I reckon this'll happen. Pretty much the Coutinho transfer repeated. And Liverpool make at least one interesting/note-worthy transfer every now and then. They're due one.
Mateo Kovacic
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He's overrated.
People bring up Coutinho but he played well in Spain and looked good for Inter but was never given a proper go. Kovacic has generally looked underwhelming whenever I've seen him. Couple of nice runs here and there but nothing beyond that. I've never seen anything about him that justifies the hype he's been getting.
People bring up Coutinho but he played well in Spain and looked good for Inter but was never given a proper go. Kovacic has generally looked underwhelming whenever I've seen him. Couple of nice runs here and there but nothing beyond that. I've never seen anything about him that justifies the hype he's been getting.
Why on earth would anyone use Kovacic at the base of their midfield?
For a 21 year old he done quite enough to be considered a talented player. Not on Verratti's level but still could be polished up into solid PL midfielder... in the right club with a solid manager of course.
I see him as a Herrera type player. Correct?
He's been significantly better then Coutinho ever was for inter in all his seasons there. Inconsistent when being moved around but when ever he's been stuck in a midfield 3 he's been class. His first season he showed more than Coutinho ever has in his career. He's not just got a few nice driving runs, he can pass, he has vision and technically he's amazing. He's as big a midfield talent that world football has atm.
Inter are in shambles, I don't think they have a single player who is consistent anymore after Zanetti retired. I think their promising talents are better off elsewhere.
No he's an AM.
I see him more similar to Barkley. He is better at passing and technique, but Barkley is more bulky and robust. They both share a similar playing style, the drive and penetration, the dribbling and at the same time the naiveness. They both play risky. Characteristics they share are also age, talent, inconsistency (young obviously), havent had the best of seasons. Another thing is nobody knows where their best position is, or where they will end up in 5 years positionally. They can both play the 8 and 10 role, and could end up at either one long term.
Thats dispuitable. At the moment he probably is better at AM, but he could easily develop into a top CM. There are tons of players who can play both roles very good and switch positions years after.
He does look underwhelming, but the hype he's been getting is because of the talent alone and nothing else. Just have a look at Kova at his best. Immense talent, biggest there is, but doesn't look like he's evolving at Inter.
Kovacic is a strong powerful attacking player who makes bursting runs and has quick feet, likes to use skill but can quite often fade in some games recently.
He is an attacking midfielder or a deep false 9, his distribution needs improvement, his long passing is very hollywood and he's good at it, but his short passing can often be misplaced, he has a briliant shot on him from long range, not as dangerous in the box, he will press defensively and hassle, but offers little in way of tackling, but he will intercept balls often due to good movement, but he isn't a central midfielder at the moment by any means. Some think his long passing and driving runs would be good for a DM/CM position similar to say Carrick, but his tackling and positioning isn't strong enough currently, he is far too attack minded, but generally attacking players who aren't strikers do pick up the defensive side of their game as they age.
He is an attacking midfielder or a deep false 9, his distribution needs improvement, his long passing is very hollywood and he's good at it, but his short passing can often be misplaced, he has a briliant shot on him from long range, not as dangerous in the box, he will press defensively and hassle, but offers little in way of tackling, but he will intercept balls often due to good movement, but he isn't a central midfielder at the moment by any means. Some think his long passing and driving runs would be good for a DM/CM position similar to say Carrick, but his tackling and positioning isn't strong enough currently, he is far too attack minded, but generally attacking players who aren't strikers do pick up the defensive side of their game as they age.
He'd surely really need to tone it down a bit, in order to play a deeper role?
He loves the ball at his foot a bit too much to do that role properly, in my opinion.
He loves the ball at his foot a bit too much to do that role properly, in my opinion.
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He probably is overrated here but the talent is there, no question about it. Watched him play for Dinamo in European games and im a little disappointed how he progressed, his decision making was much better then at the age of 17/18 then it is now. He is probably at the wrong club but nevertheless, i expected more progress and he probably regressed more then he progressed.
He's no attacking player imo. His attacking instincts are average at best. He's a midfielder in the mould of iniesta/zidane. Playing him anywhere but in that role you aren't getting the best out of him. Thinking he can play as a DM/CM(8) is also misguided as he isn't that good defensively although he doesn't mind putting his foot in. Lots of players of this mould have been misused so I wouldn't be surprised if he is too and doesn't fulfil his potential. Would be a shame though as he's an extraordinary talent.
