Potential Matic Replacements
- Thread starter FootyGirl88
- Start date
@Mcking Snap! 
I'd take Pellegrini for that release clause, then spend on a defensive midfielder.
I'd like Declan Rice, I've been impressed with him pretty much every time I've seen him play. What sort of price would West Ham demand though? I swear he signed a new contract recently.
With the low price for Pellegrini we might be able to go big on a talent like Zaniolo or the likes of Ndombele/Aouar. This is also dependent on much we spend on other positions like CB and or RW.
@Mcking Snap!
He's contracted for another 5 or 6 years. His value's probably doubled now he's declared for England as well.
Yikes, don't think he'll be attainable for a reasonable price anytime soon then. We might have to look elsewhere then.
If we want to sign him, then I really think we should move fast. The summer is the right time to try before he reaches £100m status.
Thanks @Mcking and @Devil may care x
I do agree with that we need someone with good passing abilities to finally replace Carrick. I also generally agree with most of your posts and think you're one of the better posters when it comes to duscussing the technical elements of the game.
My first choice for the role would be Rodrigo Hernandez of Atletico Madrid. Not only is he a superb play maker from deep, he is also very mobile. The player may not want to move from Spain, but if there's even a slight chance of it happening, we should try.
100m euro clause. Atletico activated his clause (20m euro) at Villarreal last summer. The size of the clause was "widely" known at that time.
he did, so it would likly cos about 80 million, though with so few decent defensive midfielder on that market.... its not worth completely ruling it out
Cheers mate, I always enjoy our discussions on these topics. I think after last nights game a few eyes were opened, surely for Ole and the staff as well, not just as regards midfield but how deficient we are on the flanks in terms of both attacking depth and fullback quality.
Rodri would have been an excellent choice, @bucky and @Invictus both wanted him as well and the latter was on about us getting him while he had the low buyout clause at Villareal, now it''s a €100M at Atleti which is a hell of an outlay and we'd have to see if he even wanted to move.
Since you guys found the stats interesting I've added Ndombele, Rodrigo and Rice to the list:
Player - Tackles/Interceptions/Clearances/Blocks/Dispossessed/Bad Control (Per game)
Rodrigo --- 3,2 / 1,2 / 2,2 / 0,4 / 0,8 / 0,7
Herrera --- 2,5 / 2,1 / 1,3 / 0,4 / 0,4 / 0,6
Rice ------- 2,6 / 1,6 / 1,8 / 0,4 / 0,7 / 0,7
Neves ----- 2,3 / 2,1 / 1,0 / 0,6 / 0,8 / 0,9
Ndidi ------ 3,2 / 1,9 / 2,2 / 0,2 / 1,0 / 1,7
Lemina ---- 2,6 / 2,2 / 1,4 / 0,2 / 1,6 / 1,2
Matic ------ 1,8 / 1,3 / 2,0 / 0,6 / 1,4 / 1,0
Barella ---- 3,2 / 1,4 / 0,8 / 0,1 / 2,0 / 3,2
Ndombele - 2,0 / 0,6 / 0,2 / 0,3 / 1,8 / 1,5
Pellegrini -- 1,8 / 0,3 / 1,0 / 0,1 / 1,7 / 1,9
Ndombele almost on the level of Pellegrini when it comes to defensive stats. Rodrigo the only one so far to match Herreras numbers, but Rice not far from it.
Player (Goals/Assist) - Shots/Key Passes/Dribbles/Crosses/Long Balls/Through Balls (Per game)
Pellegrini (1/3) - 1,6 / 2,6 / 0,9 / 1,6 / 0,9 / 0,2
Neves (3/2) ---- 2,4 / 0,8 / 0,3 / 0,2 / 6,5 / 0,0
Barella (1/0) ---- 1,4 / 1,0 / 0,9 / 0,6 / 3,0 / 0,1
Ndombele (0/4) - 0,8 / 1,1 / 1,6 / 0,0 / 1,5 / 0,1
Herrera (2/3) --- 0,9 / 0,8 / 0,4 / 0,1 / 1,6 / 0,1
Ndidi (2/0) ------ 1,8 / 0,6 / 0,9 / 0,0 / 2,7 / 0,1
Lemina (0/1) --- 1,2 / 0,5 / 1,1 / 0,2 / 2,2 / 0,0
Matic (1/0) ------ 0,5 / 0,5 / 0,7 / 0,1 / 4,3 / 0,0
Rodrigo (2/0) ---- 0,8 / 0,5 / 0,5 / 0,0 / 3,3 / 0,1
Rice (1/0) -------- 0,7 / 0,3 / 0,8 / 0,0 / 3,0 / 0,0
Ndombele contributes better in attack, but not nearly to the extent of Pellegrini/Neves. Rice & Rodrigo naturally at the bottom, as they are pure DM's.
