Stones and Ottamendi are Kompanys replacements ,and no neither is as good, but get your vids out of a young Kompany when we first moved him back to cb , his runs forward long passing and his closing players quickly down were the best in the business . well i have watched Van Dijk for a few years now and he does just that albeit on the left
Otamendi is fast becoming a liability in this system, and I dont need to get my vid out, I dont want someone as good as the young Kompany. I`d like some as good as the Kompany who use to not give Rooney and ect a kick.
Kolarov, who isnt a natural centre back, has actually been better than Otamendi for me, which is quite frightening really.
Otamendi's efforts against Costa for their 1st and 2nd goal were shockingly bad. Costa did well with his touch on the first but Otamendi was no where near tight or strong enough. On the 2nd goal he left us exlosed by leaving his position to try and intercept Costa, who simply turned around with the ball leaving a huge hole in the defence.
It would look a lot stronger a defence if Kompany returned.Clichy, Kolorov, Otamendi and possibly Zabaleta are not up to it now.
So that's four out of six players that we can't rely on.
Throw in a young Stones who looks a bit weak at times and a keeper who has yet to convince and it doesn't take Einstein to work out we have problems.
Why this wasn't addressed in the summer god only knows. It's too late for this season. There will not be anything decent available in Jan unless we can find a loan signing from somewhere.
It will have to be summer and it will probably be another season then until they are all bedded in.
Fortunately our start has kept us in it but that could well change by the end of Dec if this isn't sorted out quickly.
Pep needs to find a solution quickly.
Kolarov, who isnt a natural centre back, has actually been better than Otamendi for me, which is quite frightening really.
Otamendi's efforts against Costa for their 1st and 2nd goal were shockingly bad. Costa did well with his touch on the first but Otamendi was no where near tight or strong enough. On the 2nd goal he left us exlosed by leaving his position to try and intercept Costa, who simply turned around with the ball leaving a huge hole in the defence.
It would look a lot stronger a defence if Kompany returned.
I don't know why Guardiola keeps persisting with Clichy in advanced positions. He's a left-back and nothing else. Not at the level we're trying to play at.
I'd rather play Delph at least he would get in the box. We put countless really good crosses into the box v Chelsea and rarely did we get on the end of them. That is a weakness in this team.....in addition to the defence. I'd play Tosin now instead of Stones. he couldn't do any worse.
I agree, I think he's absolute tripe.Clichy is a left back who can neither attack nor defend.
I think we forget how limited he is because he usually comes into the team to replace Kolarov when Kolarov is on a very bad run of form.
So Clichy comes in and comparatively he's brilliant but after a few weeks you realise he's not actually contributing much in any phase of the game.
Delph is injured isn't he? There's a vowel in the month, so I am sure he is.It would look a lot stronger a defence if Kompany returned.
I don't know why Guardiola keeps persisting with Clichy in advanced positions. He's a left-back and nothing else. Not at the level we're trying to play at.
I'd rather play Delph at least he would get in the box. We put countless really good crosses into the box v Chelsea and rarely did we get on the end of them. That is a weakness in this team.....in addition to the defence. I'd play Tosin now instead of Stones. he couldn't do any worse.
...or the quality of the players. That's the conundrum, not if the defence is any good...it clearly isn't!No Conundrum for me, the defence is not fit for purpose, not sure if its the system or the lack of understanding of it.
...or the quality of the players. That's the conundrum, not if the defence is any good...it clearly isn't!
That's my point, I think the players are a good enough quality to defend well, that's why I highlighted the fact that maybe they just have not grasped Peps interpretation of the system yet.
Clichy is a left back who can neither attack nor defend.
I think we forget how limited he is because he usually comes into the team to replace Kolarov when Kolarov is on a very bad run of form.
So Clichy comes in and comparatively he's brilliant but after a few weeks you realise he's not actually contributing much in any phase of the game.
Makes us appreciate how good we were the year we won the league first off. What a team that was.