With Euro 2024 less than two weeks away with an opening match against Spain June 15th, the “right wing” position still remains the most open and arguably weak position for the Vatreni on paper. So many Croatia players on the right side of the pitch have seen different levels of success over the past few tournament cycles, but who will Dalić play on the right side in 2024? There are three likely and potential options for the Vatreni to use during this tournament:
Option 1: Stick with Lovro Majer or Mario Pašalić
Dalić has used mainly Lovro Majer and Mario Pašalić as his go-to options at RW. While both Pašalić and Majer are talented players, their natural positions lie typically as an attacking midfielder and the #10 role on the pitch, respectively. While Pašalić has been sitting in a more deep position this season for Atalanta behind players like Lookman and Koopmeiners, he still is getting most of his minutes in a central spot. Majer continued to play the #10 role at Wolfsburg this season, a role he is most comfortable in. While continuing to play both these players out of position at RW is still a possibility, I don’t think it is the best one.
Both Pašalić and Majer are creative and skilled players in their own right, but struggle to really use their talents as wide players, something that could be costly against tougher opposition like Spain and Italy. With both of those sides having the depth to use players in their natural positions, shifting either Majer or Pašalić out wide could be dangerous. With that being said, I find that either of these two starting at RW to be the most likely for us to start this Euro campaign with based of Dalić’s choices in the past and placing players in familiar roles.
Option 2: Shift a left-sided player to RW
With the return of Perišić to limited minutes, this now puts the depth chart at three-deep for the left wing position. Competing for that spot is Pjaca, Perišić, and Ivanušec. With all three of these guys having being trustworthy for club and country in their careers, it is easy to make an argument for any of them to start at LW. However, only one player can start at LW, and if Dalić is willing to throw a more central focused player like Mario Pašalić or Majer at the RW position, there is chance that one of the left-sided backups could be shifted to play on the right. Of those three, I think the most likely candidate would be Marko Pjaca.
Pjaca has the experience of playing for the national team in years past and is now motivated to earn his spot back into the team. We have seen him play with lots of skill both for Rijeka this season and for Croatia in friendly matches. Pjaca also is a right-foot dominant player, which could ease the shift over to right wing. With Pjaca’s competition being much more established on the left side (Perišić at LB/LW and Ivanušec at LW), it would make the most amount of sense moving Pjaca to the right. Playing Perišić or Ivanušec at RW would risk the potential of losing a player far more accustomed and regimented to Dalić and his tactics on the left side. Pjaca may not be a true fit at right wing, but if Dalić is going to swap any natural positions, this would be the move.
Option 3: Play Marco Pašalić, a true RW
The last, and probably for now, least likely option would be to play Marco Pašalić, a natural Right-Winger in the starting lineup. While Pašalić has raw talent and is coming off a great campaign for Rijeka, Dalić and many fans alike question if he is ready for a starting role with the Vatreni. Pašalić has quickly become one of Dalić’s favorite bench players, and has shown lots of potential, passion, and worth ethic while on the pitch, but does lag behind technically compared to other players on the squad, especially those with more experience surrounding international football. With two big matches against Spain and Italy this month, Pašalić in a starting position could be a risky move for Dalić. While Marco Pašalić very well may be the future starting right winger for Croatia, come June 15th when our Euro journey begins, Pašalić will probably see himself limited to a bench role. Maybe if things go right against Spain, at best Pašalić could see a start against Albania. For now, the youngster will have to prove himself at camp like the rest of the players or WOW us when he does receive minutes off the bench.
Personally, I think the best option and most interesting choice would be to give Pjaca a chance on the right side. With Mario Pašalić and Majer already having been seen to be weak and lackluster at RW, and Marco Pašalić still being a little too young, Pjaca could be a low risk/high reward scenario. With Croatia’s RW choices being weak and limited, Pjaca could be a bet Dalić should be willing to take.
Who do you think should start at RW for Croatia at Euro 2024?
Perisic is fine. He is ready. Everyone was good. No concerns. Majer was great and not just his goals. Can’t wait. The young guys were good. Those ACL injuries are in some people here head more than I’m the heads of the players themselves. Pjaca, perisic and sucic, all ready to deliver
Majer needs room to create and should be an early sub for any of the three starting midfielders. He should not be at RW. Kramaric has definitely earned his spot at RW. Perisic needs to start at LW if he believes he is up to the task. Pjaca needs to get serious minutes whether at LW or RW. I still think Orsic is one of our most effective players and he is not even in the mix. We are really deep considering guys like Ivanusec, Mario Pasalic and the many talented young guys are on the bench. With such depth substitutions should be liberally made and legs kept fresh. Getting the younger guys minutes in important tournaments will bode well for the future. I think we really have a shot at getting deep into this tournament.
