Muric

[boatshed bill]

And to bring this back to the topic of the thread, this principle of local overloads applies right the way back to our deepest defensive areas. Pretty much to our own six yard box in fact. The sheer balls required to do this is insane. We've got a lot to be thankful for from Roberts and Maatsen, because they're being asked to cover a lot more ground, not just vertically (forward and back) but horizontally, than all the other fullbacks in the league, and probably half the premier league, too. And we've got a lot to be thankful for from Muric for being an absolute assassin with the ball at his feet.

Left a lot of your post out, but totally agree.

[Conroysleftfoot]

Did he actually use his hands in the 2nd half? I genuinely can’t remember if he did. Absolute masterclass and one of the best sweepers we’ve had at the club

I wonder if they do training sessions where he isn't allowed to use his hands.

[Pickles]

He's one of the best midfielders I've ever seen play for us.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Only 24 as well, no age for a keeper. Can only get better from here.

This definitely.

He's basically a ball playing sweeper

[Aclaret]

He's one of the best midfielders I've ever seen play for us.

Today I saw him play goalkeeper, right back and right half....can't remember him making that many saves.
We need him in our side.

[Lancasterclaret]

His range of passing, the weight, direction, accuracy was staggering

Keeps that up and he won't be here long

[Nori1958]

Btw people were criticising this fella not long ago, madness.

I was one, but never for the things being highlighted tonight.... Different skills

[Nori1958]

Shows what he brings to the party, Oh! and he also kept a clean sheet for good measure.

I could have today to be honest

[Socrates]

Somebody on Twitter mentioned that he’s a better outfield player than Dale Stephens.

[boatshed bill]

Somebody on Twitter mentioned that he’s a better outfield player than Dale Stephens.

I'm not sure who that insults the most

[mdd2]

Compared with Heaton or Pope he is nowhere near either of them as a shot stopper or commander of his area but his distribution is beyond belief and we really have 11 outfield players with him in the squad and a reasonable keeper to boot IMO

[KRBFC]

That pass first half to Maatsen, right inbetween the gap of two PNE players was absolutely ridiculous stuff. I don't even care if he's not good enough for the PL, I'll forever remember this magical season and his contribution.

[RVclaret]

His average position today was outside the box

[claretspice]

That pass first half to Maatsen, right inbetween the gap of two PNE players was absolutely ridiculous stuff. I don't even care if he's not good enough for the PL, I'll forever remember this magical season and his contribution.

He played that pass as though he were slipping a bowling ball between a couple of blockers towards a jack on a Sunday morning. The confidence, weight of pass and angles were breathtaking.

Superb, again, today. And the crowd get him now and it's brilliant.

[Kuriosoranj]

Was looking at our passing stats on fbref.com. We comfortably have the best long pass accuracy, which is in no small part down to him... His confidence on the ball is just ridiculous for a keeper. There were a couple of aerial passes he pinged across to Maatsen at left back today that made me laugh out loud

[PaintYorkClaretnBlue]

Did he actually use his hands in the 2nd half? I genuinely can’t remember if he did. Absolute masterclass and one of the best sweepers we’ve had at the club

I think that I remember him using his hands four or five times in the game, it was a joke around us!!

[Vegas Claret]

That pass first half to Maatsen, right inbetween the gap of two PNE players was absolutely ridiculous stuff. I don't even care if he's not good enough for the PL, I'll forever remember this magical season and his contribution.

plenty good enough, give it another season and Newcastle will bid 60+ million for him

[Steve1956]

Have to hold my hand up here,I didn't rate him as a keeper,he still hasn't convinced me in the air on crosses ....but this fella surely can ping a pass around a football field.

[ashtonlongsider]

Brilliant vision and adds different dimensions to our play.

[NRC]

The GK having an average position outside the box is just utterly ridiculous. The PNE fans are right - it’s a sackable offense for their manager

[roperclaret]

No fullbacks either!

[NRC]

One poster, whom I will allow to identify themselves should they wish, said on the Norwich match thread: “ Not a dig at Muric, maybe a dig at those who believe Muric’s distribution plays a big part in our brilliant play. It doesn’t.”

I said then and I’ll say now - yes it does

[bfccrazy]

73491832-37F8-4E57-996D-B4AC02864C09.jpeg (98.58 KiB) Viewed 2690 times

From today - ball was in play at this point and we didn’t have a single player in our own half

[Gp8419]

He played that pass as though he were slipping a bowling ball between a couple of blockers towards a jack on a Sunday morning. The confidence, weight of pass and angles were breathtaking.

Superb, again, today. And the crowd get him now and it's brilliant.

I loved that your a bowler ain’t you haha

[NewClaret]

That pass first half to Maatsen, right inbetween the gap of two PNE players was absolutely ridiculous stuff. I don't even care if he's not good enough for the PL, I'll forever remember this magical season and his contribution.

That was breathtaking.

But he’ll be more than good enough for the Prem and the football world will be purring over him next season.

[Hibsclaret]

They’ve just said on the highlights show that Muric had more completed passes than both of the Nobbers midfielders combined. Unreal

[taio]

They’ve just said on the highlights show that Muric had more completed passes than both of the Nobbers midfielders combined. Unreal

By a distance. Muric 88% pass success which is pretty incredible. Preston midfielders circa 60%.

[taio]

By a distance. Muric 88% pass success which is pretty incredible. Preston midfielders circa 60%.

By a distance. Muric 88% pass success which is pretty incredible. Preston midfielders circa 60%.

