Edin Dzeko

[NorCalBlue]

Since you only seem to have a problem with name-calling, I hope this means you agree that comparisons are a perfectly reasonable way to discuss the relative merits of our players.

Sure. I don't agree with simply stringing numbers out though without context. As I said, I like and support the player. Doesn't change the fact that Nimely looked better today. Hopefully that motivates Dzeko.

You're right about context for stats. It's as dishonest to quote the stat that Dzeko was the top goalscorer in the league last season without context as it is to quote the stat that Tevez scored more goals than Dzeko last season without context.

I've posted quite a lot of stats for all our strikers, but I've always tried to put them in context. Not that it seemed to help with some posters, but there you go.

As for today's game, I haven't seen it, so I can't specifically comment on it, but I got the general idea from the after match discussion thread that most people realize it's just the first step in a very long season, and you don't expect players to be very sharp or fully fit. I wouldn't expect many of our senior squad to be putting in 100% yet, unless they've been doing a lot of pre-season work on their own (and it's probably better that they aren't giving too much yet or they might end up injured). I can certainly imagine the EDS guys, on the other hand, seeing this as their opportunity to show what they can do, and consequently going all out. But as I said, I didn't see the game, so I might be way off.

 

[Deleted member 52846]

I like Edin and want him to do well. I don't particularly doubt his talents (although he's not as good as some would make out, he's certainly not as bad as some would make out neither), I just think his personality on the pitch is easy to dominate. It's like he's a meek little boy at times. If he's been out of the team, if he's not scored for a while, if his first touch is off early in a game...defenders seem to bully him a bit and he just shrinks in front of my eyes, then has a poor game.

But when he plays well and his confidence is up I'm pleased to watch him.

Spurs away was a disgraceful performance and it doesn't matter about any sort of back story to it, even if he'd found out Mancini was shagging his Mam, you don't put in a performance like he did. He should have offered his wages back that week.

 

[Mountaineer]

I like Edin and want him to do well. I don't particularly doubt his talents (although he's not as good as some would make out, he's certainly not as bad as some would make out neither), I just think his personality on the pitch is easy to dominate. It's like he's a meek little boy at times. If he's been out of the team, if he's not scored for a while, if his first touch is off early in a game...defenders seem to bully him a bit and he just shrinks in front of my eyes, then has a poor game.

But when he plays well and his confidence is up I'm pleased to watch him.

Spurs away was a disgraceful performance and it doesn't matter about any sort of back story to it, even if he'd found out Mancini was shagging his Mam, you don't put in a performance like he did. He should have offered his wages back that week.

Which is strange because he didn't have this problem in Wolfsburg nor does he ever have it with his national team. He had 26 goals and 10 assists in 2008-09 season. He did this with a team that was weaker than City. I don't think some of the members here realize just how badass his record there is. One can only conclude that Mancini, being benched a lot or something else at City had a negative effect on him. After all, he's not the only City player to have a mediocre last season. If Pellegrini is as good and wise of a coach as he seems, I think he will eventually make him more like his old self.

 

[Ireland_for_pm]

People on here criticize him and in the pub but in the stands I have never heard anything but quiet mutterings about Dzeko's performances.

He gets loud support from the stands every single game.

I doubt he comes on here as well.

So all this bollocks about giving him support is nonsense.

Something like the songs Chelsea fans sung about Benayoun I would say would hurt his performances and are out of order but you get nothing like that from City fans.

That's funny I was at Chelsea, stoke(cup) and Everton away games when most fans around me was saying how shit he's been again today.

 

[remoh]

His ball control whilst taking a defender on is not bad, but his collection is abysmal, surely if you were a coach you would be working him on this problem, to me it seems to be getting worse, he definitely needs to be out under some sort of pressure to make him up his game.

Maybe it 'seems' to be getting worse to you because you want it to get worse. And every time you watch him play, a part of you is just waiting for the ball to be kicked to him and for him to mess up so you can say "SHITTY TOUCH!" lol. Maybe Pellegrini doesn't see what you see, but if he does I'm sure he'll do something about it.

As far as I know, statistically, he doesn't have any more unsuccessful first touches than the other strikers. But he's a much bigger guy than Aguero, so you can't expect the same kind of precise tight ball control. But his first touch on taking shots is usually golden. It was amazing in Wolfsburg and believe it or not he also dribbled past people regularly. He wasn't clumsy at all. He was Bundesliga footballer of the year; I hardly think you win something like that with the world's worst first touch.

Take a look at some of his movement and goals here -- hardly clumsy or slow. Do his feet look slow and clumsy at around 0:50 - 0:55? Or anywhere in that video?

<a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=176bNuD_cxI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=176bNuD_cxI</a>

Dzeko is not for slow intricate play. To be at his best, he needs to play direct, with speed and power to beast. Unless Pellegrini is planning to introduce some of that, I don't see why he decided to keep him. City didn't want to build their team more around him, but if they did, City would have done a lot better last season. When you invest in Dzeko the right way, he will pay off. You either go all in with him or better not at all.

