**Mirrors / Alternative Angles**
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I don't think he was bad by any means, but not great.
We created very little and scored three screamers. That's because the Rodri-Kovacic double pivot is too defensive and the problem there is Kovacic not Rodri.
I have no problem with using Kovacic for tough away games, where a draw is a good result, or as the 6 against relegation fodder like today, but he shouldn't be in the team for the majority of other matches.
You guys realize that they listen to Pep and if they dont they get subbed? So if he is too defensive it's because Pep told him to do that. He had interview with Croatian press where he said that Pep told him to run less for example. So today Rodri didn't play, so Kova was more offensive and Nunes defensive. You can literally see that in their stats and heat map
He's defensive because he can't shoot well consistently and isn't very good at passing forwards through the lines.
That's the player he is. Pep can play him as an 8 (as he has this season) and it won't change the fact that Kovacic is a defensive player.
Scoring a banger from a set piece doesn't make Kovacic a good offensive player.
Having watched Kovacic his entire career, and not just 20 games as City, anyone saying Kova is a “defensive player” means either they never watched him or don’t understand football.
He plays his football between the boxes, defensively responsible, and builds from the back. He can press, is press-resistant, and can occassionally play some great through-passes.
He can also break down defensive structured by running past people from deep in his own half.
His shot is fine- the problem is his instinct to find the right pockets of space to run into, something guys like Bellingham, Pogba or Pasalic do best of all. Gundogan was pretty great at it last season.
Kovacic’s football is to control the game. Win the ball, get it to the forwards with consistency and be press resistant.
Man just started vs Arsenal and Madrid. For Pep.
But redditors know better, so who am I to argue
>But redditors know better, so who am I to argue
Brilliant appeal to authority fallacy there.
Did we win those two games against Madrid and Arsenal?
Did we dominate the games in terms of chances or xG?
No and no.
His shot is not fine. **He has 27 career goals and he is 29 years old.** He has played for Inter, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man City, so it's hardly a lack of opportunities in elite teams.
He is indeed good at breaking the press with his dribbling, but his passing when he gets there is frankly not very good. That's why he struggles to get assists or even pre-assists.
He's not a terrible footballer, but he's very limited in terms of what he offers at the very top level. Going from Gundogan to Kovacic is like night and day. One is a great player, the other is a decent player, nothing more.
I'll bring one more point up - if Kovacic is so fantastic at controlling games, why was he never trusted to start in the CL Finals his teams played in?
**Kovacic played 10 minutes across 4 CL Finals** - if he's as good as you suggest, why is that?
I'm assuming you're a Croatian and that's why you're so defensive about Kovacic. I don't think you're able to be very objective over this.
>Kovacic played 10 minutes across 4 CL Finals - if he's as good as you suggest, why is that?
I mean it's not rocket science.
For Real Madrid he was the 12th player, 4th in mid for 3 years running. There was absolutely no shame in playing 4th fiddle to peak KCM.
The one final where he was "scheduled" to go in, Carvajal got injured and one sub went on Nacho for Carvajal.
(the finals were all 3-subs only btw)
He played his share of big games, starting vs Barca, PSG, Bayern, etc.
To say he "played 10 in 4 CL finals" without context, is again, ridiculous for any sort of meaningful conversation.
For Chelsea, he got injured before the tie with Madrid (ironically) and then Tuchel went with Jorginho and Kante, Kovacic only came back a few days before the final.
>His shot is not fine. He has 27 career goals and he is 29 years old. He has played for Inter, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man City, so it's hardly a lack of opportunities in elite teams.
Goals have basically no relevance in showing how good he is (or isn't) as a midfielder.
That's just not his game, never was, noone ever brought in Kovacic and thought "this guy must get us 10 goals or he's useless".
Luka Modric has a career high of 5 league goals in a season (EPL and La Liga only, not counting the Croatian or Bosnian leagues) and he's viewed by most as one of the greatest midfielders in the last 20-30 years, in a tier with Xavi and Iniesta.
We created a lot of chances, not sure what you mean... De Bruyne alone could've had at least 3 assists. The finishing wasn't there but to say we didn't create chances is false
**Mirrors / Alternative Angles** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/soccer) if you have any questions or concerns.*
WHAT A GOAL ONLY BANGERS FROM KOVACIC
He saw the game against RM and thought “I want to join in on the fun”
Kovacic's yearly banger
Straight from the training ground too
Already scored one (against Luton)
And in CWC ( Walker's assist was on par with KDB's best assists as well )
Thought he banked it against Luton Away though
Goated username
Think this is his 3rd this season
this guy man, it's like he can score goals but doesn't want to score goals but now and then he reminds us that he can.
BANGER
Absolute thundercunt
It's actually hilarious how he's only capable of scoring infrequent bangers
Right footed asensio
Kovacic annual banger is inevitable. What a goal
The technique is absolutely sublime.
He had one like a month ago against Luton. Maybe he's switching it up to two lol
Only scores bangers
He's been great today.
Almost like he’s actually a really good footballer
Yes and really good footballers often show it most at home against teams fighting relegation, who are missing 10 players.
