Centre-back

[Llandegren]

Re: Centre-Back 3rd option

7th-14th is mid table.

That's 3 spots above 10th but 4 below..

8th-12th, at a push.

9th, 10th and 11th are the mid table teams.

I digress, I just disagree with discarding a posters proposal of a player by saying they're from a midtable team that finished 6th... Tis a bit arrogant imo.

When we missed out on CL football to Spurs and finished 5th, was that mid table?

There are 6 places above 7th and 6 places below 14th.

Top 6, Bottom 6 and the rest in the between are various shades of 'mid table'.

FFS, IT DOESNT MATTER!!! Stick to the topic

 

[totallywired]

Re: Centre-Back 3rd option

Louvren.

 

[Llandegren]

Re: Centre-Back 3rd option

Louvren.

As we all have said, no.

 

[Rammyblues]

I ain't no tactician and maybe someone will correct me but at the beginning of last season when we were in possession the centre backs were almost on the half way line, when we lost the ball the opposition simply put the ball over into the channels and if they had pacy wingers we were stuffed. To compensate we seemed to stop going to the half way line and dropped back by about 10 yards meaning we didn.t get caught out as much. If we didn't have the ball and we were having to defend it seemed the 18 yard box line was the line to which we would not go beyond unless it was a corner.

 

[CatMan]

So nasty was our best defender two seasons ago? Are you supporting another team? As i Said these are My personal thoughts and i like rekiks style more not saying he is better

Just my 2 cents: players can be made to look great or ordinary depending on the system being played. E.g, no one can argue that Terry or Cahill aren't great defenders. But remember Chelsea under AVB's high line: they weren't effective. I think Nastasic is the same (although with time he might develop his game further): when we played deep, he used his reading of the game to overcome his lack of pace and (apparent) strength. He struggles with the high line. Injuries did not help either. Not saying you need pace always to play in high line (eg. Demicheles, but his reading is better than Kompany's IMO, he owned Barca till his tackle on Messi), but it helps. A lot.

IMO our system needs quick CBs who are also good readers of the game and good passers. Pacy BPDs. That's why I am wary of Mangala: physically imposing, but does he have the brains?

I'll never understand this "Nastasic can't operate with our high line" concept. I feel like one person said it, and they said it with authority, and now a bunch of people say it because that's the common thread. Like the idea that Micah Richards is a competent CB.

The high line itself was at fault to start the season. Pelle pulled it back as the season went on. Nasty had problems in the early games in the same sense that everyone had problems in the early games. After that form and fitness kept him sidelined. We've never seen him play in our current defense, except in Al-Ain, which is a neglible friendly. But he was a fantastic player two seasons ago, and that was at the age of 19. That's so rare for a central defender, the idea that people are ready to write him off seems insane to me.

Also he's not the fastest player in history, but he's not exactly strolling around the pitch like a one-legged monkey smoking a pipe.

His major flaw is judgement! Experience may wisen him, however currently he almost seems to have some compulsive affliction that forces him to dive into tackles!

He just cannot resist making the tackle and is therefore always liable to give the opposition cheap free kicks in key areas. If he can curb that urge then he may come again however if it's instinctive, and I think it is, then he may struggle.

 

[Mancitybluemoon1]

I ain't no tactician and maybe someone will correct me but at the beginning of last season when we were in possession the centre backs were almost on the half way line, when we lost the ball the opposition simply put the ball over into the channels and if they had pacy wingers we were stuffed. To compensate we seemed to stop going to the half way line and dropped back by about 10 yards meaning we didn.t get caught out as much. If we didn't have the ball and we were having to defend it seemed the 18 yard box line was the line to which we would not go beyond unless it was a corner.

You hit the nail on the head mate.....and that's the main problem...City couldn't play the high line because we have weaknesses in the back 4 and needed to cover them up....Kompany is the only CB in the team that is talented enough (and fast enough) to stay with those quicker forwards. Teams will always game plan to attack your weak points and ours is Demichelis, which then puts pressure on Kompany (you could see Kompany's frustration in a lot of games last year)......

 

[City_Sean]

I ain't no tactician and maybe someone will correct me but at the beginning of last season when we were in possession the centre backs were almost on the half way line, when we lost the ball the opposition simply put the ball over into the channels and if they had pacy wingers we were stuffed. To compensate we seemed to stop going to the half way line and dropped back by about 10 yards meaning we didn.t get caught out as much. If we didn't have the ball and we were having to defend it seemed the 18 yard box line was the line to which we would not go beyond unless it was a corner.

You hit the nail on the head mate.....and that's the main problem...City couldn't play the high line because we have weaknesses in the back 4 and needed to cover them up....Kompany is the only CB in the team that is talented enough (and fast enough) to stay with those quicker forwards. Teams will always game plan to attack your weak points and ours is Demichelis, which then puts pressure on Kompany (you could see Kompany's frustration in a lot of games last year)......

I'd argue the only game we hugely struggled with the high line was Chelsea at home, but we had to play MDM in defensive midfield, and Nastasic wasn't match fit either.

 

[FantasyIreland]

The Star..... reporting we're back in for Pepe given Benatia and Mangala are out of reach.

 

[Daz_Blue]

Re: Centre-Back 3rd option

City Watch ‏@City_Watch 47s
Star: City are considering Pepe (31, Real Madrid), Mats Hummels (25, BVB) & John Stones (20, Everton) as alternatives to Mangala & Benatia.



<a class="postlink" href="http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/382713/EXCLUSIVE-Manchester-City-in-for-Real-Madrid-defender-Pepe-after-Mangala-snub" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/footba ... ngala-snub</a>

 

[Llandegren]

Re: Centre-Back 3rd option

City Watch ‏@City_Watch 47s
Star: City are considering Pepe (31, Real Madrid), Mats Hummels (25, BVB) & John Stones (20, Everton) as alternatives to Mangala & Benatia.