Interesting read on how Tedesco has utilized Max Meyer in Schalke's recent matches. Could he be the German Modric or Verrati? http://www.soccerbox.com/blog/schalke-max-meyer/ Schalke’s Max Meyer is Arousing Interest around Europe 20th October 2017. By Edward Stratmann. Despite playing in an unfamiliar position at the base of midfield, Max Meyer encouragingly adapted superbly to his role in Schalke’s resounding 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin. Normally deployed as an attacking midfielder, the diminutive 22-year-old produced a classy performance in his new position, as he was especially crucial in animating his team’s offensive passages from deep. Seeing as Hertha defended in their 4-4-2 formation, Meyer was crucial in ensuring his wide splitting three central defenders, Benjamin Stambouli, Naldo and Thilo Kehrer, had huge openings in the half spaces to dribble forward into midfield. With Meyer regularly being man marked by his opponent, Ondrej Duda, meaning he couldn’t always viably receive possession, Meyer used this to his advantage to draw his opponent with him and away from said areas to manufacture clear space for his aforementioned defenders to exploit. There were, however, plenty of instances when the German starlet used his nifty movement to find space to inherit possession on his own. By pushing into either half space, he found himself a more advantageous route to get on the ball, with Duda often unwilling to follow him into these areas of the pitch. This subsequently provided a fine platform for Meyer to use his incisive passing ability and wicked dribbling skills in a less congested area of the pitch. On top of embarking on some typically dangerous dribbles, his penetrative, vertical passing into the likes of Leon Goretzka, Amine Harit, Guido Burgstaller and Franco Di Santo was also extremely useful. In addition, the way he and fellow young gun, Goretzka, would subtly switch positions every now and then was another positive aspect of his showing, and one that added an extra layer of unpredictability for Pal Dardai’s troops to deal with. His lateral supporting movements to ensure Die Knappen’s wide players had a close outlet to use in case they couldn’t progress forward was also vital for Domenico Tedesco’s Schalke team. While he found himself caught out of position at times on the defensive end, his stopping exertions were largely sound, with his job tracking Duda particularly influential. “I’d never played in this position in the Bundesliga before but I enjoy it as I get lots of touches on the ball. As a defensive midfielder, you have a lot of 50-50s and have to be aggressive”, explained Meyer in his post match comments. “The head coach simply trusted me.” Tedesco then proclaimed he thought Meyer did a “very, very good job” in his new slot. The player himself was just delighted he could repay the faith of his manager for opting to play him as a defensive midfielder, saying: “He gave me the confidence to let me play alone in this position, and I like it because I have many ball contacts and can try to open the game. I enjoyed the new role.”
More on Meyer: http://www.90min.de/posts/5709975-die-leichtigkeit-des-seins-schalkes-meyer-brilliert-auf-der-sechs Oh! Sammer vergleicht Max Meyer mit dem großen @Pirlo_official #S04M05 @s04 @Eurosport_DE— Pit Gottschalk (@pitgottschalk) October 20, 2017
One of the ways that Meyer prepares and trains for playing at the six position is by watching Champions League games, specifically with the play of Verratti. http://m.bild.de/sport/fussball/sch...r-fit-fuer-die-sechs-53714904.bildMobile.html
Kimmich, Weigl, Geiger, Maier, may be Meyer; the 6 is not a position where we lack youth talents behind Kroos.
https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/...-esque-role-under-domenico-tedesco-464407.jsp Schalke's Max Meyer enjoying Andrea Pirlo-esque progression under Domenico Tedesco “I hadn’t played in [my current] position previously as I always had more of an offensive role,” the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship winner with Germany said. “I’m playing more defensively now and have to win more tackles as a result, but that’s exactly what I’ve been working on [and] it’s been working out quite well.”
INTER TO HIJACK JUVENTUS’ APPROACH FOR EMRE CAN Inter Milan could swoop in in the January transfer window and try and persuade Emre Can to join them at the San Siro, as per Football Italia. http://readliverpoolfc.com/2017/12/07/inter-hijack-juventus-approach-emre-can/
it's funny but I think Meyer has more chances to make the NT has a 6 than as an attacking player, AM or winger.
It seems like Meyer has added some physicality and toughness to his profile. IMO, he plays with a mean streak now, making tackles, control the flow of game, and really knows how to get under the skin of his opponent at times. Which is a big change from how he was first brought up as a finesse skill player. Maybe he's been watching videos of Effenberg.
I haven't seen him play a lot this season as I usually do not watch a Schalke game...has he been really good as #6 as some of these stat says? The bare minimum of Schalke I have seen in couple of matches have seen him sometimes just walking on the pitch and making small sideways passes...
Schalke's main strength this season has been their defensive organization. I think the reports about him have been accurate in capturing his involvement in their success. He's also outplayed options like Stambouli and Bentaleb in earning that spot.
Central and defensive midfield options for the future: Kramer, Emre Can, Arnold, Kohr, Rani Khedira, Goretzka, Max Meyer, Weigl, Dahoud, Maxi Eggestein, Serdar, Geiger, Arne Maier, Mbom. Geis is on the outside looking in as he needs to find himself a proper new club though to rejuvenate his career. Wolfsburg also looks like they'll be moving Yannick Gerhardt back into the midfield after having him as LB before. While Max Meyer needs to be decide once and for all where he's going to sign this summer. He bounced back last season performance wise, but ended up being a twat especially when it came to the contract talks which continues to drag on with negotiating with a new club. He should have taken the Hoffenheim link a long time ago. RB Leipzig would have been good too but those are now missed boats. Shame that Pascal Gross has never been considered. Was a greatly underrated players in the BL during his last season with Ingolstadt, and continues to be stellar and one of the most efficient EPL midfielders with Brighton. I'm actually becoming a big fan of Suat Serdar. Good well rounded skill set, with the balanced defensive control and also ablility to score. Reminds me of a potentially more fluid and steady version of Emre Can. I see good future NT qualities in him.
I know we all want Goretzka in CM, but he has mostly featured as an 8 or 10 so far in his career. I’m not sure Kovac is going to convert him into a more all round midfielder.
Draxler is for me also as option for the centre, he reminds me a lot of Schweinsteiger till 2008. Skilled but too slow for the wing and not an elite finisher. With his mobility and passing range I think he can make the switch to the centre.
Schweini also struggled to beat his man on the wing and was routinely criticized for sideways and back passes. Maybe Tüchel can be Draxler’s LvG.
I did look at our CM/DMs from U17 to U21 U21: Dadoud, Serdar, Max Eggestein, Ozcan Lowen U20: Baku, Kammerbauer, Burnic, Friede U19: Adrian Fein, Akkaynak, Arne Maier, Kubler U18: Stierlin, Cetin, Mbom, Majetschak, Jannik Keitel U17: Max Brandt, Papela, Krauss, Kaan Kurt Something is missing, physicality? defensive awareness? Most of them are rather skilled and play at a deep lying playmaker role. I am an old school tactican. I like tough-nosed midfielders like Frings in 2006, Eilts in 1996 and Matthaus in 1990 I think Lowen, Adrian Fein, Arne Mair and Stierlin are the type of midfielders i like. Apparently Dahoud, Serdar, Baku, Mbom and Papela are very good too but they are more offensive, more like box-to-box
Schweinsteiger wasn't tough-nosed? Not sure it's old school either, just makes sense to have a solid defense.