Mateo Kovačić

[Amputechture]

I miss the Jorginho-Kovacic partnership we saw at the start of the season. They had a great understanding with one another. We saw some lovely interplay between the two. IMO it shouldn't be a case of Jorginho vs Kovacic as they both looked their best when starting together.

Having said that, I can understand Frank's reluctance at leaving Kante out of the starting eleven.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Amputechture

[Dean]

1 hour ago, Davey Baby said:

Cannot for the life of me fathom why he's been dropped.

Yeah have to say as a fellow advocate, this is really disappointing. He can do things that none of our other players can. Somewhat against the grain, I even think he offers more to our attack than any of our other midfielders. How is Mount offering more to it right now?

[Munkunku]

18 minutes ago, Dean said:

How is Mount offering more to it right now?

Well Mount has two assists today so it’s probably not the best time to ask this!

[Dean]

3 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

Well Mount has two assists today so it’s probably not the best time to ask this!

Yeah maybe could have picked a better moment.

[Nibs]

31 minutes ago, Dean said:

Yeah have to say as a fellow advocate, this is really disappointing. He can do things that none of our other players can. Somewhat against the grain, I even think he offers more to our attack than any of our other midfielders. How is Mount offering more to it right now?

Mount is always more likely to pop up with a goal or an assist. Just because he hasn't recently doesn't change that fact whereas Kovacic is about prolific as John Obi Mikel! Mount is great at pressing and forcing opponents into errors and delivers a decent set-piece.

That said, I'm more all for rotation and would like to see Kovacic start more games, even though I still don't think he is quite as good as some on here are making him out to be.

[Dean]

2 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Mount is always more likely to pop up with a goal or an assist. Just because he hasn't recently doesn't change that fact whereas Kovacic is about prolific as John Obi Mikel! Mount is great at pressing and forcing opponents into errors and delivers a decent set-piece.

That said, I'm more all for rotation and would like to see Kovacic start more games, even though I still don't think he is quite as good as some on here are making him out to be.

Ok ok. Maybe I got carried away re Mount. But I will push back on the Mikel comparison. I think Kova’s big goal drought was a bit of an anomaly. He scored those two goals in quick succession late last year and it almost looks like his reward was to get benched. As I said elsewhere, Kova-Kante pivot is my preferred setup for now. I think Jorghy has qualities but isn’t on form.

[strider6004]

20 minutes ago, Dean said:

 I think Kova’s big goal drought was a bit of an anomaly. He scored those two goals in quick succession late last year and it almost looks like his reward was to get benched. 

I found this strange too especially in a period where we were struggling to score.

[Dean]

2 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Mount is always more likely to pop up with a goal or an assist. Just because he hasn't recently doesn't change that fact whereas Kovacic is about prolific as John Obi Mikel! Mount is great at pressing and forcing opponents into errors and delivers a decent set-piece.

That said, I'm more all for rotation and would like to see Kovacic start more games, even though I still don't think he is quite as good as some on here are making him out to be.

Ok ok. Maybe I got carried away re Mount. But I will push back on the Mikel comparison. I think Kova’s big goal drought was a bit of an anomaly. He scored those two goals in quick succession late last year and it almost looks like his reward was to get benched. As I said elsewhere, Kova-Kante pivot is my preferred setup for now. I think Jorghy has qualities but isn’t on form.

[Ukraine Bolt]

Clearly our player of the season for me. 

For the life of me i don't know why Lamps dropped him, results went down hill ever since then. 

[coco]

16 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Clearly our player of the season for me. 

For the life of me i don't know why Lamps dropped him, results went down hill ever since then. 

Why keep going on about Frank dropping him, do you want him sacked ? Mention it once or twice fair enough. Harp on about like Davey and you start looking like an anti-lampard scouser. Idont buy into the theory we have gone backwards because of that. But even if i did, i wouldnt keep on blaming the gaffer, the players have to take more responsibility for performances. Christensen got done by Martial, Rudiger got done by Maguire, nothing to do with Frank, apart from him trusting them to do the job they should be doing. Maybe they will be dropped now, like he dropped Kepa after too many lack lustre performances between the sticks. But don't keep banging on about it, it's not a viable enough reason, to slaughter our #1 club legend.

[Nevamind]

For now he really is the only one in midfield who can run with the ball. Jorginho too imobile and is a passer. Mount can run but still lacks quality with the ball.                                                  Kante is out of form.                                  Barkley is Barkley. 

 

 

 

[Ukraine Bolt]

4 hours ago, coco said:

Why keep going on about Frank dropping him, do you want him sacked ? Mention it once or twice fair enough. Harp on about like Davey and you start looking like an anti-lampard scouser. Idont buy into the theory we have gone backwards because of that. But even if i did, i wouldnt keep on blaming the gaffer, the players have to take more responsibility for performances. Christensen got done by Martial, Rudiger got done by Maguire, nothing to do with Frank, apart from him trusting them to do the job they should be doing. Maybe they will be dropped now, like he dropped Kepa after too many lack lustre performances between the sticks. But don't keep banging on about it, it's not a viable enough reason, to slaughter our #1 club legend.

