3 | Ruben Dias - 2025/26

[01cravend]

Dias would be superb in Mancini era backline. He throws himself in front of everything, strong and is the only CB we have that can lead the backline.

His weaknesses are exposed by the highline and having to defend on the backfoot.
Hes slow, not great in the air despite size and his passing isn't dynamic enough to be effective in Peps system, particularly when playing in final third.

He needs pace around him and would benefit from someone to be pinging the ball around instead of him(Rodri/Stones) so he can concentrate on defending and not being caught up the pitch where he's not catching anyone.

 

[waspish]

Dias would be superb in Mancini era backline. He throws himself in front of everything, strong and is the only CB we have that can lead the backline.

His weaknesses are exposed by the highline and having to defend on the backfoot.
Hes slow, not great in the air despite size and his passing isn't dynamic enough to be effective in Peps system, particularly when playing in final third.

He needs pace around him and would benefit from someone to be pinging the ball around instead of him(Rodri/Stones) so he can concentrate on defending and not being caught up the pitch where he's not catching anyone.

If the whole team worked had press run back like the first half Dias is fine but like second half they don’t we see that! Dias has been fine since he had been here but his major weakness shows when the team don’t run press run back..

 

[mancityscot]

Partner - 10

Doesn’t help us too much on the pitch mind…

Yeah, feel like its part of the problem actually.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

All very interesting.
But every defence and defender, struggles when the ball is lost, usually by an errant pass infield, suddenly with 3/4 of the team at the opponents penalty area. Walker covered for this admirably though, until his head and legs went.

 

[Blue-Ghana]

By the end, Laporte was an average defender as well. However, he was good in the air and scored some crucial goals, also his passing and diagonals were much better than Dias, who, along with Ake, are the worst players on the ball in the team. In our current team, Akanji and Dias slow down our play too much by holding on to the ball for too long.

 

[01cravend]

All very interesting.
But every defence and defender, struggles when the ball is lost, usually by an errant pass infield, suddenly with 3/4 of the team at the opponents penalty area. Walker covered for this admirably though, until his head and legs went.

It does make you appreciate Walker a lot more retrospectively. The other 2 title contenders have fast CBs(Saliba, Van Dijk & Konate) to help them out of those situations more often than not. We don't, well we do but he's been banished to the abyss.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

Yeah, feel like its part of the problem actually.

I agree. I'm a female foc and I have no rational reason to dislike the girl ( ex gf of Rag Stormzy) but she irritates me beyond belief. She was on some show with Peter Crouch during lockdown and she just has a manner that grates.

She is very pretty imo and physically I can see the mutual attraction but she's not doing much for his on pitch displays.....

 

[DMA's]

Someone online described Dias as a very linked in type of person and now I can’t unsee it.

I just feel he is very unauthentic in everything he does. Can’t put my finger on why but he grates on me now

 

[mcfcpride]

I wouldn't extend Dias' contract considering his form since the treble and the fact that he has three years left...

 

[St.Pauli support]

All very interesting.
But every defence and defender, struggles when the ball is lost, usually by an errant pass infield, suddenly with 3/4 of the team at the opponents penalty area. Walker covered for this admirably though, until his head and legs went.

Spot on.

We have to defend as a team.
How can we play such a high line vs a bloody strong team on the counter? Didn't Pep analyze the opponent team beforehand??

We have dropped our pants down to the ankles and Pep got what he deserved. Inzaghi is a smart fukcer,
Pep knew it and still got a nice lesson. Quite embarrassing that...

Yes, we could have outscored Al Hilal, but our conversion was incredibly poor. No surprise sadly. Will it ever change?

Ait Nouri isn't a LB, he's a wingback, with typical defensive weaknesses.
We need a double pivot playing that open, but Gundo and Bernardo were marauding at their box edge. Reijnders was alone. 2-3-5.

Our keeper had a nightmare, unacceptable on that level.
Bottom line, our CBs were utterly exposed. No top CB would look good in that mess.

