Mateo Kovacic by the numbers: Drastic improvement in 2021/22

Passing Metrics

Kovacic was previously discussed as a player that does not attempt nor complete enough longer and medium range passes, and like Jorginho, was criticized for too many sterile, short passes, particularly sideways passes. However, under Thomas Tuchel in 2021/2022, there are subtle yet important differences. However, these differences are best noticed with context.

Kovacic has been completing a higher percentage of his attempted short passes, but is completing less of his medium and long pass attempts. This is because Kovacic is attempting less overall passes this season (he has a reduced short, medium, and long attempted passes per 90 this season compared to last season), and with less attempted passes, there is larger variability in the completion percentages. However, Kovacic is making the most of his passing attempts and using them to significantly get other players involved in the offensive phases. This is evidenced by the increased shot creating actions (SCAs) and goal creating actions (GCAs) per 90 in 2021/2022.

Kovacic may not be playing as many passes into the final third, but he is creating more SCAs and GCAs. In conjunction with the fact that he is completing a lesser percentage of his long and medium passes, it suggests that Kovacic is playing higher up the field and closer to the final third, hence why he is playing less balls into the opponent’s final third but creating almost 5 times as many GCAs per 90 and almost twice as many SCAs per 90. This is highly suggestive that Kovacic is being used further up the field in attack and when transitioning after possession is lost. Kovacic is also producing 3.72 live pass SCA’s which is a significant increase from 2020/2021.

Kovacic is also producing more key passes and passes into the penalty area per 90 minutes than in the 2020/2021 season. Taking this in conjunction with the reduced final third passes per 90 but the increased number of SCAs and GCAs per 90, it has become clearer that Kovacic is being used in a capacity that is tasked with breaking lines and finding open players once the attack has reached the final third. And he is accomplishing this task very well.