#22 | Benjamin Mendy - 2020/21 Performances

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BlackBond said:
Mendy is not poor on the ball at all! You say that because you compare him with Cancelo which is by far the most technical full back in the world and with Zinchenko who is an offensive mifielder. Compare him to walker or to the others fullbacks.

You really think Marcelo Bielsa who told him once he will become the best left back in the world and Pep who wanted him absolutely would fall for someone who is poor on the ball? People are not objective with Mendy because their expectations are too high. Since the Cancelo explosion they think be so technical is the norm come on guys you can't be serious.
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I didn't compare him with anyone. He is so one footed, it is unbelievable.
 
He is but it may just be me I find the majority of full backs struggle to use their weaker foot. When they are forced to come back I find that there is a real reluctantly to use the weaker foot and invariably use the dominant foot thus being forced to pass back rather than inside.

This is just my observation by the way and I'm sure someone will post a load of videos proving me wrong.
 
Craig said:
Only if he’s high because there is absolutely no chance of him making the French World Cup squad. The lad clearly has very limited technical ability and the injuries have taken away his pace. Fair play though he’s earning a great wage and will continue to do so for 2 more years.
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He’s been called up to every squad when not injured, and a few when he wasn’t ready to play at club level. So I’d expect him to have a more than fair chance of making the squad if playing regularly.
 
mccity said:
I will happily die on the hill that is me saying that Mendy is a strong technical player.
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Because he is, and anyone who thinks Pep Guardiola is going to hand pick a LB for this side and end up with a player without technical skill is an idiot.

The same kind of idiot who thinks Sterling has no technique and Rodri's too slow to play in the Premier League and Gundogan's too soft, and Cancelo's got nothing about him etc.

You don't get signed by Pep without having a very high level of technical ability. Some player might look weak compared to some of our players who are among the most technically gifted players in world football, but none of them are short of good.

The same applies for intelligence and work off the ball. Guardiola and Bielsa don't fall in love with stupid footballers.
 
domalino said:
Because he is, and anyone who thinks Pep Guardiola is going to hand pick a LB for this side and end up with a player without technical skill is an idiot.

The same kind of idiot who thinks Sterling has no technique and Rodri's too slow to play in the Premier League and Gundogan's too soft, and Cancelo's got nothing about him etc.

You don't get signed by Pep without having a very high level of technical ability. Some player might look weak compared to some of our players who are among the most technically gifted players in world football, but none of them are short of good.

The same applies for intelligence and work off the ball. Guardiola and Bielsa don't fall in love with stupid footballers.
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Is that why he is constantly being selected?

serious q, what are his technical skills?
 
mosssideblue said:
Is that why he is constantly being selected?

serious q, what are his technical skills?
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He strikes the ball really well for crosses and passes. It's often overlooked because the people we have waiting in the middle are usually pretty short and he has to drill it low between defenders for us to stand a chance of getting on the end of it. He's also got a decent touch and can strike from distance. His shortcomings really are that he's not agile enough in small spaces and, as others have said, he's very one footed. Then again, I think the vast majority of players are and the importance of using both is being overstated.

I don't have any faith that we'll see the best of him but if he can stay fit then I think he'll be a very good player for someone.
 
Tugay One Cup said:
He strikes the ball really well for crosses and passes. It's often overlooked because the people we have waiting in the middle are usually pretty short and he has to drill it low between defenders for us to stand a chance of getting on the end of it. He's also got a decent touch and can strike from distance. His shortcomings really are that he's not agile enough in small spaces and, as others have said, he's very one footed. Then again, I think the vast majority of players are and the importance of using both is being overstated.

I don't have any faith that we'll see the best of him but if he can stay fit then I think he'll be a very good player for someone.
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Fair enough, but I still dont see it
 
Tugay One Cup said:
He strikes the ball really well for crosses and passes. It's often overlooked because the people we have waiting in the middle are usually pretty short and he has to drill it low between defenders for us to stand a chance of getting on the end of it. He's also got a decent touch and can strike from distance. His shortcomings really are that he's not agile enough in small spaces and, as others have said, he's very one footed. Then again, I think the vast majority of players are and the importance of using both is being overstated.

I don't have any faith that we'll see the best of him but if he can stay fit then I think he'll be a very good player for someone.
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This is true. He's got a decent first touch, but he's not technical like Zinch or Cancelo. He's kind of been a victim of the system change. Pep talked about going back to wingers wide in the BT sport interview. So this means the LB would more or less invert which Mendy can't do.

We all know Cancelo drops into the midfield and this is true when we have to play out from the back when teams press high as well. You're not going to see Mendy or even Walker for that sake in the middle of the park. They will be more on the wings because if they lose the ball it's in less of a dangerous area.

I think it's quite telling though that against Wolves Cancelo played the Mendy role which is out wide and not inverted. I think against teams who plays 5 at the back Pep wants this formation which he initially wanted Mendy for. However, he wasn't even in the squad.
 
Really hoping he makes it. He's the only big time purchase under Pep who hasn't really panned out.
 
He's not had a sniff for months, playing in a position he's not used to. He wasn't as involved as much in the final third as we'd like but had a very solid game tonight, if he gets more chances needs to maintain that level.
 
Jimmy Ives said:
He doesn’t get much love, but I thought Mendy was incredibly solid tonight. Especially early on when we were trying to establish our rhythm.
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I thought he was terrible in the 1st half. Offered nothing going forward, and they kept getting in behind him. Much more solid defensively in the 2nd half, without really offering anything going forward.

Felt quite odd to see him out there TBH, I’ve backed him more than most over the past couple of years, but I thought he was done and dusted here.
 
He has looked lighter on his feet to me and looked full of confidence in the second half.
 
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