Koke

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Superb player, but you would ruin him there. He is a proper 10, he can pull the strings from there, you just have to give him that freedom he needs by putting to guys to do the dirty job for him. Just like Cholo did with Thiago and Mario tonight.

___ Koke ___

_Matic Vidal__

As I said, great player, but Barcelona bound, I feel...

Not so accurate. He can literally play anywhere, that's why I like him. CM, right wing, left wing, left midfield, right midfield, CAM.... He's brilliant.

Another thing I like is that he combines physicality with brilliant passing range. He is a robust playmaker, not a light weight like so many others like him. He also, as we've seen, delivers good crosses and has a fairly decent shot.

Almost a perfect player and he's only 22. Certainly one of the best young players in the world.

Let's hope he doesn't go to Barca. They will turn him to a tiki-taka playing drone. They destroy anyone who doesn't fit into their philosophy.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

That right there, would be the best midfield in the world. I know the chances of him coming here are slim to none, but hey, sue me for dreaming. Don't know about Barça, I actually haven't read or heard any rumors about him since he renewed his contract and had a 60M release clause inserted into it.

Your dream is in Roman's hands to be honest. If he wants him, he'll get him. The problem is that Chelsea has shown too much respect to Platini and his FFP rules and Roman is a bit afraid of that thing. But as FFP has turned to be a big horse shit, I think Roman could be in for some dandy signings this summer. Every player has a price eventually and, more than that, he comes from Atletico, a team that is forced to listen to offers everytime Chelsea, City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG are knocking at the door. Now, they might play at the same level as those mentioned, but they know they can't cope with those wages Chelsea/Barcelona are offering to Koke, Diego Costa etc. Their best players will eventually leave, just like Kun did, Torres, Falcao, Vieri, De Gea.

The same goes for Juventus too. I can't see Vidal at Juventus after this season, to be honest. Juve might be the best club in Italy, but that's it. Their best players will be eager to leave if Chelsea/Real Madrid will come and ask for them. Juventus does not have the power to refuse offers coming from Chelsea, City, Real Madrid, Barcelona.

Champions League money, some players leaving, Adidas money, Roman adding some money from his pocket and Chelsea should be in for an entertaining summer (Three world-class signings).

[Nike 373]

Koke good, but Thiago is better and a healthy Lahm/Martinez-Bastian-Thiago is better than Matic-Vidal-Koke.

[iseah100 5,612]

Koke good, but Thiago is better and a healthy Lahm/Martinez-Bastian-Thiago is better than Matic-Vidal-Koke.

Umm. No?

[Nike 373]

Umm. No?

Haha. When Martinez-Bastian smashed everyone last season including Juventus, now all of a sudden they are not good? Also, Thiago is better than Koke.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Haha. When Martinez-Bastian smashed everyone last season including Juventus, now all of a sudden they are not good? Also, Thiago is better than Koke.

That's your opinion really and I'm sure most people will disagree with that. As for Thiago being better than Koke, that's pretty subjective. Can you provide some evidence backing your claim?

[Nike 373]

That's your opinion really and I'm sure most people will disagree with that. As for Thiago being better than Koke, that's pretty subjective. Can you provide some evidence backing your claim?

u21 championship.

Go ask anyone in Spain who is better, thiago or koke.

Thiago is pretty much better in everything minus long passes/set pieces. This is the same kid that broke into Barcelona so called greatest team with the greatest midfield as a teenager. The same kid that Barcelona fans thought was better than Arsenal's Cesc at that time and captain of Spain u21 champ team.

[iseah100 5,612]

Haha. When Martinez-Bastian smashed everyone last season including Juventus, now all of a sudden they are not good? Also, Thiago is better than Koke.

Umm... no?

[Nike 373]

I love how Matic all of a sudden rose to world class status in the likes of Bayern's cm, Madrid's cm and Barca cms...

Chelsea tinted glasses at its best.

[iseah100 5,612]

I love how Matic all of a sudden rose to world class status in the likes of Bayern's cm, Madrid's cm and Barca cms...

Chelsea tinted glasses at its best.

Umm..... he won Portuguese League Player of the Year last year. He's better than Illaramendi. He's world class.

[Nike 373]

Umm..... he won Portuguese League Player of the Year last year. He's better than Illaramendi. He's world class.

lol, being better than the spainard makes you world class now? lol

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

u21 championship.

Go ask anyone in Spain who is better, thiago or koke.

Thiago is pretty much better in everything minus long passes/set pieces. This is the same kid that broke into Barcelona so called greatest team with the greatest midfield as a teenager. The same kid that Barcelona fans thought was better than Arsenal's Cesc at that time and captain of Spain u21 champ team.

Koke is a better all round player but Thiago has better technique and flair. That's literally the only advantage Thiago has over Koke from what I've seen of both players. And Koke is one of the fittest out there while Thiago suffers fairly serious injuries every season. Also, Koke has been the better player this season, Thiago is yet to prove himself over the course of a full season.

Saying Thiago is much better is bull. I don't think either of them are either more or less better than each other. It's close, but I believe Koke is the better player because of the physical edge he has over Thiago and the fact that his game is more well-rounded. Thiago is more of a luxury player. And I say that as a fan of both players.

Xavi :"Koke is an extraordinary footballer," "He has everything: talent, physical ability, he is a footballer of the present and the future," Xavi added.

"He has been marked out as the conductor of Spain's orchestra for the next 10 years.

"I have a special affection for him because we play in the same position and I think he is an extraordinary player."

