10 Players Who Are Perfect Fits for Their Current Managers
Sometimes everything can just come together, and a manager and player—either through luck or design—can prove to be the perfect fit for each other.
We’re not talking about the bromance between Sam Allardyce and Kevin Nolan here but more those relationships that allow a player to act out the instructions from his manager on the pitch and to set the tone for what the rest of the team should be doing.
Some managers spend fortunes to bring such players to their clubs, whilst others are fortunate enough to inherit stars who seem perfect for them, but who are the best examples of that in the Premier League right now?
Here are 10 of them.
Willian, Chelsea
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The shining light in Chelsea’s mess of a Premier League season, Willian has been a favourite of Jose Mourinho ever since he arrived at the club in the summer of 2013, and he’s been needed now more than ever.
With the Blues struggling to rediscover any of the form they showed during their all-conquering march to the league title last season, Willian’s all-action displays have been garnished by some vital goals—particularly in the Champions League—as the Blues have struggled to keep their head above water.
Mourinho must surely value him more than any other player in his squad right now, and he might be wondering just how bad things would have got if he wasn’t there.
N'Golo Kante, Leicester City
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It was the arrival of Gokhan Inler at Leicester City this summer that generated all of the headlines, but fellow midfielder and new signing N’Golo Kante has outshone the former Napoli man as Claudio Ranieri’s side have stunned everyone to reach the top of the Premier League table.
Combative and tough, Kante fits Claudio Ranieri’s ideas superbly, and the former Caen man has proven to be a bargain arrival ever since his £5.6 million switch from Ligue 1.
Breaking up play in the centre of the field and getting the ball forward to talents such as Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy might not sound like the most difficult job in the world, but Kante has carried out his manager’s instructions to the letter and been one of the key reasons behind his side’s form.
James Milner, Liverpool
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When Jurgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool last month, the one player you knew he would have been more than happy to inherit was James Milner—although Jordan Henderson was probably a close second, but his injury means he’s yet to play for the German.
In Milner, Klopp has the perfect player to help enforce his infamous pressing style, and as the captain in Henderson’s absence, the former Manchester City’s man’s energetic displays have been key to some impressive performances—the most impressive of which came back at his old club last weekend.
Milner might not be an automatic choice for the preferred central role he was believed to have in mind when he joined the Reds, but he’ll be a vital figure in whatever they achieve under the German this season and beyond.
Dele Alli, Tottenham Hotspur
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It took a while to get there, but the pressing game that Mauricio Pochettino has always been looking to instil at Tottenham Hotspur is now pretty much there, and the contributions of Dele Alli have been a massive factor in that.
The youngster’s first season of top-flight football following his move from MK Dons really couldn’t be going better, and he was able to garnish his fine Premier League displays with a fine strike in England’s recent friendly victory over France at Wembley.
Fast and always looking to recover the ball once he’s lost it, Alli could be accused of being a little too rash at times, but as a young player, he will only get better.
Graziano Pelle, Southampton
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There’s obviously something that Ronald Koeman likes about Graziano Pelle because he’s now managed the Italian at three different teams.
After AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord now comes Southampton, and the Italian forward has been something of a revelation on the south coast ever since swapping the Eredivisie for the Premier League in the summer of 2014.
Tall and strong, Pelle seems to be the perfect focal point for a team that is set up to play attacking football using both width and their counter-attacking talents. The Koeman-Pelle relationship has proven to be an extremely fruitful one, and you get the sense that each one is just as good for the other.
Morgan Schneiderlin, Manchester United
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Louis van Gaal has implemented a certain style at Manchester United, and whilst it might not always be the most riveting to watch, it is designed on retaining control of possession and, in turn, the match.
There’s no surprise, then, that the Dutchman pulled out all the stops to sign Morgan Schneiderlin amid fierce competition from others in the summer, with the ex-Southampton man a master at dropping deep and picking the ball up from his defenders before seeking to start attacks.
Both he and the United fans would like to see a little more urgency from the attackers ahead of him at times, but Schneiderlin has been an undoubted success story for his new club this season, and his manager must be delighted with him.
Santi Cazorla, Arsenal
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If Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal reign has been all about doing things with a certain element of class, then in Santi Cazorla, he has the perfect midfielder.
As he’s got older, the Spanish international has appeared happier to orchestrate the Gunners’ play from deep, getting the ball into the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil and then waiting to watch the magic happen.
Of course, it would be easy to include those two aforementioned players on this list as every club would love to have them, but in Cazorla, Wenger knows he has a performer on whom he he can rely more often than not, with his experience ensuring he can dictate play to the tune that his manager wants.
Roberto Firmino, Liverpool
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When a new player sees the manager who signed him quickly leave the club, then he is entitled to worry, but Roberto Firmino would doubtless have worn a huge grin when Jurgen Klopp walked through the doors at Liverpool to replace Brendan Rodgers.
Both will have been familiar of each other’s work from the Bundesliga, and after overcoming an injury, the former Hoffenheim attacker Firmino has quickly become a key player for his new boss, with his hard-working style fitting in with the manager’s ideals.
He had a hand in the opening three goals in the recent 4-1 win at Manchester City, and the Brazilian is becoming to resemble the player much-hyped when Rodgers signed him in the summer.
James McCarthy, Everton
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One of the first names on Everton’s teamsheet, midfielder James McCarthy had played every minute for the club in the league this season before being withdrawn with seven minutes remaining of last weekend’s win over Aston Villa.
Formerly with manager Roberto Martinez at Wigan Athletic, McCarthy’s simple style is crucial for the way that the Spanish boss operates, with his Everton side expected to keep possession but combine that with an attacking threat.
McCarthy is more than just your average defensive midfielder, and he can both break up play and help start attacks thanks to a superb athleticism that helps set the standards for the rest of his team-mates.
Fernandinho, Manchester City
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An unsung hero in Manchester City’s title win of 2013/14, Fernandinho suffered a little dip in form last season but has now managed to get back to his best in the current campaign.
The Brazilian helps to dictate the play from the centre of the pitch for Manuel Pellegrini’s men, often demanding the ball and dropping it off to one of the ridiculously talented players around him.
Energetic and forceful, at his best, Fernandinho can be a metronomic force in the centre of the pitch, both attacking and defending with equal intensity and proving a more-than-useful goal threat.
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