Scoring goals is also very important. In football the team who scores the most goals in a game tends to win the game. He who scores wins. Kovacic is a good technical player. But Kova really must score goals, even the best DM in the world Kante can score goals. Kovacic doesn't have a good goal scoring record with us [60 games and zero goals] or even in his 73 games for Real he only managed the one goal. It aint good enough. Not at this level. Even Jorghino managed three goals in 58 games with us. As I say, I like Kovacic but he is not much more than a squad player for us at this point. Agreed. All our midfield players contribute differently. RLC has scored more goals for us than Barkley, Kovacic, Jorghino and Kante put together.
We dont need kova to score goals though. He needs to be the link to the fellas who are paid to put it in the net. It's a team game. I would argue that kante getting in position to score is more a result of him not doing what he was best at. Maka scored twice in 150 matches. I would far rather have kova feed others than take a volume of shots and waste the ball a la barkley. Kova has taken one shot this season, barkley has taken 7. Same result, different level of wastage. And how bad must petr Cech have been? 300 plus matches for chelsea and not a single goal to show for it
It is a team game and also a squad game. Kova is excellent coverage for Kante or Jorghino IF they are unavailable. But to play a midfield three of Jorghino, Kante and Kova is simply a bad tactical choice. It was last season when this midfield three was simply meandering without any real penetration. Kovacic is not Fabregas and his forward link up play has not been remarkable [yet?].
nice to see so much activity in the game thread, especially for such an early game. i wasn't around that early, watched it later as i got a break from baby and took my wife and father-in-law fly fishing for the morning. planning on re-watching again just cause it was a fun game. rudiger back will be huge, and i think Reece will have a real go at transitioning the RB spot for himself. i've been reading more about him and i can't wait to see him on the field. part of our defense problem is also the space we are leaving in front of them, they are getting isolated a lot. that's going to take a tactical or personnel tweak i think. at the end of the day though i do think that rudiger and christensen together is a better pairing.
Good to get the 3 points. Lots of fun watching the team until the opponent has the ball in our half because that usually means a goal is coming. Frank, fix this defense. On the whole, I can't remember a time when the officiating has been so universally poor. Every match had blown calls and most annoyingly - uneven calls throughout a match. VAR isn't helping much; though don't let the announcers fool you - they love it because it gives them another talking point. My fear is that the game is becoming too much like the NFL. Unrelated - I love this game because it's the only game where play continues while a player is off getting an injury looked at. No other game has uneven teams continue play. Imagine a 5-4 basketball game for any amount of time? Or a baseball game without a first baseman for an AB? Or a set of downs in football without a strong safety? I love it. Also, baseball is the only game (cricket too?) where you can only score if you don't have possession of the ball. And all the fields are different sizes. And players get to warm up on the field (what is the bullpen for? and why don't pinch hitters get batting practice?) And throws to first to check runners are not balls even though they're throws outside of the strike zone. What a stupid game.
Unless it's an early round cup game, or the 5th or 6th group stage game where we've already qualified, we'll never see that midfield as long as Mount is fit. (Thankfully) Lampard will be just like any other manager, novice or not, and certain players will play a simply huge amount of games this season. Mount and Kante will be in the first team every single game they are available, barring the aforementioned situations. Not many places left in that middle, if he plays, as he seems to want to, two wingers and an out an out forward.
He has been at Dortmund. But with the US, he also sometimes plays more centrally/attacking because the US are so bereft of that type of player.
We need him to be a winger because we're often way too narrow. I get playing Barkley out of necessity but it's a bad look with both Mount and Barkley in the side atleast in the formation we are playing. Maybe a diamond would work with Mount playing centrally and Barkley playing behind him.
Kovacic started well in the first couple of games last season but faded badly. Let's see how things go and hope that RLC can get back to the form he showed at the end of last season. Unlike last year when a few clubs went unbeaten this year everyone has dropped points except the dippers. So everything is to play for it's a long season and it is not the first international break yet. Re the cricket, it's been a great test I was on the edge of my seat for the last hour
Pul has the wherewithal to get wide or play more centrally when needed. I like his versatility. For all the "he isn't Hazard" comparisons, he exhibits a lot of the same traits.. just needs to get there in terms of physicality and starting bagging himself some goals.. PS I AM NOT CALLING HIM ********ING HAZARD
i agree about pulisic, he's got some adapting to do with the level of defending in the league but all the signs are there. and he's only 20! also, i knew he was fast but wasn't sure if he was premier league elite fast and he's shown he certainly has the speed.
I'm not at all sure of that - I think at the moment, there's a good argument to be made that Kante/Jorginho/Kovacic is our best midfield.
He doesn't run with the ball nearly as much, nor dribble as much. I think, if anything, he's a long term replacement for Pedro rather than Hazard. Which is fine, but a different type of player. I don't think we're going to be a hugely successful club if Pulisic is spending a ton of time on the ball.
I think he is going to be great. All the signs are there. It may not take as long as we all think. But it might take another 10-15 games. We are at the very beginning after all.
well as everyone mentioned, part of the problem with this midfield last season was Sarri. Lamps is using them quite a bit differently. on paper thats a really good midfield. however i'd like to think that RLC makes a case when he's back and it forces Mount in more of a wide attacking role.
To be clear, I was talking about the midfielders available to us right now. We'll see how we look once RLC is back. I think he slots in very well in a midfield 3, personally.
yea i got it, that's why i was agreeing/defending your post. and just adding that i understand your caveat because later in the season things could look different. both Mount and RLC will be pushing for spots in that midfield and could very likely win out. Barkley will be basically out of the side with how far down the depth he could be. saying that as both willian and CHO get up to speed and are pushing the wing spots and limiting overall spots because of it.
In 2014, Lampard said Barkley reminded him of Rooney. http://www.thefa.com/news/2014/jun/...-frank-lampard-of-a-young-wayne-rooney-060614