dominate the match which eventually ended in a 1-1 draw. With the result, Arsenal finish the weekend top of the Premiership with Liverpool. City trail both by one point. Kovačić received a 7/10 rating from NBC Sports in his 25 minutes on the pitch as he “Helped City gain some control of midfield with his calm presence and passing.” Joško Gvardiol was an unused substitute in this match.
Josip Stanišić played the full 90 minutes at right wing for Bayer Leverkusen in a 2-0 win over Wolfsburg. With the victory, Bayer Leverkusen lead 2nd place Bayern Munich by 10 points with only nine matches remaining in the Bundesliga season.
Lovro Zvonarek is captain for the U19 Bayern team about to kick off against Olympiacos…… UEFA Youth League, knockout stage. According to Sofascore, they are playing a 4-3-3 with Zvonarek at right midfield…..if anybody sees the game or has access to watching it and has time to watch it, an update/report on how he played would be great. Maminjo reported Zvonarek has recently been up with the senior Bayern team for some games, it seems Bayern is very high on him…..yet another young player with potential…..
Budimir Kramaric
Perisic Kova Broz Modric Juranovic
Gvardiol Sutalo Stanisic
Liva
Roast me….
———————————Budimir—————————————–
Perisic (if healthy) – Krama —————————–Majer
—————Kova——————————-Luka————————
Sosa——–josko—————-sutalo——————stanisic
——————————–Liva————————————-
Main subs:
brozo
petkovic
juranoivic
pasalic (mario & marko)
ivanusec
baturina
sucic
vlasic
pjaca
That’s a good lineup. Actually Dalić has a lot of potentially great lineups at his disposition. It’s going to be a great Euro for Hrvatska!
Roast me…
Budimir
Perisic (only if ready) Krama Majer
Kova Modric
Sosa Josko Sutalo Stanisic
Liva
https://x.com/anshulsii08/status/1766927468076950003?s=46&t=tqKhM4idNWs96tKnQSyglQ
Didn’t realize Niko Sigur has been moved up / playing def midfield these days
Can Hadjuk fans comment what prompted this (vs where he started at RB)
I guess he’s probably annoyed v-a-v Petar Sucic
But exactly what we need – two players – same age – both fighting to take over for Broz – let the best man win the starting position
Or if both make the grade – I guess we could end up with a “double pivot” w/ them and Baturina and Sucic higher up (all the same age as Gvardiol btw)
They should both be called up for these friendlies – each given 45 minutes (like we did for Bjelo & Musa back in October) – let’s see what they got – won’t happen – but it’s what should happen
Hodza is better
Watch most Hajduk matches, and I’m not impressed by Sigur either as a fullback or midfielder. Petar Sucic is a much better player and prospect. Also agree with Z, Hodza is also better.
There’s bias toward diaspora players.
Just like Dinamo’s Ljubičić and Rijeka’s Ivanović.
None should be in the mix for the National Team yet. Not even as pretpozivi.
Is Dinamo sucic potentially the real deal?
I saw somewhere where he runs like a mofo like broz
I’m glad tho he has joined house hrvatska as was said below
He looks pretty damn good in the few games I’ve seen him in
About Croatian keepers, Grbić made 9 saves today (and defended many corner kicks) to help Sheffield earn a draw. Grbić is one to watch because he has signed to a team that will require him to be the hero of every single match. He’s going to be ready for anything after Sheffield United.
Yes real trial by fire and huge for development
This could take him to another level of game play and sought by big teams or could possibly blow up in his face
But as long as his confidence is good. And can keep them in matches that would be amazing for his development
Good luck young man
Can Rokas pukstas play for hrvatska?
No
He can if he gets citizenship (I think he’s eligible in 2025).
But I’d rather we focus our efforts on developing our own. He’s Lithuanian. He should play for them or the USA.
Two Croatian keepers starting in Toronto-Charlotte match today.
Stipe Biuk being back in Europe (played decent today) is huge for him
Stipe is smarter than all of us.
