Man of the Match - Brighton (h)

[cleavers]

I'd need to see TV coverage of full game but I thought much of Zinchenko's play was good; there were some errors but his pass completion wasn't horrendous at 88% and he made the most passes.

I see his mum has voted ;-)

He had a poor game for me, no matter how many passes he made, or how many he completed, he is good in a midfield sense, but he was constantly exposed as a defender yesterday, by doing two things badly, one is a real bugbear of mine, tackling from behind, you can't do it, its nearly always a free kick, even if you try and disguise it as a tackle from the side. He needs to be told to stop doing this as almost every time time it results in one of two things, a free kick, or he gets turned because he misses the tackle, and doesn't even stop play, resulting in an attack. The other thing he does that annoys me is challenge players in the air, he's not great at it, and again he often gets turned and is out of the game. He also caused the poor challenge from Laporte that might have cost us our best defender for a number of months.

 

[OB1]

I don’t think he was helped by Sterling having a rare stinker in front of him yesterday, but he gave the ball away with really sloppy passes in dangerous areas 2 or 3 times of his own volition. His lack of pace makes us vulnerable as well.

He did give the ball away slightly more than normal. I need to try and find time to watch the full game on TV but I thought at time a couple of passes were sloppy or ill judged given how effectively Brighton pressed and and boxed our players in at times. However, Zinchenko has the best pass completion of any full back in the league this season and for last season. As far as Premier League full backs go, it's not unreasonable to claim he is the best passer of a ball out there and I'm not the least bit worried about him in that department. Defensively, he does have vulnerabilities but Pep lives with those because of how much Zin offers when we are in possession. I've no doubt they are working on continuing to improve him defensively.

 

[OB1]

I see his mum has voted ;-)

He had a poor game for me, no matter how many passes he made, or how many he completed, he is good in a midfield sense, but he was constantly exposed as a defender yesterday, by doing two things badly, one is a real bugbear of mine, tackling from behind, you can't do it, its nearly always a free kick, even if you try and disguise it as a tackle from the side. He needs to be told to stop doing this as almost every time time it results in one of two things, a free kick, or he gets turned because he misses the tackle, and doesn't even stop play, resulting in an attack. The other thing he does that annoys me is challenge players in the air, he's not great at it, and again he often gets turned and is out of the game. He also caused the poor challenge from Laporte that might have cost us our best defender for a number of months.

He didn't cause Laporte's poor challenge.

He does need to improve his defending and I am sure he will.

 

[cleavers]

He didn't cause Laporte's poor challenge.

He was certainly party to it with a poor decision.

I'm not getting on his back, I agree about much of his play being excellent, but Brighton clearly targetted that side as a weakness defensively, and it was, others will have seen that, and do the same. I also like that he backs himself, but he does need to learn not to over commit himself, which he is often guilty of, and it usually requires someone to cover his mistake, Laporte is great at it, but will Otamendi be as good ?

 

[OB1]

He was certainly party to it with a poor decision.

I'm not getting on his back, I agree about much of his play being excellent, but Brighton clearly targetted that side as a weakness defensively, and it was, others will have seen that, and do the same. I also like that he backs himself, but he does need to learn not to over commit himself, which he is often guilty of, and it usually requires someone to cover his mistake, Laporte is great at it, but will Otamendi be as good ?

I've commented on the pass and how I think he had to try and react very quickly to Brighton's defensive movement and didn't pull it off. Regardless of Zin's part though, the ball was lost in the final third, which is always going to happen at various times throughout a game. That Laporte ends up making a misjudged challenge in his own half does not merit dots being connected to Zin.

He's 22 and relatively new to playing full back; he's got a lot to learn, full stop.

He is our weakest link defensively and opponents will always target the weakest link but he is hugely important to our build up play and was yesterday with two extended assists.

By the way, Brighton attacked slightly more down Walker's side yesterday than they did Zinchenko's; City attacked more down Zinc's side.

 

[cleavers]

By the way, Brighton attacked slightly more down Walker's side yesterday than they did Zinchenko's

That surprises me to be honest, wasn't the perception I got live, they didn't get much out of Walker though.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

I voted Sergio, but David was nearly as good, and (not voted for yet) Fernandhino looked like a better passing, but smaller version of Vinny.

Vinnie's passing is (he's still a player) metronomic. Adapted to Pep's demands - joined us as a holding midfielder - the passing range was always there.

 

[Pete Campbell]

David or Sergio for me

 

[laserblue]

Sergio for me. Two brilliantly taken goals.

 

[Gabriel]

Ederson just ahead of Aguero.