Luka Modrić is not a fine wine, he is a bottle of Louis XIII. Modrić did not get the start against Barcelona Saturday in El Clasico but did come off the bench in the 69th minute with the match 2-1 in Madrid’s favor. In injury time, Modrić looked like a 15 year-old in the playground putting all the moves on his mates. He made multiple Barca defenders miss as he danced in the box before hitting a shot with the outside of his foot into the back of the net. The goal would make it a 3-1 victory for Real Madrid over Barcelona.
Luka Modrić. Soak it in while you can.
Modrić goal vs. Barcelona
Is it time to sound the red alarm at Stamford Bridge for Mateo Kovačić? This was supposed to be the season Kova helped lead Chelsea and all their new signings to glory. Instead, he is riding the bench. Kovačić watched on Saturday as Chelsea played out a scoreless draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. He has officially been dropped from Frank Lampard’s Starting XI. What now?
It was a super slow week for Croatian national team players this weekend. Ivan Perišić, Marcelo Brozović both g0t the start in Inter Milan’s 2-0 win over Genoa Saturday. Andrej Kramarić is still out due to testing positive for COVID. Ante Rebić is out due to the elbow injury he picked up three weeks ago.
Is there a place between squad player and the second coming of Luka Modric for one Mateo Kovačić?
He took a step forward in stabilizing his career at Chelsea.
He is better than Jorginho and Kante.
We have Vlašić to be our first #10 in decades.
Brozovic Is a World Class #6.
Kovačić is a quality #8.
At 26 he has 6-8 years at his prime.
I am not writing any nogometaš off before 28.
Chelsea need him to link a solid defense with the dynamic offense.
Inter, Real Madrid, Chelsea.
He is been through the adversity.
Promise me if he thrives next summer we all come back here and own up to all the doubt.
I do remember a 26 year old Modric being called a bust in Madrid and even worse on this site.
@ BECAR
Shifting things once Modric does leave the repka and with the potential talent coming through the youth pipeline, I think it will make our team stronger in this sense.
We won’t have ‘all our eggs’ in ‘one basket’ i.e. so much of what we do flows through and happens due to Modric. It was painfully obvious in the first France and Portugal game for UNL and we’ve seen it in the past too where if teams really try to take him out of the game or he’s injured/not on the squad, we’re just not the same team.
One of the major takeways for that last France game we had was the depth of France. Granted, we’re never going to have that kind of depth, but no matter who they plugged in and plugged out of their midfield, attack or defense, it was still the same team with the perogative.
We need to move to something like that i.e. not just hinge our success on one player but have a solid squad, from top to bottom, that can play our brand of football and hang with elite NT’s no matter whether its a knockout game at a major tournament or some UNL game.
Like most of us, it’ll be a sad day when Luka hangs’em up at the international level and he had a huge role in having us 90 minutes away from being crowned champions of the world. But I must say, I’m really excited in what the future has in store for us, if things pan out the way they should. I think a few years back, I had worries that once this ‘golden generation’ retired (Rakitic, Mandzukic, Modric, Subasic, Corluka, etc.) we’d drop in form and fall back into a middle of the road European NT ala Poland, Ukraine, Austria, Switzerland i.e. teams that are good, make touraments regulary, but aren’t making deep runs and will never win something big. I think we’ll stay in that elite status and hopefully, continue to be in line to make deeper runs at WC and Euro’s.
Take note all you young Croatian ballers:
If your team designates you team MVP, they are just trying to bolster your resume so they can sell you at a higher price.
@ARMADA87
Bang on about Kovacic. That probably sums him up, with the slightest remaining chance that he can still “arrive”.
We’ll have guys coming up that will push Kovacic out of the bench rotation as well.
Kova is 26 and should be in his prime. He’ll be 27 and 28 at these upcoming Euros and World Cup…and will be on the bench for both tournaments if Modric sticks around (which he hopefully does).
There will be only one starting midfield spot available after that World Cup (when Modric retires)…and Kovacic will be 30 for that Euro2024 tournament.
