City backline

BlueMoonz1977

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Okay with the signing of Dias we are moving forward in improving the backline finally, with it rumoured we are looking at a possible new LB coming in.

So if we fo get this LB we will finally have a defence that will instill confidence. Ake has been superb since arriving and Dias looks like he is the character we have been lacking - his interview said it all. Cancelo improved a hell of a lot towards the end of last season and looked like the player we wanted - hopefully he has settled and can kick on

So what we hoping for before deadline day arrives and how will the back four look come next week.

I am hoping for something like this

Cancelo - Laporte - Dias - Tagliafico
 
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I don't mind Walker defensively but going forward we very rarely score from one of his crosses (most don't even get to a City player), Mendy, ah Mendy, looks to be a terrible defender that doesn't possess any positional sense whatsoever and his crosses are mostly woeful, they hit the first man or sail 20 yards above everyone at rocket speed.
We need fullbacks that can defend first and create at least 10-15 goals a season (sadly like Liverpool).
 
I don't mind Walker defensively but going forward we very rarely score from one of his crosses (most don't even get to a City player), Mendy, ah Mendy, looks to be a terrible defender that doesn't possess any positional sense whatsoever and his crosses are mostly woeful, they hit the first man or sail 20 yards above everyone at rocket speed.
We need fullbacks that can defend first and create at least 10-15 goals a season (sadly like Liverpool).
I agree. Cancelo i believe will kick on this season, Ake is showing he wants to play and improve and has slotted in very well. He can actually play LB as well as cover

Get a LB in with quality/pace and the outlook is changed and the mood lifted very quick.

I did a post on mendy and his jnjury the other day (as i have suffered a major dislocation on my knee 2 years ago) and from experience it is hard to ever be same as you once was - unfortunately i believe it has ruined his career
 
Given what we’ve seen over the past 12 months or so, I’d be more than happy with
Walker - Dias - Laporte - Aké
as a first choice backline.
Plenty of pace, physicality, aggression, and - crucially - actual defensive ability.
Stick one of Rodri, Gundogan or Fernandinho in front of them, with Walker and Aké tucking in alongside them. And then pick five more attacking/creative players.
Piece of piss.
 
Walker is nowhere near good enough for us. Despite having pace to burn he spends most of the game rooted to touch on the halfway line, shouting for the ball & then when he gets it ambles 2 or3 yard slowly then turns round & passes it 45 degrees BACK to the goalkeeper or central defender. Any speed built up is lost & opposition defence easily slots back in place. This pattern of play is just the same with Gundo & when these 2 play together you get a Lyon performance. Thanks guys but adios.
 
Okay with the signing of Dias we are moving forward in improving the backline finally, with it rumoured we are looking at a possible new LB coming in.

So if we fo get this LB we will finally have a defence that will instill confidence. Ake has been superb since arriving and Dias looks like he is the character we have been lacking - his interview said it all. Cancelo improved a hell of a lot towards the end of last season and looked like the player we wanted - hopefully he has settled and can kick on

So what we hoping for before deadline day arrives and how will the back four look come next week.

I am hoping for something like this

Cancelo - Laporte - Dias - Tagliafico
Geez, i'd be a nervous wreck watching 2 debuts, a nearly newbie, and a guy coming off the back of a pandemic virus... but fuck it!! lets give it a go

i came into this football mullarky for the giggles anyway! :D
 
Walker is nowhere near good enough for us. Despite having pace to burn he spends most of the game rooted to touch on the halfway line, shouting for the ball & then when he gets it ambles 2 or3 yard slowly then turns round & passes it 45 degrees BACK to the goalkeeper or central defender. Any speed built up is lost & opposition defence easily slots back in place. This pattern of play is just the same with Gundo & when these 2 play together you get a Lyon performance. Thanks guys but adios.
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I'm happy to be proven wrong, but I don't think this is just about the players we play in defence. There's something else wrong in the team that needs addressing.

If we're not going to address the counter attack sucker-punch goal then we're going to need to buy 4 seven foot, Bolt-speed defenders with the awareness of Maldini and Baresi but who can pass like Silva and head it like Andy Carroll. I honestly think if we can stamp the silly goals out then we can talk about titles, CL etc again. If it's not stamped out we're going to have another frustrating season watching the likes of Fulham mug us.

I'd honestly be happy if we went back to basics where we went out and aimed not to concede. Make that a priority and build confidence back up in the team. Let's start to show teams that it's completely pointless blasting hopeful 60 yards balls forward. Make them think about a plan B for a change.

We WILL score goals with the attacking players we've got and if we only score 70 goals this year and concede 20 (which I think we're capable of) then it's champagne time AGAIN this year!
 
Too much pressure of defence and the personnel. Not much will change we change from high line defence to something where defence is more comfortable and facing lot less pressure from counters.

We needed Cb signings to make sure when they face those very hard situation which the team puts them into they should react better than what we see going on recent months.

We need to make sure they do not face that many situations. Balance is off in current City team and defence is left to deal with the consequences.

If nothing changes upfront and midfield and in wide areas in terms of mobility/energy, intensity, pressing,tracking back, and general tactical discipline off the ball, I expect more of the same losses with same pattern as it happened with Arsenal, Lyon, Leicester and many others last season even with Laporte-Dias in CB.

That is Pep's biggest job for this season while Dias is under immense pressure who simply has to hit the ground running, couple early mistakes and media will be happy to crank up the pressure and it does not fill me with confidence when I see Mahrez strolling around, KDB/Sterling not doing 100% to stop/close down players when they start those counters which end in our defender having to defend a 1 v 1 vs Vardy running behind them...

Instead of having extreme work ethic and trying to win the ball back upfront within less than 10 second we allow opponents create a clear goalscoring chance within 10 second and when you have a high line defence than it is not down to defence only, as first line of defence is the upfront trio we have usually. If they do not do their job properly we are scrambling and panic sets it and it leads to those situations we keep seeing.
 

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