Player - Tackles/Interceptions/Clearances/Blocks/Dispossessed/Bad Control (Per game)
Rodrigo --- 3,2 / 1,2 / 2,2 / 0,4 / 0,8 / 0,7
Herrera --- 2,5 / 2,1 / 1,3 / 0,4 / 0,4 / 0,6
Rice ------- 2,6 / 1,6 / 1,8 / 0,4 / 0,7 / 0,7
Neves ----- 2,3 / 2,1 / 1,0 / 0,6 / 0,8 / 0,9
Ndidi ------ 3,2 / 1,9 / 2,2 / 0,2 / 1,0 / 1,7
Lemina ---- 2,6 / 2,2 / 1,4 / 0,2 / 1,6 / 1,2
Matic ------ 1,8 / 1,3 / 2,0 / 0,6 / 1,4 / 1,0
Barella ---- 3,2 / 1,4 / 0,8 / 0,1 / 2,0 / 3,2
Ndombele - 2,0 / 0,6 / 0,2 / 0,3 / 1,8 / 1,5
Pellegrini -- 1,8 / 0,3 / 1,0 / 0,1 / 1,7 / 1,9
Ndombele almost on the level of Pellegrini when it comes to defensive stats. Rodrigo the only one so far to match Herreras numbers, but Rice not far from it.
Player (Goals/Assist) - Shots/Key Passes/Dribbles/Crosses/Long Balls/Through Balls (Per game)
Pellegrini (1/3) - 1,6 / 2,6 / 0,9 / 1,6 / 0,9 / 0,2
Neves (3/2) ---- 2,4 / 0,8 / 0,3 / 0,2 / 6,5 / 0,0
Barella (1/0) ---- 1,4 / 1,0 / 0,9 / 0,6 / 3,0 / 0,1
Ndombele (0/4) - 0,8 / 1,1 / 1,6 / 0,0 / 1,5 / 0,1
Herrera (2/3) --- 0,9 / 0,8 / 0,4 / 0,1 / 1,6 / 0,1
Ndidi (2/0) ------ 1,8 / 0,6 / 0,9 / 0,0 / 2,7 / 0,1
Lemina (0/1) --- 1,2 / 0,5 / 1,1 / 0,2 / 2,2 / 0,0
Matic (1/0) ------ 0,5 / 0,5 / 0,7 / 0,1 / 4,3 / 0,0
Rodrigo (2/0) ---- 0,8 / 0,5 / 0,5 / 0,0 / 3,3 / 0,1
Rice (1/0) -------- 0,7 / 0,3 / 0,8 / 0,0 / 3,0 / 0,0
Ndombele contributes better in attack, but not nearly to the extent of Pellegrini/Neves. Rice & Rodrigo naturally at the bottom, as they are pure DM's.
I really like Daniel Carvalho and I was suprised, that there were no rumours during our Mourinho era. Because he is also Portuguese and played an amazing WC and EC at this time.
Think you are on about William Carvalho mate? Daniel Carvalho is a 35 year old Brazilian attacking midfielder
Looked like a very interesting talent back in his CSKA Moscow days, to be fair. Surprised he's still active according to Wikipedia, but yeah, I'd give it a miss regarding the replacement of Matic.
He's not much smaller than David Silva, who excels in a deeper midfield position.
You could potentially use Gomes and Pogba as City use David Silva and De Bruyne, although you need a much better defensive midfield player and central defence to do that.
Thanks. For sure I mean William Carvalho. So many similar names in football
Thanks. For sure I mean William Carvalho. So many similar names in football
Any time mate. I checked and there are over 60 footballers active with Carvalho as surname
Thanks again for the stats mate, Neves really does stack up well against Matic defensively and and exceeds him with thos long balls out from deep, something we can utilize with our pace out wide. One surprising stat is the lack of through balls for both of them and I thought Matic's dribble stats would be higher.
