Fulham v City Post Match Discussion Thread

[Pam]

Mancini getting mocked and derided by the morning papers for blaming "not enough players" (midfielders). I'm finding it hard to disagree with the papers for once, Fulham had a 19-year-old midfielder come off the bench, Mancini could have used Razak if he was desperate for midfield depth.

Since when do we care what the morons of the press say. Get a grip, for God's sake. It's like listening to a bunch of twelve year olds.

 

[LoveCity]

Mancini getting mocked and derided by the morning papers for blaming "not enough players" (midfielders). I'm finding it hard to disagree with the papers for once, Fulham had a 19-year-old midfielder come off the bench, Mancini could have used Razak if he was desperate for midfield depth.

Since when do we care what the morons of the press say.

Well I hate the media but I actually think what Mancini said there is stupid and a really bad excuse. He complains about a lack of midfielders, has none on the bench, while he has one of the best under-20 midfielders in the country in his squad (Abdul Razak) and even with midfield injuries galore doesn't put him on the bench.

 

[Jumanji]

Well I hate the media but I actually think what Mancini said there is stupid and a really bad excuse. He complains about a lack of midfielders, has none on the bench, while he has one of the best under-20 midfielders in the country in his squad (Abdul Razak) and even with midfield injuries galore doesn't put him on the bench.

Zaba is better than Razak.

 

[Pam]

Mancini getting mocked and derided by the morning papers for blaming "not enough players" (midfielders). I'm finding it hard to disagree with the papers for once, Fulham had a 19-year-old midfielder come off the bench, Mancini could have used Razak if he was desperate for midfield depth.

Since when do we care what the morons of the press say.

Well I hate the media but I actually think what Mancini said there is stupid and a really bad excuse. He complains about a lack of midfielders, has none on the bench, while he has one of the best under-20 midfielders in the country in his squad (Abdul Razak) and even with midfield injuries galore doesn't put him on the bench.

Would people rather he publicly criticise the players? When Fergie makes excuses for his team (and he does), it's masterful gamesmanship. When Mancini does it, it's to be ridiculed? Why do people fall for this bullshit.

 

[collie40]

Wer'e missing Nigel so much, even when we were 2-0 up i could see so many of thier attacks that would of been broken down and turned into our attacks!

 

[LoveCity]

Zaba is better than Razak.

If you believe that and Mancini believes that, then why is Mancini complaining about having no midfielders? Razak is a midfielder highly rated by the club so if Zaba "is better" then surely he must be rated as a good midfielder by Mancini too, rendering his argument useless?

Personally I feel Zaba offers very little as a midfielder and he looked completely unnatural in the position. We were still being overrun and Zaba offers zero going forward, that is his weak point. Honestly think Kompany would have been better there, being a former holding midfielder. And Razak already has a better passing range than Zaba and would have offered more going forward as well as trying to get stuck in with tackles.

 

[blumoonrisen]

Zaba offers zero going forward, that is his weak point. Honestly think Kompany would have been better there

At a guess, I think stats for assists and goals would disagree..

 

[Pam]

I'm going to bed. Things will feel calmer in the morning. No real need for anyone to suicide just yet. Can't splatter every single team we meet, particularly away from home.

 

[LoveCity]

Zaba offers zero going forward, that is his weak point. Honestly think Kompany would have been better there

At a guess, I think stats for assists and goals would disagree..

That is a strange comment as the role they'd be playing in midfield isn't so much about goals and assists, but if you insist.

Kompany (3 seasons, in 4th now): 3 league goals, 5 league assists
Zabaleta (3 seasons, in 4th now): 3 league goals, 5 league assists

(Source: Soccernet)

Zabaleta mostly as a right-back, Kompany as a CB.

So what do those stats prove exactly except nothing much? Kompany was a holding midfielder before he moved to our club and said he preferred to play there. Who knows how he would fare filling in there but as much as I love Zaba to me he is a second choice full-back at best and ineffective in other positions. I'd rather see Razak than both as an emergency midfielder since he has outstanding pure ability and the green boy argument doesn't really work for me with prodigious youths as the best ones all start in their teens. Wilshere, McEachran, Hoilett recent examples.

Back to my main point, it is simply that Mancini shouldn't complain about a lack of midfielders when there are options there. I always back the manager but this "not enough players" got stale last season along with "the players are tired".

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Got to put my two pennyworth in, Subbing Silva big mistake, but what is happening to our defence, we used to have a cracking defence, we are letting in too many goals.

First off, there's 1 less midfielder protecting them. Secondly, Kompany has begun the season in terrible form.