There will be too many young central midfielders in their 20s like Basic, Moro, Majer, Sucic, etc…who will all be making strides in these next 4 years, with many of them entering their prime years in 2024.
It’s not unlikely to see Kovacic pushed from that starting role…and quite possibly very deep into the bench.
If he doesn’t make a very significant, uncharacteristic offensive improvement in the next year or two, I don’t think he will ever start.
He’s at a turning point in his career where ‘potential’ is no longer being counted on anymore (as he’s 26 now).
It’s now or never.
He will likely just remain the same this year, with Chelsea looking to transfer him out after the Euros for less than what they paid for him.
I can see him going to Serie A again. Probably a team like Milan or Napoli.
I think once others cement there status in our midfield, especially post Euro, I think Kova is a fantastic bench piece. I just don’t see him as the guy we build around, post Modric. Very solid contributor, absolutely. The second coming? No.
Pjaca and luxury should never be used in the same sentence. That goose is cooked guys.
We’re very lucky to be deep enough that phenom prospects like Kovacic, Halilovic and Pjaca could bust out and/or have career ending injuries…and we don’t care, lol.
Kova with only 132 minutes played in 6 EPL games.
People here were right about him.
He’s no longer a ‘young’ player. Should be entering his prime and our 22 year-olds are outshining him (with more coming up the pipeline).
Perma-bench for him on the National Team for the rest of his career if he doesn’t establish himself over the next year or so.
No one’s saying we need Pjaca.
Just a nice luxury to have.
What now for Mateo
Back to Italy I think
Hahaha are we still hoping Pjaca pans out
Very optimistic Croats out there
@Maminjo- Yeah that would be worth trying. Throw those young legs as wingbacks that have 3 defenders behind them.
—-Perisic-Rebic—-
—Modric–Vlasic—
Bradaric-Brozo-Brekalo
–(any 3 defenders)–
I am surprised Pjaca not on sub list.
Who knows if Kramaric or Brekalo are going to be in good shape that soon after Covid.
If Rebic, Kramaric, and Brekalo out of shape or injured, we are going to be very thin. Dalic will be forced to waste Bradaric as a wing. We need to see Bradaric at LB for an extended time with the first team.
https://twitter.com/RusFootballNews/status/1320802375922307075?s=20
Best. In. Russia.
What a great tweet.
jebi se previše anonimno
Vlasic was incredible today. He could have had another goal or 2 as well as a couple of more assists. His nose for the net is off the charts right now. His first goal was what looked like a mediocre shot that had eyes (he scores a lot of these), then he follows it up with an absolute rocket from distance. He also smashed a free kick that the goalie managed to deflect off of the post. He’s a MONSTER right now.
This squad (minus Melnjak, Rog, and possibly both Badelj and Orsic) will probably be our Euro 2021 squad.
Add in Rebic, Vrsaljko, Pongracic and Toma Basic instead of those four above, and we’re good to go.
Melnjak and Rog are not good enough.
Badelj is still probably around because Raketa retired, and Kova/Pasalic can’t really play CDM. If Toma Basic impresses, then Badelj is pretty much out.
Not sure why we keep calling up Orsic if we choose to play random midfielders out of position instead of giving the poor guy some well deserved minutes.
If that’s the case, then may as well cut him too and make room for one of the four above.
Napoli had rog
Look how they treated him
Dalmatia fuck you are a lame dalmatinac
Yea, here are the callups for the next three games…
Vratari: Dominik Livaković, Simon Sluga, Ivo Grbić
Braniči: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barišić, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Dario Melnjak, Filip Uremović, Domagoj Bradarić
Vezni: Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Marcelo Brozović, Milan Badelj, Marko Rog, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić
Napadači: Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Josip Brekalo, Bruno Petković, Mislav Oršić, Ante Budimir
Pretpozivi: Ante Rebić, Tin Jedvaj, Lovre Kalinić, Mile Škorić, Josip Juranović, Toma Bašić, Antonio Mirko Čolak, Marin Pongračić
Nothing unexpected I guess.