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Coco?

All i said was our performances dropped when Kovacic was dropped back in November, not exactly said anything controversial here. Just because he's a club legend, doesn't mean he can't be criticised. I've given Lampard plenty of praise on this forum over the months but things have gone down hill and there has been a number of questionable decisions that Lamps has made recently.

Really not sure why you've gone off on one here tbh. 

[Gol15]

5 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Clearly our player of the season for me. 

For the life of me i don't know why Lamps dropped him, results went down hill ever since then. 

Player of the season for running with the ball? As soon as he's in the final third he gets scared and losses it, when it actually matters. Watch the second half against Hull and you'll see why it's hard for Lampard, when someone actually cares to mark Kovacic he's out of the game.

[Nibs]

22 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

Player of the season for running with the ball? As soon as he's in the final third he gets scared and losses it, when it actually matters. Watch the second half against Hull and you'll see why it's hard for Lampard, when someone actually cares to mark Kovacic he's out of the game.

Have to agree with this.

Kovacic is another player who frustrates me. He probably was our pick yesterday but that's not saying a great deal. Yes, at times he carries the ball really well but when he gets anywhere near the opponents box, he's about as useful as John Obi Mikel. 

Right now, our squad appears to be overloaded with good but not great players and Kovacic is one of them. 

[Ukraine Bolt]

15 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

Player of the season for running with the ball? As soon as he's in the final third he gets scared and losses it, when it actually matters. Watch the second half against Hull and you'll see why it's hard for Lampard, when someone actually cares to mark Kovacic he's out of the game.

Best player at transitioning the ball from defense to attack in the squad, without him we end up just passing it from our CB's to Jorginho and back again.

[Spiller86]

4 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Best player at transitioning the ball from defense to attack in the squad, without him we end up just passing it from our CB's to Jorginho and back again.

Yeah he has almost taken on Hazard/RLCs role of dropping deep dribbling and drawing a foul to help us transition out of our own half.

Clearly that is his strength with an RLC to give the ball to in the final third I think they could make a great pair of 8s.

[Gol15]

48 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Best player at transitioning the ball from defense to attack in the squad, without him we end up just passing it from our CB's to Jorginho and back again.

As long as a Championship team doesn't mark him. Last season Jorginho was the top passer in his first PL season and we got top 3, movement of the whole team is always superior than 1 player making a run in his own half, without Jorginho, Kovacic can't dominate Hull when he's marked.

[loz]

As long as a Championship team doesn't mark him. Last season Jorginho was the top passer in his first PL season and we got top 3, movement of the whole team is always superior than 1 player making a run in his own half, without Jorginho, Kovacic can't dominate Hull when he's marked.

And Jorginho does a mean impression of Lord Lucan when he is man marked.

Neither Jorginho or Kovacic are good enough if we want to challenge for titles but we have to be realistic and accept we are f**king miles from challenging for titles so we need to stop comparing our players to that level, at least for now.

[Dean]

52 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

As long as a Championship team doesn't mark him. Last season Jorginho was the top passer in his first PL season and we got top 3, movement of the whole team is always superior than 1 player making a run in his own half, without Jorginho, Kovacic can't dominate Hull when he's marked.

Gol, you’re not talking about Kovacic against Hull nearly enough. Im sensing lots of pent-up demand on here for more. How about a dedicated thread?

[Gol15]

1 hour ago, loz said:

 

 

And Jorginho does a mean impression of Lord Lucan when he is man marked.

Neither Jorginho or Kovacic are good enough if we want to challenge for titles but we have to be realistic and accept we are f**king miles from challenging for titles so we need to stop comparing our players to that level, at least for now.

 

 

Kovacic is a decent squad player that can fit in multiple ways, Jorginho on the other hand can't adapt to the squad if he doesn't have the lead role...So the big question is if we should sell Jorginho and go all in for someone like De Bruyne or Milinkovic-Savic or even Sancho with that money or anyone that will automatically improve our first team.

[Davey Baby]

3 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Really not sure why you've gone off on one here tbh. 

 

I think he secretly wants to be a policeman.

[coco]

31 minutes ago, Davey Baby said:

 

I think he secretly wants to be a policeman.

Franks security chief inspector of all operations, if you dont mind.

[coco]

4 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Coco?

 

Sleeping is for snow melts.

[Slojo]

7 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Coco?

All i said was our performances dropped when Kovacic was dropped back in November, not exactly said anything controversial here. Just because he's a club legend, doesn't mean he can't be criticised. I've given Lampard plenty of praise on this forum over the months but things have gone down hill and there has been a number of questionable decisions that Lamps has made recently.

Really not sure why you've gone off on one here tbh. 

@coco has been in the boozer again! 

[Slojo]

3 hours ago, coco said:

Sleeping is for snow melts.

Tbf Coco 90% of the reason I've been banging on about Kovacic is because of that Gol15 melt.