4 minutes ago, Nibs said:

You sound like my son DB. There was a period today where he miss-placed a through ball and then he lost the ball and I was moaning to my son and he's saying shut up dad, he's quality and then for the next 15 minutes or so he didn't put a foot wrong and with better finishing should have had an assist.

Must admit, bar one or two errors today (especially the f**king about which led to Watford penalty & goal) he was very decent. If he's like that every game - no issues, but I do still worry when he takes risks and loses the ball in dangerous areas and that's why Kante is still the better option for me when fit and available. But you were right on Hazard DB, who did eventually prove to be even better than Joey Cole so we'll just have to wait and see if you got lucky there or you're right again!

He doesn't need to be a goal scorer or somebody who racks up 10 assists a season, Modric has never been that type of player and look how good he is. That error isn't purely on him, and it was never a penalty to begin with. If you analyse our goals this season you'll see how much Kovacic has been involved, just the 2nd goal for example, his pass to Willian gone unnoticed but it was probably the most significant part of the play. 

But I love the banter between you and your son. I'm similar with my dad. 

Edited November 2, 20196 yr by Slojo

6 minutes ago, Nibs said:

You sound like my son DB. There was a period today where he miss-placed a through ball and then he lost the ball and I was moaning to my son and he's saying shut up dad, he's quality and then for the next 15 minutes or so he didn't put a foot wrong and with better finishing should have had an assist.

Must admit, bar one or two errors today (especially the f**king about which led to Watford penalty & goal) he was very decent. If he's like that every game - no issues, but I do still worry when he takes risks and loses the ball in dangerous areas and that's why Kante is still the better option for me when fit and available. But you were right on Hazard DB, who did eventually prove to be even better than Joey Cole so we'll just have to wait and see if you got lucky there or you're right again!

 

Are you sure he's your son Nibs? He sounds quite intelligent. 

11 minutes ago, Nibs said:

You sound like my son DB. There was a period today where he miss-placed a through ball and then he lost the ball and I was moaning to my son and he's saying shut up dad, he's quality and then for the next 15 minutes or so he didn't put a foot wrong and with better finishing should have had an assist.

Must admit, bar one or two errors today (especially the f**king about which led to Watford penalty & goal) he was very decent. If he's like that every game - no issues, but I do still worry when he takes risks and loses the ball in dangerous areas and that's why Kante is still the better option for me when fit and available. But you were right on Hazard DB, who did eventually prove to be even better than Joey Cole so we'll just have to wait and see if you got lucky there or you're right again!

 

In all seriousness Nibs, I just love watching this boy play. It's just the way he goes about things. He's a cultured cultured cultured player. He's also a grafter, and he has a brain. He's a top notch player mate.

Just have a look at this little bit of skill ..

 

https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2019/11/2/20945376/watch-jorginho-kovacic-showcase-chelseas-midfield-class-against-watford?fbclid=IwAR0ehX7cLGRIxhSH51bIUESP5s8BWRhiSsTl_LBjixQqsi86i-Azsh79RwQ

23 minutes ago, Davey Baby said:

 

In all seriousness Nibs, I just love watching this boy play. It's just the way he goes about things. He's a cultured cultured cultured player. He's also a grafter, and he has a brain. He's a top notch player mate.

He and Jorginho were sensational today.

53 minutes ago, Davey Baby said:

He's a world class player. Easily our stand-out performer today, and he's just oozing confidence. No ifs, no buts, no maybes. We've got a player on our hands folks. One day @Nibs and @just will come round. That day is looming fast.

Davey we cannot trust your judgement completely. You used to say the same about David Luiz!

Just now, just said:

Davey we cannot trust your judgement completely. You used to say the same about David Luiz!

 

I gave praise where it was due, but I was very aware of his faults. With Kovacic, you're going to have to wipe your glasses and start again, because I think there's a bit of confirmation bias tainting your view. This boy is the nuts. There is nothing to say about his performance today other than, "Wow".

Come on just, I was critical of him last season too. We're allowed to change our minds.

4 minutes ago, Davey Baby said:

Come on just, I was critical of him last season too. We're allowed to change our minds.

I have changed my mind, I am glad he is in the squad, but I still don't see him as a world beater. I have seen people raving about the ball he played in the middle of the park to Willian in the lead up to the 2nd goal. I have gone back and watched it again. I'm sorry but it is a pass that you would expect any half decent midfield player to make. The pass Jorginho made for the opener, now that was world class!

2 minutes ago, just said:

I have changed my mind, I am glad he is in the squad, but I still don't see him as a world beater. I have seen people raving about the ball he played in the middle of the park to Willian in the lead up to the 2nd goal. I have gone back and watched it again. I'm sorry but it is a pass that you would expect any half decent midfield player to make. The pass Jorginho made for the opener, now that was world class!

 

Can we just agree he's better than Fernando Torres? And also more likely to get a goal?

1 hour ago, just said:

I have changed my mind, I am glad he is in the squad, but I still don't see him as a world beater. I have seen people raving about the ball he played in the middle of the park to Willian in the lead up to the 2nd goal. I have gone back and watched it again. I'm sorry but it is a pass that you would expect any half decent midfield player to make. The pass Jorginho made for the opener, now that was world class!