Lovely, intelligent post.

Edin could never be at his best when played as a target-man, with his back to goal at the end of a slow build-up.

I am hoping that with Pellegrini's fondness for wingers and his reputed pacy, attacking style, we'll see the pre-City player quality emerge.

He was just one of many quality players who Mancini managed to ruin.

Mancini gone: Pellegrini in.

Oh Happy Day!

 

[Fuzzmaster101]

For those looking to downplay Nimely's efforts to lessen criticism of Dzeko, even neutral announcers commented that he did better than Dzeko.

Oh, well if an announcer said it then it must be right. That's a pretty weak argument. I know what I saw, no agenda. Hadn't come on here as I was watching the match at the time and my thoughts were, I just can't see Nimley ever breaking into the first team. Harsh on half a pre-season game I know but it's not just based on that. I've seen him numerous times and while he's good, he's not that great. Maybe I'm wrong and he'll be a great striker for us, I certainly hope so, but I don't see it yet. He's not that young either, at 22 I'd expect him to be further on than he is. Dzeko on the other hand looked really effective today despite poor service for the most part.

 

[taconinja]

Since you only seem to have a problem with name-calling, I hope this means you agree that comparisons are a perfectly reasonable way to discuss the relative merits of our players.

Sure. I don't agree with simply stringing numbers out though without context. As I said, I like and support the player. Doesn't change the fact that Nimely looked better today. Hopefully that motivates Dzeko.

You're right about context for stats. It's as dishonest to quote the stat that Dzeko was the top goalscorer in the league last season without context as it is to quote the stat that Tevez scored more goals than Dzeko last season without context.

I've posted quite a lot of stats for all our strikers, but I've always tried to put them in context. Not that it seemed to help with some posters, but there you go.

As for today's game, I haven't seen it, so I can't specifically comment on it, but I got the general idea from the after match discussion thread that most people realize it's just the first step in a very long season, and you don't expect players to be very sharp or fully fit. I wouldn't expect many of our senior squad to be putting in 100% yet, unless they've been doing a lot of pre-season work on their own (and it's probably better that they aren't giving too much yet or they might end up injured). I can certainly imagine the EDS guys, on the other hand, seeing this as their opportunity to show what they can do, and consequently going all out. But as I said, I didn't see the game, so I might be way off.

No, I generally agree. Those stating that Dzeko had a good half are exaggerating or willfully blind as he didn't. Of course neither did most of the rest of them with a few exceptions, but today was about fitness.<br /><br />-- Sun Jul 14, 2013 9:23 pm --<br /><br />

For those looking to downplay Nimely's efforts to lessen criticism of Dzeko, even neutral announcers commented that he did better than Dzeko.

Oh, well if an announcer said it then it must be right. That's a pretty weak argument. I know what I saw, no agenda. Hadn't come on here as I was watching the match at the time and my thoughts were, I just can't see Nimley ever breaking into the first team. Harsh on half a pre-season game I know but it's not just based on that. I've seen him numerous times and while he's good, he's not that great. Maybe I'm wrong and he'll be a great striker for us, I certainly hope so, but I don't see it yet. He's not that young either, at 22 I'd expect him to be further on than he is. Dzeko on the other hand looked really effective today despite poor service for the most part.

These weren't the usual English commentators with red axes to grind. They're neutral and I agree. He didn't look motivated and fluffed chances he shouldn't have. Doesn't mean he won't get in a groove though.

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

A poor player who will hopefully be moved on sooner rather than later. Sorry peeps but I really don't get the hype about Dzeko...Shocking first touch,I have seen a salmon jump higher when challenging for a header,body language really tells me he doesn't want to be here.

So what has he done for us to remember-Scored 4 goals against Spurs and was wrongly dropped by Mancini for the following game. A headed equaliser against QPR-Anything else...Not that I can think of....My honest opinion is that we wont win the league with dzeko starting more games.

 

[George Hannah]

A poor player who will hopefully be moved on sooner rather than later. Sorry peeps but I really don't get the hype about Dzeko...Shicking first touch,I have seen a salmon jump higher when challenging for a header,body language really tells me he doesn't want to be here.

So what has he done for us to remember-Scored 4 goals against Spurs and was wrongly dropped by Mancini for the following game. A headed equaliser against QPR-Anything else...Not that I can think of....My honest opinion is that we wont win the league with dzeko starting more games.

you say that about Steven Finn - give these chaps a chance!

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

A poor player who will hopefully be moved on sooner rather than later. Sorry peeps but I really don't get the hype about Dzeko...Shicking first touch,I have seen a salmon jump higher when challenging for a header,body language really tells me he doesn't want to be here.

So what has he done for us to remember-Scored 4 goals against Spurs and was wrongly dropped by Mancini for the following game. A headed equaliser against QPR-Anything else...Not that I can think of....My honest opinion is that we wont win the league with dzeko starting more games.

you say that about Steven Finn - give these chaps a chance!

You have lost me with that one mate?