Seems as if Sosa may not be able to play for Germany according to FIFA rules. This would be pretty embarrassing for Germany and Sosa if true.
Sosa is in the sauce. Croatia won't accept him back, that's for sure. But Sosa made smart move to avoid the swamp of Croatian football.
Our results for the first set of WC qualifiers were pretty average. With a 1-0 lose to Slovenia(away) followed by a 1-0 win to Cyprus and a 3-0 win to Malta. Both games were played at home. the curren groupt H standings are # club Matches W D L Goals +/- Pts 1 Croatia 3 2 0 1 4:1 3 6 2 Russia 3 2 0 1 6:4 2 6 3 Slovakia 3 1 2 0 4:3 1 5 4 Cyprus 3 1 1 1 1:1 0 4 5 Slovenia 3 1 0 2 2:3 -1 3 6 Malta 3 0 1 2 3:8 -5 1 Next WC qualifiers will be played in September. opponents will be Russia(away). Slovakia(away) and Slovenia(home). Tomorrow(May 17th) , Zlatko Dalic will call up his squad for Euro 2020. I read somehwere he is calling up 26 players and 4 alternates. I don't really expect any surprises.
Dalic has called up his squad for Euro's. i have also included the todays press conference. Dalic specifically talks about Uremovic . and if he gets fit in time, that he will be called up. probably in place of Mile Skoric
Did a preview blog for the upcoming tournament. Please have a look and see what you folks think. Share feedback/comments, join the fantasy league. Spoiler Alert: I did my bracket and ended up with Italy Expecting a great and wide open tournament. https://footballfutbolcalciosoccer.blogspot.com/2021/06/euro-2020-preview-group-italy.html https://footballfutbolcalciosoccer.blogspot.com/2021/06/euro-2020-preview-group-b-belgium.html https://footballfutbolcalciosoccer.blogspot.com/2021/06/euro-2020-preview-group-c-austria.html https://footballfutbolcalciosoccer.blogspot.com/2021/06/euro-2020-preview-group-d-croatia-czech.html https://footballfutbolcalciosoccer.blogspot.com/2021/06/euro-2020-preview-group-e-poland.html https://footballfutbolcalciosoccer.blogspot.com/2021/06/euro-2020-preview-group-f-france.html
Not expecting much this tournament. Our play is to stagnant and if Modric doesn’t play great we won’t win any games in our group. We still have quality and should get out of the group but not the way Dalic is playing with his tactics. He still thinks we have a warrior in mandzukic up front we don’t. He needs to adapt to the team he has and he does not. Best players should play who are in form. Gvardiol should play Kramaric should play Vlasic should play. All three of these guys played great for there clubs yet are on the bench for the national team. Barisic has no place in Croatia starting 11. He’s a poor player I don’t know how he’s rated in Rangers maybe because the league is really bad.
I don't think Gvardiol should be in the main squad. He is certainly talented, but still lacks experience playing at the highest level. Actualy, I think Erlic should have being called instead.And what do you mean Barisic is a poor player? He is our best left back. Who do you think should play in LB then? Bradaric who barely played in France? I think Vatreni will come through the group phase easily and I believe we can have a good tournament if they play their best.
Did you watch Gvardiol at all this season? He was voted in Europa league best 11 as a 19 year old playing left back. Barisic for me is worse then Strinic who was not that good either. Gvardiol is much better player and should start over barisic. I actually like Bradaric better then barisic as well. Only good thing barisic has is crossing. He’s not fast and not technically good on the ball.
Gvardiol, Bradaric are very good talents. Barisic is much weaker. The attacking knowledge of Gvuardiol is great. Barisic just passes either to Perisic, or Modric. No individual initiative. Gvardiol (sub. Bradaric), Lovren, Caleta Car (sub. Vida), Vrsaljko (sub. Juranovic) He never uses Orsic in LAM, LM, LF positions
I thought they would struggle and so far they have. Performance against Scotland was good. The best they looked in a long time. But i think Scotland was spent from that England match. As England are their nemesis i guess and you could tell that their energy was not as high as it was for the England match. And we were able to capitalize on that. So 1 win, 1 lose and 1 draw earned us 2nd place in this group and a match with the winner of Group E.
Perisic out for positive test. That’s a huge loss not sure where the goals are going to come from now.
