Nemanja Matic

[Special Juan 28,141]

Anyone feeling charitable enough to point me to the best read regarding how he's developed since he left Chelsea?

Call me weird but I can't muster much enthusiasm for a 2009 signing.

This from the last page....

Hi guys,

I'm new around here, and just want to let you know that YOUR TEAM STOLE US! As a Benfica fan i'm felling raped after this deal! xD

Matic arrived at Benfica as an offensive midfielder, that could play as a box-to-box or even at the left of the midfield. During almost all the season he was just training, sometimes playing 5/10 minutes to replace Javi Garcia (our defensive midfielder) or add some extra strength to the midfield if needed.

He always had nice technical skills, but he was too passive and very weak tactically. One year later when Javi left to city he was the replacement and everybody was skeptical about it, he was not strong enough to command the defensive process alone, "they said!" (and i remember that we also lost Witsel exactly in the same day to Zenit).

After a couple of games he was our best player, adding something to our game that we hadn't in the past, great technical skills in the 1st phase of construction which makes your offensive process so much easier for a team that needs to win every game and essentially, a very good pressure over the opponents even on attacking areas. I'd say that his main skill his the tackling, that's why a lot of people call him "the Serbian spider", long legs, strength, and extremely effective when pressing the opponent.

He was one of the keys on our campaign last season, considered the best player in the league and in my opinion we need to go back at least 10 years to find someone like him playing in Portugal (maybe until 2003 when Deco was playing in Porto). I used to say last season that i wouldn't change Matic for any defensive midfielder in the world.

At least now you know how we feel, losing our best player for 21M£, in January, 2 days after we reach the 1st place in the Portuguese league and without anyone to replace him! Not your fault, you did a great job. Probably not Matic's fault, even if he pushed the situation to a limit. It's our fault, to keep voting on someone as a president who's increasing our huge debt and then needs to do 50% off, at January Sales.

All the best guys!

[Joshybizzle 109]

Hi guys

I know about as much about Nemanja as anyone else who's goggled & youtube'd him (along with the limited glimpses we got a couple of years ago) and be does look like a technical CDM in his prime, winning headers (you'd hope so at 6'4) keeping possession with the occasional turn and swivel, using his body strength and some fairly crisp passing

If I was to pick a player he reminded me of I think it would have to be a more defensive Yaya Toure maybe? That kind of midfield general, a solid base to build from, not as much of an attacking threat (save maybe getting his head onto set pieces) I think what's more interesting from my perspective is what, with Joses tutelage, he can become rather than the complete player he already seems to be!

Either way fantastic bit of business for us and a complete steal at the prices being touted

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Ze Mario 638]

Too bad, this friendly giant is cup tied though. Oh well, Jose will work with the team, wins the PL in this season & come next year the CL, lol. Happy times are here again...here again, banzai.

err guys please sort me out. if i remember correctly uefa change their regulations about players registration in mid season.

here's the link

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Regulations/competitions/Regulations/01/48/42/49/1484249_DOWNLOAD.pdf

at page 25 i paste below:

As a rule, a player may not play in a UEFA club competition (i.e. UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, but not UEFA Super Cup) for more than one club in the course of the same season. Exceptionally, however, a player who has been fielded in the first, second or third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League is entitled to play in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League for another club as from the group stage, provided that his former club did not qualify for the group phase of either the UEFA Champions League or the UEFA Europa League; moreover, as from the start of the round of 16 (round of 32 for UEFA Europa League), a player can be registered in accordance with paragraphs 18.17 to 18.20 below. For the avoidance of doubt, a substitute player who has not been fielded is entitled to play for another club competing in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League in the course of the same season, provided that he is registered with the UEFA administration in accordance with the present regulations.

so in matic's case, doesnt that mean he eligible for us in this knock out champions stage?

fyi, that the regulation from 2010. idk if uefa change it again after that.

enlight me pls

[nadavTKL 1,787]

If I was to pick a player he reminded me of I think it would have to be a more defensive Yaya Toure maybe?

Vieira.

[laeth 527]

err guys please sort me out. if i remember correctly uefa change their regulations about players registration in mid season.

here's the link

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Regulations/competitions/Regulations/01/48/42/49/1484249_DOWNLOAD.pdf

at page 25 i paste below:

As a rule, a player may not play in a UEFA club competition (i.e. UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, but not UEFA Super Cup) for more than one club in the course of the same season. Exceptionally, however, a player who has been fielded in the first, second or third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League is entitled to play in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League for another club as from the group stage, provided that his former club did not qualify for the group phase of either the UEFA Champions League or the UEFA Europa League; moreover, as from the start of the round of 16 (round of 32 for UEFA Europa League), a player can be registered in accordance with paragraphs 18.17 to 18.20 below. For the avoidance of doubt, a substitute player who has not been fielded is entitled to play for another club competing in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League in the course of the same season, provided that he is registered with the UEFA administration in accordance with the present regulations.

so in matic's case, doesnt that mean he eligible for us in this knock out champions stage?

fyi, that the regulation from 2010. idk if uefa change it again after that.

enlight me pls

He played in the group stages of the Champions League...so he isn't eligible. He'd only be eligible if Benfica only got to the Qualifying Rounds (pre-group stage).

