Mateo Kovačić

[Fapuccino]

I think people need to understand that you don't need goals or something tangible to be a good midfielder or footballer. When you take a look at how shit our midfield is from time to time and they can't complete 2 passes, that's when you miss players like Kovacic.

Goalscoring midfielders are often times overrated, simply because they can hide their overall bad performances behind their goals. A midfielder's job is to act primarily like the glue in the middle of the park. Everything else is a bonus.

 

[rfU]

So he’s kind of suffering from the same thing as Morata. Never had to be depended on to produce over the course of a full season. So naturally he’s inconsistent.

No, Morata is garbage. Chelsea fans want him gone in the winter transfer market. Kova is very consistent actually. You guys aren't getting it I guess. Kova is not a box-to-box / mezzala midfielder like Gerard or Lampard, he's a defensive number 8 like Schweinsteiger or Veratti. You're essentially comparing Del Piero type player with Rui Costa, because they both wear #10. A quote form Boban on Kova in 2013: "He’s not a regista. He is still too young to perform in that position, he does not have enough routine to read some game situations. He has so much talent, a good personality and courage to seek those big players. When he gets older, he can become a playmaker, but right now it’s too early.”
That's exactly right. His versatility isn't helping however. Anyway, as i'd earlier said, attacks are built from the back. That's what makes players like Kova so important in the modern game. Players like Pirlo and Xabi could be marked out of games and kept quiet for large spells if the strikers work hard enough. A player like Kova on the otherhand, no matter how hard you press, will guarantee possession 9 times of 10 and feed the ball to our attacking players.

 

[magnesium]

Our midfield is not bad right now.

When consist Brozovic, J.Mario and Nainggolan.. It's fucking good.

I only replace one of them with KDB, Modric, Kroos, Kante, Eriksen or James.

Brozovic already top. One of the best in Serie A.
J.Mario just need improve little bit in finishing, What a scary midfielder if he can finish.
Nainggolan just need time to recover from his injury.

No need buy Kovacic, just go buy worldclass player like Modric.

 

[_OC_]

Bringing Kova back would be this weird thing, where I don't think he's what we need and I'm not even sure if he's even good enough to be a tangible upgrade on our squad, but I'd fucking love to have him back. The emotional attachement is just too strong.

Like Lui said; He's our baby, man

 

[nurko]

He would be a better Joao Mario with better dribbling and sense of urgency.

 

[satubito]

Makes zero sense bringing him back. We need top class players if we are going to compete for first in all competitions. He hasn't done nothing with RM to warrent a transfer. Spend wisely!

 

[chipschups]

Kova is perfect choice if we gonna play 4312 or 352 like during Mazzari era which he didnt have too much responsibility and get enough cover from other midfielder.

When he first come here I thought he will be Iniesta heir with his signature dribble. But ofc Italian coach need ruin his progress not allowing him to wasted dribble and just let him made save pass to sideways. Thats basically kills his confidence, he no longer have a guts to dribbling through middle or if he doing it he looks too timid now.

 

[n4l]

No, Morata is garbage. Chelsea fans want him gone in the winter transfer market. Kova is very consistent actually. You guys aren't getting it I guess. Kova is not a box-to-box / mezzala midfielder like Gerard or Lampard, he's a defensive number 8 like Schweinsteiger or Veratti. You're essentially comparing Del Piero type player with Rui Costa, because they both wear #10. A quote form Boban on Kova in 2013: "He’s not a regista. He is still too young to perform in that position, he does not have enough routine to read some game situations. He has so much talent, a good personality and courage to seek those big players. When he gets older, he can become a playmaker, but right now it’s too early.”
That's exactly right. His versatility isn't helping however. Anyway, as i'd earlier said, attacks are built from the back. That's what makes players like Kova so important in the modern game. Players like Pirlo and Xabi could be marked out of games and kept quiet for large spells if the strikers work hard enough. A player like Kova on the otherhand, no matter how hard you press, will guarantee possession 9 times of 10 and feed the ball to our attacking players.

I agree in theory but not in practice. Most barca mids are like that. Off topic, but amazing they found Arthur (very jelly about him)..

