While Nemanja Matic’s arrival didn’t generate the same amount of fanfare triggered by the arrival of Romelu Lukaku, Sunday’s game against West Ham gave an early indication as to how they might be equally as important.
It is early in the season but there is already a cause for optimism among Manchester United supporters after watching their team shrug West Ham United aside with relative ease in the 2017/18 Premier League’s opening week. Lukaku and Matic impressed in their Premier League bow for United, with the former grabbing the headlines for scoring 2 goals. However, the latter was a dominant force in the middle of the park and deservedly received the Man-of-the-Match award at the end of the game.
Telling statistics
Statistics don’t always tell the whole story but a simple glance at Matic’s metrics for his display on Sunday would be enough to suggest how impressive he was throughout the game.
Based on the evidence above, Matic certainly made his presence felt on both ends of the pitch. In addition to completing 86% of his 59 passes and winning every one of his take-ons on the offensive, he also made 2 blocks and won 4 aerial challenges to underline his defensive strengths. Although he didn’t grab a goal or an assist, those numbers are never the measures of a defensive midfielder’s performance and therefore irrelevant.
Putting the numbers aside, it was the manner by which Matic kept United in possession of the ball that was vital to helping the team build up a sustained wave of attacks. Time and again, Matic made himself a viable option for a pass and when the ball did come in his direction, it was followed by a drop of a shoulder or a smart readjustment of his body to ease off the pressure and allow him to redistribute the ball. He always seemed to know instinctively when to play it sensibly and when to go for a penetrating pass and as such, it worked wonders for the team’s overall tempo.
Carrick’s successor
‘Quietly efficient’ would be the perfect term to describe Matic’s overall game and if anything, his style of play is comparable to that of Michael Carrick. The Englishman is a United stalwart who is entering the 12th season with the team and has been highly regarded as the key component of United’s last great team under Sir Alex Ferguson. Although his brain remains as sharp as ever, age is starting to catch up with Carrick and therefore, it is the ideal time to hand over the baton to Matic.
There are suggestions that both players are insufficiently mobile for the modern game and while it is true that neither Carrick nor Matic are hard runners on and off the ball, it is because they do most of the hard part inside their heads. Thinking a step or two ahead provides you with the extra few seconds to do your thing and this is what both players do best. Furthermore, Matic’s interception which led to United’s first goal on Sunday suggested that he could also turn up the gear whenever necessary.
Next: Is Ivan Perisic’s move to Manchester United still a possibility?
Looking ahead
Of course we should not read too much into one game and there will be sterner tests for Matic against bigger sides but there is no denying that the early signs are encouraging. In Matic, United might have found a midfield colossus who is capable of fulfilling Carrick’s boots, and then some.