If we had someone like Fernandinho then 100% agree, just with Gomes and Pogba, both not great defensively, that is a lot of work to get through for Matic at his age with is legs not the best. If we had say a Kante, then 100% play the pair of them, next DMC we buy is a very big signing as it needs to be right.
Yeah. Sadly whoever you do look to buy is likely to be a target for City too.
Said on another thread that I'd maybe go for Rabiot on a free AND Declan Rice this summer. That way Rabiot, Pogba and Herrera/NEW can play for a few seasons whilst Rice and Gomes find their feet, with plenty of game time off the bench.
But Rabiot there long term with 2 more attacking players ahead of him wouldn't work, as he's not defensive minded enough. Same reason why Ruben Neves wouldn't be the right player for you either (not just saying that because I don't want him to leave Wolves!).
Except why would Rice prefer sitting on our bench to his current situation?
I’d be happy with that
He’d get enough game time to continue his growth
Rabiot or Neves deeper then Ndombele next to Pogba.
Ruben Neves. That is all.
Just like Andreas, Fred and McTominay have? The truth is, we don't rotate much in midfield. Not to this point anyway. That could change of course but I imagine he'd want assurances about his playing time. Then there's the cost. He's tied to West Hame for 6 years, he's homegrown and he'd be coming off the back of a great season. He'll be very expensive.
Think I've read it somewhere that Pellegrini is all that high on leaving Italy.
I think Neves needs a ball-winning, more defensive type next to him, probably as does Rabiot. Playing him as the deepest of a 3 man midfield (Fernandinho role) doesn't really suit him.
So he'd be fine as one of the 2 in a 4-2-3-1, providing the other player is a Kante type.
That said, he's still only 21 and from what I've seen of him so far, he will only get better in the next few years so his defensive side might improve to the point where he could fill that role for a very top side.
Maybe that'll be Wolves by that time!
Also I'm kinda unpleasantly surprised with Weigl's lack of development, he looked quite promising 2 years back and he was probably the closest player in tearm of playing style and passing ability to Carrick.
Yeah both good players but I am going to upset you here mate and say Neves would be my choice haha, reminds me of Carrick but maybe scores a few more goals, different kind of player to Fernandinho but he would be my choice, sorry!
It depends on our playstyle. The majority of the time teams sit deep. Neves would be great as a DM who can be composed on the ball and switch play. We have Ander Herrera as a RCM next to him who provides energy and grit but I think he has it in him to grow into that role. I don't think big clubs can accomodate workhorse players anymore. Every player needs to be good on the ball. You're very optimistic but I think he will go this summer.I think Neves needs a ball-winning, more defensive type next to him, probably as does Rabiot. Playing him as the deepest of a 3 man midfield (Fernandinho role) doesn't really suit him.
So he'd be fine as one of the 2 in a 4-2-3-1, providing the other player is a Kante type.
That said, he's still only 21 and from what I've seen of him so far, he will only get better in the next few years so his defensive side might improve to the point where he could fill that role for a very top side.
Maybe that'll be Wolves by that time!
No, it's very flattering that we actually have a player in demand!
Agree. Getting the blend right is important. For example, on paper, Liverpool's midfield shouldn't be that good, but they get the blend of players spot on.
Maybe he will go this summer, but I don't think that'll be the case. I can see us holding onto him for at least one more season.
I think Neves needs a ball-winning, more defensive type next to him, probably as does Rabiot. Playing him as the deepest of a 3 man midfield (Fernandinho role) doesn't really suit him.
So he'd be fine as one of the 2 in a 4-2-3-1, providing the other player is a Kante type.
That said, he's still only 21 and from what I've seen of him so far, he will only get better in the next few years so his defensive side might improve to the point where he could fill that role for a very top side.
Maybe that'll be Wolves by that time!
You might be right but we miss the Carrick type of player and he grew into the defensive role as he went on. Matic is decent on the ball but Neves is quality. He’s one of my favourite players in the premier league. You are lucky to have him. For now
One of the best young midfielders in the PL. in time could become another carrick type with coaching from, er.. carrick
€50 + Andreas P. Boom!
None of the 3 you mentioned are good enough imho. Matic is 1 year older and Herrera still hasn’t signed a new contract. We may need multiple midfielders come the summer
That wouldn't be a bad deal but only problem is Pereira's contract though.
Despite the sniggering section of media and posters, the caf was spot on about Fabinho. We should have signed him instead of Matic tbh. Proper DM.