[iseah100 5,612]

lol, being better than the spainard makes you world class now? lol

You said Matic isn't world class status like Real's CM's. Illaramendi is a CM and plays for Real. Matic is better.

[Nike 373]

Koke is a better all round player but Thiago has better technique and flair. That's literally the only advantage Thiago has over Koke from what I've seen of both players. And Koke is one of the fittest out there while Thiago suffers fairly serious injuries every season. Also, Koke has been the better player this season, Thiago is yet to prove himself over the course of a full season.

Saying Thiago is much better is bull. I don't think either of them are either more or less better than each other. It's close, but I believe Koke is the better player because of the physical edge he has over Thiago and the fact that his game is more well-rounded. Thiago is more of a luxury player. And I say that as a fan of both players.

Xavi :"Koke is an extraordinary footballer," "He has everything: talent, physical ability, he is a footballer of the present and the future," Xavi added.

"He has been marked out as the conductor of Spain's orchestra for the next 10 years.

"I have a special affection for him because we play in the same position and I think he is an extraordinary player."

Thiago has already been part of three significant spanish international teams.

Spanish u17 and u21 2x already. he has won three titles in the starting lineups and captained the most recent u21 team to the championship. You know what team he wasn't on due to injury, the same u23 team that had Martinez, de gea, mata, isco, montoya, herrara and koke were all on and didn't advance past the group stages in the olympics.

Thiago is Spain future.

[Nike 373]

You said Matic isn't world class status like Real's CM's. Illaramendi is a CM and plays for Real. Matic is better.

Meaning Modric and Xabi.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Meaning Modric and Xabi.

He is better than Xabi who is only a shadow of the player he once was. He was a weak link that Guardiola could have exploited, but his obsession with possession football couldn't allow him to.

Thiago has already been part of three significant spanish international teams.

Spanish u17 and u21 2x already. he has won three titles in the starting lineups and captained the most recent u21 team to the championship. You know what team he wasn't on due to injury, the same u23 team that had Martinez, de gea, mata and koke were all on and didn't advance past the group stages in the olympics. Thiago is Spain future.

I don't think Thiago's presence or absence was the most crucial aspect in Spain losing in the Olympic games. They just didn't take it seriously. As for the u21 championships. I watched it and I think Isco and Illaramendi were Spain's most impressive players. Thiago was very good, but he won the golden ball because of his hattrick in the final. Isco was outperforming him prior to that.

And let's not dwell too much on youth tournaments. Performance wise for their respective for their respective clubs this season its Koke then Isco then Thiago. But Thiago has had injury problems. Anyway, Koke and Thiago are both fantastic players but for reasons stated above, I believe Koke is the better player. Difference. Thiago needs to perform at a high level for an entire season first. Koke is the lynch-pin in one of Europe's strongest sides.

And on the issue of young players, my 3 best 23 and under players are Hazard, Pogba and Koke. What are yours?

[Nike 373]

He is better than Xabi who is only a shadow of the player he once was. He was a weak link that Guardiola could have exploited, but his obsession with possession football couldn't allow him to.

I don't think Thiago's presence or absence was the most crucial aspect in Spain losing in the Olympic games. They just didn't take it seriously. As for the u21 championships. I watched it and I think Isco and Illaramendi were Spain's most impressive players. Thiago was very good, but he won the golden ball because of his hattrick in the final. Isco was outperforming him prior to that.

And let's not dwell too much on youth tournaments. Performance wise for their respective for their respective clubs this season its Koke then Isco then Thiago. But Thiago has had injury problems. Anyway, Koke and Thiago are both fantastic players but for reasons stated above, I believe Koke is the better player. Difference. Thiago needs to perform at a high level for an entire season first. Koke is the lynch-pin in one of Europe's strongest sides.

And on the issue of young players, my 3 best 23 and under players are Hazard, Pogba and Koke. What are yours?

. He was a weak link - said no one ever...

Thiago absence didnt cause spain to win 0 games in the olympics, yet every team he has been on they have won the championship. i highly doubt you watch the u21 champ if you dont think thiago was the best player on spain.

Anyways, Thiago was fantastic for Munich this season. It's more of a knee-jerk reaction after atletico beat us that now Koke is better than thiago. You do know what Thiago was running Munich for a good chunk of the season until his injuries...

Anyways, back to Koke, I would love to have him here playing next to Matic or in the 4-3-3.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

. He was a weak link - said no one ever...

Thiago absence didnt cause spain to win 0 games in the olympics, yet every team he has been on they have won the championship. i highly doubt you watch the u21 champ if you dont think thiago was the best player on spain. Anyways, Thiago was fantastic for Munich this season. It's more of a knee-jerk reaction after atletico beat us that now Koke is better than thiago. You do know what Thiago was running Munich for a good chunk of the season until his injuries...

(1) Go watch the matches against Dortmund (2nd leg) or Bilbao or Atletico or any team that plays a high press against Madrid. All they do is press him high up the pitch and he either loses it or misplaces a pass. The guy is getting old and it shows.

(2) I've felt this way for the past 6 months. Again, has Thiago ever done anything of significance for a full season. This season is literally Thiago's first season in his career of being a first team regular, but still he only completed 20 games. Koke has distinguished himself for two seasons running now and is one of the most integral players in the 2nd best team in Europe. He is a well rounded player who is capable of doing everything Thiago can do albeit with less flair. Maybe you're blinded by Thiago's skill on the ball but it's obvious that Koke has been better than Thiago this season and is a better player. It's up to Thiago to prove otherwise.