Nemanja Matic

[Toli 977]

I prefer Guarin + Matic to Essien + Mikel

Guarin+Matic cost probably 40 m more than Essien+ Mikel, so this aint a big wonder that they are better

[kellzfresh 7,229]

not creative at all?

he actually has pretty good vision and can pick attacking passes

Fantastic video. He's a physical beast, puts in masive tackles, he certainly has vision and picks out passes our pivot cant.

The only problem is i didnt see enough long passing to say he's an expert in that.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

i think it is my first time when writing about nemanja, but let me tell you a little story

back in february 2009 i was in turkey, right when teams from romania were playing some friendly matches just before starting the championship again (because of the big winter pause in the romanian championship - during from december to march - romanian teams tend to go to warmer places to play some friendly matches). nemanja matic was playing at that time for mfk kosice and i had the chance to watch the slovaks play twice against cfr cluj and rapid bucharest. he played first against cfr cluj and he scored a nice goal from a free-kick, and then he played against rapid bucharest where he was simply faultless, terrific display in the midfield area and i remember he was a beast in the air, he won every header. i was in the stands at both games and i had a chat with an official from kosice and i asked him about this lad. even though it was a friendly match you could have seen he'll end up being a great player. i didn't knew anything about matic, it was the 2nd time when watching him play and that kosice official i was talking to said to me big clubs are monitoring him with chelsea ready to offer the right money to sign him. (joking a little bit, i said to myself: "hmmmm, not bad, if i'm able to recognize such a talent seeing him only twice, and friendly matches too, it means my scouting skills are not bad at all" )

three or four months later he signed for chelsea and now it is beyond my logic how chelsea let him go w/o putting a buy-back clause in his contract or something like this. i haven't watched him that much in his benfica days, but some say he's better than witsel was when playing for benfica, others say he is benfica's best midfielder right now, but the fact is we need a player like him now and i'd be glad if chelsea would sign him (again!).

[Steve 10,227]

We don't have a buy back clause by any chance do we?

[Yeboii 1,844]

If we got him wont he also count as home-grown since he was brought up by us?

[Jype 6,398]

If we got him wont he also count as home-grown since he was brought up by us?

Probably not because he only spent a year and a half at Chelsea.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

According to some reports, he is the player who covered more ground than any other in CL this season. If that is correct, he has some great engine for PL.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Maybe one of the portuguese members can say how good he is in passing and playmaking?

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

Maybe one of the portuguese members can say how good he is in passing and playmaking?

Hes good going forward and a good long passer, although nowhere near a Gundogan or Modric. Rocket left foot. Very good at winning the ball. He'd fit in nicely.

[José Mateus 46]

Maybe one of the portuguese members can say how good he is in passing and playmaking?

When he arrived he was seen as an 8-10.

As we had Javi, Witsel and Aimar he didn't have many chances and was used mainly as a sub for Javi...

When Javi and Witsel left... Matic subbed both and believe me... he did both jobs. He was considered the best player in the league in front of such as Joao Moutinho, Jackson Martinez, James Rodriguez, Gaitan, Cardozo etc.

He is definitely a better player when playing as a 6. He combines engine, strength, technique, vision, shooting... This year he has played many games as 8 where he hasn't been near as good. So while he has more than enough passing and playmaking for playing as a 6 or in a double pivot, I don't think he is a world beater playing as a 8 or 10.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Hes good going forward and a good long passer, although nowhere near a Gundogan or Modric. Rocket left foot. Very good at winning the ball. He'd fit in nicely.

Where would you rank his passing then? Pogba level? or less?

The thing about the current Matic/Guarin situation is that i think getting Matic would probably mean we got our CM also for the future, and Guarin is more of a short term solution that could keep the option to buy another CM in the summer. The question is if Matic-Ramires is a good enough double pivot in a long term view.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

When he arrived he was seen as an 8-10.

As we had Javi, Witsel and Aimar he didn't have many chances and was used mainly as a sub for Javi...

When Javi and Witsel left... Matic subbed both and believe me... he did both jobs. He was considered the best player in the league in front of such as Joao Moutinho, Jackson Martinez, James Rodriguez, Gaitan, Cardozo etc.

He is definitely a better player when playing as a 6. He combines engine, strength, technique, vision, shooting... This year he has played many games as 8 where he hasn't been near as good. So while he has more than enough passing and playmaking for playing as a 6 or in a double pivot, I don't think he is a world beater playing as a 8 or 10.

According to this words on Matic I could actualy see Jose going for this kind of midfield with Matic-Ramires, very balanced and powerfull, and if Matic could get the game going from the back like you say he could it will be a good option.

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

Where would you rank his passing then? Pogba level? or less?

The thing about the current Matic/Guarin situation is that i think getting Matic would probably mean we got our CM also for the future, and Guarin is more of a short term solution that could keep the option the buy another CM in the summer. The question is if Matic-Ramires is a good enough double pivot in a long term view.

His passing is very good, I meant that he's not close to Gundoganor Modric going forward, wich is normal. Like the other poster said, he's better as a 6.

My question with Matic is not whether he's good enough, but his price tag. 40m is steep. But looking at the market and how inflated it is, it's not as bad as it sounds..

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Matic and Gundogan in the summer and we'll have the best midfield in the BPL

Matic

Rambo Gundogan

[Mufassir08 2,400]

His passing is very good, I meant that he's not close to Gundoganor Modric going forward, wich is normal. Like the other poster said, he's better as a 6.

My question with Matic is not whether he's good enough, but his price tag. 40m is steep. But looking at the market and how inflated it is, it's not as bad as it sounds..

Isn't he available for 20-25m due to their financial problems?