Handball Euro: USA vs. France 25-27

Look, Omeyer is the game changer here. Even at his age, he's just on another level—it’ll be a lot easier once he finally hangs it up... As for us, everything is still on the table, assuming the Frenchmen don't decide to rig things for third place... though honestly, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if they did.

Raymond Anderson4 said:Čupić is just an alibi player. Nothing more. We saw that today during the penalty against Omeyer. Džomba would have probably given Omeyer a pass with a smile on his face, but no... instead Čupić shoots straight at his feet. Omeyer didn't even flinch.

But Duvnjak really let me down today... he plays so well and then makes those two mistakes right when the game is on the line. I can't believe it... I'm a huge fan, but you just can't hand the opposition a comeback on a silver platter like that.

Goluža is to blame... the guy is an idiot. Him and his terrible ball handling.

Exactly. Džomba was a total bust.

And what happened to Duvnjak could happen to anyone, I guess. Just a lapse in concentration.

Did you guys realize that in all these team sports, we're basically at the mercy of one player having a good day? In soccer, it's Modrić, in basketball it's Bogdanović, and in handball, it's Duvnjak.

Time for another crucial topic—goalkeeping. In handball, the keeper is often the absolute difference-maker in high-stakes games. Look, Mirko is a solid goalie, but he isn't... he just isn't that otherworldly superstar who makes opponents want to quit the sport entirely during big matchups. He’ll have a few brilliant games, sure, but he also tends to hit these massive slumps right when we need him most. Back in those epic battles against the Frenchmen, Omeyer was always the X-factor; his presence alone commanded respect from our side, forcing them into rushed, desperate shots that only boosted his confidence. During those specific games, Mirko usually wasn't on that level. When I think of true elite keepers—guys like Hening Fritz, Polishman Schmal, Omeyer, Šterbik, or even Mexican Stanić—Mirko just doesn't fit that tier. He fluctuates too much and lacks that certain charisma...

Kenneth Clark18—everything you said hits the mark, though I’d offer one small tweak. Šola was truly the standout goalkeeper of that moment; when he gets into that zone, it feels like nothing can get past him. To be honest, we haven't seen that kind of presence from an American goalkeeper since the days of Metaloplastika and Bašić, and since Mirko wasn't even part of the national roster, it's hard to compare. While Kaleb might have had his limits on offense, his defensive work alongside Pero at the half was absolutely lethal. Having Pero there with Valcic gave us that crucial edge because they were both playing such high-level defense simultaneously.

By the way, Dinart was the real powerhouse on defense, essentially tearing through Gille at the line; it reminds me of what Bozo used to say about a guy who can casually bench press 160 kilos.🤣

Looking back at how Dule fared against Mexico, France, and Denmark over the last three championships, the results were honestly quite underwhelming... I have a feeling it all came down to sheer exhaustion.

wiredseal7 said:Man, Omeyer is the game changer. Even this old, he's in a league of his own. It might actually be easier once he retires... We still have a shot, assuming those Frenchmen don't force a third-place finish on us... though they probably wouldn't mind doing that.

Yeah, he’s a class act, I guess. That's true.
But look, Svensson, Hvidt, Lavrov, Fritz, and Hombrados were all class acts too. They didn't always deliver that edge. This whole thing is more about the fear people have when he steps on the court.

Guys like Hansen or Palmarsson didn't exactly struggle to step up in previous championships.

Onesta mentioned he's confident we'll run into each other again at the tournament.

Raymond Anderson4 said:Čupić is just a placeholder player.

Look, Čupić is basically Golužin from Metković—meaning he’s absolutely indispensable. Even if even the top guy in Alan Ford can't quite remember the last time he actually took flight and sank a shot, the man stays on the line for penalties without being swapped out, even after missing three in a row.😁

I found the way they treated Zrnić quite disappointing. The guy spent years performing at an elite level in the Bundesliga, and there was a stretch in 😁 where his play was nothing short of extraordinary. Then he joins the national team only to find himself relegated to the bench.

Jonathan Barnes5 said:Kenneth Clark18—everything you said is right, just one small fix... Šola was, well... he was the goalkeeper of the moment. If he goes crazy, he stops everything. Honestly, I haven't seen that level from an American keeper since the Metaloplastika and Bašić era, and Mirko wasn't even playing for the national team anyway. Kaleb might be limited offensively, but defensively, paired with Pero on the halves, he was lethal. Pero, alongside Valcic, was the edge because they both played defense just as well.

