Guess what? Andrej Kramarić is back and he’s already in midseason form.
Kramarić returned from knee injury last week with a goal for Hoffenheim and he did the same this weekend in a 3-2 win over Hertha Berlin. Krama headed home a corner kick in the 38th minute to make it 2-0 for his side. He played the full match, which is a fantastic sign as Croatia head into their final Euro 2020 qualifier vs. Slovakia next month. Only needing a draw to punch their ticket, you have to see manager Zlatko Dalić benching Bruno Petković for Kramarić. With the win, Hoffenheim sit only three points behind Germany’s last Champions League berth early in the season.
Kramarić Header @ 1:20
Slaven Celebrate, But The Ball Never Went In
In Case You Missed It: Check out the crazy sequence of events yesterday at Poljud…
Slaven thought they scored the equalizer when Hajduk keeper Josip Posavec hit the back of the net, but the ball actually hit the post. As Slaven players celebrated, Hajduk marched down the field themselves and scored to make it 2-0. That’s the way the game would end.
Although Dejan Lovren has already been ruled out of Croatia’s match with Slovakia next month, it’s great to see him back in Liverpool’s Starting XI this season after nearly being sold to Roma in the summer. Harry Kane scored in the first minute of play for Tottenham but Liverpool would rally for a 2-1 victory at Anfield. Son’s initial shot was deflected off of Lovren’s head and off the post; finding an open Kane in front of goal. It was an unlucky bounce for Lovren.
Ball Deflects Off Lovren Straight To Crossbar
Ante Rebić is being absolutely wasted at AC Milan this season. The Croatian striker is currently on loan in Italy from Eintracht Frankfurt but has only played 22 minutes in Milan’s last five matches. The club is currently in shambles; recently sacking their coach earlier in the month and sitting in the bottom half of the Serie A table – with only 10 points from their first nine matches of the season. Could it be an early exit for Rebić and a few others in Milan this January?
Kramaric is a blessing for Hoffenheim, but how can we start him over Petkovic vs Slovakia?
Until Slovakia solves the Rebic-Petkovic-Perisic Vlasic-Modric-Brozo riddle, I’d say go back to the well.
Kramaric not what our National team needs. Excellent finisher, but literally stands around when off the ball.
Rebic, is our new Ivica Olic. Kramaric should start against Slovakia.
Krama gets my vote
Steals the ball from his own teammate and nails it home for the winner lol
If you are talking about clutch finishers besides Mandzo who is no longer there. Krama course he got set up well against Ukraine was the man
He is hungry for goals.
Would Almost be better if Slovakia scored first and put a real fire in their asses
A Kramarić goal will take us into this tournaments, the same way he did the last tournament with our win in Ukraine.
We need to go with Krama on this one.
Kramarić in form from no where.
Dalić is going to have a bit of selection head ache.
Dalić has been great in one off must win matches.
Curious who will be our CB paring?
Actually you guys are probably right about Rebić needed for his Defense from the top.
He may actually have to play center forward to start.
We need a solid diamond shape to ensure back line is not stressed.
Brozovic and his lungs will be welcomed for this one.
@BZ
Yes, but how many of these “essential assists” does Brekalo have too?
And in less than 90 minutes of play?
Wales, Spain, England… He does it in 15 minutes, and against better competition.
I like Rebić though, and I think his aggressiveness is very useful against most teams.
Only knock on Rebić is his complete inability to finish in the box… But he’s good everywhere else.
Would be interesting to see Brekalo and Rebić start one day.
@Idemo
Marko Rog was never good.
Not sure what people saw in him.
I also prefer Rebic over Brekalo to start against Slovakia. I love Brekalo. He had a good game against Wales and he will be the starter in the future, but we need to put the pressure on them right away and Rebic is the right player for that.
@Soul-
Brekalo, on the ball, is brilliant and fun to watch. I can see why everyone is enamored.
Effective? Not as much as one would think.
Beyond winning silver in WC 2018, Rebic’s winning resume is bolstered by the FACT that in our last 2 games where Rebic was rested, like he will be vs Slovakia.
@Slovakia 4-0
vs Hungary 3-0
Can’t argue with those results. It’s not even close.
I rave about Rebic’s defense, but his off the ball movement is just as important. He is always giving his midfield outlet options. It is a critical aspect of our gameplan.
In contrast, Brekalo is always coming back to receive the ball. It gives us no added benefit, as Modric, Rakitic, and Brozo can do that with ease.
@Truth- if “essentially assist” is a stat, then Rebic is your guy.
He had the steal and “ACTUAL assist” vs Hungary.
