Croatia's 26 man squad

[GunmaN1905]

26 + 8 stand-by call-ups.

As expected.

I'd have Pongračić instead of Škorić in final 26, but not like either one would feature much.

Compared to Russia 2018, LB position is definitely better, CBs are a bit older but still on their at times questionable level.
Vrsaljko's injury is a huge issue, if he's not in shape then RB position is a weak link.

Midfield...Rakitić is obviously gone, but if Kovačić is healthy it's not that huge of a miss. Modrić is old, but he's still playing at his level, has one more tournament in him.
And Pašalić/Vlašić can be huge assets off the bench. Or even starting, depending on the setup.

Striker is the biggest issue, can't replace Mandžukić's workrate, but Kramarić has been in good form. 19 Bundesliga goals, despite the injury earlier this year.

Perišić is one who declined the most since 2018, but Rebić is playing well and is way better than 3 years ago. Brekalo also hit good form as of late. And I doubt Tottenham players would be pleased to see Oršić entering the game.

 

Because of how the draw played out, I can't see anything more than a first knockout round elimination. Second place plays against Portugal/France. But then again, Croatia never won against Scotland, so getting out of the group might not be as easy as it looks.

 

[bestbrother]

Not the same without the likes of Boban, Prosinecki, Suker, Boksic.. names that got me excited when watching football.

Now its all a bit workmanlike from Croatia

[adhikapp]

Was just about to post this but realized we have a Croatian in the building so yea, of course gunman would be quicker 

Pongracic is playing for a really solid Wolfsburg side, how is he not even in the original 26?! And would Borna Sosa make the squad if he didn't try to snake Croatia for Germany (and failed)?

[craigcwwe]

1 hour ago, GunmaN1905 said:

26 + 8 stand-by call-ups.

As expected.

I'd have Pongračić instead of Škorić in final 26, but not like either one would feature much.

Compared to Russia 2018, LB position is definitely better, CBs are a bit older but still on their at times questionable level.
Vrsaljko's injury is a huge issue, if he's not in shape then RB position is a weak link.

Midfield...Rakitić is obviously gone, but if Kovačić is healthy it's not that huge of a miss. Modrić is old, but he's still playing at his level, has one more tournament in him.
And Pašalić/Vlašić can be huge assets off the bench. Or even starting, depending on the setup.

Striker is the biggest issue, can't replace Mandžukić's workrate, but Kramarić has been in good form. 19 Bundesliga goals, despite the injury earlier this year.

Perišić is one who declined the most since 2018, but Rebić is playing well and is way better than 3 years ago. Brekalo also hit good form as of late. And I doubt Tottenham players would be pleased to see Oršić entering the game.

 

Because of how the draw played out, I can't see anything more than a first knockout round elimination. Second place plays against Portugal/France. But then again, Croatia never won against Scotland, so getting out of the group might not be as easy as it looks.

 

Or Germany. 

One of those times that whether you finish first or second in the group doesn't really matter as you're getting a tough game next round either way anyway. 

Unless England finishing 2nd means they play somewhere on the continent instead of at Wembley etc. 

[GunmaN1905]

1 hour ago, adhikapp said:

Pongracic is playing for a really solid Wolfsburg side, how is he not even in the original 26?! And would Borna Sosa make the squad if he didn't try to snake Croatia for Germany (and failed)?

Idk about Sosa, haven't seen enough of him, I think Gvardiol is better. But Gvardiol is more of a LCB.

Barišić is the starter, anyway.

Sosa should've been the star of U21 on EURO, then he would've probably had senior call-up, but he decided he likes Germany better.

Now it's going to take some years for him to get near NT team.

Especially because of Gvardiola and Lille's Bradarić.

[GunmaN1905]

Lovren is injured and will miss ome weeks, probably misses the EURO.

 

[Kanwulf]

Barišić 

[Firehouse]

13 hours ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Lovren is injured and will miss ome weeks, probably misses the EURO.

 

He is probably gonna be replaced by Jedvaj

I would start Caleta Car and Gvardiol really, but it's gonna be Vida and CC. Shame that Pongracic had so many injuries lately. Would still take him or Vuskovic really, if Skoric can get in, then they should as well.

[decapitated]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/06/euro-2020-team-guides-part-13-croatia?fbclid=IwAR33oUQ5aPQ-26L5Ium7ld-vgKzofHRFp7zopg5Rw6wSG-zCF7S8VGpBAbM

 

Quote

Information from the dressing room is tightly controlled, but rumours about certain disagreements have been around for a long time. Dejan Lovren seemed to confirm as much when he stated the younger players “lack respect”. “New kids take some things for granted, they need to change their attitude towards the team and us elders,” he said. The coach, Zlatko Dalic, later dismissed speculation about a rift but he also spoke about a “lack of chemistry” and said: “Young players need to realise it takes time for them to become a part of this squad.”

Quote

“It’s over, Bill. People are not blind,” Dejan Lovren wrote on Instagram last year, commenting on a Covid-related post by Bill Gates. At the height of the pandemic, he also shared posts by conspiracy theorists such as David Icke and Rashid Buttar, but later stated he was not an anti-vaxxer: “I just think people should have the benefit of choice.”

Lovren having a normal one of late.

[kpain16]

I'm very pessimistic about our chances. The squad is still at least in the upper third of the competition and really not that much worse than on the WC (some positions are), but I can see us not getting out of that group. We've been awful ever since the WC ended and Dalić doesn't appear to know what he's doing. Constantly shuffling the formation, players, game plans and nothing seems to be working.  

So there is absolutely no reason to be optimistic, but blind faith. And I never had that.

I'd rather see us get out early if that is to help with Dalić being sacked and rebuilding the team properly, than to sneak our way into the knockout phases which would ultimately be worse for the future and the WC (which I find to be much more important).

[Guest]

What's going on in camp? Lot's of mumerings of unhappiness between older and younger players.

[kpain16]

It's an old news. Not sure that's an issue anymore. At least no one talks about it in our press anymore, and they would be all over it.

But there seems to be an issue with Kramarić. He isn't happy when not playing, and when playing he's used as a lone striker that he said the other day he can't play and how he's an attacking mid. He also said we should accept that we're not that good anymore. Strange timing about that one. We didn't have a stellar squad before the WC either. It doesn't work that way with the national teams.