25 | Manuel Akanji - 2023/24

[Gibblue]

Currently our best defender? His versatility is incredible, looks so comfortable in the middle, fullback or going into midfield today.

How much did he cost again?

Not even close to Stones but probably a distant second.

 

[waspish]

Stokes then Akanji our two best defenders it's just what they do with the ball is way better than Dias and Ake!

 

[EdersonsSmiley]

Not even close to Stones but probably a distant second.

Stones is injured, hence why i said currently our best defender.

 

[MarsLlama]

The guy is fucking fantastic, and scored a brilliant goal tonight. Can't believe Dortmund didn't realise what they had with him!

 

[ninjamonkey]

Best performance I've seen from him in a blue shirt today. Seems to have found another yard of pace to add to his already considerable speed and swept up magnificently. in possession I've always maintained Akanji can't do the stones role, we've got better options and it often stops akanji doing what he's best at in sweeping. Well he's just proven me completely wrong. He did it as well as stones did it against this lot last year. Currently in the best form of city career. Hopefully it continues.

 

[TrentGrisham]

Best performance I've seen from him in a blue shirt today. Seems to have found another yard of pace to add to his already considerable speed and swept up magnificently. in possession I've always maintained Akanji can't do the stones role, we've got better options and it odyen stops alanji doingnwhatbhes best at in sweeping. Well he's just proven me completely wrong. He did it as well as stones did it against this lot last year. Currently in the best form of city career. Hopefully it continues.

I said it in the game thread but he's our most underrated player by a mile. The fact that there was literally a comment that he, "wouldn't ever be good enough for us" was enough to make me shut my laptop.

 

[ninjamonkey]

I said it in the game thread but he's our most underrated player by a mile. The fact that there was literally a comment that he, "wouldn't ever be good enough for us" was enough to make me shut my laptop.

Looking at his 18 months here on the whole, he's perhaps been too error prone and last season had a big weakness in allowing opposition too much room to cut in and shoot. He's stepped up tenfold from last season so far though as we have come to expect from players under Pep. Pep generally plays akanji in big games and he's showing why.

I don't believe we have a weak back 4 at this point. Stones and walker are a bit more specialised and you want them in for certain in specific games but I have zero concerns with the rest of the back 4. Ake, Dias, akanji and gvardiol are all interchangeable at this point, there's differing qualities in them all but none of them are weaker.

 

[MCFCFanTX]

He looked so much more fluid in the Stones role against Liverpool.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

One of our finest defenders. Sorry, but not in the same league as Johnny in the midfield role. He did creditably, but often looked uncomfortable to me.
The sooner we get a fit John and Kev back, the sooner we move into fourth gear. I'm not at all sure that we've been in that in any match so far.

 

[waspish]

He is now improving in midfield he isn't as elegant as Stones but he did the job well Saturday and the more he plays there the more he will improve in that position