5 best midfield partnerships in football right now (2022)
They say that most games are won and lost in midfield. The battles that unfold at the center of the pitch often dictate the flow of the game. That's why midfielders are very important to a team. Midfielders can be of various kinds.
Every team needs a balanced midfield
There are midfielders whose primary task is to win the ball back and help their side make the transition from defence to attack. There are box-to-box midfielders, the all-rounders, who bomb back and forth and help out on both sides of the pitch.
Then there are the playmakers whose imagination, creativity and technical proficiency enable them to upend defences with their precise passing. As such, for a team to thrive, they will need a dynamic midfield.
They will need players who can help recover the ball as much as they'll need ones who can carry the ball forward or create chances out of the blue. Just assembling a side with midfielders of various profiles won't cut it. The players also need to be able to complement each other and play to each other's strengths.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best midfield partnerships in football right now.
#5 Mateo Kovacic and N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)
It took a while for Thomas Tuchel to zero in on Mateo Kovacic and N'Golo Kante as the defensive midfield pairing at Chelsea. This happened due to a number of reasons. Kante and Kovacic have struggled with injuries and Jorginho had been in great form in 2021.
But Kovacic and Kante are very effective together. Both of them are renowned for their doggedness. Kovacic is one of the most technically refined midfielders in Europe. He is fleet-footed and is excellent at carrying the ball forward.
Kante's ball-carrying ability is rather underrated. The Frenchman is also excellent at linking up with his teammates. They are still in the early stages of being partners in midfield and once they really kick into their groove, they can be as formidable as any midfield duo in the world.
Tuchel on Kante and Kovacic and their influence to the rest of the team. https://t.co/0NURPDyA7n
#4 Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan)
Inter Milan are currently at the top of the Serie A table with 50 points from 21 games. While their strikers Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez have been in good form, it's their midfield that has really propelled the Nerazzurri to the top.
Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella are at the top of the Serie A assists chart with eight each. Calhanoglu joined Inter Milan from their arch-rivals AC Milan on a free transfer last summer. He has been at his creative best this term and has scored six goals and provided eight assists in 18 Serie A appearances.
Barella is one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world. The 24-year-old is a dynamic midfielder with fantastic technique and an eye for a pass.
Tactical solutions in offensive phase adapted by Simone Inzaghi in #InterGenoa
- Brozovic playing from deep
- Calhanoglu/Barella in half-spaces
- Dzeko and Sensi supporting deep in between the lines.
@slawekmorawski
via @m1ndfootball
https://t.co/2DtyqEnxS8