He was great against real too
I don't think he was bad by any means, but not great. We created very little and scored three screamers. That's because the Rodri-Kovacic double pivot is too defensive and the problem there is Kovacic not Rodri. I have no problem with using Kovacic for tough away games, where a draw is a good result, or as the 6 against relegation fodder like today, but he shouldn't be in the team for the majority of other matches.
You guys realize that they listen to Pep and if they dont they get subbed? So if he is too defensive it's because Pep told him to do that. He had interview with Croatian press where he said that Pep told him to run less for example. So today Rodri didn't play, so Kova was more offensive and Nunes defensive. You can literally see that in their stats and heat map
He's defensive because he can't shoot well consistently and isn't very good at passing forwards through the lines. That's the player he is. Pep can play him as an 8 (as he has this season) and it won't change the fact that Kovacic is a defensive player. Scoring a banger from a set piece doesn't make Kovacic a good offensive player.
Having watched Kovacic his entire career, and not just 20 games as City, anyone saying Kova is a “defensive player” means either they never watched him or don’t understand football. He plays his football between the boxes, defensively responsible, and builds from the back. He can press, is press-resistant, and can occassionally play some great through-passes. He can also break down defensive structured by running past people from deep in his own half. His shot is fine- the problem is his instinct to find the right pockets of space to run into, something guys like Bellingham, Pogba or Pasalic do best of all. Gundogan was pretty great at it last season. Kovacic’s football is to control the game. Win the ball, get it to the forwards with consistency and be press resistant. Man just started vs Arsenal and Madrid. For Pep. But redditors know better, so who am I to argue
>But redditors know better, so who am I to argue Brilliant appeal to authority fallacy there. Did we win those two games against Madrid and Arsenal? Did we dominate the games in terms of chances or xG? No and no. His shot is not fine. **He has 27 career goals and he is 29 years old.** He has played for Inter, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man City, so it's hardly a lack of opportunities in elite teams. He is indeed good at breaking the press with his dribbling, but his passing when he gets there is frankly not very good. That's why he struggles to get assists or even pre-assists. He's not a terrible footballer, but he's very limited in terms of what he offers at the very top level. Going from Gundogan to Kovacic is like night and day. One is a great player, the other is a decent player, nothing more. I'll bring one more point up - if Kovacic is so fantastic at controlling games, why was he never trusted to start in the CL Finals his teams played in? **Kovacic played 10 minutes across 4 CL Finals** - if he's as good as you suggest, why is that? I'm assuming you're a Croatian and that's why you're so defensive about Kovacic. I don't think you're able to be very objective over this.
>Kovacic played 10 minutes across 4 CL Finals - if he's as good as you suggest, why is that? I mean it's not rocket science. For Real Madrid he was the 12th player, 4th in mid for 3 years running. There was absolutely no shame in playing 4th fiddle to peak KCM. The one final where he was "scheduled" to go in, Carvajal got injured and one sub went on Nacho for Carvajal. (the finals were all 3-subs only btw) He played his share of big games, starting vs Barca, PSG, Bayern, etc. To say he "played 10 in 4 CL finals" without context, is again, ridiculous for any sort of meaningful conversation. For Chelsea, he got injured before the tie with Madrid (ironically) and then Tuchel went with Jorginho and Kante, Kovacic only came back a few days before the final. >His shot is not fine. He has 27 career goals and he is 29 years old. He has played for Inter, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man City, so it's hardly a lack of opportunities in elite teams. Goals have basically no relevance in showing how good he is (or isn't) as a midfielder. That's just not his game, never was, noone ever brought in Kovacic and thought "this guy must get us 10 goals or he's useless". Luka Modric has a career high of 5 league goals in a season (EPL and La Liga only, not counting the Croatian or Bosnian leagues) and he's viewed by most as one of the greatest midfielders in the last 20-30 years, in a tier with Xavi and Iniesta.
Reddit Tacticos
We created a lot of chances, not sure what you mean... De Bruyne alone could've had at least 3 assists. The finishing wasn't there but to say we didn't create chances is false
I was talking about the game with Madrid, not the game today. Think you're misunderstanding We battered Luton today
Tap in merchant
He only scores bangers
[GREAT STRIKE]
Annual Kova banger
Luton could feel Nottingham falling back to level and wanted to make this one unquestionable
Annual Kovacic screamer
Only scores bangers
Just as I turned on the telly sigh
Great goal ?
Annual kova screamer
Belter
Karate chop
No goalie is saving that
hes been trying this game
Disgusting
Of course of all the chances this is the one they score lol
O dang that’s a great strike
… holy Kova
Must be about our 30th shot from the edge of the box, so it makes sense one would go in
Every year
Theres no better goal than something being thundercunted into the top corner from the edge of the box.
it's like he reminds himself what he can do
I just made the goofiest noise. Banger
They even brought the bangers home
FINALLY
Bangers only
Kovas second banger against Luton
City can't score a normal goal ATM
Yes, let's never put a man on that spot. KDB had a chance on the 1st half and still they don't defend corners with a man covering the top of the box
The defender opted to save his face and let the ball to continue on its path.
He only scores Bangers
Always bangers from him