The League Paper

CLASSY MATT HAS PROVED CRITICS WRONG

by
The LeaguePaper Team
22 March 2026

QUALITY: Matt Grimes

FOR much of his decade at Swansea, Matt Grimes was derided - including by many of the club’s fans - as a stat padder.
Yes, he regularly topped metrics for passing accuracy. But all he ever did was go six yards backwards and sideways, stifling attacks and slowing the game down.
Partly this was a misconception based on a cultural distrust of continuity players. Unlike in Spain, where the control provided by men like Xavi and Pedri is treasured, fans in the UK have traditionally judged midfielders on their industry and output. If you aren’t making t...

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