Is left back really a problem?

Zinch has made the position his own

We need to shift Mendy out as well.

Then buy a young kid as an understudy

But for now we have Ake and Laporte who can also play there at a push (if Laporte stays )
 
Yes.
On the right, Walker has consistently played between 3,400-4,300 minutes per season and seen off his challengers. If Zinchenko can play 3,400 minutes there next season, then he can make the position his own. If he cannot, and it continues to be just an area of the pitch we use to give players game time, then it will continue to be a problem.
 
Gabriel said:
Yes.
On the right, Walker has consistently played between 3,400-4,300 minutes per season and seen off his challengers. If Zinchenko can play 3,400 minutes there next season, then he can make the position his own. If he cannot, and it continues to be just an area of the pitch we use to give players game time, then it will continue to be a problem.
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Zinchenko is far to slow when back tracking as was exposed yesterday
 
Last night Zinchenko had the most touches of the ball of anyone on the pitch. He made the most tackles and won the most headers of any City player. He's really, really important to how we play.

People are prone to underestimating the things he does well and overemphasizing his weaker attributes. We are very unlikely to find anyone to play left back who looks after the ball better than he does. His touch is great, his confidence in taking a pass under heavy pressure and recycling possession is better than most midfielders in the league. His timing in the tackle is much improved and he wins a ridiculous amount of headers for his size.

He isn't particularly quick, and he doesn't really create chances. That isn't the role he plays in the team. We don't get our fullbacks into crossing positions because we play with wide forwards and frankly there really isn't anyone for them to cross to anyway.

The interior fullback creating an overload in central midfield has been a key component of our game this and previous seasons. If we were to sign a more conventional left back, we would have to change how we play fairly drastically again. Not to say that we couldn't adapt and eventually improve with that kind of player, but it won't be a simple matter of slotting a pacy, traditional left back in there and everything else staying the same.
 
FromPollockToSilva said:
Last night Zinchenko had the most touches of the ball of anyone on the pitch. He made the most tackles and won the most headers of any City player. He's really, really important to how we play.

People are prone to underestimating the things he does well and overemphasizing his weaker attributes. We are very unlikely to find anyone to play left back who looks after the ball better than he does. His touch is great, his confidence in taking a pass under heavy pressure and recycling possession is better than most midfielders in the league. His timing in the tackle is much improved and he wins a ridiculous amount of headers for his size.

He isn't particularly quick, and he doesn't really create chances. That isn't the role he plays in the team. We don't get our fullbacks into crossing positions because we play with wide forwards and frankly there really isn't anyone for them to cross to anyway.

The interior fullback creating an overload in central midfield has been a key component of our game this and previous seasons. If we were to sign a more conventional left back, we would have to change how we play fairly drastically again. Not to say that we couldn't adapt and eventually improve with that kind of player, but it won't be a simple matter of slotting a pacy, traditional left back in there and everything else staying the same.
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It has to be acknowledged that defensive players often have more touches because they are being targeted by the opponent as a potential weakness.

He needs game time to develop, so Guardiola should keep him in and not use Ake and Cancelo there just to give them minutes.
 
I would say yes, but first priority needs to be a striker. After that it should be the second position that needs reinforcement.
 
Yes but only as competition to Zinny. Zinny to me is as sure an inclusion to the starting 11 as there is, right now. As mentioned above, he is critical to Pep's game plan and every year he improves.
 
Every year, for the last few years, we’ve bought a left back. At the end of the season - Zinchenko is our first choice. Maybe we’re set :)
 
Gus Cruz said:
Have to buy a LB. Laporte leaving means one less option. We don’t have one we can trust 100% for the bigger games. Let’s be honest with ourselves
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Mendy and Zinchenko as nice a lad as he is are both liabilities. Neither could tackle a fish supper and neither can get around the back of a defense often enough and get a cross in from the goal line. There is talk of Laporte, Cancelo, Bernardo and others going while we keep these two dead beats. WTF.
 
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