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Road to the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers: Croatia & Group I

2.2K views 24 replies 12 participants last post by  SuhoZD  
#1 ·
I don't have the bandwidth to do all the fancy graphics and text that guys like Nepoznat and HS prior to that did :D

Mixed bag when it came to this past Euro campaign, but some definite positives we can build on going into our first qualifier in September vs. Turkey at Maksimir.


  • Has there been any talk of scheduling a Friendly prior to our first qualifier?
  • Has there been talk of any player movement within the NT? i.e. a player retiring from international play? What's the story with Srna?
  • Will it just be the first 2 home games we have behind closed
  • What are some of the early predictions for our group?!
 
#2 ·
Despite our disappointing exit at the Euros I'm pretty optimistic going into WC qualifying. We played really well in the group stages and although I felt we were too timid against Portugal they did end up winning the tournament and for good reason. Portugal had a very solid game plan and executed it perfectly by defending well and making life difficult for the opposition.

I was extremely pissed at Cacic for his late substitutions but that's about the only criticism I have against him. If he can just learn from his mistake for these qualifiers then we should qualify very easily. Although all the teams in our group are tricky opponents, none of them stand a chance when we play our A game and Cacic had us playing fantastic football in the group stages. He deserves to stay on as NT manager.

As far as formation goes I would keep it the same except for Brozovic on the right. It has to be Pjaca or Halilovic for me. They offer a lot more going forward especially when it comes to dribbling and taking players on. We missed that big time throughout the tournament (on the right side) especially against Portugal. Our only option on the right was always a Srna cross because neither Srna or Brozovic were going to dribble at/past the defense which made it very predictable and relatively easier to defend against. Brozovic should be dropped back deeper to play next to Modric.

Which brings me to my final point and that is that Cacic deserves big credit for realising that Modric/Rakitic and Modric/Kovacic and even Modric/Brozovic (so far at least) midfield doesn't work. Modric is the world's best midfielder who can dictate the game like few others can and in order for him to do that he needs to have someone covering his back so he has more freedom. Rakitic isn't that type of player and Kovacic certainly isn't either. Even though Badelj may be the worse individually than them he does his job much better which allows Modric to do his job better which is way way way better for the team overall.
This is where I am expecting big things from Brozovic. Brozovic is a better individual player than Badelj and even in defense I think he is more physical with much more stamina with probably slightly better defensive capabilities as well but he needs to learn tactical discipline. If he is going to start for the NT (and next to Modric) then he is going to have to learn to stay back and do his job covering the defense and Modric. Far too many times in Euro qualifying and at club level he looks to move forward and start attacking plays which is fine if he is playing CM but we can't have that in the NT with players like Modric and Rakitic who are far better in that role. Maybe he just isn't that type of player and will never become a defensive anchor but he should at least be given another opportunity to prove himself. If he does indeed manage to do it then that would be huge for the NT moving forward. We haven't had a reliable defensive midfielder since Niko Kovac. If he fails then I guess he could always be used as a box to box CM but with the way the NT is setup right now, that type of player just isn't needed
 
#3 ·
What's the point of this thread?

Any critical thinking gets lumped as being anti-Croatian...

Sorry to rain on in but it's the way it is.

Cheers
 
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#11 ·
#4 ·
Buddy, I'm just interested in chatting about what we have going on post Euro. No hidden agenda. :sigh:

Not every thread is about the ongoing saga that just keeps on chugging along on this forum. :facepalm:
 
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#6 ·
We all need to learn to agree to disagree sometimes. Cause shite can go round and round.
 
#7 ·
Group I is the most exciting European qualifying group by far (even though it doesn't contain 3 Euro R16 nations like B). Can't wait to see what Finland, Iceland and Kosovo is capable of in here.

This is not going to be easy for the good Croats!
 
#9 ·
This is not going to be easy for the good Croats!
:thumbsup (1):

It won't be. Should be a number of entertaining games out of this group.

Best of luck to you guys on your first campaign :thumbsup (1): Just don't take any points from us while you are enjoying it :D
 
#8 ·
I can't wait for the qualifiers to begin. Wish we didn't have the two games behind closed doors though, that certainly doesn't help us.

And just for the record as we start off the qualifiers soon, I am assuming no one is pathetically "boycotting" the team or hoping we don't qualify again like they did during the last qualifiers. :poke:


WE ARE CROATIA! :proud:
 
#14 ·
Promising lineup but it still has the same problems that the current team has and that is no LB and no proper DM.

Hopefully we see more Pjaca and Halilovic wide right and Brozovic moved back to midfield for these qualifiers
 
#15 ·
If Kovacic can get more consistent that's a good lineup. Badelj will still be available so there's that and Brozovic can play as a DM if need be just because of his aggressiveness and his ability to run constantly.

Who knows who'll pop up in the meantime.
 
#16 ·
I think one to watch at LB is Borna Sosa. Curious to see what he does this year with Dinamo. Everything I've read and watched on this kid has been positive so far. :thumbsup (1):

Yes, Lynx I'm aware you mentioned Sosa 2-3 years ago when he was still in the middle of puberty playing for one of the Dinamo youth teams :pat:
 
#17 ·
Lynx doesn't approve of Milic at LB. :D Anyways, base on some U-21 news from last year, Nikola Vlasic is a consideration as a future LB. :D:D

Anyways, I wouldn't be surprised if Muric, who I think is a better long term prospect than Halilovic and even prob Pjaca, is starting for the NT by then.

Also, Coric is playing behind a lone striker is something I'm skeptical about. Sure he can do it, but will he do it well enough at that level? Not sure.
 
#19 ·
Does anyone have the latest on Muric? Is he starting the season with the Ajax senior team?