We should give Belichick a contract and a role in the HNS… no way he wouldn’t help make the HNS Organizationally more sound (maybe not tactics wise)
Vida is there to take charge of the dressing room. He knows his role.
Do we think baturina gets a transfer this summer or another year at DZG? If yes to transfer, what are the top spots?
LA Galaxy
Lemme guess you’re a hajdukovac and still upset about Biuk
Nope 🙂
It’s interesting now, because we have a lot of surprises yesterday.
Guys like Majer, Sucic, Baturina, Pjaca, and Marco Pasalic had very good games…whereas our regulars like Kramaric, Perisic and Ivanusec were pretty average.
You can’t really judge based off one game, but it’s a very nice problem to have.
For RW…It’s hard to ignore Krama being our top scorer since the last World Cup (in addition to him having a monster year at club level)…but the motivation for some of these younger guys to get more exposure is there (and the Euros are definitely where a lot of careers are made).
We have several younger guys who are overdue for their next club transfer.
Sucic, Majer, Baturina, Pasalic, and even Pjaca are all probably very hungry for game time and exposure. Each and every one of them should probably be getting a transfer from their clubs very soon, and would all want to take that next step in their career.
We’ll see what happens in the Portugal game, but I expect Krama to remain as our RW but we now have options off the bench.
we need to be realistic and weary of what we saw from Majer, it was good but it was also just 1 game. I liked what I saw from Baturina although I know he can do better…Sucic was really interesting to watch, he has a very nice touch on the ball.
Krama has to be in any lineup we have. Not only has he earned it but he’s valuable and usually reliable.
I’m afraid to say it but Perisic is far from himself and I don’t know if he will make a difference for us at all. I’m concerned because Dalic might feel like he has to play Perisic because of all he’s done for us in the past but the truth is Perisic is not even 50% of the guy we all know…and if this was anyone else he wouldn’t even be in the squad…ie…Orsic!
whats very important in this is that the team learns to WIN and get results. Winning when you’re playing well and winning when you’re not playing as well…good teams learn how to get results and I really hope these guys are hungry, professional and mean business!
It will be interesting to see how many of the old guard Dalic will continue to start.
– Will he actually start guys like Vida and Perisic?
– Will he continue to play Modric and Broz a full 90 minutes in every single game (like he always does)?
Seems like we have the depth to throw in some fresh legs, without having to sub in no-talent bums like Barisic.
It would have been nice to try some of this during qualifying (like subbing in Baturina, Pongracic and Marco Pasalic).
We lost those two games (against Turkey and Wales) because of injuries and out of form starters…but we still chose to opt for Brekalo, Barisic, Vida and other former washed up players instead of calling up younger in-form guys (like Baturina, Pasalic, etc.) who would have helped us with their good form.
At least Dalic has been doing it these past 4-5 games, so it’s better late than never.
I think we are in a better place now, I’m happy with his player selections although I would have loved to see Sucic from Dinamo…he’s a good player.
with regards to your comment about Vida and Perisic. I hope Vida only plays if we win our first two games and we need to rest our players. with regards to Perisic…I don’t know what the right thing to do is?! I think we need to be on the ground level and watch him in training…understand how long it takes for him to recover after training and games, know his range of motion and limitations.
Barisic looks like a guy I used to play with….a complete gimp that looks like he’s trying to balance while running. I’m soo glad he’s not around anymore. I would have taken Strinic at his current age back instead of Barisic!
2012 Strinić was one of the most promising left backs in Europe. He had a deadly cross and was a tough defender. He then had an injury, became a mere backup player at Napoli, and took a while to get a contract for a starting role somewhere. While 2018 Strinić was not the player 2012 Strinić looked like, he was a fighter who made it back to the top for long enough to get a silver medal with Hrvatska. He and Pivarić took nothing for granted and put in their best effort for every second on the field. Let’s hope this team has just as much heart!
btw: at the end of the day – it will be Modric – who decides who plays and where
So while we all have our “opinion” – it doesn’t matter – Modric knows these players on and off the pitch – and at this point knows who needs to be on the pitch and where – in order for him/us to win
Simple as that
So come June 15th – when the team is announced – let’s refrain from any further comment on team selection and just get behind who’s on the pitch 100%
RW Marco Pasalic aka our Jarrod Bowen
LW Pjaca (Perisic timing, touch, movement – way off y’day – very rusty)
Kramaric as “false #9” (or whatever his position was y’day) and Budimir as “#9”
Playing a “#10” or “#8” at RW is just silly (esp. now we have a RW) as e.g. look at Foden playing as a #10 (where he is world class) vs. on RW for Man C (where he is average / clearly out of position) – Dalic has to stop playing Majer or Mario Pasalic or Vlasic on the RW
We finally have a RW – Marco – so we need to play him
Does England play #10s or #8s at the wings ? Of course not. They play Saka (even if that means “better players” e.g. Foden or Cole Palmer (bc of Bellingham) might not end up starting on the pitch)
Right or wrong, it will be Kramaric.
