Jeremy Mathieu

[JamDav1982]

On SKY tonight Neville and Carragher were having a debate about the players required to play three at the back and the types of center backs needed to play with attacking full backs.

Neville made a big point about their being a lack of left footed CBs that are comfortable being pulled out wide to cover areas vacated by full backs.

Was quite interesting and gives you a better idea of why Barcelona were so keen to get Mathieu and then Vermaelen.

Possibly why Benatia was never really considered as he would not be comfortable doing that on either side.

 

[DonAK]

On SKY tonight Neville and Carragher were having a debate about the players required to play three at the back and the types of center backs needed to play with attacking full backs.

Neville made a big point about their being a lack of left footed CBs that are comfortable being pulled out wide to cover areas vacated by full backs.

Was quite interesting and gives you a better idea of why Barcelona were so keen to get Mathieu and then Vermaelen.

Possibly why Benatia was never really considered as he would not be comfortable doing that on either side.

We were after Marquinhos for a long time though. Had we got him then we would have ended up with 1 LCB only in Mathieu.

 

[KingMessi]

We were after Marquinhos for a long time though. Had we got him then we would have ended up with 1 LCB only in Mathieu.

Marcos can cover the area of a rightback though so it's kind of like Mathieu/Vermaelen's role. Just reversed.

 

[JamDav1982]

We were after Marquinhos for a long time though. Had we got him then we would have ended up with 1 LCB only in Mathieu.

Presumably they believed he could cover the right hand side along with Barta.

 

[Androutsos]

A couple times him & Masch went for the same ball, surely due to lack of match practice together but luckily with Pique next to him this probably wont happen.

 

[Culeee]

On SKY tonight Neville and Carragher were having a debate about the players required to play three at the back and the types of center backs needed to play with attacking full backs.

Neville made a big point about their being a lack of left footed CBs that are comfortable being pulled out wide to cover areas vacated by full backs.

Was quite interesting and gives you a better idea of why Barcelona were so keen to get Mathieu and then Vermaelen.

Possibly why Benatia was never really considered as he would not be comfortable doing that on either side.

Benatia played rcb for almost 2 years in guidolins 3-5-2 at udinese

 

[Sunny Mir]

A couple times him & Masch went for the same ball, surely due to lack of match practice together but luckily with Pique next to him this probably wont happen.

We scored the second goal because of one of those double interseptions.But it was too funny seeing afterwards them looking confused and telling each other that our was their ball.

 

[Androutsos]

We scored the second goal because of one of those double interseptions.But it was too funny seeing afterwards them looking confused and telling each other that our was their ball.

I am more worried about when it goes wrong

 

[ebieymjunior]

Is it just me or is Mathieu like a very tall (and good in the air), left-footed Mascherano? That's probably why they made the same tackles and interceptions.

 

[instinct]

93 passes, 99% pass accuracy.

 

[BBZ8800]

This guy is awesome

 

[DonAndres]

93 passes, 99% pass accuracy.

And a good portion of those were directly on the ground to the forwards or right across the face of goal, the cheeky fuck . Perfect fit to the defensive system.

 

[barcanuck]

Was going to vote him as my 3rd best tonight but gave the edge to Munir due to timing of the second goal.

Mathieu oh man he was a beast out there his speed is overwhelming combined with his size. Passing is crisp and accurate. Nothing but positives.

 

[FC B]

Very solid tonight, impressive, but as I've said in the chat he is still to be tested by much tougher opposition.

Tonghit he was barely challanged as compared to what happens to Barca's defense when encountering serious or great attacking forces which pressure our defense grealty....

 

[Flavia]

Very solid. Good start, hope he keeps it up. Remains to be seen how he'll do against top opposition, but he was very good last season for Valencia.