Then Rebic made the “essential assist” for the third goal, by dragging the ball back to beat the Hungary defender and sending a perfect ball to the right wing. Perisic and Petkovic just cleaned up from there, thx to a fortunate miscue by the Hungarian defender.
what happen to the Marko Rog world class guys, is that guy even alive ?
Haven’t been following Kovacic in EPL.
Has he made a single pass yet into the opposing box, leading to a chance on goal?
@ BZ
I like that way you break that down!
Although Brekalo is simply too good to not start at this point.
Plus his attack dribble and technical ability in the final third is unparalleled in our team.
Haven’t seen that attack dribble since Prosinečki.
Rebić can now come off bench and add fresh legs and industry in the second half.
We need to start offensive to score and have Slovakia coming out to us.
Kovačić :
Finally, Mateo Kovacic is starting to look like Chelsea simply got a deal for him. Not a mediocre bargain, but perhaps the deal of the season.
Players like him in the Premier League cost somewhere between £65-80 million these days. A complete box-to-box player with fantastic dribbling ability, a deft touch and a ferocious, terrier-like ability to win the ball back? He’s been revelatory and deserves a great deal of praise.
Are we sure brekalo hasn’t been producing?
Didn’t he essentially assist on our lone wales goal and set up our third Hungary goal as soon as he came in?
Didn’t get an assist for Wolfsburg in his previous game?
Hmmm let me think long and hard about this,
a) a well rested Rebic, who is a proven commodity, getting shafted by losing coaches at Milan. Fans are livid.
b) Flashy Brekalo (who hasn’t been producing as of late, even while getting starts at Wolfsburg.) Seems his Wales flop has been weighing on him.
c) Hnl Orsic, a completely unproven commodity.
I’m going A, and subbing in B after Rebic runs the Slovaks ragged.
She lured rebic in with those hot fat lips..maybe he just wanted to get sucky sucky..big deal..problem is he’s a vip..media will take you down..hope he had a lot of fun and it was worth it..not,
So Rebic needs a new manager to get his love life and soccer life in order
U guys think boban will get fired?
A worse career move is being associated with a slut named Milosevic
Talka ‘bout a bad career move for Rebic. This guy doesn’t even getta shot at Milan. I can’t see him starting ahead of Brekalo or Oršić at this point.
Pasalic with a goal as Atalanta run riot 7-1. And to think Dinamo took this team to the cleaners. If dinamo were in serie a surely they’d be a top 5 team.
Oh and one more thing, Livaković with a vital save today!
Lol.
It just says he was linked to some slut.
If true (which it probably isn’t) he probably just banged her.
Rebic dates Serb whores fuck
Him
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10209290/real-madrid-jovic-wag-serbian-model-sofija-milosevic/amp/
Rebic should get the hell out of Milan in the winter. They are fucking him over.
The ac milan coach is retarded or something.
Just for soccer excitement you guys are worse than a dumb bitch wanting to get married at 21 for the excitement, where are your fucken hearts or I guess it’s just a bunch of jock sniffing wannabe’s .
Srami se
=U=
Za Dom
I really thought conte would have tried to convert Perisic as a wing back like I think someone mentioned here
I think at this point if u want to stick someone out of position
U put Perisic there rather then brekalo?
Perisic more responsible defensively at this point
That is going by the amount of midfield and forward talent we have at the moment
Sounds like Krama got a fire in his ass and will for sure be coming for his striker job…
I guess through this all we look to have found at least a quality nuff different look up front with Petkovic
you want to crown Orsic, then crown his ass! But, Rebic and Perisic are who we thought they were, and they didn’t let anybody, at WC 18, off the hook!
Bravo kristijan hrvatski korjeni
here is that second hajduk goal with some, um, rather colourful audio to go along with it haha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAZfYv8sZlo
oh i see, looked like it hit the back of the net
@Dannyj
With the emergence of both Brekalo and Oršić, along with Rebić still available… We aren’t as dependent on Perišić as we used to be.
Hopefully he bounces back to form though. He really shows up BIG in tournaments.
You can make the case that Perišić was our best player in each of our last three tournaments.
Croatia u14 & Vuki,
Really impressed by your work!
Hvala!
^
Hit the post.
why wasnt that a goal? the first one?
https://youtu.be/D_pah-2NOsY
Hajduk with an odd second goal today. Pretty funny
Kramarić with another goal today. He got an 8.3 and was man of the match.
And of course, the updated stats spreadsheet for anyone interested:
https://www.reddit.com/r/SoccerCRO/comments/csikns/youngnot_established_croatian_footballers/
Slow week this week for our younger players. But here are the best performers of this past week:
https://www.reddit.com/r/SoccerCRO/comments/cxqsge/croatian_young_player_of_the_week_thread/
Is Perisic not playing cause he is odd man out right now what?
He started off promising
We need at least this one last good tourney from him!