Rebić and Pongračić are on the pre-callup list because of their injuries.
Pretty disappointed to see Toma Bašić still on the pre-callup list. He deserves at LEAST a callup lol.
Napoli is gonna kick themselves for cheaping out when they were talking with CSKA for a transfer in the summer.
Napoli has been having a hard-on for Croats lately. Tried to get Bradaric, Toma Basic, Vlasic and Brekalo.
Napoli is way too cheap to get any of them though.
Vlasic just keeps getting better …no way he’s in Russia next year.
CSKA vs Dinamo Thursday ,should be interesting for the former Hajduk Star.
@Dalmatia
Oh really?
Must have been an off day.
Roster for upcoming nation league games.
https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/sport/domaci-nogomet/zlatko-dalic-objavio-popis-igraca-za-utakmice-s-turskom-svedskom-i-portugalom-na-listi-se-po-prvi-put-nasao-i-toma-basic-1053391
Vlasic had two goals and assist today.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.sportsmole.co.uk/football/game-highlights/cska-moscow-vs-arsenal-tula_game_16725398_sv.html
It would have been too early had we not had Vlasic tearing it up right now.
I don’t trust Kovacic or Pasalic starting for us. Vlasic, on the other hand, has been nothing short of incredible these past couple of years.
Now we just need Luka Sucic to be the real deal, and make some strides in the next couple of years. Gotta hit one more homerun with these youngsters to successfully transition from Modric once he retires.
I don’t need to write 10 pages to work out that the Rakitic retirement was not too early
And by the way stats are not everything either
@ BZ
“ mesh with Vlasic Perisic and Rebic really well.”
With Pjaca that could me the four horsemen.
@ Maminjo
“ fabled Perisic/Krama partnership.”
Lmfao.
@BZ
Hmmm.
Then maybe Perisic can play the Lautaro role, and have younger legs in Bradaric play the LWB role.
We get to see more of the fabled Perisic/Krama partnership up top!
@Soul Champ- I think everyone who watched Pjaca’s last few games and posted here saw similar things.
I agree with you, he is moving well.
Would be fun to see him play striker for us, as he will definitely have more space. He might just mesh with Vlasic Perisic and Rebic really well.
I’ve never heard of anyone mention misic here before??
https://t.co/4Ey0liRhPZ?amp=1
The view of an outsider
@ BZ
I like the way you break it all down.
I see Pjaca as adding to our attacking depth. I don’t see him playing major minutes, so whether he plays wing or striker he goes hard for those few minutes of match time.
If down the road he stabilizes his body and game then his destiny is as a striker as you say with his physicality. Yeah Genoa is good for him to get to play but frustrating because they suck, their tactics attempting to compensate.
Love the comment on how Perišić > Martinez.
Perišić is pure two footed class.
Conte is constipated in his views.
Martinez seems unable to link with his teammates or specifically his Croatian teammates?
I am glad Perišić has Croatia to showcase his class.
His club career always leaves one with a sense of disappointment. He is world class and has had deal with failed transfers and now Conte BS.
Good news is he is a horse that can go for 3-5 more years at top flight.
Plus his two footed skills and intelligence will age nicely like some other Croatian footballer you may of heard of.
@Soul- Pjaca not playing wing for Genoa, nor should he. Winger requires him to run too much for his gimpy knee.
He is playing as one of the two up top in a 3-5-2.
His shitty team makes him look worse than he is:
1)Genoa parks the bus, and Pjaca has nobody supporting the attack to pass to.
2)Defenses double team Pjaca, cause it is usually just him and maybe one other player.
That said, this is a perfect scenario for him to learn, and improve as a striker.
Speaking of him playing in a 3-5-2…
@Maminjo- I have been watching the Inter games, and thought I posted my thoughts several times, but I don’t see my posts.