Brekalo, Kramaric, Rebic, Petkovic, Orsic? They must do something. So far, all 5 are useless. Orsic doesn't have any minutes. Maybe Orsic can replace Perisic. The good game against Tottenham, he should copy. Budimir is just too weak. I think that Vlasic and Pasalic could carry the match in terms of goals. Or energetic Ivanusec. Not so optimistic without Perisic. And if Dalic leaves Gvardiol out, Croatia will lose.
I would go with Orsic. The hat trick against Spurs was one of the best I have ever seen. Orsic is also familiar with Gvardiol and Petkovic. I think Dalic will play Rebic who looked bad and lazy in his 2 games he played.
Now I'm really done with Dalić! Sure, he does deserves respect for taking the team to the WC final, but as time goes by it is more and more clear that Vatreni are losing creativity under his command. I honestly believe his time with the NT is over...
I was done with him when he came, after I saw who placed him in position. Rebic switched his shoes. Gvardiol took the water break. Couldn't prevent Spanish goal. Defence is weak, especially Vida. Petkovic, Brekalo - nothing special. Orsic, Pasalic were often good. Rebic needed another good attacker, something that he has in Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic slides few balls on the ground, drags defenders, positions well, something that helps Rebic. Croatia doesn't have good coaches. Bjelica and his club Osijek are in good ties with Dinamo Zagreb. They will be 2nd anyway. Short bench, some players not in shape like before (Vrsaljko). Some are just bad for the major scene (Petkovic, Barisic, Budimir, Vida). Positive surprises (Juranovic, Orsic). Dalic won't leave. He gets offers only from Asia. And they switch coaches very fast. He knows this. Why isn't he getting offers from European leagues? They know his capacity. 8 goals were received in 4 matches. After the WC final, no decent match against someone who is big. Other teams also have defensive issues: Portugal, France, Netherlands. But they manage to score more. The absence of Perisic is visible. Just like the absence of Rakitic. Mandzukic no longer in shape. But when he had shape, he was much better than Petkovic, Budimir, Rebic. Too bad because of Marko Pjaca. Some positions are safe for the future: LB, RB. No luck at EURO's. 1996, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020. Euro 1996, foul of Babbel and Sammer scored Euro 2004 was just bad, nothing about luck. Euro 2008 Turkey Euro 2012 two penalties were not "seen" by the referee against Spain in Group stage Euro 2016 Portuguese goal in extra time. Qatar could be good, if they include Gvardiol, Bradaric, Orsic, Moro, Ivanusec, maybe Majer. And if veterans keep their shape: Modric, Kovacic, Brozovic, Perisic, Vrsaljko, Rebic, Pasalic....
Here are highlights of the games we played at Euro 2020. In the group stage we lost to England 1-0. Drew against Czech Republic 1-1 and than beat Scotland 3-1. In the knockout round we lost to Spain 5-3 in added extra time.
This Euro's has been so unpredictable from my perspective. Some players unhappy, bringing in young players like Gvardiol and having him play heavy minutes, Dalic playing very defensive first half which he then reverses in the second half and playing close to all out offense against Spain. Who starts, who is not going to see any minutes on the field, who are my first subs, no plan for the first game against England when you had ample time to prepare etc... I don't know if Dalic needs to go but he seems like such a reconciliatory , concensus building coach and not a decisive type that takes action when seeing what was tried previously did not work. he should of dropped Rebic after that first game, yet he continued to get opportunities. While Orsic could not sniff the field till the dying embers of that match against Spain. Petkovic is lethargic when he starts. he needs to come off the bench, he at least seems hungry to show what he can do when coming off the bench. I also think we need to see some players retire. I think Modric's time as a first choice starter has come to end. He was terrible against the Czech's and yet ended up playing that whole game. If he wants to contribute going forward he should contribute as a sub and not a starter anymore. Otherwise i think he should retire from the NT. As i believe Kovacic and others should be taking over from him and that old guard. Other beefs i have. Guardiol is never going to be a long term LB for us. He is best suited for playing 3 at the back and being that left sided CB in that backline. If you really believed in him i have no idea why you did not call him up in at least March and test him out there. I personally do not think he is ready for this level as for me comes off as very raw and too much a teenager out there. i would personally send him back to play withe U21's. Barisic needs to be dropped as he is not up to this level. Borna Sosa(no matter his insubordination attempt to play for another country) needs to get called up. Rebic needs to be dropped permanently as he has a bad attitude and just is not the type of character we need going forward and his play it just too wild and erratic for NT standards. I wold like to see a squad like this called for the next WC qualifying games against Russia , Slovakia and Slovenia in September. GK- Livakovic, Ivusic and Nevistic Backs - juranovic, Vrsaljko, Sosa and Cabraja CB's - Caleta-Car, Pongracic , Uermovic and Lovren DM - Brozovic and Moro CM - Kovacic, Pasalic, Rog and Basic AM - Krovinovic and Vlasic wings - Perisic(captain), Orsic, Pjaca and Livaja Strikers - Kramaric, Budimir and Petkovic I am guessing that Modric, Badelj and Vida retire from the NT. And dumping Rebic, Skoric, Sluga and Kalinic from the roster. while Bradaric , Brekalo and Ivanusec need more time IMO to get to this level. and sending Gvardiol back to the U21's. And if Dalic would leave i would have no problem with that too as we experienced some great highs but this team has been very poor since WC 2018. But i can't see him leaving as he knows his next job will be nowhere near this level.
