Is left back really a problem?

blue_hawk said:
NO. We need a reliable LB, like Walker is for us at RB. No more stop gaps.
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Not the most pressing issue though, with the cover of those 3. I think you’re being a bit disrespectful to Zinchenko saying he’s a stop gap and both Ake and Laporte are more than competent at playing left back.
 
blue_hawk said:
NO. We need a reliable LB, like Walker is for us at RB. No more stop gaps.
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I'm hoping today is an exception.
The reliable right back wasnt playing today and our best of the left backs wasn't either. Along with no Laporte/Stones it is just a poor team selection from Pep.
He surely should realise more than anyone that Ake and Mendy are not 1st team standard and should be only playing as back up.
Can't understand why Walker wasn't playing yet Grealish finished up with England at the same time and has since transferred club, relocated and is picked today.
 
Xhavenjoe said:
Can't understand why Walker wasn't playing yet Grealish finished up with England at the same time and has since transferred club, relocated and is picked today.
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Because Grealish had some time between the final PL game and the Euros while Walker still had to play the UCL final
 
mscenterh750 said:
No we have Zinchenko, Ake and Laporte who can play there.
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This answer is more than enough proof that yes, it’s a problem. Something we have known for years and so do all teams. We keep playing around and it keeps costing us
 
Gus Cruz said:
Because Grealish had some time between the final PL game and the Euros while Walker still had to play the UCL final
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That's not a good reason. You could say the same for Sterling as Walker so.
The UCL match is a good while ago, We've had Olympics , Copa America , Euros since.
After the results yesterday, we needed to keep pace with our biggest rivals.
Walker is generally a fit guy and I can see no reason why he couldn't play or why Stones couldn't either.
Douglas Luiz came on for Villa and Richarlison is back for Everton after playing in the Copa America and the recent Olympic final.
 
Xhavenjoe said:
That's not a good reason. You could say the same for Sterling as Walker so.
The UCL match is a good while ago, We've had Olympics , Copa America , Euros since.
After the results yesterday, we needed to keep pace with our biggest rivals.
Walker is generally a fit guy and I can see no reason why he couldn't play or why Stones couldn't either.
Douglas Luiz came on for Villa and Richarlison is back for Everton after playing in the Copa America and the recent Olympic final.
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I wasn’t saying I agree, just saying that seems to be the reason. The whole planning seems flawed and it’s already costing us. It seems the people inside the club think we can get away with a slow start like last year, which obviously won’t be the case
 
WRicko said:
When we started the season I thought we might be stronger than last year. We had bought a left back who Whilst I was worried about how he would do in this league I thought his stats and performances where sufficient to make him able to manage most of the teams and the buy back made him a bargain romour we beat PSG to his signature also helped.

I figured that he would play early on in the season then Mendy would come back and play like he did in previous season and then he would rotate as back up with Zinchenko depending on opposition.

It’s not long ago I was raving about Mendys runs and crossing. Mostly before his injury but even after that he has had some good games at first tho I did think he was basically broken he seemed in capable of moving I trying to work out if he was broken mentally or physically or both or if it was tactical.

I use to love Zinchenko ability on the ball and his passings.

Surely in form and free of injury these left backs would get in most teams the problem is they are not in form or free of injury and we cannot play all three.

Surely we are also not making the most of them Angelino as we can see from Germany is better as a wing back in a three Mendy maybe the same. Zinchenko needs a winger like Sane in front to break down teams and could also play a role in the middle.

So are we too negative look at our previous defensive record. Look at the positives people have said in previous seasons about all three players look at what they have won. How many mistakes have we made this season ? On the one hand it seems like every shot is a goal and so must be a big individual mistake but How many are down to the left back ? How many are even mistakes it mostly just seems like we are missing someone in the middle to break up play and that’s it’s a team problem rather than a problem with anyone player.

Will we change our tactics to use them in a more efficient way ? 3 at the back maybe ? Zinchenko in the middle? Could save us a lot of money. Goal for our owner is to be efficient and it generates good publicity as well as profit.
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I take your point, but, City were playing away and did have Walker and Zinchenko on the bench. It’s not worked in the past with Mendy-Sterling down the left. Even with Grealish holding the ball, playing it simple or actually taking opposition players on. Mendy is a liability; position wise-shocking, possession-never has it long enough to be any use, tackling-useless, first touch-embarrassing and communication...? Haven’t a clue. In my opinion, City have and will never be any threat with Mendy-Sterling-Marhez in the side at the same time. It’s been proved three times before but it keeps happening. Mendy should have gone in the summer and a utility player been brought in to fill the league and cup games for rests and injuries. I’m baffled but not surprised he’s picked, and after the Community Shield farce, he‘ll be in the side for the next game.
 
Left back has been a problem for 26 years. I don’t think we’ve had a good left back since Terry Phelan.

Clichy is the only one I’ve felt barely comfortable with at times, maybe Danny Tiatto as well. Kolarov in his early days but he was better going forward than defending and take away his free kicks and he was average.

Clichy, Tiatto, Kolarov, Mendy, Zinchenko, Angelino, Fabian Delph, Wayne Bridge, Michael Ball, Javier Garrido, Stephen Jordan, Ben Thatcher, Michael Tarnat, Niclas Jensen, 39 year old Stuart Pearce, Danny Granville, Michael Frontzeck.

All of them average or shite and not one of them a fan favourite and we’ve had no one in the academy who has even come close.

Whenever the topic of favourite or best ever city XI comes up, I always go 3 at the back!

If there are any talented 14 year old left footers in our academy I would be working non stop on becoming a left back as it’s the best chance of breaking through as we can’t find one for love nor money.
 
WNRH said:
Left back has been a problem for 26 years. I don’t think we’ve had a good left back since Terry Phelan.

Clichy is the only one I’ve felt barely comfortable with at times, maybe Danny Tiatto as well. Kolarov in his early days but he was better going forward than defending and take away his free kicks and he was average.

Clichy, Tiatto, Kolarov, Mendy, Zinchenko, Angelino, Fabian Delph, Wayne Bridge, Michael Ball, Javier Garrido, Stephen Jordan, Ben Thatcher, Michael Tarnat, Niclas Jensen, 39 year old Stuart Pearce, Danny Granville, Michael Frontzeck.

All of them average or shite and not one of them a fan favourite and we’ve had no one in the academy who has even come close.

Whenever the topic of favourite or best ever city XI comes up, I always go 3 at the back!

If there are any talented 14 year old left footers in our academy I would be working non stop on becoming a left back as it’s the best chance of breaking through as we can’t find one for love nor money.
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Sylvinho
 
I think that Zinchenko has become a very accomplished left-back for us and it is not an easy role because of how we play. It is a shame that Mendy had another poor performance in the role - if we give the ball away high up the pitch, we expose the main vulnerability we have and his technical skill is not sufficient enough to keep it when pressed so he is targeted by opponents who have the capability. It is a shame as barring injury, he could have gone on to really become a top-notch player.
 
Yes its a problem along with defensive midfield.

Fernandinho is excellent whereas Rodri is too slow. Can't be bothered to create a thread for that one though.
 
Eric Hitchmough said:
This, 100%. Our two biggest problem areas.
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We have three players wanting to leave and should try to make some sort of swap deal to solve these problem areas. I have insisted: Bernardo Silva, who wants to go to Spain, for Saul Niguez, who Atletico Madrid want to offload.
 
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