To summarize:
Inter’s 3-5-2 (or slight variation thereof) formation is going to drive Perisic crazy. He is required to do alot of inefficient running. I think Perisic would be just as frustrated playing that role for our national team too.
Offensively: He is expected to drift up offensively, but is ignored by Lauturo and Lukaku. He does get chances to receive back post crosses coming from the right wing, but then has to trackback everytime to support the defense…just brutal.
Defensively:
For Inter, Perisic plays his defensive duties at LB very well. He actually makes it look easy. He can do it for us easily.
But again in the 3-5-2, after drifting up, he is required to track all the way back, and obviously cannot do so at full speed all game long.
Just a frustrating scenario for Perisic, especially because he is a better player than Lauturo by far (Lauturo just sits up top, not hustling, and squanders chance after chance.)
Perisic is still Perisic offensively. He gets more space to work on the wing as a LWB for Inter, but his brilliance is that he doesn’t require that space, so it is a waste of his talents from that perspective.
Level set: I have gone on record for years wishing Perisic would play LB in our 4 back lineups. After the Rebic revelation before WC 18, and watching Perisic, Mandzo, and Rebic help us retain possession at the elite level, I would expect us to never deviate from that formula again.
So until we get a winger that can press better than Rebic and Perisic, I think we need Perisic at RW or LW for a few more years. He can play out his latter years at LB, and he will do it well, whether that be in our 4 back system or in a 3 back system.
He has COVID
What kind of injury is Brekalo suffering from?
After the Biden foot job leak no
Hrvati in his right mind would vote for Joe and the Ho!
https://gtv.org/mobile/?videoid=5f94837c7de25667c0fe0c5e#/VideoPlay_UI
Pjaca is a pretty strong and athletic dude.
Since he’s lost his explosive stepover from those injuries, he should just look at a guy like Adama Traore and just play like that.
If Traore can be rated as a 90 million pound player for going on the juice with decent (but not special) technical skills, then Pjaca could do the same thing.
Pjaca is three inches taller too, so he should be even more imposing.
https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2020/10/25/5f95c8d922601da76b8b4576.html
Two more years!!
@ Andrej
I just checked out the Genoa match as well.
Pjaca was moving well.
Love to see him added to depth at winger.
I pray he stays healthy and get himself into form.
the 12th man! LOL.
https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2020/10/25/5f9569c3268e3e6c768b4630.html
Watched the Inter Genoa game;
Pjaca looked lively and had some neat touches. Really tends to over dribble though and messed up some opportunities. Disappointing but it was against one of the best defences in Italy. Playing time is what he needs. Has the physical tools and right attitude, just needs to fine tune decision making.
Badelj was reliable.
Perisic work rate helped him in that LWB role. Might be worth trying him out as a RWB if we ever go to a back 3. (Sutalo subbed at half today after playing RCB)
Brozo did his thing and was the best of the Croats.
“Luka Modric’s goal
This is my personal favourite from the game. Luka Modrić is making it harder and harder for us to believe that he is 35! He found the ball at the feet with Neto not guarding the goal and the Barcelona defenders completely clueless.
Today, Lukita showcased his immaculate dancing skills, moving his feet with such finesse around keeper and then finally guiding the ball into the net with his signature outside of the boot shot. The goal rubbed salt on Barcelona’s wounds. The goal symbolized how easily Real Madrid outplayed their rivals.
The Croatian has been simply phenomenal. At this rate, he can easily play for Real Madrid for the rest of his playing career. It would be wonderful to see the magician hang his boots in the Royal White jersey, although that day seemingly looks far away considering his performances and levels.”
“Modric, who has been Real’s best outfield player in 2020-2021 thus far, started the game on the bench for some extra rest. When he came in, he scored and helped Real immensely defensively.”
We have the midfield depth to keep the Modrić magic alive through World Cup.
That’s why I am NOT taking a crap on Kovačić.
Whether he plays with or for Modrić he keeps him going.
Lampard wants to have a balance between a stable defense and a dynamic attack then he has to figure in Kovačić.
Yeah maybe next year makes more sense but he is playing great now.