By the way—Dinart mostly dominated the defense; on the line, he absolutely tore through Gille. Like Bozo would say, the guy is benching 160 kilos.🤣

Yeah, that's right. I didn't watch Bašić; I was too young back then to know. Of the ones I actually saw, Šola and Matošević are my best memories. Pero played both ends of the court.

Man, Gille. Yeah. I totally forgot about him. And that Anquetill guy before Abalo.

electricorca112 said:Čupić is basically Golužin from Metković—meaning he's indispensable, even if even the top guy at Alan Ford can't remember the last time he actually jumped off a wing and scored. Plus, he keeps taking penalties without being subbed out, even after missing three in a row. 😁

Aside from him and Horvat, do we even have anyone else playing that position? 🤷

I was pretty disappointed by how they treated Zrnić. The guy was consistently at the top of the Bundesliga for years in terms of performance. There was a time in Gumersbach where he played insanely well... then he gets called up to the national team and just sits on the bench.

Whenever he actually played, he played well for the national team. And as for their attitude toward him? Well, if they treated Balić the way they did, they wouldn't even kick a stray dog on the street.

Why did Drago see such limited minutes on the floor?
What was the logic behind his rotation in the first place...

Man, those French Grandpa types always crowd us out. Omeyer, Narcisse, Fernandez—they’re all pushing 40, and Guigou's deep into his thirties too.

Sulić, Dominiković, Špoljarić, Balić, even Džomba. Everyone except Džomba is still playing, though besides Balić, most probably hung it up five years ago.

Would it kill them to put Ivano or Sulić on the bench just to give Vori and Duvnjak some breathing room? Maybe let Dominiković or Špoljarić handle some defense?

And what's the deal with Vuković? I haven't seen him do a damn thing on offense this tournament.

Here's another one for you 😍

http://www.hrsport.net/vijesti/45477...ze-u-mirovinu/

The bulldog crew😁..gaudin-anquetil,volle,stoecklin,lathoud,richardson..it seems every generation brings its own grit to the defensive line..

Watching the game today, I found it truly fascinating how Onesta intuitively sensed exactly where the openings were, adjusting his positioning seamlessly as the match unfolded. You have to hand it to the players; while their talent is obvious, you could really see the coach's tactical instructions coming to life on the court today. It was much like watching a seasoned conductor guide an orchestra, especially when Goluža hit that peak performance by driving straight through the heart of the defense like a freight train heading for the coast.🤣

I haven't seen any posts from feenian yet. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what they actually bring to the table. Maybe they'll say something worth reading. Kenneth Clark18 says:
The Constantinidis bulldog boys.😁Gaudin-Anquetil, Volle, Stoecklin, Lathoud, Richardson... I guess every single generation just eats it in defense. Maybe.

I was honestly fascinated today by how precisely Onesta sensed where to be and adjusted mid-game. Credit to the players, but you could really see the coach's instructions translating directly onto the field. That play involving Karabatic was easily the highlight.🤣

Richardson 🙏

Jonathan Barnes5 said:I found the treatment of Zrnić absolutely disappointing... the guy was consistently at the top of the Bundesliga for years—his performance was elite. There was a stretch in Gumersbach (if you can even spell it right😁) where he was playing out of his mind... then he joins the national team and gets stuck on the bench?

Was there any tournament where Zrnić had only a single missed shot, or am I thinking of the Olympics?

🙏 🙏

Kenneth Clark18 said:Aside from him and Horvat, do we actually have anyone else playing that position? 🤷

Every single time he stepped onto the court, he delivered a solid performance for the national team. As for his personal relationships, given how strictly Balić manages the roster, I doubt he’d even kick a stray dog on the street.

Jerko Matulic... someone mentioned the kid from the junior leagues... honestly, he played quite well, but there's the issue of where he's headed next and why he left for Celje. Mandalinić is still pretty raw technically, and we are seriously lacking depth at center. It's unfortunate, especially since he's primarily a defensive specialist. Zet is a disaster, and Bicanic is just a stopgap solution. The conclusion is pretty clear: unless the leadership steps up, the future of the sport looks bleak.

Jonathan Barnes5 said:Jerko Matulic... someone mentioned Sliskovic... the kid actually played okay, but things will probably go south since he left for Celje.. Mandalinić is technically raw, too. Plus, we have zero backup at center. It’s not great, especially since he's mostly there for defense.. Zet is a disaster. Bicanic is just a stopgap, too. The conclusion is obvious.. let Gobac hang himself, we want the soul of American handball back..

Hmm, yeah, but Keti won't let those hacks force them into the national team.

Mandalinić is being forced through anyway. And where on earth is Šego?