[IVO]

It's time to move on everybody, we're all down after a dismal performance but that's football, crying over it won't change anything.

I don't know what Jozic has in mind, what kind of game plan he has for the Italians, but Italy are a defensive team and we have to take that into account. They won't push forward as strongly as the Mexicans did but their defence will be extremely difficult to break down.

I think we should bring in some players who are familiar with the Italian game.

My proposed lineup:

                 Pletikosa

       Kovac     Soldo     Simic

Kovac           Vranjes           Seric

        Prosinecki        Rapaic

            Vugrinec
                    Boksic

I think Soldo should be brought back to the defence. Simunic played better than I expected, but he is inexperienced and it showed, especially on the goal. Soldo is capable and I think he's a good option to bring back.

Seric should be given the nod ahead of Jarni. He's a similar player to Jarni and although he lacks the experience, Jarni seemed to lack the heart last time around.

Vranjes has an advantage over the other defensive midfielders in that he's actually technically sound. He can pass the ball well, extremely well and that's what we lacked against Mexico. He can be that player who brings the ball from the defensive zone to the offensive zone either by carrying it or making a good pass.

I'd prefer Kovac to Stanic on the right becuase although Kovac is not a spectacular player, he's a fighter and a good tackler. He wins a lot of free kicks and that's important.

Prosinecki and Rapaic will both have free roles and should be able to play well together. Last game, Prosinecki had nobody to play with in the midfield that could do anything but this way, he's got Rapaic who is very fast and has a great left foot. Rapa also played in Italy and that's another plus.

Boksic should still start, he had a bad game but never got any good balls to begin with. He'll be the out and out striker with Vugrinec as the playmaking striker which brings added creativity.

Since the Italians don't push forward as much, we don't need to emphasize so much on defence. Of course we won't ignore it, but between the 3 defenders and Vranjes I think it looks good. Seric can also come back when needed.

I can see this midfield performing much better than the Mexico game with Vranjes being a very important player.

This is just wishful thinking on my part though, I don't think Jozic would be interested in a line up like this.

 

[Ero]

My sentiments exactly IVO, Vranjes can perform the defensive duties, but also organise some passes around the pitch, he's technically good.

I like your lineup, but I thing g.Jozic will still have 4 defenders, and 2 defensive mids.


Isuse Boze sramote.....I still can't get over it.

 

[majstor]

NO1 CAN GET OVER IT
IT'LL BE THERE IN BOOKS,FOREVER

 

[CroatTommy]

all i can say is BOZE NAM POMOZI if we play with the same tactical line-up we did against Mexico! :depress:


i like Ivo's line-up though very much, you should e-mail it to Jozic

and Ero, im still coming to terms with how poorly we displayed ourselves on the world stage! UNNACEPTABLE

 

[IVO]

Guys, that's life...we performed poorly but it's time to move on. The true measure of a team is how they rebound from a poor performance.

Of course we can only watch, Jozic is the man who will decide which tactics we will use so it's kinda frustrating, but even if a lot of us think Jozic phucked up, he's still our coach and he wants to win.

I can't see him using the same tactics because they didn't work in the first game and this game is a must win. We can't play "not to lose" this time around, we have to go for a win and Jozic knows that as well as anybody.

We're all brooding over the loss mostly because our pride was hurt but since pretty well all of us are Catholics, we all know that pride is a sin

Concentrate on what can be, not what could've been.

 

[Ero]

Where's Silvio Maric? Tomislav Maric? Igor Biscan? Ivica Olic? Goran Vlaovic? Even Balaban...

All of these guys would have left a crater on the pitch, they would have died in Japan that afternoon. Instead we have Suker who can't run to save his life, Boksic who got pushed off the ball by guys no bigger than my girlfriend and Tomas who couldn't pass straight if the fate of the world depended on his doing so.

Igor Tudor must have ripped out what little hair he has sitting at home watching the appaling mess our team degenerated into.

Zvonimir Boban must be spewing with rage after watching those guys drag our flag through the stench.

I am pissed off at our half-assed effort, these people are paid to play football for Christs sake, and they cannot get it right.

 

[Lupi]

No matter what shape Croatia is in, Italy will have a very hard time because they struggle against teams like Croatia. Plus, now Croatia will be eagered to win, while Italy is more relaxed due to their extremely easy victory over Ecuador.

 

[baraba]

I've been moping around all day and feel ashamed to root for this team today but I think Ivo is right.

The Italy game will be extremely difficult but I think that brings out the best in our guys. This IS the same team all of us had high hopes for just 2 days ago. All hope is not lost.

Last night was ugly and it hurt to watch but I do not believe that is Croatia. I don't know how we managed to sink so low but I have faith that even if we go down to Italy we'll go down fighting.

Naprid Hrvatska. Razocarali ste me ali jos vas volim!!!!

 

[IVO]

That's the spirit Baraba!! We just had a bad game with a bad game plan which can happen to anybody.

It'll make it more difficult to advance from the group but it's not like our team is as bad as they played yesterday.

 

[IVO]

So what kind of formation and line up do you all think we should go with?

 

[AMOROSO!]

11 players defending and the rest 12 players and Jozic praying on the bench.

Seriously now, here are some ideas:

Zivkovic relieved you off his presence with his red card. Thats positive. Simunic and Tomas, though hard working and eager, are just not good enough and lack experience, bench them. Sukur and Prosinecki are not only too old and unable to do anything, they don't even care. Ditto for Jarni. Bench for them too. Boksic did not seem to care much either, but he is like your best player. Maybe too drastic but that wasn't a football team.

