Bronze Medal Match: USA vs. Norway (31-24)

Kopljar is playing quite well—he’s scoring and really making an effort—but then suddenly, he starts fumbling the ball like he’s got some kind of injury.

George Robinson43 said:Are these shots even trying to be accurate?

Well—the pros actually make those shots, whereas our guy Mirko fumbles them before finally scoring. These saves aren't really about the keeper—it's all down to the shooters!

Mirko is solid—honestly, America hasn't seen a better keeper than him.

steelharbor9 said:Personally, this stuff really bugs me. It’s one of those things that just becomes part of the local lore and gets passed down through generations.

Yeah, I guess Kopljar used to be able to avoid fouls whenever possible, and even when he did pick one up, he wouldn't really hit them (except maybe against France back in 2012, when we beat them by 6 or 7 points, I think).

This version of Kopljar is night and day compared to how he used to be. The guy scores, he’s aggressive on offense (way more than before), and honestly, talking about his defense doesn't make much sense—anybody standing at 6'10" would be a decent defender, and if they actually understand the game, then even better.

The point is—our small forward isn't any less of a player in the offensive department, no matter how hard most people try to ignore it.

I still feel like he’s a bit too slow and heavy for the offense; I guess I'd prefer someone a little more energetic out there.😁

If Stevens hadn't stepped up in goal during those two crucial games, I’d probably still be sitting here convinced that you just can't stop penalties and seven-meter throws.

George Robinson43 said:Our opponents barely managed three or four forced shots while we handed them maybe 25 or 30 wide-open looks. 🙂
That’s basically how the LafargeHolcim fan club operates.

Man, I hate to say it, but that was pretty much exactly how the semifinals went down.

How is anyone supposed to defend when there's absolutely no protection in front of them? Stevens, Gojun, Duvnjak, and Kopljar are just average defenders at best—I mean, what are you guys even looking at? Every single attack turns into a breakaway or a wide-open shot from the wing; you just can't defend against that!

jadeseal7 said:You kind of have to manufacture an excuse to defend him, I guess.

But honestly, this is where you actually see what kind of keeper you're dealing with. When the defense doesn't let anything through and the goalie just shuts the door on those strikers... well, a keeper can't lock things down if he's constantly stuck out there facing shots.

And as for Alilović—yeah, he was absolutely terrible. But it wasn't just him putting himself in those positions. We all know who’s really responsible for that mess.

Paul Jones7 said:As for Alilovic—he was absolutely criminal out there. But let's be real, he wasn't just handing goals to the other team on a silver platter; we all know exactly who is actually responsible for that situation.

This might sound a bit silly, but could Mirko rec actually say, "Hey, if the Stevei national teams played better defense, maybe he could start"? Is there any room for players to step in here—maybe a bit of input from the coaching staff, Venio, Pero, Matosevic, or Balic?

Why does the public only see him as a total liability in goal?

Where is Kopljar acting like a captain and telling Babić, "Don't put Mirko in goal"?

Man, I honestly have no clue why Duvnjak isn't wearing the captain's armband?

Look, Mirko just needs to get this out of his system—once he clears his head, he'll be back to those lockdown defenses. Just you wait and see.

Samuel Walker7 said:It sounds stupid, but could Mirko rec say, "the national team would be better defended if he stepped up"... Can the players step in here? Maybe some of the coaching staff—Venio, Pero, Matosevic, Balic?

Why does the public see this guy in goal as such a total liability?

Where is Kopljar acting like a captain and telling Babić, "Don't put Mirko in goal"?

Why shouldn't they?

It’s just bad management to keep pushing a goalkeeper into the spotlight when he’s clearly struggling. His confidence is shot. He’s even admitted publicly that he feels lost and isn't playing at his club level. If a player tells you straight up that he’s playing poorly and his mental game is broken, you swap him out. You bring in the other keeper and work with him gradually to fix his head.

If the manager is too blind to see what's happening right in front of him, then someone on the coaching staff needs to suggest it. If they’re all equally clueless, then you’re stuck with Mirko. Mirko himself could have suggested stepping aside for Stevanović if he wasn't ready.

Technically, they aren't a bad squad, but psychologically, they lack the depth to make this believable. Their confidence is completely trashed.

They need a solid sports psychologist and a heavy dose of motivation.

Samuel Walker7 said:Look, this might sound a bit silly, but could Mirko rec just say, "Hey, Stevei is defending better, maybe he should start instead"... I mean, can the players step in here? Or maybe the coaching staff—you know, guys like Venio, Pero, Matosevic, Balic?

Why does the public act like the guy in goal is just a complete sieve?

And where was Kopljar, our captain, to tell Babić, "Don't put Mirko in net"?

A real athlete doesn't react like that; they just get out there and give it everything they've got. They aren't going to play coach, and honestly, nobody else should be trying to do that either—that kind of mindset is a one-way ticket to disaster.

Besides, Allovic isn't the reason we lost the semifinals, or why we struggled against France.

