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Matic

big blue said:
He actually bottled a challenge that lead to the first goal. Inexcusable. Would love someone like witsel to replace him.
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I'm starting to wonder if the Ashley Barnes challenge and the one he got on him on International duty is starting to have an affect on him. It's like he has been hesitant to put in 50/50 tackles all season just in case someone tries to injure him again.

 
Scott Harris said:
I'm starting to wonder if the Ashley Barnes challenge and the one he got on him on International duty is starting to have an affect on him. It's like he has been hesitant to put in 50/50 tackles all season just in case someone tries to injure him again.
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Fair point.

 
If so he needs to man up and earn his pay.

Petr Cech nearly retired on the pitch due to a woeful impact injury but did you see him ever chicken out of running out to an attackers feet after it?

 
I really hope that's not it, but I don't believe it is to be honest. He's probably been playing football since he was 6, those can't be the only hard challenges he's had to endure during that time.

 
Chelsbear said:
If so he needs to man up and earn his pay.

Petr Cech nearly retired on the pitch due to a woeful impact injury but did you see him ever chicken out of running out to an attackers feet after it?
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Never mind retired, he nearly died!!

 
What has happened to him, seems to have misplaced his mojo.

He was vital in his first season back.

 
Was absolutely woeful against Watford. I'd sell him in the summer. Bring in someone like xhaka, hopefully we have a good relationship with gladbach, after the hazard and christiensen dealings.

 
big blue said:
Was absolutely woeful against Watford. I'd sell him in the summer. Bring in someone like xhaka, hopefully we have a good relationship with gladbach, after the hazard and christiensen dealings.
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I also think we should be looking to renew our central midfield in the summer. Matic have been to inconsistent for me, even last season we had several games where we lost the midfield battle. Hopefully we can find some worldclass players in our situation, we are far away from what we had in Ballack, Lampard and Essien atm.

 
comtrend said:
I also think we should be looking to renew our central midfield in the summer. Matic have been to inconsistent for me, even last season we had several games where we lost the midfield battle. Hopefully we can find some worldclass players in our situation, we are far away from what we had in Ballack, Lampard and Essien atm.
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There isn't that sort of player around as much these days. Would kill to have that midfield now!

 
He's a DM end of story, we can't have him for PSG but maybe the second leg if he's back to his best he could be crucial as we have no Zouma.

 
I still thought he looked odd on the ball today to be honest, but his tackling was a lot better. If he was as comfortable on the ball as Mikel he would be great.

We need to find a way to fuse Mikel and Matic together  :biggrin:

 
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I thought he played well today by breaking up the play, making interceptions and kept it simple, exactly what he did last season.

It's nice to see all our best players coming into some form, and I'm confident we will make the top 6 by the end of the season.

 
I think we'll be fine against PSG as Mikel will slot right in and be ready, he's been playing this season so it doesn't worry me one bit.

I'm hoping we'll play a similar team with the only changes being Mikel for Matic, and depending on Terry's fitness we could bring Baba in at left back, and move Brana into CB.

 
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Jury is still out for me, yes he played well, but Newcastle were poor all over the pitch.

Hopefully he gains confidence from this and kicks on.

 
Passing still wasn't great, a better team would have exploited it. A much improved performance though.

 
an improvement, just wonder if we ask him to do JUST what a DM is supposed to do, will he be ok with it? I know he has it in him going forward but I wouldn't encourage it.. 

 
bola said:
an improvement, just wonder if we ask him to do JUST what a DM is supposed to do, will he be ok with it? I know he has it in him going forward but I wouldn't encourage it..
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He is naturally a DM. But from what I have seen of him I don't think he likes playing in front of the back four or protecting the defenders. Most times when paired with Fabregas (who we all know isn't good defensively), you will see Matic always in front of Fabregas as a result Fabregas is usually the one to come and get the ball from the defenders and then give it to Matic or anyone ahead. Eventually when we come up against a good attacking team and we get exposed people starts blaming Fabregas for not tackling or bad positioning that led to us conceding goals. I still believe it was Matic and not Jose who made Fabregas flopped in the beginning of the season.
 
wallosh said:
He is naturally a DM. But from what I have seen of him I don't think he likes playing in front of the back four or protecting the defenders. Most times when paired with Fabregas (who we all know isn't good defensively), you will see Matic always in front of Fabregas as a result Fabregas is usually the one to come and get the ball from the defenders and then give it to Matic or anyone ahead. Eventually when we come up against a good attacking team and we get exposed people starts blaming Fabregas for not tackling or bad positioning that led to us conceding goals. I still believe it was Matic and not Jose who made Fabregas flopped in the beginning of the season.
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Back in the day when he was still with us, i didn't think he was a natural DM and I still don't.. I believe he sees himself more a central midfielder.. We need a player who loves what's he's asked to do and to certain extent, know their boundary.. 

 
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