Passing, vision, movement with the ball, tackling, ability to control the tempo of the game, penetrative passes, ball-control.
Not a lot of footballers today have all those assets. But with my Italian small amigo, Marco Jeremiah Verratti.....he is one of the few that has it ALL.
You only need to really watch one performance of a player to know what kind of guy he is. It's like Andrea. Even during his worst games, Pirlo never actually goes below a certain footballing level, because that's just how it works. When you have the IT factor, even when you do have a bad game, you will still be able to show a certain quality that sets you apart from your peers. That is what has made Pirlo a legend in his position and what is making Verratti one of the very best at his, and perhaps an heir apparent to the heart of the Italian midfield for the future.
It is unfortunate that we are living at a time where I just cannot name several central midfielders off the top of my head. Because the game has changed. I don't like to use the word "evolve" because that would imply that the game has improved, which it has not. The game has just changed. (Sounds like a rap album, ha)
Being a central midfielder from birth, when I actually had the stamina, means that it's the position that I look at and understand a lot better than the others. Because it is a TOUGH ASS position to play in match. It's the only role where you have to pretty much do everything that is required in football....apart from using your hands to stop the ball that the keeper does. But if you don't have the heart, stamina or skill you just won't survive in a football match.When I look at Verratti, he just reminds me of those central midfielders from back in the day that
CONTROLLED games with grace and grit. There is just a touch and feel for the game that Marco has that I just love. Passing the ball is one thing as well as retaining the ball. However, creating space for yourself, taking out fellow midfielders out of the game, and being brave by pushing forward rather than just passing sideways, is the key to a SUPER player.
Got to bring my boy Pirlo back. What has made him the Italian legend that he is and why I idolize him as a football player, is the way in which he has 80/80 vision and can give a pass to a winger who's on Venus. Again, the ability to always keep the game moving forward and not stagnate. Verratti, has this about him, and it's very much a mental state of mind. He wants to always force the issue, and keep the game positive by trying to find out how to move forward with either the pass, or drifting past players with the ball glued to his feet.Respect proper footballers, and not the hype-artists. We NEED to promote those that are a positive advert for this great sport of football.
HH