Pletikosa

Kovac - Simic - Kovac - Seric

Stanic - Soldo - Vugrinec - Rapajc

Balaban - Boksic

 

[baraba]

Ivo,

I think that we obviously need to inject not only offence but spirit as well.

Pletikosa

R Kovac Simic Seric

N Kovac Soldo Jarni

Prosinecki - Rapaic

Vugrinec - Boksic

Very similar to yours. I know JArni and Seric are similar players but we need as many runs as possible on either side of the pitch. They can cover for each other. If Jarni is on his game his crosses are brilliant thus I'd have him in mid - his defensive game has been slipping.

Soldo in the middle compensates for the offensive nature of the front four. He's also good to get his big head on some of those crosses.

Vugrinec is a class player and needs to get more respect by Jozic. Rapa proved that for himself last game.

Boksic and Robi both had terrible games (especially Robi) but therer isn't anyone who could really replace what he does if he actually decides to do it. If he comes out vs. Italy like he did against Mexico I would replace him with Vranjes or possibly Suker (if we need more offence).

Stanic was really disappointing last game and N Kovac looked a lot more like SUPER MARIO than he did. Did you see him walking around minutes after he got on? We're down 1-0 chase those damn defenceman a little. Force the ball. If Boka is still asleep I say go with Vlaovic, Balaban or Olic (whoever's working harder during the training) to start the second half.



BTW did anyone else notice that Boka and Suker were having a not-so friendly conversation during the game? Maybe they really don't like each other.

I don't like them much right now either.


PLUS if Bilic or Stimac were in that dressing room some heads would've rolled at halftime. Suker as captain is a joke. He's a very selfish player. He's had a great career but he is not a leader.
Jarni is better. Tudor will be good in a few years.

 

[IVO]

The only problem is that if we play with 3 at the back, Seric can't be one of them, neither can Jarni. Both of them can play as left backs in a 4 man line, but not left centre backs in a 3 man line.

That's why I brought Soldo to the back, it's either him or Simunic or we have to go for a flat back four.

I agree about Stanic, as soon as he came on he looked like there was somewhere else he'd rather be. I remember he was running up the flank and just dribbled the ball right past the sideline, dunno what was up with that but it was scary.

I agree that Suker shouldn't have been captain and I'd go so far as to say he shouldn't have started, dunno why Jozic went with him.

Amo, Niko Kovac never played as a left back and I think it's too risky to play him there against Italy. He wins a lot of balls but commits a lot of fouls along the way and if could happen in the penalty area, or just outside where Totti can line up some free kicks and kill us.

 

[AMOROSO!]

But I don't have him as left back, I have him as right back. Soldo seems tactically important to me to move him to defence and I don't know anyone in your roster who can play right back apart from Saric who I consider not good enough for Croatia. You need Simic in central defence.

But I'm not as familiar with Croatia as you of course, so you're right probably.

 

[IVO]

Sorry, I meant to say right back regarding Kovac.

We really don't have another option besides Saric for right back and that's why I think we're better off with 3 at the back. It's not an ideal plan to pull Soldo out of midfield, but I'd feel more comfortable with him than Simunic in defence.

 

[spwolf]

Guys, that's life...we performed poorly but it's time to move on. The true measure of a team is how they rebound from a poor performance.

Of course we can only watch, Jozic is the man who will decide which tactics we will use so it's kinda frustrating, but even if a lot of us think Jozic phucked up, he's still our coach and he wants to win.

I can't see him using the same tactics because they didn't work in the first game and this game is a must win. We can't play "not to lose" this time around, we have to go for a win and Jozic knows that as well as anybody.

We're all brooding over the loss mostly because our pride was hurt but since pretty well all of us are Catholics, we all know that pride is a sin

Concentrate on what can be, not what could've been.

nice post IVO... earned a beer from me... or few... ;-)

 

[spwolf]

only thing I have to add to lineups, is that I would definetly not play anyone who didnt play few games in past 3 months... Robi, Suker, Vranjes, Balaban, Jarni, Stanic come to mind

 

[spwolf]

..and yes, I know that exclusion of all of those players is a bit unrealistic, but I think i am holding back a lot of anger

 

[eusebio]

well.if italy have a strong defence,we can only beat them if play with good attack line up..so here is mine..

--------------------pleti---------------

--r.kovac--------soldo--------simic---

-----------------vranjes----------------

--n kovac--prosinecki-- --rapaic(seric)--
--------------------vugrinec-----------

-----boksic(vlaovic)------ olic/balaban--
-------------- 2half --------------2half

 

[placebo]

Suker should be benched, but wont be. He didnt play a single game in WC qualifying but starts at the WC. He promises to score 2 goals....he touched the ball three times. If it comes down to Boka or Suker, then Suker has to go. The positive thing to come out of Saturdays game (if we lose) is that for the Ecuador game the youngsters will be given a chance to play.

Simunic, along with Kovac, were our best players. ok he may have been caught out for the penalty, but it was Zivkovic who needlessly brought down that Mexican. Simunic should stay in defence. This inexperience talk is cr.ap....he almost scored on two ocassions and we need his aerial power.

I hope when Jozic goes to sleep tonite, that he dreams about Tomislav Maric. Maybe throw in Silvio Maric aswell in the background. Stjepan Tomas, Miki Rapaic, and Daniel Saric were 3 players that i thought should not have even been in the squad yet i see them running around in the 1st game of the world cup.

but i have a good feeling about Saturdays game....with the right tactics, a few changes, and nice conditions then i think we are more than a good chance to knock off Italy. Wouldnt that blow the entire group wide open.