Croatia is playing Holland this Wednesday, February 2nd in Split. It should be a really good and entertaining warm-up match en-route to Euro victory. Any thoughts? ideas? predictions?
Im a little dissapointed Klasnic isn't playing but I do understand hes still not 100%. I predict a 2-0 win for our boys.
should be a fun game as both teams like to attack..its to bad the dutch are missing some of there key players..i wish bilic would experiment a little more in this game and give maybe rakitic a start and try srna at right back the position he plays at shaktar..i would also like to see corluka at centerback his natural position..to me these friendlies should be used to try different tactics.. the result to me is not really the most important thing..
yea I would like to see a little experimentation as well, just to see how things work out, rakitic needs to play and we need to see what he can do in a full game
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/euro/news/kind=1/newsid=653642.html nice article on croatia and the croatian cryuff..
Thank goodness I didn't leave work early to pay $20 and watch us get embarassed.....instead I can wait a day and watch us get clobbered tomorrow night via tape delay on satellite. Anyway, I'm still excited that the Giants won the Super Bowl so the loss doesn't bother me as much as it normally would.
you didnt have to pay 20 dollars metro..they were showing the game free in scorpios..anyways on the game we were utter crap today..dario simic should not be in the starting 11..the first 2 goals were both his fault..on the second one he just stopped thinking the ball was going out..well it didnt and the dutch player crossed it for an easy tap in goal..robert kovac was not much better either..our midfield was a disaster today..they were losing the ball way too much and the passing was very poor..modric played maybe his worst game for the natioal team..he might have been rusty as dinamo is still training and they have not started hnl yet..kranjcar also cannot play outwide in a 4-4-2..he got exposed today for his lack of defense and speed.pranjic is a much better option there if bilic wants to play 4-4-2..kranjcar fits much better in a 4-3-3 were he does not have defensive coverage just create goals for you team..that is his streghnth..rakitic looked pretty good when he came on..bilic should have put him in at the start of the second half as modric was having a bad day..i really think our weak link is going to be our defense..both kovac and simic scare me..
I didnt come to troll, just wondering WTF happened???? This team looked a far cry from what I saw at Wembley
You wanna know? Well we were playing 3 man short because 3 of our defenders were sleeping on the fukin field. Our offense still played good, we made numerous opportunities, especially in the second half. Second half we lit it up but Van der Sarr was too much -hes an aamzing keeper. But main problem was defense. Croatia has the attack and power to score but the defense is shaky sometimes as evident of today - they ********in fell asleep. All three goals were the defenders fault. should Bilic go to a 3-5-2 formation i think it would suit the defense and the attack much better (also rakitic played amazing today and i would like to see him in the starting line up) ------Pletikosa----- corluka---R. Kovac----Simunic ----------N. Kovac---------- srna---rakitic---modric---kranjcar -----petric------eduardo--- my ideal line up
I just saw the game on tape delay (surprised that they were showing it same night). I know it's a friendly, but there were more shots on goal against Croatia today then there were the entire Euro qualifying round. Defenders leaving people open and midfielders not tracking back and helping to cover. The team is usually good on set pieces in the air, but here they looked pretty bad on free kicks and corners. Holland just played harder and maybe a bit more serious. I can't see the team losing 3-0 with all of their starters if this was a meaningful match. Highlight of the evening was High Jumper Blanka Vlasic being awarded the Croatian National Team jersey just before kick-off, which pretty much tells you everything.
I think this is great. I won't have to read about how we're gonna win the Euros and players won't go too high up in the clouds. Don't worry, we're still quality
On a brighter note, your man Pranjic is class. I don't think Heerenveen will be able to hold on to him for long.
No doubt about that I wouldnt read too much into these friendlies In 2004 Holland beat Greece 4-0 in a friendly, showed them every corner of the park, and we all know how Greece did in the end
i agree with u about the 3-5-2 only thing is kranjcar cannot play out wide in this tactic..you must play pranjic someone who can run and come back and help out on defense..
i am surprised nobody has bought him yet..i believe he has lead the dutch league in assists the last 2 years..
I didnt get a chance to see the game but from what I heard the defense was bad. They are aging, Simic is 32, Robbi is 33(soon to be 34), and Niko is 36, so I think they could easily get exposed by quicker younger oposition. I think Simic will bow out once he gets his 100th cap after the Euro, and so will the Kovac's. I hope someone comes throught to pick up the slack. On a side note its pretty awsome that Dario Simic has participated in all major competitions since the HNS was created
The last goal scored was Knezevic's man and he's only 25. The second goal scored was when Simunic stopped running after the Holland player and left him wide open and he's only 29.