Like I said, the tottenham game was an example of a good pressing team forcing him to turn over the ball a lot and jamming him into bad positions. His dribbling skills are very good, but he's not shown the ability to dribble smartly/tactically CONSISTENTLY. I think I said it maybe 4 years ago when he was with us; the top dribbling midfielders dribble to get themselves into a better position to pass, which means they don't need to actually beat their opponent. Kova dribbles to dribble and it feels like he tries to dribble until he's beat his opponent.

Sarri should make him better though so we'll see how he responds. He's moving the ball about better already. Just remains to be seen if he can be consistent and become a much better tactical dribbler.

 

[varmin]

Kovacic is better than Gags and Vecino, no doubt about that but he ain't a goalscoring midfielder. His price also will be within 35-45m and i'm not sure that he is the right player for that amount of money.

 

[rfU]

ILike I said, the tottenham game was an example of a good pressing team forcing him to turn over the ball a lot and jamming him into bad positions

Everyone has a bad game or 2, Kova is no exception. Spurs is a good pressing team but Man City is one of the best. He passed that one with flying colors. Just needs his confidence back. You say he's a poor tactical dribbler, remember that run vs Real Madrid in a friendly, I think before we shipped him out, where he collected the ball with his back to goal around our penalty box, turned and ran all the way to the Madrid penalty box before making a pass to the wing for a (poor) cross. He has a couple of those solo runs on youtube. That time vs Barca when he dummied Busquets just outside the RM box and initiated a counter. At thats when his confidence was low. Crazy.

Kovacic is better than Gags and Vecino, no doubt about that but he ain't a goal scoring midfielder.

Yo, I've been defending Kova for 3/4 years, and I've been saying he's a defensive player, but I keep reading that he sucks at scoring goals and making assists. Like no shit, lol, it's not one of his strengths, he's not that sort of player. How many goals and assists does Veratti have in ligue un?

 

[varmin]

Yo, I've been defending Kova for 3/4 years, and I've been saying he's a defensive player, but I keep reading that he sucks at scoring goals and making assists. Like no shit, lol, it's not one of his strengths, he's not that sort of player. How many goals and assists does Veratti have in ligue un?

I think Spalletti looks for box to box who can score goals as well and Kovacic simply doesn't fit there. I doubt that pivot Kova-Brozovic will be very efficient for Inter when attacking.

 

[rfU]

I think Spalletti looks for box to box who can score goals as well and Kovacic simply doesn't fit there. I doubt that pivot Kova-Brozovic will be very efficient for Inter when attacking.

Don't see why not. Kova does a great covering job that allows Alonso to attack the penalty area time and time again at Chelsea, he can do the same for Brozovic.

 

[Hasan]

I read somewhere on Croatian sites that Kovacic is like holly water, doesn’t help but also cannot hurt.

Have to agree.

 

[Candreva Crosses]

Holy water does hurt evil bastards. Buy him and use him against rube

 

[dax21]

[youtube]3VtVSXnGIwU[/youtube]

 

[MusicalMafia]

[youtube]3VtVSXnGIwU[/youtube]

Some nice stuff here. I dont belong to a group that argues that he just has to return to us but in fairness this video shows mainly one skill no one in our midfield currently has which is movement with the ball. So maybe theres something to it...

 

[wera]

Movement with the ball and then going for a through pass ..yeah, only brozo is capable of that and granted, kova was better at it

 

[Wobblz]

Movement with the ball and then going for a through pass ..yeah, only brozo is capable of that and granted, kova was better at it

Actually, they were and are both are average at delivering that "through ball".

The only game Kova gave some clever assists and impressed was IIRC a Lazio game and every time Brozovic is deployed as AM he's overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong they can pass the ball impressively from time to time but they are no Guti.

 

[Bluenine]

This kid has not developed at all, in fact watching him at Chelsea it seems like he has regressed. Its sad, he had so much potential.

That 35m is looking real good now. Thank you Rafa!

 

[Fapuccino]

This kid has not developed at all, in fact watching him at Chelsea it seems like he has regressed. Its sad, he had so much potential.

That 35m is looking real good now. Thank you Rafa!

We paid 40m for Kongdogbia right after.