[NewClaret]

Crazy stat

[Enola Gay]

I don't know if I'm just imagining or misremembering this, but it feels as though the fullbacks were making tonnes of vertical runs (forward and back) in the first few weeks of the season with not so much horizontal movement, and when you look at the positions Roberts and Maatsen are taking up these days, they're providing more options for a pass because they're getting through a hell of a lot of horizontal movement, sliding left to right, rotating with the defensive midfielders, and making our defensive unit basically unmarkable and almost impossible to press. We'll only get beat well when we come up against the ridiculous athleticism of those PL teams who can press way more intensely and confidently. I think this horizontality from the fullbacks is a significant shift from early days, and it has liberated Muric...

Absolutely this.

[KRBFC]

I wanted to see him start doing keepy ups and step overs today at 3-0.

[chipbutty]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see VK do a Pearce and bring BPF on for Barnes in the last game of the season and stick a Claret shirt in Muric and stick him up front so he can score a goal

I have said for about4 months now, that Muric will score this season.

[chipbutty]

I think that I remember him using his hands four or five times in the game, it was a joke around us!!

I did say in the second half that the ref had touched the ball more than Muric's hands!

[chipbutty]

Totally. Any set-piece frailties we might have need to be viewed as being priced-in to the system to allow us to have the calibre of ball-playing players we have on our budget to be able to play with eleven outfield players. If our lads were all absolute units and still playing like this they'd be playing for Madrid or Liverpool or Munich.

Liverpool

[cockneyclaret]

That pass first half to Maatsen, right inbetween the gap of two PNE players was absolutely ridiculous stuff. I don't even care if he's not good enough for the PL, I'll forever remember this magical season and his contribution.

I actually stood there clapping at work (watching it via the tablet) a few strange looks

[blatherwickstattoos]

The most important player along with cullen. Finally the style is sticking !! Maybe some bob lord fans still complain

[Hibsclaret]

By a distance. Muric 88% pass success which is pretty incredible. Preston midfielders circa 60%.

I thought they meant number tbh. The percentage success is unreal also.

[HiThere]

Today I saw him play goalkeeper, right back and right half....can't remember him making that many saves.
We need him in our side.

He was left back at one point too.

[HiThere]

I think he'll be absolutely fine in the Premier League. We're as good at passing it around the back as most Premier League sides so I can see VK sticking with that style of play.

[clerkenwell.claret]

73491832-37F8-4E57-996D-B4AC02864C09.jpeg

From today - ball was in play at this point and we didn’t have a single player in our own half

That’s a crazy bfc 2023 photo!!!

[RVclaret]

I think he'll be absolutely fine in the Premier League. We're as good at passing it around the back as most Premier League sides so I can see VK sticking with that style of play.

I do think we’ll sign another GK to challenge him (I saw we might move again for young Verbruggen from Anderlecht) but I agree with this in general. He does need to work on some aspects of his keeping as we will undoubtedly face a lot more crosses and shots, but his distribution is up there with the best in that league already, which may just give us an edge to compete well.

[AGENT_CLARET]

I do think we’ll sign another GK to challenge him (I saw we might move again for young Verbruggen from Anderlecht) but I agree with this in general. He does need to work on some aspects of his keeping as we will undoubtedly face a lot more crosses and shots, but his distribution is up there with the best in that league already, which may just give us an edge to compete well.

I like the Rotherham keep

[Elizabeth]

One poster, whom I will allow to identify themselves should they wish, said on the Norwich match thread: “ Not a dig at Muric, maybe a dig at those who believe Muric’s distribution plays a big part in our brilliant play. It doesn’t.”

I said then and I’ll say now - yes it does

You could have quoted the piece it would have made no difference.
Muric’s distribution is magic and I would think about paying to see him if he was on the bill at the theatre or circus.
The timing of that post was after a game we had similarly dominated and won 3-0 with Peacock Farrell not Muric in goal.
I love the love in for the guy and I’ve posted before that since the early days he’s a much easier watch

[RVclaret]

I do think we’ll sign another GK to challenge him (I saw we might move again for young Verbruggen from Anderlecht) but I agree with this in general. He does need to work on some aspects of his keeping as we will undoubtedly face a lot more crosses and shots, but his distribution is up there with the best in that league already, which may just give us an edge to compete well.

As I say that, Nixon reckons Liverpool want him! (Verbruggen)

[NewClaret]

As I say that, Nixon reckons Liverpool want him! (Verbruggen)

I’ll be gutted if Liverpool get him.

Think I told you I watched a game and he looked too quality. Really hoping that’s one we move quickly on in summer.

[Father Jack]

Has anyone got a link to the compilation of Muric’s passing versus WBA?
Was looking for it again today but couldn’t find it again on Twitter

[Vino blanco]

Jimmy Mac would have been happy to make some those passes yesterday.

[RVclaret]

https://twitter.com/kosovarfootball/sta ... V2pXAeQXsA

Highlights reel of Muric from yesterday

[Bosscat]

Haven't read this whole thread but someone said on the Radio when we were driving home that Muric had made 60 passes in the game ... 20 more than the highest number of passes by any individual PNE player ...

Its "obscene" (channelling a Socceram skit here) how skillful Muric is with his feet ... so cool, calm and composed with the ball.

Early doors this season it was scary but now its just how we play

[Spiral]

https://twitter.com/kosovarfootball/sta ... V2pXAeQXsA

Highlights reel of Muric from yesterday

It's a pisstake when you see it compiled like this. Not an exaggeration to say that for a GK he's one of the best distributors on the planet. Genuinely, show me better. You'll struggle to name more than five. I know we're playing in a lower tier and it'll be more difficult when we're promoted, but there's a PNE forward right on his shoulder at the 30 second mark and he acts like he's not even there with that pass to Brownhill.