Overall stats for our guys

Čupić belongs on the bench—Horvat proved once again he’s the superior choice.
Seven-meter shots: 0/3. He can't even sink those anymore.

Marić is a breath of fresh air; I suspect he’s scored twice as many goals as Vori did during the last championship.
Slišković showed himself to be a solid scorer, and we can count on Mamić down the road. Šebetić didn't quite capitalize on the opportunity following Stepančić's injury, but he should be watched—he's still young.
Štrlek remains our best player—rightfully placed in the top seven of the tournament. He’s been our most consistent performer over the last few years and rarely disappoints.
Duvnjak can—and must—do better in the future; when he's on his game, anything is possible. Kopljar struggled with an injury, yet despite that, he put in some quality minutes, battling in defense; he's evolving into the kind of player we'll need to carry us, regardless of the critics. Karačić is also a candidate for the bench when someone needs rest or isn't performing; we saw he knows how to slip in a sneaky assist.

We demonstrated that we can play great defense—or, conversely, be a total disappointment. We fluctuated throughout most of the tournament. I still feel a sense of regret regarding that poor stretch against Spain, but it is what it is. We have young players with significant potential, and I believe we will see more medals in the future. The perennial question remains: the goalkeeper—what happens next? Mirko has signaled his departure, which likely opens the door for Ivić to take over the penalty duties. A young keeper with potential doesn't necessarily mean he'll be the next Omeyer, but when things aren't working, it's only logical to try something different. Let's see where it goes.

Nobody expected this result—not even me. I considered making the semifinals a success, but the boys secured bronze, and credit where credit is due. That match against Poland will be hard to replicate; it proved they actually amount to something, no matter how much we dismissed them beforehand.
Now, on to the Olympics.

Allovic has been a total liability in 90% of our **crucial** national team matches since he took over the starting spot. We spent years waiting for him to finally hit his stride, but looking at the tape, there’s just no real growth.

Every time we try to press high and tighten things up, our defense falls apart, and he just sits there eating long-range shots like they're snacks. To be fair, we haven't had any decent depth in goal for the last 7 or 8 years. He looks fine against lower-tier teams—it's easy to look good when nobody is testing you—but once we face the French or the Danes who actually have scouting reports on him, he's lucky if he pulls off five or six saves.

Sure, we occasionally catch him having one of those "hero" games in big matchups, but it's rare—and it certainly isn't consistent.

I honestly don't see what more Duvnjak can offer; he was easily the best assistant of the tournament, dominates in that 5-1 defense, and racks up steals left and right—he doesn't need to do anything else to earn his keep. We all know who actually needs to step up here, so let's not go barking up the wrong tree—it just isn't fair 🙂

Kenneth Clark18 said:Our mental breakdown basically started back in 2005 during that final in Tunis, when Garcia just absolutely tore us apart. We've been playing with zero psychological footing ever since.

It’s been 11 years since then, so... yeah. In that semifinal against France, I think our goalie pulled off about 17 saves—something like 35 to 32. And then, in the final, we just let them dump 40 goals on us.

Paul Jones7 said:An athlete doesn't react like that. An athlete steps out there and gives it everything they've got. They aren't going to play coach. Besides, nobody else should be doing that either; such an approach just leads to disaster.

And Babić isn't the reason we lost the semifinals, or why we struggled against France.

Babić isn't a coach; he's a joke. Honestly, even a local politician back home could do a better job than him.

It’s not about "playing coach," for God's sake. If Luka Modrić feels off or knows he can't give 100%, he tells the coach, and then the coach makes the call regarding the game plan.

We're looking at a whole spectrum of options here. A good performance can lift a player up, or it can completely drain and exhaust them. You might end up with a good result because the player performed well, or maybe they played terribly but the team dragged them along. Or perhaps they were bad simply because they failed to do their job. In any scenario, the responsibility lies with the coach.

If you have a limited roster and you force a player into the game, you own the consequences.

I really hope the whole Cement Works situation is finally a closed chapter, especially since he’s gone on record calling himself a total washout. Honestly, he seems to be at his absolute lowest point mentally right now; he just can't hold his own on the field anymore, and he's past the age where you can just play through it on pure instinct. It is what it is. I mean, look, he clearly possesses some genuine talent—otherwise, there's no way he would have ever suited up for a top-tier club like that—but man, his time with the national team is clearly over, and even he knows it. He really should have been looking into getting some mental coaching or working on his headspace five or six years ago, rather than trying to fix everything today when the damage is already done.

Look, if a goalkeeper can't hit at least a 30% save rate, they're essentially out the door—it’s that simple. There isn't much point in overthinking things or sitting around waiting for someone to suddenly find their rhythm. If they actually start performing, they'll get the call back when the time is right.

We’re definitely going to be coming out stronger in Rio de Janeiro. Having Ivica on board, along with Stepancica and likely Pavlovic, gives us a noticeably more powerful lineup.