I also think the pass for willian was pretty standard. But there were other way more impressive actions (some searing runs through midfield, one culminating in a clear cut opportunity for pulisic) that on another day would have resulted in goals. Had they resulted in goals, and had jorginho’s excellent pass not resulted in a goal, can you honestly say it wouldn’t alter  your opinion on their relative merits?

Honestly, I didn't think we should buy him. I thought he didn't offer enough to regularly command a place in our midfield. Obviously I didn't see the injuries being such an issue....

 

But I've got to say. He's brilliant. His dribbling was his best attribute last year, but he's really become so well rounded now. Yes, he still can't score to save his life...but the rest of his game is unbelievable. He works so hard, and his protection of the ball under pressure is ridiculous. Great player.

7 hours ago, Slojo said:

He doesn't need to be a goal scorer or somebody who racks up 10 assists a season, Modric has never been that type of player and look how good he is. That error isn't purely on him, and it was never a penalty to begin with. If you analyse our goals this season you'll see how much Kovacic has been involved, just the 2nd goal for example, his pass to Willian gone unnoticed but it was probably the most significant part of the play. 

But I love the banter between you and your son. I'm similar with my dad. 

To be fair, Modric does score goals, and some real crackers too. But Kovacic is starting to look more and more similar to Modric, in terms of calmness on the ball, retaining possession, those occasional searing runs, good tackles ... The idea of Kova as Modric understudy, once pilloried on here, is gaining traction. Way to go though still. Modric is/was (getting pretty old) an absolute beast.

Lampard hails our midfield duo:

https://www.football365.com/news/lampard-hails-magnificent-chelsea-duo-your-worst-nightmare

Keeping Kovacic seems like buying a new player this season as under Lampard he has so much license to go forward.

If we can just get a forward to time his run for when Kova is drbbiling to give him a lay-off we could be even better. 

 

12 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

Lampard hails our midfield duo:

https://www.football365.com/news/lampard-hails-magnificent-chelsea-duo-your-worst-nightmare

Keeping Kovacic seems like buying a new player this season as under Lampard he has so much license to go forward.

If we can just get a forward to time his run for when Kova is drbbiling to give him a lay-off we could be even better. 

 

Frank gave special mention to Kova for three games in a row now. Either he really likes him or he realizes how big of a factor confidence is with the player. Or both.

Frank needs to have him stay back an hour or two after training to work on his long range shots and finishing.

The day Kova gets good at shooting from long range and scoring regularly, we'll be able to see a world class player out of him.

1 hour ago, Deino said:

Frank needs to have him stay back an hour or two after training to work on his long range shots and finishing.

The day Kova gets good at shooting from long range and scoring regularly, we'll be able to see a world class player out of him.

Yeah. Referencing also the post about Lamps wanting to boost his confidence, I wonder to what extent his inability to score is mental and self-perpetuating. I mean he can place a pass from various ranges, with accuracy and different weighting, during normal play. This suggests to me that he *should* be able to hit a shot on target. What am I missing?

28 minutes ago, Dean said:

Yeah. Referencing also the post about Lamps wanting to boost his confidence, I wonder to what extent his inability to score is mental and self-perpetuating. I mean he can place a pass from various ranges, with accuracy and different weighting, during normal play. This suggests to me that he *should* be able to hit a shot on target. What am I missing?

In one of his first games here he missed two one on ones against Cardiff in the space of two minutes, I do wonder how differently his luck in the final 3rd would have been had he tucked one of them away.

I'm waiting for someone to post a video of all his touches against Watford yesterday, but in the meantime we'll just have to content ourselves with these 2 minutes.

 

An insane performance from a pretty insane player in my opinion, and it's clear from some of these touches that he's just oozing confidence. As I said yesterday on this forum, there's very few midfielders in the world that could have put in a performance like this. Sensational.

 

 

 

His best game so far, against the worst team in the league.

It has to be said, this by all means should have been an easy, routine win. Foster saved so many chances against the odds, it could have been 0:3 by halftime and 0:5 before min80'.

Mount could have scored a great goal, Willian could get an assist from a corner, Pulisic could have scored multiple goals, same for Tammy.

We had 70% possession, it's almost scandalous that we couldn't just kill the game at any point of it, everyone played good, the only bad thing I noticed was Azpilicueta not passing as well, this is why there are so many different choices for Motm, from Tammy to Zouma...

19 hours ago, just said:

I have changed my mind, I am glad he is in the squad, but I still don't see him as a world beater. I have seen people raving about the ball he played in the middle of the park to Willian in the lead up to the 2nd goal. I have gone back and watched it again. I'm sorry but it is a pass that you would expect any half decent midfield player to make. The pass Jorginho made for the opener, now that was world class!

But if Ross Barkley made that ball 👀

7 minutes ago, Slojo said:

But if Ross Barkley made that ball 👀

Ross would still be on the pitch right now thinking about making a pass. 

 

Jorginho will make 135 against Palace now, he won’t be happy