Great performance. Such an underrated quality player. Top class tonight.

On 23/02/2021 at 23:26, Slojo said:

 

And he did it again!

Deserves all the praise for that performance. Made fools of Koke & Niguez together with Kante!

Very good game tonight, he and Kante worked well together

This game vs Atletico is to me a good proof that Kovacic could do the Jorginho role for us, I wanted to see him at the base of the midfield in Lampard's 4-3-3 system and it didn't really work out but in this game he has shown that he can do that role while Kante has that much needed freedom to move around the pitch and to carry the ball forward.

Kova today was almost flawless. He is world class at keeping the ball in midfield. 

 

Slow start I thought but got better, and better, and better as the game went on. The Kante / Kovacic pairing has so much energy, pace and movement it's frightening. 10 successful dribbles between them tonight!! 10!!

30 minutes ago, just said:

Slow start I thought but got better, and better, and better as the game went on. The Kante / Kovacic pairing has so much energy, pace and movement it's frightening. 10 successful dribbles between them tonight!! 10!!

Indeed. Maybe that ‘Kante / Kovacic doesn’t work’ thing gets put to bed soon.

37 minutes ago, just said:

Slow start I thought but got better, and better, and better as the game went on. The Kante / Kovacic pairing has so much energy, pace and movement it's frightening. 10 successful dribbles between them tonight!! 10!!

After the 1st goal, him and Kante just grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, and really never lost control from then on. 

14 minutes ago, big blue said:

After the 1st goal, him and Kante just grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, and really never lost control from then on. 

TBH I thought they had control after the first 10-15 minutes.

1 minute ago, just said:

TBH I thought they had control after the first 10-15 minutes.

I thought Atletico had a decent spell after the penalty incident, when they had there backs up, and they were coming onto us a bit, before we got that break away goal. After the goal, I dont think they had any sustained period in our 3rd until just before the red. 

Either way dominant performance from both Kova and Kante.

He's undroppable in that midfield at the moment. He's the one I would have starting every game. Kante and Jorginho should share the other spot.

8 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

He's undroppable in that midfield at the moment. He's the one I would have starting every game. Kante and Jorginho should share the other spot.

IF Kovacic played like that every game I agree. But he doesn't, just as Kante isn't as brilliant as he was last night every game either.

All our players need a bit of rest and rotation and Golden Bollocks TT is getting it pretty much spot on with his team selection every game. If Kante and Kovacic can replicate last nights form more often than not, then both will be hard to leave out.

Remember when we first signed him, I think quite a few of us saw him as our own Modric/Rakitic. He's starting to show why Madrid didn't specifically want to sell him. Credit to this man, rather than sit on the bench and make occasional appearances he chose to come to the prem and make a name for himself.

He would most likely have gotten game time as Kross, Luka and Casemiro began to age. The fact he didn't have the patience for this shows his top mentality. When you win 3 champions league medals before the age of 26 there is a reason you are part of that squad, bit part or not. 

 

20 hours ago, Deino said:

Kova today was almost flawless. He is world class at keeping the ball in midfield. 

 

Totally agree.

19 hours ago, Dean said:

Indeed. Maybe that ‘Kante / Kovacic doesn’t work’ thing gets put to bed soon.

It should do after last night.

I still remember his first season with us under Sarri, it was looking like we signed only because of his name that played in Inter and Real Madrid. When we decided to sign him I was really against because he offered us nothing in the team.

Amazing how 2 years can change mind about a player, I must admit he is one of my favorite players in the team and it's so great to see how underrated he is in the league and now when he go higher in the champions league, his game will be noticed more in the Europe. 

Every time he played with Kante, 80% games didn't work. Both of them put a bad performance but against Atletico I could see two beasts that eating their opponent alive. Both having a great work rate. Now only about Kova, he offers us a lot, especially now under Tuchel's system. He has the ability to play a good possession under pressure, he has the ability to break through players by dribble and ball control, good technique and the most important thing is his aggression and defending ability. Like everyone he has his weakness, finishing and shooting ability isn't really works for him but with the way he improved himself in Chelsea, I can say that he can improve this as well.

First season under Lampard helped him a lot, we started to see a player of him, but now it's even better. I'm happy to have a player like him in the squad, a real warrior and a real professional on the pitch and I'm 100% sure out of the pitch as well.

On 17/03/2021 at 22:26, Gol15 said:

This game vs Atletico is to me a good proof that Kovacic could do the Jorginho role for us, I wanted to see him at the base of the midfield in Lampard's 4-3-3 system and it didn't really work out but in this game he has shown that he can do that role while Kante has that much needed freedom to move around the pitch and to carry the ball forward.

I think in a back 4 when a CB steps into midfield to either press or get tight to an attacker the CDM needs to be positioned and have the awareness to plug that gap, Kante and Kova are both box to box and are often in a more advanced position to step back into defense when one of the CB steps forward.

In a back 3 every time a CB steps into midfield the other 2 CB's become more compact as a result Kante and Kova are able to play higher up the pitch and not worry about their position, as a result we are able to play them together with success whereas in a back 4 it didn't quite click for them as both often ventured forward.   

He was great, especially after the first 15 minutes or so when Atletico had us in our own half. In the first half you could hardly notice him as he was playing Jorginho's role, at the base of the midfield and did not have much freedom of movement, very disciplined and solid. The second half was another Kova, a bit more free to take the ball forward and when he did so you could see Kante staying behind to cover the defence. They played really well, and I don't think I've seen Kova this disciplined as a DM, I've always thought of him as more of a box to box bringing the ball to our attacking line.

Nearly every old 'Balkan countries' midfielder or striker are excellent on the ball, don't know whats in their makeup but probably the most technical players in Europe, seconded only by some S.American giants..

His driving running with the ball was excellent, i also i think (i wasn't being deceived was i)?, he seemed to be shooting more than his usual, no attempts, Goretzka has just scored a stunner for Bayern, this is what Kova can do, do it more please...

Thought he was poor 1st half, but excellent in the second. 

Good on the ball but my god his shooting is awful. His lack of goals from midfield is contributing to our blunt attack.

42 minutes ago, KonaKai Blue said:

Good on the ball but my god his shooting is awful. His lack of goals from midfield is contributing to our blunt attack.

I don’t think it’s fair based on today. He struck it pretty well, it took a deflection . Wasn’t a clear cut opportunity and a superior shooter could well have missed from there too.

1 hour ago, big blue said:

Thought he was poor 1st half, but excellent in the second. 

Fair assessment. He made some bad mistakes too but I put that partially down to the team being in disarray. On the plus side, he’s adding variety to his game. Played some exquisite passes today that will be forgotten given what a disastrous match it was for us, but hopefully a sign of things to come. I actually think his shooting is improving, and his passing accuracy suggests it really should be a problem. I think both his assist and goal stats don’t do him justice. 

On a few occasions now I've noticed he could slip Werner 1v1 but he either takes a longshot or passes sideways. Mateo has the ability to thread these vertical through balls I want to see more of it. Aside from his lack of shooting ability there isn't much this man cannot do. Absolute baller!