De Jong the Great?

[PSmyth07]

Tell me what he has done? He had 1 good game at Chelsea, thats it.

You think he's the bee's knees because he gives 110%, yeah i'll give him that but he just isn't good enough. For a team with aspirations of glory and breaking the top four, De Jong isn't the player we need.

A dutch international who's one of the first names on the Holland teamsheet in a team ranked in the top 10 in the world and he's not good enough for City? People need to understand the job he is doing and get their heads out of footie manager.........

So we should pick players based on International status? Playing for Holland and playing for City are totally different.

Elano gets into the Brazil team and we soon wanted him gone.
Robinho gets into the Brazil team but no-one wants him.
Toure is a first choice but no-one wants him.
Adebayor is Togo captain but everyone slags him off.

Where's the consistency?

 

[PSmyth07]

Tell me what he has done? He had 1 good game at Chelsea, thats it.

You think he's the bee's knees because he gives 110%, yeah i'll give him that but he just isn't good enough. For a team with aspirations of glory and breaking the top four, De Jong isn't the player we need.

Keep digging. I don't rate players who rely on work ethic at all, I'm not a huge fan of Tevez or Bellamy for example and I love Robinho, work rate means very little to me. What De Jong offers is incredible protection to the defence and a lot of it is so subtle that a simple footballing mind like yours won't even notice it. His positioning is excellent, he marks players out of the game and cuts down angles for other options which often leads to mistakes, he's incredible in the tackle, he plays the simple ball well, he just does the things your DM is there to do in exactly the same way Makelele and Dunga did, they play a role in a side and do it perfectly, your CB defends, your striker scores, your DM breaks up their play and recycles the ball, end of. Forget wanting him to go forward, that's the job of the other two CM players, nothing to do with De Jong.

That made me laugh, "His positioning is excellent".

How come he's always caught in no-mans land? When the opposition midfield has the ball and running at him he doesn't even know what to do. Just backs off and invites pressure. But yeah thats spot on.

Also, when one of our defenders make a clearance with their head how come he is never there to recieve it? And whats with the overhead kicks when no-ones around him?

 

[Neil McNab]

The problem with playing De Jong is that the rest of our midfield don't compliment his style of play. Combine that with the fact that he fades badly in the 2nd half of matches, has no pace and can't pass, it adds up to a bit of a mess. I'm De Jong playing behind Essien and Lampard would look fantastic but playing with Barry and another it isn't working.
When did a sweeper become known as a defensive midfielder?
I remember plenty of sweepers that got forward more than De Jong and didn't play as deep!

 

[leighton]

Yes on form De Jong is up there with the best defensive midfielders in the league. Great in the tackle strong and quick everything you want from a defensive midfielder. The thing that we have a problem is in our team we have 3 of those players who can do that role and when those 3 play in the game they are forced to do the roles they dont normally like to do in trying to get forward and help the forwards out and make a run into the box. Barry would do this but sadly he doesn't have the legs to this all the time and tends to sit more than go forward the same goes for Vieria they all want to do the holding role and pass it sideways.

 

[bluem0ng]

i just don't see De jong as this great midfielder everyone sees him as. i think he would be great if he would fire some shots towards goal and join the attack once in a while..when he has the ball people give him 15 feet space knowing he will just pass..i know his job is stop the attack/win the ball/shield the back 4. but we wont get far if it stays like that. its like playing with a less man on the attack. in training maybe he should be doing dribbling/long range shots. i hope he can add another dimension to his game

our whole team IMO needs to shoot more look at the rags, proof that good things happen when u shoot. own goals are there second leading scorer, i think that's more than ade too

De Jong is fantastic at what he does. If he's played as a holding midfielder and is told to just sit and break up play then there's no-one better.

However, in Mancini's ridiculous 4-3-2-1 formation you need all 3 of the central midfielders to have more to their game. You need players who can spread the play, break forward, shoot and tackle.

If De Jong is played in the correct position he's perfect but he's not a traditional central midfielder.

Nonsense. All this 'holding midfielder' stuff just means it's a very limited player who is crap going forward.

We don't need De jong in games like last night, he barely put a tackle in and the ball is above his head most of the time.

Vieira wasn't great but at least he was getting forward with the ball.

 

[bluem0ng]

Atm, he's about level pegging with Gelson. (Not ability, I mean he hasn't done nothing that makes him a better player)

We need to drop him, make him fight for a place, hes got it way too easy. Although, I'd probably play him at Liverpool to get on Gerrard.

Somebody pass this fucking lunatic the noose. You know nothing about football just press the red X at the top and save me the vile tripe that you call opinion.

lol, how long have you and Nigel been together? Presumably you're the woman

 

[Neil McNab]

Yes on form De Jong is up there with the best defensive midfielders in the league. Great in the tackle strong and quick everything you want from a defensive midfielder. The thing that we have a problem is in our team we have 3 of those players who can do that role and when those 3 play in the game they are forced to do the roles they dont normally like to do in trying to get forward and help the forwards out and make a run into the box. Barry would do this but sadly he doesn't have the legs to this all the time and tends to sit more than go forward the same goes for Vieria they all want to do the holding role and pass it sideways.

How many out and out defensive midfielders are playing in the league?
I'd struggle to think of 3 that are as negative as De Jong, so in effect your statement is correct.
Is he one of the best midfielders in the league? I'd say no!
He was the best invisible midfielder in the league last night!

 

[Alba555]

This thread is insane!!!!

Laughable! any1 who questions De Jong's DM ability is nuts.

And to hear people want him on the bench!........Would b suicide

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I have been critical of De Jong of late.

But he could be world class if he takes the next step up. He showed a glimpse of his talent and potential in the win against Chelsea, the most dominant midfield performance I had seen from a City player since Paul Lake single-handedly destroyed the scum in '89.

His limitations are obvious, he is small in stature and although does a decent job covering the ground, he is easily by-passed by a bigger man.

He would be so much better served by sitting between the defence and midfield, so he can see everything happening in front.

Alongside Barry, he is limited because they both lack pace and only have a sideways pass.

If De Jong had a driving midfielder in the Gerrard mould alongside him, you would see an entirely different player.

It is interesting to note than all of De Jong's/Barry's games against United, they are easily by-passed by someone like Fletcher who is able to get a run behind them.

 

[leighton]

Yes on form De Jong is up there with the best defensive midfielders in the league. Great in the tackle strong and quick everything you want from a defensive midfielder. The thing that we have a problem is in our team we have 3 of those players who can do that role and when those 3 play in the game they are forced to do the roles they dont normally like to do in trying to get forward and help the forwards out and make a run into the box. Barry would do this but sadly he doesn't have the legs to this all the time and tends to sit more than go forward the same goes for Vieria they all want to do the holding role and pass it sideways.

How many out and out defensive midfielders are playing in the league?
I'd struggle to think of 3 that are as negative as De Jong, so in effect your statement is correct.
Is he one of the best midfielders in the league? I'd say no!
He was the best invisible midfielder in the league last night!

It is hard to define a defensive midfielder. I look at Chelsea I would class both Essien and Mikel as defensive midfielders. Arsenal would have Song but would be a way bit more advanced up the pitch. Liverpool Mascherano and Lucas. Palasios off Spurs to mention a few. I think De Jong against the better teams we tend to see the best of his play and is a key factor in those games.