Chelsea: Mateo Kovacic’s importance cannot be overstated
Mateo Kovacic has often been pushed aside due to the flashy new additions, but make no mistake, he’s one of the first names on the Chelsea team sheet.
It feels odd to say that Chelsea’s 2019/20 Player of the Season is underrated, but that’s the case with Mateo Kovacic. Whether it’s due to the lack of sexy stats (goals, assists, etc.), the purchasing of world class forwards or the fact the Croatian wasn’t as good following the restart, Kovacic hasn’t gotten the attention he deserves.
It’s about time Blues fans began to give him the appreciation he deserves. With Pedro’s departure, he now becomes the only player on Chelsea’s roster to have a Champions League win (3x) under his belt. Regardless of the talks surrounding him, or lack thereof, the 26-year-old will play one of the most important roles for Frank Lampard’s side next season on all fronts.
Starting on the pitch—as previously mentioned—Kovacic is one of the most experienced players in the squad. He seemingly wins trophies for fun. As a fairly inexperienced team, Chelsea is going to struggle to find leaders to take charge. Of course, Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta will be those vocal leaders, but who else will step up? Kovacic has now been a part of the group for two full seasons and visibly has a wonderful relationship with the gaffer. For these reasons, it’s not unrealistic to expect Kovacic to at least lead by example. He’ll show the young players what it means to win and also how to be a professional.
Furthermore, he will play a pivotal part in Chelsea’s 4-2-3-1 formation next season. Alongside N’Golo Kante in the two-man pivot, Kovacic has a crucial role to play in defensive midfield. The duo will act as a blanket to shield the shaky back line. However, this is a unique formation in the sense that Kovacic will be allowed to slide into open space when in possession to utilize his greatest asset: his dribbling ability.
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When on the ball, Kovacic is one of the trickiest midfielders to dispossess. The Croatian international combines his world class ball retention skills with his versatility and strength to put off defenders. Add his near 90 percent pass accuracy to the mix and you get an underrated—yet world class—player in the center of the park.
However, Kovacic’s influence isn’t limited to the field of play. As Chelsea continues to bring in new players, the veteran midfielder is playing a large part in getting them settled in. Timo Werner recently revealed that while it’s certainly nice to have German teammate Antonio Rudiger to assist him with the moving process, Kovacic has also been a big help. The former Real Madrid and Inter Milan man is fluent in five languages—including German.
He’s also played an important role in getting to know the team. Kovacic seems to be universally loved around Stamford Bridge and that is exemplified by his relationship with Lampard. All of these qualities in addition to being named Chelsea’s best player last season. A lot of the questions centered around Kai Havertz’s arrival have been about which midfielder will see his minutes dwindle as a result of the German’s signing. The answer? Surely not Kovacic.
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Kovacic may not be the flashiest player, but one cannot question his commitment to the club. It’s easy to forget how talented he truly is when he isn’t scoring goals; at the end of the day, however, he may be Chelsea’s best player. Kovacic has got an incredibly important role to play going forward as a leader for the young players and an individual who will help acclimate the new additions.