Chelsea (H) - Sat 15th Jan, 12:30 | Pre-Match Thread

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Cancelo's OK on the front foot, it's why he makes a lot of eye-catching tackles, he has the freedom to aggressively step out and meet people in midfield, but as soon as the ball is in behind him (which is quite often due to his positioning) he's atrocious and like you say, Pep avoids it at all costs.

I would take the Zinchenko-Dias-Stones-Walker backline oevey day of the week over any other. When Zinchenko is next to Dias his defending goes up a level, and he has the mentality for it, just lacks a bit of pace to be able to cover wide and tuck into midfield.


But when Cancelo is delivering goals and assists at the rate he has been, he has to play really.

I agree with all of that.

There are few better than Zinchenko, if you are wanting that happy medium of more security in defence, and still have the technical capacity up to three quarters, as was shown in the second half at Paris last season.

But nobody can make an impression like Cancelo can in the final third, be the difference maker when our opponents have already accounted for the front six.

It's high risk, high reward, but it becomes a glaring fault line when someone takes him the other way, like Luke Shaw did last year.

This season, it was token gesture tackles which allowed Salah to punish us in assisting and scoring.

Every player has his faults, it's just Pep makes them even more pronounced for some players because they are not in conventional positions.

There's no way Rodri should work as a solitary holding player in our team, but Pep just knew the solution!

 

[OntarioBlue]

I think that's true. The keeper always has some responsibility in those situations. That doesn't change the fact the Días next to a fully fit Stones is far and away the most natural and strongest partnership at the back. Laporte is third-choice for me, and, even if I still put him fourth, I think some of Ake's mistakes can be coached out of him. I'm not at all sure that that's true of Laporte.

Dont disagree with that assessment. I think Laporte has definitely not been at his best recently. He’s had a few injuries and illnesses and I wonder if he if fully fit. I am concerned that Stone’s has been missing for quite a while and is also probably not completely fit yet. The good news is that Ake is starting to look the part. I think he’s a good player who will get better with more game time. Personally I have no concerns about giving him a run in the team.

 

[alexmcity]

Cancelo really can't defend, it's very clear he can't. He makes up for it because of his excellent attacking attributes, which allows him to join up in midfield.

Pep doesn't even play him in defence.

And Rodri is more than good enough when he has legs around him to enable him to do what he does best, which is what Bernardo and Foden energy have afforded him in the system personnel upgrade this season.

My point being, they are all good players made even better by a system.

In Dias' case, he is a much better player when Stones is next to him.

Laporte has not been great as you concede, I just used a less polite term in crap.

See, there are things called defensive actions. And there are kinds of those things: tackles, blocks, interceptions, aerial duels... Cancelo's been top of the tables in most categories. IMO, to say he can't defend is wrong. We don't defend like a conference team. Pressing higher up the pitch is key to our defence, and Cancelo's been the best at intercepting attacks.

You wanted Rodri replaced (or upgraded) several months ago. Hope you agree you were wrong back then.

There's a significant difference between "not being great" and "being crap". Calling a player who has helped us establish a 10-point lead in the best league in the world "crap" is bad form, imo.

Now, let's hope Cancelo, Rodri and Laporte don't show vs Chelsea that your observations have been right after all, haha. Football is a funny old game and proves us wrong all the time.

 

[mat]

Pawson Ref

Fatty 4th official

England VAR



BT got their favourites locked in hoping for a chav win.

 

[Bournemouth Blue]

Haven’t a clue right now, it depends who is fit, and indeed if we can field a team. If the Covid situation has improved since Friday, I predict a narrow win, but we have to be organised and fit

 

[blue ranger]

Sadly, it's catching, too.

I've stated for a while Dias looks bang average on the right side of the two when Laporte plays.

Laporte is a panic merchant who doesn't want to get touch tight and does stupid things when he's up against pace.

Usually evidenced in games against Spurs and against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.

Stones gives Dias so much assurance. You can actually see Ruben is out of position also trying to cover Laporte.

Do we know where stones is. Can’t be covid as he has been out for ages but city don’t seem to say what his injury is. Assuming he has one.

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Ederson

Walker
Dias
Laporte
Cancelo

Rodri
Gudongan
Bernardo

Foden
Kdb
Sterling

 

[Dazzle84]

Sadly, it's catching, too.

I've stated for a while Dias looks bang average on the right side of the two when Laporte plays.

Laporte is a panic merchant who doesn't want to get touch tight and does stupid things when he's up against pace.

Usually evidenced in games against Spurs and against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.

Stones gives Dias so much assurance. You can actually see Ruben is out of position also trying to cover Laporte.

Have to agree with this, Laporte just doesn't fill me with any confidence at all. He's an accident waiting to happen most of the time

 

[Withnail]

Cancelo really can't defend, it's very clear he can't. He makes up for it because of his excellent attacking attributes, which allows him to join up in midfield.

Pep doesn't even play him in defence.

And Rodri is more than good enough when he has legs around him to enable him to do what he does best, which is what Bernardo and Foden energy have afforded him in the system personnel upgrade this season.

My point being, they are all good players made even better by a system.

In Dias' case, he is a much better player when Stones is next to him.

Laporte has not been great as you concede, I just used a less polite term in crap.

If we have any aspirations in wanting to win the CL this season , i think we need to be playing Stones and Dias together. We look a lot more solid and less vulnerable imo.

 

[Marvin]

I'd be interested to know whether City have been training since the Cup game, and who is available for the weekend.

I am hoping that Spurs give Chelsea a good game tomorrow night. Spurs were useless in the 1st leg. We could do with Spurs getting an early goal so that Chelsea can't stroll around and take it easy.