No Sosa! Playing for the NT is a privilege, not a right! If he doesn't wants us, then we shouldn't want him as well! We can't let nobody treat us as second choice, it's disrespecful! And why him in the place of Barisic? It's not as if he's a better player! I agree that Kovacic should take over for Modric, but he should start to step up to the task. He still looks too timid.And that would also open a slot for Nikola Moro in the bench, as backup. I also think Erlic deserves a chance. He did very well last season at Serie A. But I also don't think Vida should retire yet. He still could play at least this WC and the next Euro. After all, Vatreni will need a captain if Modric retires and I can't see nobody filling that role better than Vida. I don't really mind about Lovren though.
So i am guessing here that one of Lovren/Vida retires. Neither may retire but that does not mean that both should be first choice Erlic is maybe in the discussion but he did nothing in the U21 Euro's that made him stand out to me.I could think of 2 or 3 other CB's who could contribute and maybe should get looks before Erlic It is impossible to play Modric and Kovacic at the same time. At times in this tournament they both wanted to occupy the same areas of that pitch. And i think Kovacic's time has come. And plus he looked pretty good to me in this tournament. As for Sosa, we cannot bar him forever if he continues to perform. If he doesn't perform at his club, then fine, but if he does we can't hold a grudge forever. Barisic look poor in the warmup against Belgium and then even against Scotland had issues of moving that ball up the pitch. We have options in LB like Stefulj, Cabraja , Sosa , Bradaric and Colina. I wish we had that many options going on the right full back side.
Ante Rebic said things, that we all think. The problem is, that he said it out loud. Someone who was very weak at EURO. Even with subordinated elements, Croatia could go through with better players on the pitch. I would avoid these players forever: Barisic, Vida, Petkovic, Melnjak, Jedvaj. Player of stronger league must have the advantage.
Sosa is NOT an option! Bradaric could be if he gets playing time, but for that he must get the hell out of Lille! Čolina has talent, but he should first be tested in a stronger league. I have no opinion about Čabraja and Štefulj. I agree that Kovacic's time has come, but he must show that he is there for the team,be bolder, command the action at the midfield like Modric does!Maybe some of this is Dalic's fault for how he plays Kovacic, but Kovacic has some fault of himself too. And what other CBs you say should have a chance before Erlic? Benkovic have been very irregular recently. Vušković is still too inexperienced. Petar Filipovic is not a long term option. And Katic have been suffering to get back in shape, just like Pongracic. So who do you suggest?
Lille is a nice club, current Ligue 1 champions. Good school, scouting. Someone needed to discover Bradaric directly from Hajduk Split. Nice transfer considering that every transfer goes with Dinamo Zagreb blessing. It would be better that Juranovic ends in 5 better leagues. Luka Ivanusec, Lovro Majer - new young stars. Dario Spikic - high potential. U21 team has potential. Usually, I would cross youth selections, because only few end in A team. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatia_national_under-21_football_team Sutalo, Erlic - defensive potential. Instead of non-thinking-clown Vida. Livaja sounds more talented than Petkovic.
You are right Erlic is an option. But as long as Vida and Lovren don't retire Dalic/next Izbornik gets to hold off on making that decision. And if players like Katic, Pongracic, Borevkovic(who i hear could be going to Braga), Barac(who signed with Sochi in Russia), Mitrovic and not to mention youngsters like Sutalo, Gvardiol, Oroz, Krizmanac etc..all have solid seasons then there will be plenty of options come WC 2022. I don't know if that decision needs to be made come September because who knows what Mark Van Bommel(new coach in Wolfsburg) will think of Pongracic for example. Who was not physically injured last season but had issues with Mono and then had Covid. So i don't know that any decision will be made really until Vida and Lovren retire.