Bryan Adams6 said:The odds look decent enough to give them a shot, but... 😉 Were those Mexicans playing against us just some experienced, old-school grinders? Not exactly—we had to scrap tooth and nail to get through them. If the ref hadn't screwed us over on that penalty, things could have gone a very different way.
Of course, a Mexican side isn't exactly a powerhouse or some litmus test for how we stack up against the Belgians—but they’ve always been a massive headache for us. I distinctly remember times when we absolutely crushed them, yet it was always a grind. If my memory serves, we even managed a 2-0 win once, playing through that absolute mess of a pitch in Skopje.
Stimac went against the grain with the Swiss—decided to improvise by rolling out a new system, much more offensive. Honestly, I don't hold that loss against him at all. Not even a little bit. Look, Switzerland absolutely dismantled us right when we were adjusting to a new manager; the season was just kicking off, and all that nonsense surrounding Luka Modrić was reaching a fever pitch. He simply chose that moment to test something new.
Friendlies exist for one reason—to test out new tactical setups and technical variations, and to figure out exactly who you can actually rely on when things get serious.
Well, damn—it didn't pan out. Moving on (in true KaDeWe fashion).
No, seriously—our incompetent media outlets are making such a massive scene out of this, acting like losing to Swaziland was some unique catastrophe that only happens at the World Cup. 🙄
It honestly gets under my skin. I mean, seriously—wouldn't it have been better to test out the tactics then, rather than walking into a match against Belgium with three target men?
This reminds me of the Euros in Portugal—back when Otto Barić mentioned how surprised he was that Boris Živković could handle playing as a defensive midfielder. Miroslav "Ćiro" Kožić gave him a sharp reality check right then: you test those kinds of things during friendlies, not in high-stakes matches at a major tournament. Anyway, this is getting pretty off-topic.
I just wanted to say that our guys aren't nearly as bad as the media likes to make them out to be—it’s clear that Štico is gradually pivoting back to Bilić's system. It was relatively successful and, more importantly, it's a proven framework, so the players actually know how to navigate it.
Bryan Adams6 said:The blueprint is clear—the defense needs to be airtight, the midfield has to control the tempo, and the forwards absolutely cannot waste a single chance. Can they actually pull it off? I have my doubts. Ivan Strinić and Darijo Srna are going to have a hell of a time dealing with Eden Hazard and Mertens.
Dammit, the way this is written makes us look like total underdogs.
The Belgians and their talent sourced from former colonies are undeniably good—there’s no debating that—but they aren't quite at the absolute summit of European football yet. It remains to be seen if they’ll ever truly hit their ceiling. On the other hand, you have our guys; their quality is well-established, and we have this consistent core of players who have played together for ages—they thrive when facing an attack-heavy opponent. Belgium will certainly find space, but our side is going to leave massive gaps on the flanks whenever Darijo Srna and Ivan Strinić push forward, forcing their wingers to drop deep to cover. Honestly, it’s a double-edged sword for both sides.
Bryan Adams6 said:I’ll give you this much—even our attack isn't playing anything legendary right now. 😂
Mario Mandžukić has been a constant lately—reliable through and through. Nikola Jelavić brings that raw power, while Ivica Olić is always going to provide that spark of energy and grit coming off the bench. Then you have Eduardo da Silva, a true one-touch player who also possesses an elite ability to shield the ball. I have zero doubts about our attacking depth. ☕
Bryan Adams6 said:I’d give the Belgians a slight edge here—to pull off an American win, a lot of things would have to go exactly our way, but I’m just not feeling it. Our defense, in particular, looks shaky, and those Belgians are incredibly dangerous on set pieces—something that immediately jumps to mind. 😱 Whenever I think back to Stipe Pletikosa—those inevitable moments where he’d somehow wander out to the edge of the six-yard box—it’s hard not to shake my head. Just classic.
Forget about Stipe and his Achilles' heel—he isn't nearly as bad at it as he used to be.
Stipe Pletikosa is an elite goalkeeper—that’s just a fact. He’s composed and lethal in one-on-one situations, which provides massive stability for the squad—especially when you've got Josip Šimunić or Šifo anchoring the defense. Honestly, just try to name the last time Stipe let in a blunder while playing for the national team. 🤷
I'm more concerned about our center backs—they're slow, unreliable, and we need to start scouting long-term replacements immediately.
Bryan Adams6 Asks:
I like this one—if only to ensure the day ends at least at break-even. ☕
Forget about zero—tomorrow, we go hunting. 😉