Signed that MLS contract, gets the guaranteed money, then goes out on loan to a team that will probably be promoted to La Liga next season.
Of course he’s smart
He’s a dalmatinac
Dalmatinac and smarts usually don’t go hand in hand.
You must have never met a Dalmatinac dealing with labor law to win a life time disability case….
I will stand by my comments regarding vuskovic’s height. If he turns out to be 6’6” or taller and he may very well be, his chance of being an elite level player is essentially 0. Perhaps he can still be serviceable though if he’s talented enough.
I would love nothing more, but the facts are the facts. There is a cutoff for size and ability to play football at an elite level. The data bears it out. The number of successful football players that size is essentially non existent. Not sure if anyone noticed, but this game is played heavily on the ground and with it requires quick turns, which is something that gets more challenging as you get taller.
There is a tradeoff where a defender being big gives advantages regarding headers, physicality and the reach of their legs.. But their is also a crossover point where at a certain size they just lose too much agility that the advantages their height gives them become overwhelemd.
Have you adjusted your analysis for (height) inflation ?
Zlatan 6’5″” (born 1981) would be the 6’7″” (same person born today)
India / China both 1.4 bn population
Average height men 5’6” / 5’7”
How many “elite” footballers have they produced ?
What % of world men population >6’6” – less than 0.01% – so the fact you haven’t seen dozens of >6’6” “elite” footballers – is because there aren’t that many tall people around to draw from (plus they typically gravitate to basketball if they are athletically inclined)
It doesn’t prove there can’t be an “elite” >6’6” footballer (albeit most of the tallest players do end up in goal or striker (Crouch, Zigic, Kalajdzic))
Also this one guy I’ve heard of who is super tall and can score goals.. think his name is earling holland 😂😂
‘truth’, seems like you’re really into statistics and data. Always remember statistics are like a bikini they show a lot but cover up what really matters.
This is true especially in sport. Yes, certain metrics can appear predictive but there are also so many intangibles involved in making a great athlete that there are always exceptions.
Peter Crouch and Jan Koller are examples of freakishly tall players that had a pretty big impact. Koller being the highest scoring Czech ever.
Just one more example in another sport would be Usain Bolt, most sprinters are built totally differently from him, much more compact but we all know how dominant he was against all those ‘typical’ or ‘ideal’ sprinter body types.
I would say the kid is pretty much done growing (in height). Now it’s time to add strength. If he’s popping in goals in a national European top division at 17 I’d say he has a bright future especially if we can get some effective crosses into the box for him. He could be just what we need for the repka. I’d rather see him be developed as a striker. We got enough decent defenders already.
Bog i Hrvati
Bolt is a good e.g. just look at 2016 Rio 100 m – he won gold – Andre De Grasse won bronze – now compare/contrast their height/weight/proportions, etc – while Justin Gatlin who won silver had the “stereotypical” 100 m sprinter body-type
Fair point. Jarni and Srna were speed burners. Didn’t do us any good.. damn
Rakitic making himself available to Dalic
Probably better to just call up Petar Sucic
Is this real? Buddy we really could have used you the past couple of years
Tho rakitic still has skill as he proved in Spain, wonder how going to Saudi will shape his form??
Rakitic is done.
He left the club he claims he loves in the middle of a relegation battle to go dress like an Arab.