Inter has tried it, Liverpool have an excess of CMs who strengths are not suited to the base of midfield (Coutinho, Henderson, Milner) and Rodgers coached Leon Britton at Swansea and dictated games with his most reliable short passer at the base of midfield. I'm hardly suggesting insanity here.
He loves the ball at his foot too much. He'd need reeling in quite a bit, and Henderson is more suited.
I think Henderson would get lost there and his best attributes (running, good decision making in final third) would be lost.
Henderson wouldn't be great there either, but I get the impression that for Kovacic, passing is an after thought. The role would require passing the initiative to other players, whereas right now he's one of those players who wants to touch the ball as much as possible before each pass.
No doubts that he has the passing range and vision though.
Not saying he's not a good talent but the bit in bold is what I don't get. He's not shown much to be labelled as one of the biggest talents in the world. The video kinda illustrates the point I made in my post. He makes good runs from deep and that's his biggest strength. beyond that he hasn't shown much. Once in a while he'll play a peach of pass which feeds the hype even further. The rest of the video is full of pointless Cruyff turns. Another problem for him is his position. He's really not good enough either as a CM or an AM right now for any of the top clubs.
A player he reminds me of is Barkley. Another one in a very similar vein with very similar issues.
If you played him in midfield i wouldnt play a 2, hed need 2 alongside him,his lack pf defensive technical ability leaves him exposed badly, i do agree though he cant be full attacking but his instincts are great attacking wise, but his decisions are sometimes poor but with a bit of space he will drive a team and transition beautifully, hes a luxury player, hed do wellat Arsenal i think, i would like to see him next tp Cazorla and Ramsey.
They're trying very hard though, signed plenty of players last year and look set to sign half a dozen this year. Trouble is they seem cursed, regardless who manages them and who plays they always struggle. Their team isn't that terrible and Mancini is a decent manager yet they are still crap.
I agree. I really haven't seen much of him, but I know he was rated before he moved to Inter. They're a strange team. Hugely inconsistent filled with potential & proven talent but results are beginning to make the players look mythical. They've changed styles far too often in recent season that they still haven't established an identity to the team yet.
Like Juve, they manage to pull of deals that look like a coup in football and then they get lost. Recent signings Podolski, Shaqiri, Brozovic, M'villa are good players but the team still drifts. I'd be happy for us to pluck him and some others away from Inter, but I don't think they will want to make the same mistake with Coutinho again, so I don't expect a bargain.
Inter are going rebuild slowly, don't think they are going to sell easily.
Not bad as the deepest midfielder here, to be fair. Would've been about 19, I think.
European tempo though, so it would be different in the Premier League.
European tempo though, so it would be different in the Premier League.
By attacking instincts I'm talking purely about his play in the final third. His ability to play the final pass on the move, his finishing and create space for his own shot. He's not all that great a match winner. Defensively he's what we'd deem a trier, decent reading of play but doesn't have all that you'd expect from a midfielder.
What makes him an outstanding talent is his ability to breach the midfield line, his ability to retain the ball under pressure, his passing range and his ability to create space for others.
Arsenal has their own Kovacic(Wilshere)
Seems to be (nearing) a done deal. No idea how good this guy is, but I hope the rumoured £18m turns out to be a sound investment.
I think that's our midfield done for this window, then. Lucas/Can for CDM, Hendo/Milner/Kovacic/Allen for CM, with Lallana & Coutinho also able to play there if needed.
I think that's our midfield done for this window, then. Lucas/Can for CDM, Hendo/Milner/Kovacic/Allen for CM, with Lallana & Coutinho also able to play there if needed.
£18m? Seems low for the hype he had. But I hoped this guy would have aim for a bigger target club (no offence to Liverpool, but they haven't won anything of late).
We could be the perfect fit for him, then. He'll have the chance at Liverpool to prove himself as either a world beater (and get sold the summer afterwards) or a hype job. He'll definitely get playing time here.
Well, I think it's a good deal in terms of economics. He does have the ability to carry the ball and a more potent player than anything they signed in recent past. I will be interested to see how he adjusts to a different league.
And if he does well you'll buy him off us, no doubt 
Why are Inter selling? Haven't they got money now?
The only question I want to ask is where does he play? is he going to replace Coutinho who is a much better player then him? cause he's not a winger and never has played in a midfield two so basically paying for another squad player again?
Base of the diamond for Pool I reckon. Deep lying playmaker
He's played deepest in midfield before, and has the raw ability to do it well.
He's supposed to be highly rated. Can't Liverpool stick to signing more milners instead?
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