Mateo Kovacic started last night’s game on the bench as Graham Potter rotated his side, and the midfielder only appeared in the 15th minute when Conor Gallagher was forced off.
Despite missing 1/6th of the game, Kovacic made up for lost time and provided a huge amount of his team’s creative output through the rest of the game.
By the final whistle he had played 4 passes which led to shots, more than anyone else on the team. He had also managed 101 touches, second most on the team according to WhoScored.
He was continually moving the ball from side to side and found multiple chances to poke passes through a rigid defensive shape.
He didn’t find the assist he was looking for, but he came closer than most on his team. He’s had a slow start to the season, but this was a reminder of what he adds when he’s on it.
