Nicolas Otamendi 2015/16 performances

[ninjamonkey]

I personally like it when he zips the ball into a player, gives them an opportunity to turn on it and get at the opposition, I just don't think we have players good enough to do so.

Another example of stats not being everything they appear to be. Technically when he smashes the ball into a player it's a completed pass regardless of whether or not that player manages to actually control it or keep the ball or whether it bounces off of him an straight back to the opposition. His passing most of the time is as clueless as his defensive positioning.

Take one of the last passes i remember him making tonight for example. He had time on the ball about 20 yards from our goal around the edge of the D. He could of played it inside but opted to push it out wide and let the opposition close him down, he then after some hesitance dinks a 15-20 yard ball right to the edge of the touchline for a backtracking Sagna to stretch for who also had an opposition player right up his arse, Sagna touched the ball but it went out for a Madrid throw.

Now technically that's a completed pass for Otamendi but in reality he's needlessly given the ball away fairly high up in our own half after taking far too long on the ball. And that's without factoring in the time of the game where we're losing 1-0 in injury time and this is happening. There was an initial option to play it to an open Sagna which he declined, then an option to play it inside which he choose not to do too and then as he was closed down he had the option of just pumping it upfield where Players were making runs but instead he plays a shit ball to Sagna who even if he had managed to control it and keep it in would of left him with no option whatsoever and would of left him almost guaranteed to lose possession.

Just to reiterate, i'm not laying any blame on him tonight nor any of the defence, they all performed well overall over the two legs to limit Madrid to not much in my eyes. But i can't believe people still think this guy is good on the ball and describe it as one of his positive attributes.

 

[MCFC1993]

Another example of stats not being everything they appear to be. Technically when he smashes the ball into a player it's a completed pass regardless of whether or not that player manages to actually control it or keep the ball or whether it bounces off of him an straight back to the opposition. His passing most of the time is as clueless as his defensive positioning.

Take one of the last passes i remember him making tonight for example. He had time on the ball about 20 yards from our goal around the edge of the D. He could of played it inside but opted to push it out wide and let the opposition close him down, he then after some hesitance dinks a 15-20 yard ball right to the edge of the touchline for a backtracking Sagna to stretch for who also had an opposition player right up his arse, Sagna touched the ball but it went out for a Madrid throw.

Now technically that's a completed pass for Otamendi but in reality he's needlessly given the ball away fairly high up in our own half after taking far too long on the ball. And that's without factoring in the time of the game where we're losing 1-0 in injury time and this is happening. There was an initial option to play it to an open Sagna which he declined, then an option to play it inside which he choose not to do too and then as he was closed down he had the option of just pumping it upfield where Players were making runs but instead he plays a shit ball to Sagna who even if he had managed to control it and keep it in would of left him with no option whatsoever and would of left him almost guaranteed to lose possession.

Just to reiterate, i'm not laying any blame on him tonight nor any of the defence, they all performed well overall over the two legs to limit Madrid to not much in my eyes. But i can't believe people still think this guy is good on the ball and describe it as one of his positive attributes.

I get what you mean, I didn't post that graphic as a counter argument, just wanted to put up in here. Personally I think he's okay on the ball, however our full backs and midfielders aren't the greatest technically. Thats one my biggest gripes the pass out wide to a retreating winger/full back, all it does is put us on the back foot but thats a different story for a different day. Despite his inconsistencies I think he's been our best centre half this year, I mean that doesn't mean much but I won't be so quick to judge any of the defenders under Pellegrini because tactically/defensively he's a poor coach.

 

[Dax777]

With Kompany proving again he can't stay healthy, these above thoughts on Ota, Mangala and his lack of skill with Pep incoming, and MDM.....

Is it possible that all four are not on the team after the summer?

Otamendi will be on the team. The others I can't say.

 

[Sunny Coast Blue]

I've never seen a footballer as brain dead as him

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Navas, Kolorov, Mangala, Clichy, even Joe make some strange brain dead decisions, I have been thinking if we were to do an all time brain dead eleven how may of the current squad would get in it.
Have the look on their faces like a cat would give you when asking for it to get you a beer.

 

[blueplan]

Definitely our starting 11.
Great player. Had nous to handle players like Bale or CR

 

[alib]

City's best player in both semi final games by a mile

 

[Rolee]

City's best player in both semi final games by a mile

As ever some great blocks and tackles but played Bale on for their goal and played Modric on for what should've been their second.

 

[babua_blue]

So based on psg n real performance , people who know pep..do u believe otamendi is "his" kind of defender ..this laporta guy from Bilbao is an upgrade over otamendi in pep's style of play ??

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[jaiguruKun]

Kept playing them onside including for the goal, he needs to engage brain more. Over the course of the whole season he's been very disappointing. I expected a lot more from him.

 

[meeesh]

Once he gets told,and he will this summer,to stop going to ground almost every tackle,he could be our new VK,a little bit to go though yet am afraid,but deffo one to keep

 

[The Ox]

Another player who has the potential but flatters to deceive. For every "Hollywood" tackle he gets right he gets the other 9 horribly wrong.
Shame really as I was under the impression we were buying the best Defender in Europe last season when he signed. If he can be coached to stay on his feet and "Jockey" then he could be an excellent ball winning Centre Half.

 

[Blue Hefner]

He's shit. I don't see it in him

 

[supercity88]

As ever some great blocks and tackles but played Bale on for their goal and played Modric on for what should've been their second.

He was excellent in both games but I agree, he was guilty of playing his own offside trap and played Real players onside several times with that ball behind Mangala, including Bale for the goal and stepped up a few times, last minute and got lucky calls with offside (that were borderline and probably shouldn't have been given).

 

[CityFan94]

He's performed well in the Champions League, barely put a foot wrong in 4 big games against PSG & Real Madrid.

Any criticism involving the offside trap should be aimed at Pellegrini, not Otamendi, as the defenders are clearly playing under instructions to play the offside trap.

 

[J_Bow]

He and Mangala oddly raise their game against the top sides yet make some ridiculous errors against any lesser sides, it's like their concentration levels drop massively and they lose focus.

 

[Rolee]

He's performed well in the Champions League, barely put a foot wrong in 4 big games against PSG & Real Madrid.

Any criticism involving the offside trap should be aimed at Pellegrini, not Otamendi, as the defenders are clearly playing under instructions to play the offside trap.

Ah come on, if they're under instruction to play it then they should keep their focus and play it.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

The jury is still out for me. Still spends too much time on his arse for my liking.

 

[moomba]

Top defenders shouldnt have to constantly make low percentage last ditch tackles.

He'd be on my sell list.

 

[01cravend]

Otamendi - 54 tackles, 83 headed duels won, 96 interceptions, 208 clearances, 12 blocks

Mangala - 23 tackles, 34 headed duels won, 61 interceptions, 111 clearances, 6 blocks

Kompany - 15 tackles, 35 headed duels won, 23 interceptions, 81 clearances, 4 blocks

 

[Rolee]

Otamendi - 54 tackles, 83 headed duels won, 96 interceptions, 208 clearances, 12 blocks

Mangala - 23 tackles, 34 headed duels won, 61 interceptions, 111 clearances, 6 blocks

Kompany - 15 tackles, 35 headed duels won, 23 interceptions, 81 clearances, 4 blocks

I recall reading an article about slur selling Stam, one of the reasons put forward was that Stam was making very few tackles per game, it was suggested in hindsight that slur got it wrong because Stam's positional play was so good that he was preventing himself from getting into situations where last ditch tackles were necessary. The same article said that Maldini made less than one tackle per game.