Matic isn't the future. He isn't the present either. But I'd like to take a moment to appreciate the quality that, despite his slowing legs, he can bring to the side. He's our only midfielder who slots into the side and immediately brings a sense of structure and control. More often than not, he's the best fit to partner with Pogba when the latter is deployed in the pivot. And while he's not a Hollywood ball player like Pogba, he can pick out a progressive pass when it's on. Our winner against WHU happened because of 1) Lingard's beautiful finish 2) Lingard's decisive and well executed shimmy to create space and 3) Matic's outstanding pass, crisp and precise, taking out a couple of lines of defence.
I don't want to calculate how much money the club has spent on forwards, defenders and Fred (bless him) since we bought an already declining Matic but it seems to me shockingly negligent that we've neglected the deep lying midfield position while investing so much in the team over the last four years.
Matic
posted on 20/9/21
comment by Elvis: King of Cult (U7425)
posted 5 minutes ago
The pass that he made for Jesse's goal reminded me of Keane. When people talk about Keane they always seem to overlook the quality of his passing. He hardly ever lost the ball and whilst he didn't have the long range passing in his locker, he was very good at pinging in a crisp pass through the lines to set up quick attacks.
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Yeah. In his second book he says he used to fire passes at new players in training to try and find out if they were any good.
Agree with the Bellingham comparison, but if he's any near as good as Robbo was he'll be very special indeed
posted on 20/9/21
comment by Elvis: King of Cult (U7425)
posted 8 minutes ago
The pass that he made for Jesse's goal reminded me of Keane. When people talk about Keane they always seem to overlook the quality of his passing. He hardly ever lost the ball and whilst he didn't have the long range passing in his locker, he was very good at pinging in a crisp pass through the lines to set up quick attacks.
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True. Keane’s passing was a mix of simplicity and momentum. He’d just keep attacks going, or rekindle them, by playing the right ball with a bit of fizz.
posted on 20/9/21
He played some good passes in his cameo yesterday but let’s be fair his performances these days mostly consist of laboured sideways passing, losing possession whenever pressurised and being non-existent when the opposition have it.
I didn’t particularly want him at the time we signed him and don’t think we should have given him the new 3 year deal.
He’s been decent in patches but overall he’s been a fairly poor signing.
The only saving grace was that Eric Dier was our first choice that summer.
posted on 20/9/21
I thought the VDB signing was supposed to go some way to resolving our midfield problems. He is either seen as a more attacking player (which I dont really see him as) or he simply wasn't as good as imagined.
Anyway, the midfield is our obvious priority for next summer. Matic and Fred aren't good enough, Pogba is flirting with leaving, VDB not looking good enough either. McT is useful, and he gives everything he has.
posted on 20/9/21
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 22 minutes ago
He played some good passes in his cameo yesterday but let’s be fair his performances these days mostly consist of laboured sideways passing, losing possession whenever pressurised and being non-existent when the opposition have it.
I didn’t particularly want him at the time we signed him and don’t think we should have given him the new 3 year deal.
He’s been decent in patches but overall he’s been a fairly poor signing.
The only saving grace was that Eric Dier was our first choice that summer.
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Yeh I think he was already past his prime when we signed him. He was a very influential player for a couple of seasons.
posted on 20/9/21
Matic has had 2 really good spells for us, when he first joined and leading up to getting his contract extension. At his best his passing can be very good, got loads of assists in the season before he joined us.
posted on 20/9/21
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 6 minutes ago
Matic has had 2 really good spells for us, when he first joined and leading up to getting his contract extension. At his best his passing can be very good, got loads of assists in the season before he joined us.
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Yes he got 8. And then 8 since he joined us.
posted on 20/9/21
comment by Elvis: King of Cult (U7425)
posted 2 hours, 20 minutes ago
The pass that he made for Jesse's goal reminded me of Keane. When people talk about Keane they always seem to overlook the quality of his passing. He hardly ever lost the ball and whilst he didn't have the long range passing in his locker, he was very good at pinging in a crisp pass through the lines to set up quick attacks.
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He always kept it simple. He rarely tried the Hollywood ball. No need when you had Becks and Scholes.
Matic’s main problem other than being slow is that he doesn’t get the ball out of his feet quick enough. He often takes a touch too much.
Pogba was the same in the second half yesterday.
posted on 20/9/21
"He often takes a touch too much"
He must be an AC/DC fan
posted on 20/9/21
comment by The Post Nearly Man. Ex Lion Tamer. (U1270)
posted 3 minutes ago
"He often takes a touch too much"
He must be an AC/DC fan
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That did pop into my warped brain as I pressed send.