Yeah, Erlic is actually unknown to me as I really don’t watch Spezia! Did a solid job. Sutalo just completed his first full season at Dinamo Zagreb and immediately became their best CB. Some competition for places there now with Lovren, Gvardiol (this kid has the highest ceiling of them), Vida, Caleta-Car, Pongracic, Erlic, Sutalo…
They’ve got a fairly solid team all round, most noticeably in the middle of the park and maybe only lacking that out and out striker now that Mandzukic is retired.
Yeah, goalkeeper, a settled back 4 and the striker question are now the main problems or questions. Especially at both ends of the pitch. They’ll have to work with what they have and that’s it.
Not sure I’ve seen him play a different role, at least can’t remember it. I probably have… As the deepest midfielder though, being the ball central, I think he’s tremendous.
I was impressed with Croatia yesterday, basically their midfield three - Brozovic and Modric in particular - managed to passify France for large periods. Played the game on their own terms, seemed like those three spent half the game creating triangles, passing the ball between themselves, using their teammates for wall passes and the odd through ball.
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He played many roles before, both for club(s) and country. Mainly he was a box-to-box midfielder (even advanced at Inter), even used to do a job on the right for Croatia, in a lack of options and when Rakitic was still around. The big change happened just before WC18 when Dalic finally decided to pull Rakitic deeper from the single #10 to #8 and have him playing closer to Modric, but in the lack of a natural holding midfielder (Badelj was at the time, who is stylistically good in possession and reading the game, but lacking physical qualities), decided to try and covert Brozovic to that role. It was a success. Inter then decided to do the exact same the following season (albeit in a different formation if I remember well) and when Conte took over, he also kept him there.
It’s funny because a few months before WC18 in Russia, I was going from the gym back home and who walks alongside me for a few minutes, Dalic. I’m not a great fan of him, but it crossed my mind to just shake his hand, wish him and the team good luck and perhaps suggest or ask if it crossed his mind to have Modric and Rakitic playing more alongside each other, because none of them two are #10’s, they are pure #8’s. I didn’t want to bother. I always thought it was a great shame to play your two best players too separated on the pitch, we needed to build around them. Dalic indeed changed the system in midfield, but what I certainly didn’t see happening was exactly Brozovic playing the single pivot so well. That probably remains the best decision he took since he’s in charge.
Brozovic is an odd character, not the brightest off the pitch, but then when you see him on the pitch, he’s a very complete midfielder who seems to be able to understand a lot of roles and execute them.
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Come on Hungary
Kimmich, nice finish.
Sallaii even better finish. BOOOM
Let’s go.
Dutch vs Wales: A match of no defending. 2-1 in 25 minutes.
England fans chanting over the Hungury national anthem - stay classy England
What excuse will Southgate use this time
Germany awarded pen. Not sure why Italy is complaining about this one. Stone cold.
Gundogan makes it 2-0 on the stroke of half.
What a pass by Kane!!
Booooooooooooooooringgggggggggggggggggggggggg
Why haven’t we scored yet?
Hahahahhahahahahahah
Sallai!!!
Ramsdale poor on both goals but I do like that Sallai chap…very good at the Euros too.
England fully deserve to get relegated
Ramsdale was poor too.
Just switched it on and England concede again, poor from keeper.