He is one of the team’s “Senators” now. He also is still within his prime playing years, and came off a very productive Bundesliga year. And he has shown some positive results from that position for the national team in the last few years also. I don’t think there is any way Dalic takes him off of the field for any of the options listed here.
The only other possibility would be to put him up top, and then you can discuss who to put at RW. But I don’t think Dalic would do that either.
We need one of Budimir or Petkovic out there up top.
We wasted too many years with Krama up top, when he is best suited to be paired with another forward.
We finally have two very different (but equally useful) strikers now, and we absolutely need to use them this tournament.
100% agree. that’s why I am saying Krama at “RW” is a near-given.
I meant to say that other options at RW would be be considered only if Krama was up top instead (which he should not be).
That being said, I really like Marco P alot.
If we continue to win via penalty kicks, we need to be strategic regarding who is on the pitch last and having our best penalty kickers still available. I hope we are out of that stage and start producing more goals in the first 95 minutes.
In any case, this is a good problem to have. Hate not to have Kramaric as a penalty kicker so I would still say, first 60 minutes Kramaric, last 35 Marco. I assume Marco is probably a ruthless penalty kicker, but I don’t know.
If this is the case, then we need Vida out there.
The guy is too dumb to understand the dire situation he is in, and (just like in Russia) he will comfortably roof that ball into the goal.
lol. Yeah, I think his may have been one of the greatest PK’s ever taken in a WC shoot out. Hilarious
You might be correct. Direct out of central casting, he is a heroic character from The Lord of the Rings. I believe he bestows the ring, that allows a soccer player to make a ball disappear inside any net.
Marco Pasalic is ready to start at RW.
Majer at the 10.
Modrić – Kovačić, double 8.
We need dynamic movement at RW.
Stanisic has proven he can over lap with intent to score.
Mario P. Is the ultimate sub.
Kramaric off the bench as well.
Pjaca on the LW.
Perišić off the bench to provide the presence to see out win.
Based on what we saw in the match against Macedonia and barring any injuries in the coming days, it looks like Majer will get the nod on the RW and rightly so. He has to be in the starting 11 against Spain. Budimir will get the nod over Petkovic and on the LW it has to be Ivanusec with Pjaca and Perisic on the
bench. We’ll know a lot more on Saturday as I expect Dalic to start the match against Portugal in all probability with our strongest 11.
The back line looks like stanisic erlic sutalo gvardiol from what the medis in Croatia is reporting
Marco Pasalic could be Dalics new rebic but only with a head and normal kid.
I think each game is a new lineup imo.
Mbk will start so that vs spain so the front 3 likely budimir as cf and does perisic be joker from bench or starter is question.
Dalic has some issues and he is tbe coach he knows best i guess.
Krama is a starter i guess he goes krama left majer right?
Again i dont think perisic is a starter at the moment he is only 75percent.
Like the question goes do you bench broz and play Luka and kova as 6s and put majer number 10 with budimir/petkovic as 9 and wings krama majer? With pjaca both pasalics off bench and ivanusec?
Forgot another option at RW is Kramaric, seemed to have worked for us a few times when he’s given more freedom in that role.
Marco Pašalić definitely no question. Every time Marco is playing, you have a sense a goal is soon going to be scored, and the offensive pressure, activity and energy he creates is obviously felt. Reminds me of the pressure Romelu Lukaku has put on the Croatian defensive over the years. Marco proves himself every time he steps on the field.
Pjaca, please, he has already proved he is nothing special, and the international community agrees. He creates a lot of movement like Rebic but leads to nothing.
Give Pjaca a chance? That is the language you use for a young guy like Marco. Pjaca has had his many chances, just like Vlasic, they are disappointing to a major degree.
Face it, for every Perisic there a dozen Jelavic’s. Pjaca is a Jelavic.
Marco I believe is the real deal, and so is Orsic, their activity on the pitch speaks for itself, and brings results.
Today’s goal was ferocious, it was not a fluke, but it was well over do based on the pressure he has create every single time he is on the pitch. No more proof is needed.
Go with results. Orsic on the left, Marco P. on right. Kraj. It seems as clear as Bisevo, after the Bura.
Vida is going to be there for CB position
absolute shit and it will cost us dearly ~
Vida greases Dalic. Makes sense.
I don’t know which is more strange. His love for Vida, or his complete disdain for Orsic. Neither makes sense to me.