[BenIsLegend 475]

err guys please sort me out. if i remember correctly uefa change their regulations about players registration in mid season.

here's the link

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Regulations/competitions/Regulations/01/48/42/49/1484249_DOWNLOAD.pdf

at page 25 i paste below:

As a rule, a player may not play in a UEFA club competition (i.e. UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, but not UEFA Super Cup) for more than one club in the course of the same season. Exceptionally, however, a player who has been fielded in the first, second or third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League is entitled to play in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League for another club as from the group stage, provided that his former club did not qualify for the group phase of either the UEFA Champions League or the UEFA Europa League; moreover, as from the start of the round of 16 (round of 32 for UEFA Europa League), a player can be registered in accordance with paragraphs 18.17 to 18.20 below. For the avoidance of doubt, a substitute player who has not been fielded is entitled to play for another club competing in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League in the course of the same season, provided that he is registered with the UEFA administration in accordance with the present regulations.

so in matic's case, doesnt that mean he eligible for us in this knock out champions stage?

fyi, that the regulation from 2010. idk if uefa change it again after that.

enlight me pls

All that is saying that if they had to go through qualifying rounds to get to the group stage and failed then that player would be able to play in the group stages or further with another team since he hasn't played in the actual tournament just qualifying rounds.

[Joshybizzle 109]

If I was to pick a player he reminded me of I think it would have to be a more defensive Yaya Toure maybe?

Vieira.

Also a good shout!

Even better if he starts making those barnstorming Vieira-esk runs up the pitch like a pile driver in the middle of the park, but alas I don't see him as that kind of player myself, I think we'll see Ramires continue making his lung busting runs up the pitch while Matic sits back and does what Matic does

[Kostas 1,468]

This from the last page....

Thanks

Sounds like he's gotten a fair bit more defensive. Can't say that I mind but it's not as exciting as signing a top class box-to-box player.

[Eidur the Spider 4,515]

[Jusek 2,031]

He's a one lanky dude.

[pinela_SLB 39]

Thanks

Sounds like he's gotten a fair bit more defensive. Can't say that I mind but it's not as exciting as signing a top class box-to-box player.

This season he played half of the games (something like that) as a box-to-box, with a defensive midfielder behind him. Still a good player, but not even close to what he can do if playing has the reference in front of the defense. That's his position and it's where he can be a top player.

In my opinion, and even if it's not so exciting as a box-to-box, he's exactly what you need to make offensive process more fluent and provide you ball possession with quality. To play as a box-to-box you have Ramires.

Matic, Ramires, Oscar in the Center

Willian, Right

Hazard, Left

Best midfield in the premier league in my opinion. Only city can be comparable, at this moment. Give them time and it'll be even better!

[Joshybizzle 109]

This from the last page....

Thanks

Sounds like he's gotten a fair bit more defensive. Can't say that I mind but it's not as exciting as signing a top class box-to-box player.

Now that depends how José decides to use Mr. Matic, while certainly not a box to box midfielder he's got all the qualities to be something of a dynamic player!

He's a CDM with pretty immense defensive abilities and that's the position and role he's going to play of the two in the midfield pivot. Having played A bit further forward (with us at one point I think he was considered a CAM?) I don't see any reason he can't put his strength, technical ability and athleticism into action further up the pitch, again, but this is a role more likely to be filled by Ramires in all likelihood.

Like I said, depends on Mr. Mourhinio but he's not a one trick pony by any stretch of the imagination

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

[AswinR 96]

Now that was a great signing!!

A lot of people talking about matic and yaya toure.....but somehow i am reminded of ballack or schweinstieger ...... calm and very good in reading the games and putting in tackles at the right moment and good passes forward ......

The coming of matic is a glimpse of mourinho tactics..... I dont think he wants one CM and one DM .... i think he wants positive defensive mids interchanging between themselves on who's going forward(like in liverpool game with ramires and luiz...the opposition was completly surpirised when luiz pushed forward suddenly) ..... the players who can close in quickly when off the ball and with good stamina and a good eye for a pass are rare but i think we have the best two in the world in ramires and matic also romelu is another player of that sort...wouldn't be surprised if comes back to Chelsea next season and lets not forget MVG(out injured).

The only sadness is realizing if i am right is that it effectively means the end of essien & lampard...but i think mikel will survive as backup option to shut shop.

[Phil Driver 503]

Matic is ten times a better player than Mikel ,that is all you need to know .

Well done Mourinho on sorting out our DM problem , we will counter much quicker now , Matic is a playmaker ,very positive and quick thinking ,he will link up and give our three AM's much quicker ball than Mikel , he reads the game much better ,a fantastic signing by Mourinho and a very obvious one given the limitations of Mikel.

Some bad decisions have been made at the club in recent years when you think players like Matic were allowed to leave while the club persevered with Mikel,but thankfully Mourinho has now acted to put that right .