6 | Nathan Ake - 2022/23

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couldn’t be more pleased as to how the season is going for him and I think unless he wants to leave he’s guaranteed his spot for next year. Couldn’t have happened to a better guy by all accounts either with the way he behaved when out of the team and how likeable he is in the dressing room.
 
WallyA said:
If you compare the amount of goals in football in the current age to previous eras, I think we are seeing alot more goals lately.

The trend has been to have in the last 15 years, attacking fullbacks.

But with the goal scoring trend also going up, I think it's actually smarter to have defensive fullbacks, and as you said, let the midfield and forwards combine to make the goals.

I think there is no coincidence Pep has gone with 4 CBs in a back 4 with Stones inverting excellently, as this also has the added benefit of be better at defending AND attacking set pieces as well.
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Remember when centre backs were hulking harem-scarem bastards?

I’m trying (with some difficulty) to imagine Pep converting a George Heslop or a Jack Charlton into a silky full back.
 
sir baconface said:
Remember when centre backs were hulking harem-scarem bastards?

I’m trying (with some difficulty) to imagine Pep converting a George Heslop or a Jack Charlton into a silky full back.
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He'd be more likely to drop them altogether and have Summerbee, Bell and Kidd as the centre backs in a back 3.
 
oldius said:
He's having a great season and seems a great bloke, and a top professional.
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He is still very popular among Bournemouth fans, they understood why he left when they got relegated but didn’t expect him to get much game time. His loyalty to City despite a difficult first 18 months has paid off, and he is a much better player for it.
 
He's such good player but more than that he's such a likeable player.

I feared for him when he made the move to City that he was making a terrible career move but he's been amazing and correct if I'm wrong but he's looking like your most consistent defender this season.
 
Vialli98 said:
He's such good player but more than that he's such a likeable player.

I feared for him when he made the move to City that he was making a terrible career move but he's been amazing and correct if I'm wrong but he's looking like your most consistent defender this season.
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I would argue he has been our best all-around defender.

Dias is our best leader and last ditch defender (probably the best in the league on the latter).

Laporte is our best passing defender (up there with the best in the league on his day).

Stones is our best defender with ball at his feet and in the air (his aerial display for England against Italy was just another example of how dominant he is in the latter category), even whilst playing out of position.

But Ake is our best open play defender (1v1 with cover, positioning in the middle third, knowing when to stay back, press, or overlap, etc) and has begun to add direct contributions to our attack whilst also playing slightly out of position as our left back. Further, he is likely the second best among our defenders in most of the other categories I have listed above, making him him the best all-around defender.

I am chuffed for him, as he is also one of the most professional players in the league, never complaining when he hasn’t played, nor has he done anything off the pitch to embarrass the club (unlike a few of our players in recent times, unfortunately).

For me he is the archetypal Pep player from a skill, intelligence, and mindset perspective, and he is being duly rewarded for his professionalism now.

Oh, and I think there is an argument to be made that he is not only the Netherland’s best defender but perhaps their best player full stop right now.

I hope he is able to maintain this level and even perhaps develop a bit further over the rest of the season and beyond.
 
SebastianBlue said:
Laporte is our best passing defender (up there with the best in the league on his day).
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I disagree with this. He’s best at the long diagonal but passing is about so much more than that.

Stones’ passing is still incredibly underrated because he makes the right pass at the right time, perfectly.

It’s not that hard to knock a ball 40 yards when you’ve got time and space, but receiving the ball under pressure, getting you’re head up and seeing where the attack can develop and then passing so the receiving player is running into that space is something very few players and even fewer defenders can do.
 
domalino said:
I disagree with this. He’s best at the long diagonal but passing is about so much more than that.

Stones’ passing is still incredibly underrated because he makes the right pass at the right time, perfectly.

It’s not that hard to knock a ball 40 yards when you’ve got time and space, but receiving the ball under pressure, getting you’re head up and seeing where the attack can develop and then passing so the receiving player is running into that space is something very few players and even fewer defenders can do.
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I knew you would find some part of my post to disagree with, so I won’t really argue with you, as I think Stones is a good passer of the ball, as well. I just think Laporte, at his best, is just a bit better, especially the long balls you mention.

But I do get a little chuckle that you are telling me Stones is underrated. ;-)

Anyway, we can agree Ake is very good.
 
Best defender in the league on current form.

Had back-to-back blocks to deny Liverpool in the first half which were pivotal to going on to humiliate them.
 
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