Marco van Ginkel

[Barbara 15,149]

Another solid display by him.

He was very good tackling - as usual, only looked a bit flustered once as far as I remember, and took some nice set-pieces.

I really hope he continues to shine in the pre-season. We need him to erase Ramires from Mourinho's mind. He doesn't have the same pace and stamina, but he's fast nonetheless and he's resilient enough, he can endure the matches.

A pivot with him and Matic is great, and he can also play in the 4-3-3 midfield alongside Cesc and Matic - with Cesc as the most advanced midfielder. I want to see this boy getting some matches. We need to continue his development, he has a lot of potential and I can't for the life of me see why we'd need to sign another MD (CM, DM, B2B, DLP) at all. We're balanced as it is. Oriol was also very solid today so we have them, and Ramires and Mikel (we could easily offload Mikel tbh, sorry Chou Chou). So if Oscar goes off again this season we have better options than simply throwing Ramires in the wing and moving Willian to the middle. Cesc can play Oscar's position and Marco can play Cesc's. Actually I think both Oscar and especially Willian will have to step up big time to keep their places in the team or even be relevant, as Schurrle ended the season (with us and the WC) in a high and Hazard is Hazard.

He's young and he has the kind of personality José simply loves (which is one of the reason why I believe DD is back). He's fearless, he's always highly motivated and I think he might even have that thirsty to win within him.

Luís said we'd never see him walking in the pitch, but always running and I believe it to also be true about this lad. I'm very happy with him and I'm looking forward to him staying here a long, long time.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Looked good today but some of his tackles are dangerous. He's not quite Paul Scholes and most can be put down to over-exuberance but there was one today where he went through the back of one of their players with no chance of getting the ball. Needs to just relax a bit because he's a solid midfielder.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Looked good today but some of his tackles are dangerous. He's not quite Paul Scholes and most can be put down to over-exuberance but there was one today where he went through the back of one of their players with no chance of getting the ball. Needs to just relax a bit because he's a solid midfielder.

I think he is doing that because he is coming back from a long lay-off and is just keen to impress the manager and send him the message that he is not only mentally ready to be a part of the squad but he's also physically ready.

[The Chels 2,502]

I think he is doing that because he is coming back from a long lay-off and is just keen to impress the manager and send him the message that he is not only mentally ready to be a part of the squad but he's also physically ready.

I remember he was doing it before his injury as well though. I think he just loves to tackle!

[The only place to be 11,313]

I think he is doing that because he is coming back from a long lay-off and is just keen to impress the manager and send him the message that he is not only mentally ready to be a part of the squad but he's also physically ready.

It's not something new to his game. I remember him doing the same thing in his first CL start for us and I'm pretty sure he got booked for it. He's very willing to go to the ground and some of his attempts are absolutely ridiculous, they're dangerous and if it was Ramires then they'd probably get more attention.

[dee25 1,044]

LOVE this kid. He's right out of the Lampard/Gerrard school of midfielders.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

They said he is better than Strootman. Time will tell. He sure is promising.

[The Skipper 20,593]

They said he is better than Strootman. Time will tell. He sure is promising.

Lol, who said that? Different type of players regardless.

[Barbara 15,149]

He's 21, he's still learning. Of course he's flustered sometimes, but it's nothing that worries me in the future about him being reckless. The only thing I worry about him being way too intense in some balls is that he may get hurt again. He has a great attitude imo and I see him staying here a decade and being the guy we'll be talking with great regard five years from now. I agree with @dee25's assessment that he comes right out of the same school as Lamps and Gerrard and it's no wonder how significant those two are to the fans of the clubs they've spent their whole lives at. He could be a legend here for all we know. It's too early to say that for sure, but he has the potential right there.

[Reddish-Blue 2,370]

Lol, who said that? Different type of players regardless.

I read a few places where pundits mentioned that Van Ginkel had the higher ceiling due to age

As in Van Ginkel is only 21 with so much development left in him...in comparison, Strootman is 24 and he's pretty much finished his development

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Lol, who said that? Different type of players regardless.

Who do you think will go on to be the better player in the future?

[OneMoSalah 8,797]

A lot to come from this boy, such a well rounded player. I was very impressed with him last pre-season as well, hopefully he will have better luck this year, looks such a confident guy for being 21 and sort of reminds me of Roy Keane in a way, flying into tackles.

Also hes similar to Strootman as in hes a box to box midfielder, I'd say going forward maybe Kevin has much more to his game but he is a few years older as well so I suppose Marco has still got time to develop, also remember he scored 10 or 11 goals for Vitesse the season before we signed him, he obviously has the skill set to get up the park and score goals.

[dee25 1,044]

Lol, who said that? Different type of players regardless.

Strootman has obviously moved up a level (or two) above MVG since his move to Roma, but in the eredivisie was there much between them? I heard from a few people that Van Ginkel was considered to be the bigger talent....

[Special Juan 27,454]

Hidden gem I think this lad will be, the signing that some of us forgot due to his injury.

Can't wait to see more of him.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Strootman has obviously moved up a level (or two) above MVG since his move to Roma, but in the eredivisie was there much between them? I heard from a few people that Van Ginkel was considered to be the bigger talent....

I don't know, it's difficult to compare because they are different players (Strootman is a deep lying playmaker, MVG is an athletic b2b player) and Strootman is pretty much an elite player already. Strootman was already very established in the Eredivisie and his quality was obvious, whilst MVG has not reached his potential yet. Sure, one might be able to say that if MVG keeps progressing and sees off that horrendous injury he suffered last year, he might potentially become an excellent player because he has a very, very high ceiling (no real weakness in his game unlike Strootman who isn't as athletic) but Strootman is already at a very high level and will also only improve.

MVG is a very interesting player because he can be a complete midfielder if he continues to develop nicely but there are too many unknown variables in football for anyone to say he'll be better than Strootman. Especially since Strootman is already a top player, who has a whole NT built around him. We won't ever know in the near future IMO, it's like comparing a prime Pirlo with Vidal, different players + also the fact that they're at different stages of their development.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Apparently his going to be loaned out which is sad, lets just not register Mark Schwazer or sell someone like Mikel

[iseah100 5,612]

Apparently his going to be loaned out which is sad, lets just not register Mark Schwazer or sell someone like Mikel

NOOOOO!!! SELL MIKEL!!!!!:'(

[stroey 2,525]

NOOOOO!!! SELL MIKEL!!!!!:'(

Mikel is the only reliable and proven back up to Matic.