Petar Sučić Joins House Hrvatska
Maybe we should start adding Luka Vuksovic to the w/end report
He scored his second goal today (that’s 2 in two games)
At 17 years and 13 days – he is the youngest player to ever score his 2nd goal in the Polish league (source Wojtek Bajak on X)
Here is the highlight – pretty incredible finish – ball gets thrown in from the side – bobbles around the box – first time he hits it it gets blocked (otherwise would have gone top left corner) – after the block gets back to him – and he beautifully strikes it into the bottom right corner of the net
w*w.r*ddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1b9tgei/piast_gliwice_01_radomiak_radom_luka_vušković_5/
This finishing is better than any #9 we’ve had for a long-time – and he plays CB
Even more important look at his celebration – look at how full of confidence / upright posture he has – and how he has already meshed with his teammates and the comraderie they have – all congratulating him (I can’t say that’s something we see with our other players when they score goals – save Modric @ RM)
One issue I see (but good issue) – is he is lining up at left CB – and he’s a lefty – so not sure how we’ll eventually pair him with Gvardiol – maybe by that time he will be better than Gvardiol (who knows) – with this kind of precise finishing in the box – maybe he ends up being our #9 ? 😉
The game ended 3-2 for Radomiak
There was a penalty for the other team in the 90’+1′ minute (if they score the game would be tied) – and the keeper saves it – but there is a rebound – his run was perfect and he was the one who cleared it away
w*w.r*ddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1b9w5i1/piast_gliwice_23_radomiak_radom_gabriel_kobylak/
Kind of funny – everyone was wondering why Spurs sent him to Poland (myself included) – well he’s already slotted in perfectly – and doing phenomenally well for just turning 17
Nice to see him called up again for our U19 (n.b. he is almost 2 yrs younger than some players at that level) – so will be good to see how he progresses – maybe if he starts to stand out there – he can get an early call to the U21 – than on to the senior side
Next weekend Radomiek take on #1 team in the league Jagiellonia – will be interesting to see how he does against them (they have the highest goal difference in the league +20)
Stopped reading at Polish League. 😆
Hehe – cut me some slack – I’m following him from both a Croatia and Spurs perspective 😉
Sure hope the kid turns out to be a stud and a half
Yup, maybe a striker type
Wasn’t it truth tho saying at his height it’s unlikely he can make it big?
What’s going on with his brother? Is he playing anywhere or he is banned everywhere?
Not good for his career but probably better then a torn knee like others…
He is actually right footed, so both those strikes were on his weaker foot. Even more impressive
Davor is furious right now 😉
I still Poland is a crazy place to develop but He also has a Serbian coach, which might help with the adjustment to Poland…
Maybe we should start adding Luka Vuksovic to the w/end report
He scored his second goal today (that’s 2 in two games)
At 17 years and 13 days – he is the youngest player to ever score his 2nd goal in the Polish league (source Wojtek Bajak on X)
Here is the highlight – pretty incredible finish – ball gets thrown in from the side – bobbles around the box – first time he hits it it gets blocked (otherwise would have gone top left corner) – after the block gets back to him – and he beautifully strikes it into the bottom right corner of the net
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1b9tgei/piast_gliwice_01_radomiak_radom_luka_vušković_5/
This finishing is better than any #9 we’ve had for a long-time – and he plays CB
Even more important look at his celebration – look at how full of confidence / upright posture he has – and how he has already meshed with his teammates and the comraderie they have – all congratulating him (I can’t say that’s something we see with our other players when they score goals – save Modric @ RM)
One issue I see (but good issue) – is he is lining up at left CB – and he’s a lefty – so not sure how we’ll eventually pair him with Gvardiol – maybe by that time he will be better than Gvardiol (who knows) – with this kind of precise finishing in the box – maybe he ends up being our #9 ? 😉
The game ended 3-2 for Radomiak
There was a penalty for the other team in the 90’+1′ minute (if they score the game would be tied) – and the keeper saves it – but there is a rebound – his run was perfect and he was the one who cleared it away
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1b9w5i1/piast_gliwice_23_radomiak_radom_gabriel_kobylak/
Kind of funny – everyone was wondering why Spurs sent him to Poland (myself included) – well he’s already slotted in perfectly – and doing phenomenally well for just turning 17
Nice to see him called up again for our U19 (n.b. he is almost 2 yrs younger than some players at that level) – so will be good to see how he progresses – maybe if he starts to stand out there – he can get an early call to the U21 – than on to the senior side
Next weekend Radomiek take on #1 team in the league Jagiellonia – will be interesting to see how he does against them (they have the highest goal difference in the league +20)