The number 1, ideal route that any footballer or manager will tell you to they want... is to pass forward in a straight line to their attacker who can then shoot, as ultimately it's the quickest and easiest route to goal. But teams play narrow preventing that avenue, however sometimes players come along that can, at the right moment, bypass going wide, going sideways. Once in a blue moon, you get a Leeds come to Old Trafford who forget their principals in the middle of the pitch, and we can just pass in a straight line from Maguire, to McTomminay, to Bruno and attack quickly. No need for patient sideways football.
The pass might only be on 4-5 times per game, but it will often contribute to a direct attack which can score goals. Compare that to shifting it quickly sideways, that contributes to nothing. He clearly gets instructed to do that, every day in training, because i've seen him do it and contribute to clear cut, big chances often for both us and for Chelsea.
Top level CM's, think Carrick, Scholes, Gerrard, Xavi, they can make that pass 5 times per game and it slices open defences and creates an instant chance. It's the ideal route. Even though Matic is not on the level of these players, he does possess the ability to make that forward pass, and I don't mind him holding on to the ball to see if its available. Because you know what, if the worst case scenario, it isn't on, he can shift it sideways anyway, which is all you wanted him to do in the first place. Nothing lost.