@ Mixed grill
You mean 2021?
Real Modrić win La Liga and CL.
Luka captains us to Euro 2021 title.
Then he wins 2nd Balon D’or.
At 36!!
His longevity at this level is inspiring two generations of young nogometaši.
Why would Ante waste hi time talking about Pjaca
What the fuck has he ever done
No comments on Pjaca or Badelj? Pick up your game Ante or hire someone.
Atalanta lost their edge lately. The plandemic fucked up their untouchable run.
What composure by Modric. I dream that he gets a crack at the Ballon d’Or again this year.
@Razbijač
Watching Luka in real time is like watching legends chips.
Real Modrić > farca.
“Came on for Valverde and played a starring role. The composed Croatian put the icing on the cake late on to seal a big win for his side. His importance to the team is unquestionable.”
So glad farca got rid of Rakitic and solved all their problems .. NOT!!
Kovačić > Kante and Jorginho.
Yeah I said it.
Anyone watch the Inter vs Genoa game today?
I think Genoa is where all the Former Yugo rejects go to die.
Has anyone been watching Inter games this season?
I notice that they’ve been playing a 3-4-1-2 formation.
This is intriguing because we have a couple of our key players on Inter, and this seems like it’s a formation that could help unlock Kramarić (as well as see if Kovačić is any useful in it as well, for the future).
The three at the back could be Bradarić, Ćaleta-Car, and Pongračić.
Bradarić is excellent defensively, and Pongračić is a right-sided CB. Bradarić may not be the a CB, but he has been great in shutting down offensive players in the few games we’ve seen.
Having Perišić and Vrsaljko play on each side of foursome in front of our defenders can provide defense on the flanks (as well as their patented forward runs) with Brozović and Modrić between them.
The person in front of this row is obviously Vlašić, playing the role he always has been… With two of Kramarić, Rebić, Brekalo and Petković up top.
Krama is more used to this formation than being the sole špica up top, and I liked what I saw from Brekalo when he was placed far forward. I’m sure Rebić or Petković would be just as good up there. This is what you can experiment with.
Also, I think Kovačić might be better in this formation due to the added defender behind him. Sub him in and see if he’s any better with this formation.
Ruben Kazan are actually playing Uremovic as rb now. that should be a little helpful in preping him to play rb for n.t
Well the inter genoa game everyone but broz got sub out. Perisic playing but a wing back not his position but conte is giving it a go with him. Josip Juranovic who is a right back scored and has been playing well i. Polish liga and played europe game over week. Modric what to say class for himself.
Modric’s first el classico goal and maybe his last?
We are Fortunate to witness the CLASS OF MODRIĆ!!! This is someone we will be telling our grandkids about!
4 of our boys playing in the inter game anyone watching…analysis??
The ageless one with two goals this weekend
I sure hope he is on some good growth hormone keeping him youthful for the next two years
Enjoy it boys He will leave it all on the field next year no doubt
INSANE goal by Luka Modric! It was a decisive blow, virtually guaranteeing victory!
Fuck barca
Luka scoring like a man on a mission. A euro title mission. A World Cup mission.
LUKA !!!!!!!!!!!!
Yup Genoa should be fun, apparently Pjaca had beaten Covid before last monday’s game, so hopefully he plays.
I am looking forward to Brekalo beating down bottom dwellers in the Bundesliga tomorrow. He needs to bolster his resume, so he can get out of Wolfsburg, and get that big payday SOON. He doesn’t want to end up like some of Ivan Cvjetkovic’s clients, clubless or back in the HNL, during his prime years.
Inter vs Genoa is the game that matters now ,especially if Pjaca gets some burn.
He started Luka 2.5 days after he was the best player on the field v. France, against freaking Cadiz.
Dumb.
Zizou’s an idiot.
@gbvh-We finally have an El Clasico without Cro on Cro crime, and I have to root for Barcelona until Luka gets subbed in. Sigh.
LM10 not starting for Real in El Clasico.