[HajdukSplit]

Well the Euros are long over but still I was discussing it with some people I know and somebody brought up an excellent point which I agreed with him. Croatia not once had a decent long range powerful effort, from what you see from guys like Podolski (Germany), Kolodin (Russia), Ibrahimovic's goal and even that strike from Turkey in the quarterfinal match which caused Stipe to go nuts on his defenders.

I know a goal is a goal, but our players never break the back of the net (perfect example is Podolski's goal against Croatia), it was a problem in the last couple of tournaments where we get ourselves in good chances and they try to be too cute with their shot or shoot straight at the goalkeeper. Why not try to test the goalkeeper from long range or try to drill a shot in the corners? I know it's easy to say it, but I've seen it from other players and it's hard to believe guys like Srna, Kranjcar, Modric etc.. can't do this

They should try to take long range efforts on time, it will also help in opening up some space for the strikers as the defense will play more pressing, but then again we struggle with teams who press :sleepy:

 

[Hrvatino]

Why not try to test the goalkeeper from long range or try to drill a shot in the corners? I know it's easy to say it, but I've seen it from other players and it's hard to believe guys like Srna, Kranjcar, Modric etc.. can't do this

Modric's shot is actually weak from long range, not enough power. He's good at free-kicks near the box though, but that's because of his precision and touch.

Otherwise I agree and have been thinking the same ...Croatia need to try to score more from outiside the box, like Kranjcar and Petric did at Wembley :thmbup:

 

[tudja]

I agree with you HS..

I also dont know why our players dont take long range efforts.. The only ones i have seen do it with their clubs are Petric, Pranjic and Budan. Maybe Bilic doesnt put them to practice that.. i dont know, but i think if very important to start testing our abilities to give long range shots.

 

[Hrvatino]

Maybe Bilic doesnt put them to practice that.. i dont know, but i think if very important to start testing our abilities to give long range shots.

They don't need the NT coach to learn them that. These guys are proffesional football players, they allready have that ability.

It's the Croatian playing style that keeps them from doing it, which mean passing and individual skills is the key to get to the goal. They have been teached to play like this ever since they joined a team as young boys. It's the same in other countries that rely on these things while countries like Germany and England who has a different playing style is taking more shots outside the box.

A team that inlude all of these things will have a more varied attack and for that reason more unpredictable and score more goals. That's why I like you would like to see more shooting from our boys.

 

[50 Lipa]

it is our playing style, we rather play the ball around and try to find a weak spot,
it is actually what all technically gifted teams do, i don't remember seeing spain taking long range shots.
and btw. i think we scored enough such goals,
just remember petric and kranjcar against england, eduardo against estonia or modric against norway.

 

[Hajduk_Hrvatska]

I don't think this is a problem, really. England are the masters of long range shots and where has it ever gotten them?

 

[Ero]

Niko Kovac vs. BiH in that friendly !!

 

[Cactus]

Meh long shots are for weak teams who gave up looking for a way through the defence

 

[HajdukSplit]

not necesarily saying we should rely on them, but why not attempt one once in a while?

Though my biggest beaf is the second part, the power of the shot, the guys sometimes get their technical ability to their head and **** things up. The biggest problem of this was in the World Cup match against Brazil where Prso, Klasnic and Babic shot straight at the keeper with so much space. In the Poland game Klasnic hit the ball right into Boruc's body, Rakitic trying to be cute against Turkey etc..

As my dad said many times while watching the games, Croatia doesn't have a guy like Podolski who blasts the ball through the goal (not necesarily Podolski, but any guy who has a rocket). The one powerful shot I remember was Petric doing a crazy volley which is still flying, but that's what I mean when they get too cute sometimes

Even on our penalty kick against Austria we shot straight! p and I won't get into the PK's against Turkey

 

[CroatTommy]

Fair point Hajduk Split, but Petric wasn't himself this tournament otherwise he really can rocket the ball. When Niko Kovac retires, I believe Vukojevic has a nice hard shot as well as Jerko Leko. Fancy players like Kranjcar and Modric don't really have that sort of shot but we all know Kranjcar can do it(England). Maybe we need to give Miki Rapajic another go with the NT? huh anyone agree? lol I love him and his anti-proffessional ways lol:tongue:

 

[HajdukSplit]

I believe Vukojevic has a nice hard shot as well as Jerko Leko.

good mention on Leko, he had a good hard shot late in the match against Germany and even on ESPN they were talking how good of a shot he has during the Turkey game when it was going to penalties.

Modric has a weak shot, even at Dinamo. Srna needs to shoot more, but he is too busy diving and trying to win free kicks

 

[Ćevapčići kid]

technically weak teams rely on long shots...also we get bunkered up against so it is hard to have a long shot when you have that many defenders behind the ball.

I am quite happy with our style and would rather this then be having too many long shots. Although yes, we should test the keeper from range a little more. But i love how we build up play...no problems there

 

[Hrvatino]

we get bunkered up against so it is hard to have a long shot when you have that many defenders behind the ball.

That doesn't have to be a bad thing as it creats deflactions which can lead to scoring oppertunaties.

 

[Hrvatino]

Meh long shots are for weak teams who gave up looking for a way through the defence

Yes, weak teams tend to shot more as they have few options when attacking. We don't have that problem as we are a technially gifted and strong passing side. Add some some shots from outside the box to that once in a while will only make us more unpredictable and dangerous as we get a even more varied attack.

 

[Blast]

Exactly technically weaker teams tend to shoot a lot more, but we are not such a team.

Petrić, Kranjčar, Rakitić and Srna (also Jerko Leko) have rockets of shots and should use them from time to time to keep the defenders guessing.

I dont see this as a problem though because a shot from far is seldom the best option a player has at any given time. We all remember them when they go in but when they miss its just a wasted ball (low percentage play)

 

[grba2]

The hardest shot I've seen from a Cro player was Mladen Mladenovic's, he had a rocket for a little guy. I agree though, we should be taking more shots from outside the box, especially Srna and Kranjcar who both have strong legs.

 

[CroatTommy]

I remember back in the day when Jerko Leko played for Dynamo Kiev and he was playing in the Champions League, man did he look impressive esspecially when going forward. He would always take strong long range shots.

 

[coreuptrec]

yeah i always used to be impressed with how he played ...until he starting playing a lot more for the NT

 

[Blast]

I recall Jerko Leko as well with DK, and in the game vs Inter in the CL, he was a monster, by far the best player on the pitch for them... Has a ROCKET of a shot from far.

then he just settled for being mediocre in the NT.

 

[Cactus]

Oh yea Jerko Leko is a talent wasted in my opinion