BillyShears said:
I don't think the people who are saying we lack pace in our side are suggesting anything other than we currently don't have any in the team and although it's not necessary - if you're building a balanced squad, it's good to have the option.
Then we are in agreement :)
He's not played as a winger though - ie his instructions probably aren't to hug the touchline and whip crosses in. Right now he's included because of the injury to Balo.
I understand that. Some fans just often hop on AJ not being played as some magic potion. I understand playing him ahead of Jo, coz Jo has no confidence right now. But frankly he is better off coming of the bench when we have a full team, coz he is not the finished article just yet!
5) Tevez's selfishness is a big part of why we fail to break teams down.
Completely disagree. I can see the "Carlos is greedy" movement has gathered pace in recent weeks. Personally I just don't see it. I'm sure in an 'ideal ideal' world he could occasionally not try and go it alone - but he scores goals - and bags of them, so he's allowed to do it.
Again, like I said earlier, I also believe Carlos is City's best player. But this doesn't change the fact that his style is often detrimental to team efficiency and cohesion. I guess we have to take the good with the bad. But as we begin to accumulate better players, the bad will eventually outweigh the good. Same happened with Robihno. And if Carlos doesn't improve, same will happen to him. I have faith that he can, coz he doesn't play that way for Argentina. It seems he just believes he is so much better than everyone else that even if his attempts don't work, City is still better off.
Perhaps for now, but since the arrival of Silva, Yaya, Balo and now Dzeko, that is becoming less and less true the more comfortable these new additions get!
Here's the thing with playing a diamond - even with the personnel listed, we don't have good enough players
I disagree. Our players are good enoug. They need to gel, yes. But they are good enough technically.
You need world class full backs (which we don't have) and you need three top top drawer midfield players who are all technically excellent, incredibly mobile, and who are equally adept at crossing the ball and making killer passes.
1) Our fullbacks (Kolarov and Boateng) were on the verge of becoming World class when we got them. So there is nothing suggesting they wouldn't achieve that once they are fully integrated and gelled
2) We already have 2 WC CMs in Silva and Yaya. and a swatchbucking tackler in De Jong. one more confident and intelligent CM is all we need. And I honestly feel Barry, Milner or even MJ can become that
My opinion, Yaya can't play where you've put him effectively, especially not with Zaba and/or one of our other current full backs playing.
I agree the chemistry is still off, but Both Boateng and Micah can do the job effectively. If you have the tape, go back and watch Micah vs Arsenal in the 3-0 defeat, you'd see glimpses of what he can become. And Germany at the WC would give you an idea of the kind of FB Boateng can be. Yes they are not fully there now, but they will be if practice continues on schedule. And Yaya can play anywhere in midfield. Actually his worst position might actually be DM, and he excelled at it so well that most even thought he was nothing but a DM when coming from Barca.
However I must caution that he is a little lazy defensively for City. So I wouldn't consider him for the DM position. Playing DM for Barca is uniquely different than doing so anywhere else.
Secondly, the 'other' midfield player. We don't have one - and again, a good 'team' player won't be enough. It would require another world class player to play there.
Don't get me wrong, another WC player would be fab, but not a necessity. I think MJ is probably the best bet for that position if he ever regains his full fitness. He is intelligent on and off the ball, and that is all the position needs.
Tevez and Dzeko IMO can play alongside each other in a front two though...
I hope you are right, but from what I have seen, Tevez has gotten used to being the fulcrum, and he seems to be having a hard time being a team first player. He does it every now and then, but not consistently. And that will eventually be a problem. Or at least so I believe.