Nigel de Jong

[MutableEarth]

Stats usually only tell half the story but......

De Jong played on average around 60 passes and completed at least 90% of them. On average he completes 10 long balls per game. He has a decent return when it comes to tackles and interceptions too. All-in-all, seems to be a solid DM who is actually good on the ball. His problem must be - like Balotelli - that he plays for a heavily declining Milan team.

EDIT: he also on average commits one foul a game. 9 yellows, no reds. Not quite as hot-headed as often cited, it would appear. Where I see a problem as far as competing with "modern DMs" is that of his passes, very very few of them are of a creative variety. Don't expect De Jong to put too many through-balls, but he is clearly capable of passing the ball at least well enough that we can recycle possession.

Do I want him?

Wouldn't be my first choice (didn't even think of him as an option!) but I'd take him. He also has the ever-precious "PL experience"

If you go with the stats then why bother at all. Arteta's are higly similar but a bit better (although they are not simolar players, are they?). The problem with de Jong is exactly what you already stated. He just gives the ball to the next guy or a log ball to free space without actually creating anything significant. We need a guy who can turn the interception or tackle quickly into attack.

I would agree with this, but if we do sign a player like that, I fear it won't be a Schneiderlin or a Gustavo. It will probably be someone unexpected. I didn't expect a De Jong link, so it won't be the first surprise.

 

[Toast]

I'd love him here tbh. He's great at shielding the back four. Very good positioning, tough in the tackle when he needs to be. His passing is certainly not spectacular, but I don't think it needs to be. He's someone who will win you back the ball and then pass it on quickly.

With him in the team there would definitely be less need to defend in numbers.

For those interested, here's an article and some stats on him from last year: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/m_ai8qmgpkmz6z8yw7lafq/Show" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/m_ai8 ... 7lafq/Show</a>

 

[GDeep™]

Loved this guy back in the day.

 

[ASAP Berg]

Pretty good player, Milan's best this season. Would be a great player to have in our midfield, and with only 12 months on his contract could be a cheap option.

 

[ASAP Berg]

Wouldn't be suprised if Van Gaal lures him to bolster that United midfield. Carrick's legs have gone, they need a defensive midfielder.

 

[spartandre217]

He's also 30 this year.

 

[say yes]

Stats usually only tell half the story but......

De Jong played on average around 60 passes and completed at least 90% of them. On average he completes 10 long balls per game. He has a decent return when it comes to tackles and interceptions too. All-in-all, seems to be a solid DM who is actually good on the ball. His problem must be - like Balotelli - that he plays for a heavily declining Milan team.

EDIT: he also on average commits one foul a game. 9 yellows, no reds. Not quite as hot-headed as often cited, it would appear. Where I see a problem as far as competing with "modern DMs" is that of his passes, very very few of them are of a creative variety. Don't expect De Jong to put too many through-balls, but he is clearly capable of passing the ball at least well enough that we can recycle possession.

Do I want him?

Wouldn't be my first choice (didn't even think of him as an option!) but I'd take him. He also has the ever-precious "PL experience"

Or - they just might not be that good?

De Jong is a decent DM, nothing special though.

 

[Jury]

 

[Anzac]

IMO he's the sort of DM that would enable us to do without the big man CF types.

 

[YeahBee]

I don't want him. That's all that matters tbf.

well luckily what you want doesn't matter at all

what we need is someone who can position himself well and tackle

the individual player matter little but De Jong fits that bill

First of all, I'm a selfish bastard so to me it matters a whole lot what I want. It's all that matters, actually.

Second, de Jong is past it and he doesn't have the passing ability Wenger wants from his "defensive midfielders". He wouldn't offer much more than Flamini so why bother. I highly doubt we're interested and rightly so.

We do need a defensive midfielder but we don't need a grinder with zero creativity and poor pass selection. We need a modern DM like Luiz Gustavo, Martinez, Schneiderlin etc.

No successful team plays with brainless grinders anymore. Martinez, Busquets, Fernandinho, Alonso, Matuidi...
Those are the DMs of some of the bíg teams in Europe. Much more dynamic and versatile than de Jong

He is raised thru the ranks of Ajax, I think he has got enough technicalability

he is modern enough, and apart from Martinez from those you mentioned he is a way better tackler and hustler

he is less past it than Arteta and Flamini

 

[YeahBee]

Loved this guy back in the day.

Imagine if some rich russian mogul started buying back the players who are homegrown Ajax players

that is a sick sick team

just from the top of my head

De Jong, Sneijder and Van Der Vaart midfield behind Zlatan :shock:

pretty solid defense to
Van Der Wield, Vermaleen, Alderweeld or Heitinga

 

[Caz19]

Loved this guy back in the day.

Imagine if some rich russian mogul started buying back the players who are homegrown Ajax players

that is a sick sick team

just from the top of my head

De Jong, Sneijder and Van Der Vaart midfield behind Zlatan :shock:

pretty solid defense to
Van Der Wield, Vermaleen, Alderweeld or Heitinga

If you count all the players who played for Ajax you also got Suarez,Huntelaar,Eriksen,Vertonghen,Filipe Luis among others.

 

[Pies]

De Jong would be such a huge improvement over Arteta and Flamini. I have a few other DMs I might prefer but wouldn't complain if we ended up with De Jong.