Otamendi, 37, still did a good job - in a defensive setup.
Dias is a quite similar player type and would shine in what would rightly be called a defence.

We didn't have one. Thanks again, Pep.

 

[wolfie1988]

Great in ground duels, not particularly good in the air. Perhaps being exposed a little more now because our other centre halves aren't particularly dominating in the air either.

People are talking bollocks when they are talking about getting rid of him, though. There'd be 5 other centre halves at the club in the queue before him before I'd even consider it.

 

[handsofstone]

Feel like Pep is hanging all our defence, midfield out to dry by employing a tactic that doesn't suit the players hes picking

Dias is one of many who's really struggling due to this

That said, he does need to do better, a lot better this regression shouldn't be THIS bad

 

[waspish]

Negotiating a new deal, pep has this season and next how do the club know that our next manager will be first choice? Giving him a new contract now on big money will mean in a few years we could be in the same situation as we have with Grealish a player on massive money we can’t sell if the new manager makes him say 2nd 3rd choice! Just because looking at the new younger centre backs we have they maybe first choice!

He must have 2 years left offer him 2 years on top of that on 200k max

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Dias is too slow for our system. Due to our high line, high press, ball control system, balls are going to be played over the top of our CBs. Either our CB needs to be exceptional at reading the game, paired with a pacy CB, or someone else in that position will be much better - and for Dias - the someone else in that position... unfortunately applies.

 

[Gaz76]

I agree. I'm a female foc and I have no rational reason to dislike the girl ( ex gf of Rag Stormzy) but she irritates me beyond belief. She was on some show with Peter Crouch during lockdown and she just has a manner that grates.

She is very pretty imo and physically I can see the mutual attraction but she's not doing much for his on pitch displays.....

Am I alone in not having a clue who she is? Sounds like one of those made up car parts mechanics use to fleece yer cash..."yeh sorry mate, yer Maya jama has gone, that'll be another £1200 please"

 

[jrb]

He needs to get to sleep earlier and to rest up. ;-)

 

[Tugay One Cup]

He's so ineffective on the ball that the opposition will happily let him have it for as long as he wants. Not seen other teams being so utterly unthreatened by one of our players since Mangala.

 

[Damanino]

Dias would be superb in Mancini era backline. He throws himself in front of everything, strong and is the only CB we have that can lead the backline.

His weaknesses are exposed by the highline and having to defend on the backfoot.
Hes slow, not great in the air despite size and his passing isn't dynamic enough to be effective in Peps system, particularly when playing in final third.

He needs pace around him and would benefit from someone to be pinging the ball around instead of him(Rodri/Stones) so he can concentrate on defending and not being caught up the pitch where he's not catching anyone.

agreed, Mancinis system made even Lescott look very decent for about 12/18 months ext to Komps. imagine Lescott in current setup/tactics.

we really not good at defending in a highline and it stems from lack of hard work off the ball from all attackers and midfielders and than defenders left to solve very difficult situations which regularly leads to panic and uncertainty which then leads to basic errors of marking, positioning or losing balls in areas where its forbidden to lose it.

should we have proper unity in pressing upfront, and sick workrate put it by midfielder, wingers when they dont have the ball (last of that was Rodri working instead of 2/3 people in 23/24) it could be a very different situation mainly by the ability of reducing the 2-3-4-5 huge counter chances to 0-1 per game.

 

[C90]

He needs to get to sleep earlier and to rest up. ;-)

You should see his Ibiza holiday pics this week. Might not be having many early nights with his gf/partner. She looks a bit of a daft publicity seeker in their selfies. Just IMO.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

You should see his Ibiza holiday pics this week. Might not be having many early nights with his gf/partner. She looks a bit of a daft publicity seeker in their selfies. Just IMO.

I still think his girlfriend when he joined City was the prettiest gal he's hooked up with, and he was unbelievable that season.. but he broke her heart!