Our number one midfield summer target

**A Thread

#MUFC

You all know I would prefer a Koopmeiners/ Brozovic over Declan Rice any day of the week. This team is crying out for a midfield playmaker and orchestrator.

But before we delve into any analysis, its important to consider the heritage of these players.

Lets begin

From a country with only 4 million people (pop. of East Midlands), Croatia has consistently supplied elite-level talent into European football.

This stems from the 'Golden Generation' of '98 featuring Bilic, Suker, Boban in the aftermath of Croat Independence.

This is due to the self-sustained Prva Hrvastka, dominated by Dinamo Zagreb and Hadjuk Split.

Brozovic comes with a rich crop of Croat midfielders including Modric, Rakitic, Kovacic, Gudelj, Badelj, Pasalic, Vlasic.

They were rightly considered dark horses of the 2018 WC

It is no coincidence a lot of Croatian players are heavy features in Italian football, they are perfectly moulded for it. A league filled with tidy, technically-gifted and intelligent players.

Brozovic is no exception and has been crucial in Inter's reclamation of the Scudetto

I call Conte's football brand 'subconscious' as the player's are so intensely drilled almost all aspects of play that unfolds is 'robotic'.

Don't confuse this as weakness, it means Brozovic is EXACTLY where he needs to be from 1st til last whistle.

Every player in that system knows where other team mates are at any given moment, which is why I was so frustrated playing against his Chelsea side.

It also means players positional awareness is always paramount when defending, something we lack in midfield desperately:

Take this for example, Brozovic will sit probably 5-10 yards deeper and rarely will venture out of position because he doesn't need to. All he needs to do watch, this allows Eriksen/ Vidal and Sensi / Barella to roam forward more and break defensive lines.

Also, it allows the build-up play to be much less predictable by having one player collecting the ball.

As opposed to our system when playing through midfield:

It leaves too many voids when players don't step up and against a decent side we have been punished.

Take this goal conceded against Leicester for example:

How would we fare with Brozovic in our midfield?

Well, take a look.

He allows you to play in triangles virtually all game and instead of having two patrolling, you can use 1 and far more efficiently. It also will allow McTominay to move out of the pivot, further forward.

Brozovic isn't shy of a challenge. He is deceptively a very strong player, who rarely will mistime a tackle and once booked, he remains extremely disciplined.

Notice here how he keeps distance, and then pounces on the receiver, he knew the pass was coming before it happened.

I re-iterate again, he watches the game intently. His positional awareness also allows him to be prepared for any possible counter-attack:

Not blessed with bags of pace, but he isn't slow and moves fluidly when tracking the ball or when its at his feet.

Yesterday, miscommunication cost United a goal against Aston Villa. We need control in midfield, which is why I bring attention to his capability passing a football.

His weight of pass is honestly impeccable, and in moments like this:

He is what we need.

Brozovic averages 70 passes per game and an 89% passing accuracy.

Comparison:

-Fred = 56 passes with 87%
-McTominay = 41 passes with 86.7%
-Matic = 48 passes with 90.4%

Coincidence him and Matic can play the pivot role alone, I think not. I know Matic is a bit old now though

Although not what we will be buying him for, he definitely knows where the net is.

Sometimes, a shot in the dark can catch a keeper out. And it can't just be Fernandes trying these all the time, give the goalkeeping department more players to study.

And again :

Brozovic is a blend of Carrick and Matic, a player that you can't really press because he already knows where you are and where the ball will be by the time you've reached him.

City have Fernandinho and Rodri,Liverpool Fabinho, Madrid Kroos/Casemiro, Bayern Kimmich

All the top teams have a midfield heartbeat, and because our games are largely end-to-end , United need two hearts in there. It is unlikely we would get him because he is crucial for Inter but he is my 1st choice replacement for Matic.
My 2nd choice: https://twitter.com/alexmreid213/status/1358742364152561664?s=20

Thats the end of this thread :(

I hope you enjoyed and retweets, comments, likes all make the research worth-while for one of my favourite players. Let me know your thoughts!

Or if you disagree, even better!

Have a good day, reds