Ajax's midfield is not as physically impressive as Bayern's, yet they have controlled and for the most part dominated the midfield game through movement, high IQ play and good one touch passing.
This physicality obsession is absurd. We tried that and still flopped. Our problem is the lack of creativity, mobility and movement off the ball. Too slow passing the ball taking a dozen extra touches.
time to log out and save myself from the over reactions. but yea bbz got lucky de jong was bad today
Doesn't mean we should take the opposite path. Both aspects should be there.
Started another move which led to goal tbf
Neither does Rakitic(he's pathetic in key passes and chances created if you want to use stats as well), but he's an indisputable starter for us and him playing safe passes all day long is deemed as a very good game by you
de Jong has the ability to play killer passes and would complement Coutinho and Arthur well in a midfield IMO. A player that can play different positions as a CM and CDM.
I think Rakitic’s movement and decision making in the final third is very good once he is allowed to join the attack and not just babysit. Also value his long ball passing a lot, that is his most overlooked by the majority skill for me.
I should watch more De Jong games, no doubt, but for now I am questioning his attacking capabilities.
I'm not saying he is bad. He is 22 and has a lot of room for improvement.
But, for me he isn't worth spending 75M on, 50M max or move on. He was a decent buy at 50M (considering market inflation, otherwise 40M max) , but 75M is too much of a risk.
Not to mention it will halt the development of Alena, Oriol & Puig, they atleast deserve a chance. It also conveys that La Masia isn't valued as it used to be.
I would take a player like I mentioned over a slow tree like Rabiot. We don't need to make the midfield even slower. If you want to add some physicality then at least get a player like Arturo Vidal or someone that can run fast enough to defend counter attacks.
You cannot scream for physicality and ignore the most important part. Lack of mobility and the overall slowness of the midfield.
Physicality for the sake of physicality is, if I can be blunt, just dumb. If you want a bigger, stronger player then he should not be slow and have issues with moving his ass fast enough as that's just going one step forward and two back.
Rabiot's not the topic, but you make him look slower than he is. I'd say his pace is comparable to De Jong's (who's not a pacy player, nor are Arthur and Coutinho). Ndombele is faster than both of them. But again: in Rabiot I see an opportunity, a cheap yet quality player. Not that I think he'll transform our midfield or something. A useful type I personally like.
Noone's talking about sheer physicality for the sake of it. And you know it. Just an example: both Arthur and Coutinho are 172, De Jong 180.
To make it clear: I'd take De Jong over Rabiot. But not for 75 mil.
Which makes me wonder if he only prefers women that's over 1.85m too.
165-175cm is optimal.
And skinny.
Without too much strength.