Showing posts with label Leverkusen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leverkusen. Show all posts

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Emre Can will be boss

I remember back in the day when Momo Sissoko galloped across the pitch to and fro, wreaking havoc, it's just too bad he couldn't hold on to the ball.  Well Emre Can, our latest signee, can and does, he just needs to sharpen his passing skills and decision-making.  Here's how he matches up with his new teammates (stats from last season, Can played at Leverkusen in the Bundesliga):

CanLucasAllenGerrardHenderson
age202725*3424
app (sub)24(5)20(7)15(9)33(1)35
mins21901896144328953129
goals301134
assists300137
chances1613186762
npg900.1200.060.090.11
gcp900.2500.060.810.32
ccp900.70.621.132.11.78
ap900.12000.40.2
ccv0.17000.190.11
pass %77.990.886.785.987.1
bp %39.630.33830.641.2
sacc %31.42242.151.70.15
shot %1205.327.10.12
TTI9013.27.99.810.99.7
tp903.14.24.232.4
t%44.8435652.242.8

Can certainly holds his own with the exception of passing and turnovers, but he's only 20 and the guidance of Rodgers should help.  His versatility is what makes him exciting, he clearly is more of a box-to-box midfielder, but can play at the holding spot as well.  He sort of reminds me of a young Gerrard or Yaya Toure, when the latter was at Olympiacos & Monaco.

The thing Can will have to display most of all is discipline.  If he's playing defensive midfield, he must be cautious about going forward, but I'd rather see him be something of a factor on the attack unlike Lucas, who prefers not to get involved except via long balls.  Man City's DMs go forward all the time, but when you pair a Yaya Toure with either Fernandinho or Javi Garcia, you always have coverage.  So does that mean we should start Lucas and Can together? If it gets to that, it probably means Gerrard and Henderson are both out due to injury or discipline, which I don't think anyone wishes for.  It would be great to see it as an experiment in a cup tie though.

Another interesting aspect is that Can can play left back.  He did so for 10 matches last season at Leverkusen.  In fact he got some of his highest match ratings on whoscored playing that position:







His talent alone makes him a steal at £9.75m, but his versatility may make Rodgers look like a genius.

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