8 | Mateo Kovačić - 2024/25

[vincent]

He has been woeful last few months.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Sooner Pep realizes that Kova blindly dribbling than losing possession does not equal control of the game is the last time Kova starts against any half decent midfield. Even if you played him next to Rodri he is so limited, he isn't creative enough player to pay as an 8.

Glad someone realizes it..

Pep is not the problem!
The game plan is not the problem!

The problem is players are not able to carry it out
And Kova is so bad.. that it happens again and again and again.

He just does not fit the team's game plan!

 

[Dax777]

Oh okay. Forgot you were the judge of all things football.

Okay, you are not wrong. But i disagree. I think he's been better.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Glad someone realizes it..

Pep is not the problem!
The game plan is not the problem!

The problem is players are not able to carry it out
And Kova is so bad.. that it happens again and again and again.

He just does not fit the team's game plan!

Let’s see how Nico does as the 6. He might be the fulcrum to resurrect the rest of our season.

 

[Scottish Cityzen]

Let’s see how Nico does as the 6. He might be the fulcrum to resurrect the rest of our season.

Is the correct answer. Nico has the attributes to be the answer, will be a question of how well/quickly he settLes into the team.

I would not be averse to Kova further forward in that formation as he’s played well for the majority of the season. But, and it’s a big but, he’s not cut out to be the 6 as he can’t hold the required position or his urge to do what comes natural to him - run with the ball and risk dangerous turnovers of possession.

Stones was outstanding in that role last night, hope Nico was watching him closely!

 

[bondsman]

Okay, you are not wrong. But i disagree. I think he's been better.

Fair enough.

 

[applejuice]

Sooner Pep realizes that Kova blindly dribbling than losing possession does not equal control of the game is the last time Kova starts against any half decent midfield. Even if you played him next to Rodri he is so limited, he isn't creative enough player to pay as an 8.

Every Chelsea fan knew that.

 

[applejuice]

He’s a ball carrying 8. One that dribbles the ball through the lines and draws the team up the pitch.

He still does that as a 6, but if his dribble or pass isn’t successful then he’s too far up the pitch with no one covering, which exposes the defence.

His body is too stiff and his knee does not allow turning while running. His body control is awful and he is very one footed. That is why he could not kick the ball into a safer direction but only bombing it back to Rico created a difficult situation for everyone at the last minute of the game.

It is just astonishing how our midfield standard drops so low.

BTW he has a life long habit of losing the player he tracks in the box. Thus we lost the 2nd goal. Never ever change since his time at Madrid.

 

[MCFCFanTX]

Someone called him Kovacheeks after the Madrid game and it's been stuck in my head.

(I don't condone slandering players who try but I still laughed)

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Too one footed at elite level and this has been targeted by the quicker teams, as he doesn't shield the ball properly.

 

[Belgian Flash]

He lost a lot of his quickness. But even with that he was always coming up short in other aspects, mostly mental (anticipation, creativity, positioning) so retrospectively his frustration at being Modric and Kroos' substitute seems even more ridiculous.

 

[youngbob]

Not a long-term #6.

A steady #8.

Will improve with Gonzalez next to him.

 

[kippaxchris]

he was not brought in to replace gundo, his transfer was arranged in february/march and he was the first signing of that window.

Arranged in February/March or not it was arranged because Gundogan was leaving.

 

[Dax777]

He starts next to Gonzo in midweek

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Arranged in February/March or not it was arranged because Gundogan was leaving.

Well what do you know?

It's amazing what happens when you have a few 20 year olds and a real high IQ DM roaming the pitch and all of a sudden things look way better.

Need him gone in the offseason. This guy is the worst signing City have made in the past 15 years.

Never forget, Real moved him on, Chelsea moved him on.. there's a reason why and we've found out why!
He's just not good enough and ends up sabotaging City's game plan with his continuous turnovers!

 

[blueparrot]

Well what do you know?

It's amazing what happens when you have a few 20 year olds and a real high IQ DM roaming the pitch and all of a sudden things look way better.

Need him gone in the offseason. This guy is the worst signing City have made in the past 15 years.

Never forget, Real moved him on, Chelsea moved him on.. there's a reason why and we've found out why!
He's just not good enough and ends up sabotaging City's game plan with his continuous turnovers!

Not even close to the worst signing, he’s been okay, just not an ideal replacement for Rodri.

 

[vanchi]

Well what do you know?

It's amazing what happens when you have a few 20 year olds and a real high IQ DM roaming the pitch and all of a sudden things look way better.

Need him gone in the offseason. This guy is the worst signing City have made in the past 15 years.

Never forget, Real moved him on, Chelsea moved him on.. there's a reason why and we've found out why!
He's just not good enough and ends up sabotaging City's game plan with his continuous turnovers!

worst signing in the past 15 years? waffle, absolute, delusional waffle

real moved him on? yeah not like he wanted to play football and rm had absolute superstar in their midfield. nobody ever said kova’s on level with superstars, not being a superstar doesn’t mean a player is crap.

chelsea? you’re ignoring the todd boehly human trafficking ring aka chelsea fc, and here you are, pretending they were a well run fully functional club who got rid of kova cos he’s shit.

go and check the title run in last season, oh shock and horror, pep played him a lot in a situation where every single game was a must win and you’d never guess it - title, won.

so a player who was signed by inter, real madrid, chelsea and manchester city is complete crap and all of those clubs are stupid and you know better?

sure, jan….

 

[vanchi]

Arranged in February/March or not it was arranged because Gundogan was leaving.

didn’t gundo decided about leaving quite late?

let’s say the club knew about gundo early, you’re forgetting about the attempts to sign bellingham, rice, paqueta and ending up signing nunes.

you seriously think that city were about to replace their treble winning captain with mateo kovačić and not jude bellingham? hilarious.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

worst signing in the past 15 years? waffle, absolute, delusional waffle

real moved him on? yeah not like he wanted to play football and rm had absolute superstar in their midfield. nobody ever said kova’s on level with superstars, not being a superstar doesn’t mean a player is crap.

chelsea? you’re ignoring the todd boehly human trafficking ring aka chelsea fc, and here you are, pretending they were a well run fully functional club who got rid of kova cos he’s shit.

go and check the title run in last season, oh shock and horror, pep played him a lot in a situation where every single game was a must win and you’d never guess it - title, won.

so a player who was signed by inter, real madrid, chelsea and manchester city is complete crap and all of those clubs are stupid and you know better?

sure, jan….

The facts are that Pep's shut down shop mode of Kova + Gundo actually opens the shop up as we've found out countless times this season.

Don't forget he cost us vs Real last season with his shit penalty. And this season too.

I don't care he scored a goal or two vs Brugge or Chelsea.. he's still SHIT.

 

[Cityfan]

Nico starts every game from now on, kovacic only gets minutes if necessary alongside him.

Nico is a wimp. Can see it in his eyes

Not currently looking the finest observation.