WC 2022 Qualification – Slovakia – Croatia 0: 1. Analyzes by Ladislav Borbély – ŠPORT.sk

If we had a quality finisher …

Slovakia did not get a point from a balanced match against Croatia after a good performance. Why?

“The answer is simple, we suffer from spinal insufficiency syndrome. We have a hole in the post of a medium striker like after a meteorite crash. The position is enormously important for the result, the striker finalizes the efforts of the whole team. If we had a quality finisher yesterday, the result would be different. I am convinced of that.

Boženík is undefeated and developmentally slowed down. He has the instincts of an attacker, they woke up at the goal header in Slovenia. Everything else was weak. He demonstrated it against the Croats, when he got into two goal positions.

Once he read the game weaker and the second time he failed to finish technically. Such opportunities must change at the international level. And to do that, he found the energy to theatrically encourage the fans, he should rather focus on the focus on performance. ”

Is Boženík a long-term solution to the top position if he succeeds in the club?

“Yes, she has the potential to do so. I trust him to take over and complete his player development. He needs to radically increase his match practice, no talent has yet become a good footballer on the bench. The same goes for Sagittarius. ”

Schranz, who has been given priority over the Croats, is not a middle forward for you?

“Not. It is effective, but by getting off the wing, not by moving on the tip. He has excellent acceleration, but due to the typology he does not play heavy balls on the tip under the immediate pressure of the trackers. He didn’t play either against the Croats, it was reflected like from the wall. ”

Is Slovakia currently more dangerous at the tip with Boženík or Schranz?

“They both got a chance and we saw that in the current state with neither. We do not have a third alternative, the more demanding is the work of coach Tarkovič. It’s a shame, because in other formations we had exclusive things in places and the Croats were defeated in this match. ”

The offensive is no longer a coincidence. We need this Lobotka

What were the positives compared to the performances in previous months?

“The team’s game has changed, the offensive is no longer in the background and is not about chance. We opened the game very well under the baton of Škriniar. He delivers above-standard performances as a standard, he is an absolute leader and always a pillar of the team.

A positive element Lobotka was added to it. He lost football, but found himself again and revitalized his self-confidence. We want and absolutely need such a Lobotka. Although he is still not in optimal shape and has to add some game aspects to match Škriniar’s quality.

When he is in shape, he confidently plays under pressure even in dangerous areas and breaks the opponent’s defense with offensive exits. When the game opens, it creates a connection to more offensive footballers, and in a constructive triangle with Hamšík and Kuck, they give the game a face.

In the opening half against Croatia, Mak joined them beautifully and we had a greater offensive strike. He has already left physically in the second half, as he does not have enough workload in the club.

Kucka gave an excellent, box-to-box performance (from sixteen to sixteen), and he gave away. Although he did not avoid mistakes and did not forgive the traditional pre-penalty area before the fatal standard that decided. ”

We played on the edge of current possibilities

The Slovaks played in some passages at a very high tempo, they relaxed at the beginning of the second half. Are you satisfied with their approach?

“The pace was very solid in the first half and met the criteria of a serious international meeting. We played at the limit of our current possibilities. This marked us a bit and after the change of sides the pace slowed down on our part.

At the beginning of the second act, we let the Croats play their game and lost all the second balls. Only after the substitutions did we return to the match a bit. Overall, we played nice football, we deserved a goal and a draw. ”

What caused Slovaks to play more positively and modernly than in previous months?

“More players regularly join clubs, so they do not lack work ability and self-confidence. They played and handed over the maximum, this time we believed it. ”

You didn’t mention Weiss, who was a little less involved in the game. Did he show a maximum in his 31 years?

“We expect him to have more influence on the offensive game. In Slovenia, he indicated that he is still an interesting player. On Saturday, however, he did not get into the match as expected. Returning to the international scene after many years of work in weaker leagues and injuries is challenging. From my point of view, the high pace in the first half affected his performance.

However, I have not seen him in such a disciplined manner to perform his defensive duties. It was at the expense of a stronger assertion in the offensive, it had only a few fragments. ”

Let’s try it! I no longer anticipate the procedure

Slovakia is fourth in the middle of the qualification with a four-point loss to Russia and Croatia. After losing to Cyprus and Malta and before retaliation, is it still realistic for the favorites to play for the World Cup?

“After Saturday’s loss, it is already on a theoretical level, I do not anticipate progress. Everything bad is good for something, we have five sharp matches to try out untested, young players or new combinations of team composition. The coach had the opportunity to enter the development and philosophy of the team to prepare for the next qualification. ”

There are 15 points in the game. How else would Slovakia return to the progressive struggle?

“We would have to expressly find an effective center attacker and have other players in optimal load and form. In order for all 11 footballers to play well in Croatia or Russia, not five or six. ”