Mateo Kovacic

[samuelyeboah]

£50,000,000 for a 29 year old as a stand in to give Rodri a rest would be crazy. Especially if Laporte and 1st teamers Gundogan and possible Bernardo leave.
We`ll need the money to buy 1st teamers not squad players.

Incredible that you didn't even bother reading what you are replying to. Tolmie said united want 50m for Mctominay.

 

[theres only one carlito]

What's your question?

Maybe these three in a controlling aspect?

 

[Cotontoquinn]

Phillips?, Rodri, Kovacic?

Phillips? Not sure why he was signed. Panic buy at the time and let’s just move him on. Loan to Burnley and get Taylor Harwood-Bellis back at City.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

He is kind of a perfect signing for our 3241 formation.

For our 2 middle midfielders that surround the striker, Pep doesn't like going with 2 explosive players. He goes for a "control" midfielder with an "explosive" one. The control midfielder sits next to Rodri when we defend in our 442 shape.

Most of our pairs are something like:

Haaland/Alvarez (Explosive)

Gundogan/Bernie (Control)

KdB/Foden/Alvarez (Explosive)


But immediately you will notice a problem, Gundogan isn't here for long (maybe last season?) and same with Bernie (who might also be a winger now? it's confusing). We desparately need another control midfielder.

I think Alexis MacAllister or Bellingham would have been perfect for us, but Kovacic for 30m at 29, being able to give 4 years pretty easily is great value.

ACADEMY PROSPECTS

The age of Kovacic works well to let us mold future young player we currently have for this role over time.

I think Rico Lewis is going to be molded into this position for the future as I believe the concept of attacking fullbacks is "dead idea" in the current football meta. You either play with wingbacks (back 5), so your fullbacks have less defensive liability or play defensive fullbacks (back 4 like us).

And there is nobody on loan who can play there either, no, not James McAtee who is an "Explosive" player, he cannot dictate the tempo and be press resistant.

The only player we have in the U21s I can think of is Oscar Bobb, but he questionably might be more of an "Explosive" player, hard to tell right now.

The player I am most excited about, and who I think has the best chance at being a world class 8/10 "Control" player who is press resistant, has physicality, and can also score goals is... Nico O'Reilly, guaranteed super star, and this position is perfect for him.

All that exsplosive the team will be dynamite!

 

[BamberBridgeBlue]

All that exsplosive the team will be dynamite!

Especially when we’re shown on TNT.

 

[Cotontoquinn]

All that exsplosive the team will be dynamite!

They already are. Two more Big Bang performances will do nicely.

 

[Shah9320]

Lets be fair, the red shite want 50m for mctominay, makes 50m for kov sound like a snip

50m what? Can't be pound, euro or even dollars.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

They already are. Two more Big Bang performances will do nicely.

If not they will get a rocket up the jacksi!:))

 

[WallyA]

Maybe these three in a controlling aspect?

Rodri and Phillips don't count as the forward 5 attackers.

Pep plays with a back 5 (4 defenders + 1 defensive midfielder) and front 5 (2 wingers, 2 attacking midfielders and 1 striker).

My discussion was about the middle 2 "attacking midfielders" in that BOTH cannot be like a KdB or Foden, and that Pep always pairs a player like that with a controller. Kovacic would be in this mold.

He perhaps could also play Rodri's role too, and controller tend to be capable of this, as we have often seen Gundogan play Rodri's role as well.

 

[Betterdeedthan red]

Incredible that you didn't even bother reading what you are replying to. Tolmie said united want 50m for Mctominay.

I'm sorry say that again.
50 million for MacTominay.
At best he's worth 2