8 | Mateo Kovačić - 2024/25

[ninjamonkey]

Great today. One of the few that actually makes a tackle and doesn't just look to stand in the way. His driving forward was brilliant too, had a few examples of it but one in particular where he carried it most of the pitch was fantastic, just nobody else bothered to get up with him other than haaland. If foden or savinho had burst a gut to support him, that likely leads to a goal.

If we get a real 6 in January having kovacic play his real position as an 8 will add so much to our midfield. People forget that we don't just lose rodri with him being out, we also lose Kovacic by way of him being forced into a role he isn't suited to.

 

[Psychedelic Casual]

Played well with the ball at his feet but I felt he was the main reason Leicester kept getting through us.

He kept on running out of the area in the middle of the pitch in front of the defence to go and win a tackle or make an interception further up field but he was doing it as a rogue presser on his own and Leicester were just passing it around him or dribbling past him and exploiting the space he’d left.

Must have done it eight times through the game and Leicester nearly scored from a few of them.

He did drive the ball forward really well though and take us further up the pitch. On one occasion he ran up to the box with the ball and nobody else had run with him, everyone just hung back… why?!

Hit and miss today. But he’s not a defensive midfielder and it’s not his fault he’s being made to play there when it was obvious over a year ago that we needed cover for Rodri when we lost all four games without him earlier last season.

 

[Belgian Flash]

Is it me or he has lost some pace? He used to be one of the fastest central midfielders in the world, now it seems he can't reach a lot of balls. Hes still a great utility player but his pace made him worldclass because he was lacking a bit in the cerebral/tactical part of the game.

 

[Lavinda Past]

Still a top player. Reads the game well, and manages/paces his own game very effectively.

A very important player for us this season.

 

[Akira]

Really needed him back. The team is better with him in the side.

 

[citytill1die84]

He dribbles really well. Glad he's back much better than Gundogan in that midfield.

 

[King Jay]

Is it me or he has lost some pace? He used to be one of the fastest central midfielders in the world, now it seems he can't reach a lot of balls. Hes still a great utility player but his pace made him worldclass because he was lacking a bit in the cerebral/tactical part of the game.

He was never one of the fastest honestly not slow but not fast either

 

[Ajm1985]

Played well with the ball at his feet but I felt he was the main reason Leicester kept getting through us.

He kept on running out of the area in the middle of the pitch in front of the defence to go and win a tackle or make an interception further up field but he was doing it as a rogue presser on his own and Leicester were just passing it around him or dribbling past him and exploiting the space he’d left.

Must have done it eight times through the game and Leicester nearly scored from a few of them.

He did drive the ball forward really well though and take us further up the pitch. On one occasion he ran up to the box with the ball and nobody else had run with him, everyone just hung back… why?!

Hit and miss today. But he’s not a defensive midfielder and it’s not his fault he’s being made to play there when it was obvious over a year ago that we needed cover for Rodri when we lost all four games without him earlier last season.

This. For all the fun of his driving runs & leading the press, he shouldn't be making them as we don't have the cover for it. Honestly surprised that Pep wasn't going apoplectic about it.

 

[Craig]

Is it me or he has lost some pace? He used to be one of the fastest central midfielders in the world, now it seems he can't reach a lot of balls. Hes still a great utility player but his pace made him worldclass because he was lacking a bit in the cerebral/tactical part of the game.

Didn’t know he ever had any to be honest but can’t say i’d really ever taken much notice of him. He’s certainly not had any pace since he got here. He’s quite a good dribbler but tends to keep going instead of passing it after he’s beat a couple and invariably gets caught. I’m not slagging him he’s a decent squad player for the money.

 

[Belgian Flash]

Didn’t know he ever had any to be honest but can’t say i’d really ever taken much notice of him. He’s certainly not had any pace since he got here. He’s quite a good dribbler but tends to keep going instead of passing it after he’s beat a couple and invariably gets caught. I’m not slagging him he’s a decent squad player for the money.

At Madrid nobody could catch him when he started those runs from deep. Hes a lot more conservative now, maybe because thats his role in the absence of Rodri, but I have seen him try once in a while and come up short. Hes 30 so he shouldn't be slowing down just yet, but he also has a long list of injury history which likely contributed.