MotownBlue said:
I have never been one of those people who slag off Dzeko. Never been a hater.
However, at this point I feel it is just best that he and City part company this summer. I sat through the first half today watching him turn the wrong way over and over, have too heavy a first touch over and over and give away possession far too easily. Moreover, he just looked like his head was not in the game.
I can think of at least 2 chances he had in the first half alone which could have put us up 2-0 if he had buried them. The way Spuds looked for most of the match, I really don't think they could have hauled themselves back from 2-0 down. Yeah yeah, some of you will point out that they scored three in six minutes and such, but at 2-0 down they would have been pushing forward even harder and they would have been stretched easily and we could have hit them on the counter.
I don't hate him. I will not put him down too much. I just do not feel his style of play fits the style of this club. We attack best by playing the ball at feet. We unlock defenses by passing on the pitch. Week in and week out, we use the ball in the air mostly to switch up the point of attack on the edge of the box (Milner is especially brilliant at this), not to find a tall striker to head it goalward. The big ball will never be a regular option for us with the type of skill players we have in the squad. Even on crosses, we tend to hit them low and firm, attempting to find feet int he box - not heads. For me, the worst part about Dzeko not fitting in here is that it left Bobby with only 2 reliable strikers this season.
Don't tell me we should change our philosophy for the sake of one striker. I'd much rather just change that one striker. Any of us could name a heavy handful of potential replacements for Edin Dzeko who would fit very easily into this possession style, up-tempo football we win with.
Sell him off as soon as the season ends. I mean QUICKLY. Not because I hate him. Not because he is horrible. Rather, do this so that we have more time and more money to make the moves we need to make to bolster this squad going into next year. This summer is crucial to our future and our chances to regain the league title next year. When the headlines are written after this season ends, the biggest single reason that we will have lost the title will be our lack of finishing. Even after today's 3-1 loss, we will still have the best defensive record in the league. Goals (well, the lack of them) will have been our downfall.
Edin Dzeko has scored some HUGE goals for Manchester City Football Club. I don't think any of us in our right minds would argue that. Regardless, I feel strongly that it is time for the man to take his talents elsewhere. Replace him with a forward who has better movement and who plays within our scheme better.
And to those who might say we will miss his height and his heading ability, I will direct them to Aguero's headed goal last week. That goal was scored based on a striker's movement off the ball and his getting in the right place to make a strong play. It was scored by a striker who is anything but tall.
Don't mean to incite the Dzeko fans. Just want players who fit our system better.
CTID
As a Bosnian, I agree with everything you said about Edin based on today's performance and his attitude on the pitch. TBH I do not want to see him starting any remaining games this season. As case was with Mario, whatever beef Edin has with Mancini, it was not fair to supporters and the rest of teammates not to give 110% like Tevez does every fkn game!
Most of all, Thank you for acknowledging, even after today's performance, that Edin played crucial part in City winning long awaited silverware. Quite a few supporters on this forum seem to suffer from short-term memory loss and are not honest with themselves when it comes to his overall contribution in past 2.5 years. Since he is most likely done being City's "donkey", lets agree on his biggest contributions:
2011: 80" equalizer vs Notts County which gave us chance to go on in competition and eventually lift FA Cup
2012: 91" equalizer vs QPR which gave City hope to go on and claim Title in Hollywood-style ending
Lets not fool ourselves, Edin will be gone, new striker(s) will come, few new scapegoats will be chosen, but two BIG issues will remain:
- we are left with a Manager whose tactics under pressure and man-management are rather questionable
- can someone please give us our midfield from last season back ?! Where did our creativity go! Maybe Dzeko killed it when nobody was watching ;)
Haters engage...
PS. I can't wait for season to be over, excited about changes
