Is kolarov what you expected?

[Gizew]

He is nice guy and great player. He is improving day by day.

Even not at his full best, he started to score nice goals.

Do you guys expect to see him at his best in a new team and after only few games and a long injury problems?

I am wondering how people are so quick to lose hope on players.

 

[johnmc]

Don't understand that comment. The system we play is a very narrow 4231 with the two 'wide players' cutting inside, thus leaving room for the full back to attack. We don't have enough pace either at the back or in midfield to deal with teams breaking at pace against us - it's why IMO we set up the way we do against teams like Arsenal and the rags - because Mancini knows his team can be exposed if it comes up against a good team with lightening pace in their armoury...

Check out the way Spurs bullied us at WHL....new players aside, what we couldn't handle was their pace and movement.

We were a team of strangers in that game and got a draw - not bad for a team that got bullied.

As for teams breaking at pace we have done it more this season than it has been done against us.

 

[Joycee Banercheck]

I'd say that a fullback who can't defend in any system is a bit of a liability! But I don't think AK has done too bad. Definitely room for improvement, but on the whole, getting there.

I meant he is good enough to defend in this system. People forget he missed the first 1/3 of the season through injury.

And I'd agree with that. I also appreciate the lay-off through injury and won't judge him until he's had a regular run.

 

[Anonymous]

As for teams breaking at pace we have done it more this season than it has been done against us.

That's because we've spent a lot of the season with 11 men parked behind the ball...if we didn't play on the break we'd never attack.

Not sure what your point is - we don't struggle against teams with pace? Well, I just said that we probably play the way we do because Mancini knows we struggle when we come up against teams with pace in their side...

As for the Spurs game - Spurs were head and shoulders the better team and murdered us for large periods of that match. Granted they didn't score a goal, but then MOTM was Joe Hart...

 

[johnmc]

That's because we've spent a lot of the season with 11 men parked behind the ball...if we didn't play on the break we'd never attack.

Not sure what your point is - we don't struggle against teams with pace? Well, I just said that we probably play the way we do because Mancini knows we struggle when we come up against teams with pace in their side...

As for the Spurs game - Spurs were head and shoulders the better team and murdered us for large periods of that match. Granted they didn't score a goal, but then MOTM was Joe Hart...

Well if we spend most of the time with 11 men parked behind the ball how do team break against us. They don't. And you say thats because Mancini is scared of teams who do that well fine if he is, I hope he carried on being because we are second with a good chance of winning the damn thing. So if we struggle against teams with pace we have a funny way of getting results against them dont we?

The spurs game we were second best and Hart was MOTM, we still got the same result as United did and I presume they didnt get bullied in your opinion.

 

[Scooby Blue]

It's his turn now is it?

Why is it that some people have to jump all over threads and try and shout down anyone who is raising legitimate points?

Do we have a better option for taking penalties than Carlos?
Is Kolarov's lack of pace a liability that is now being targeted by opposing managers?
Is Boateng really the answer at right back?
How do we get the best out of James Milner?
Should we really be relying on Jo as a back-up striker?

I am as happy as anyone with our current league position / form etc but it doesn't stop me thinking about ways in which we can improve...and I am sure that Mancini thinks the same way.

To answer the original question:
1) Never expected him to have blistering pace, but he has good stamina for forward runs...which is a bonus.
2) Overall delivery for crosses is a big improvement on Bridge, but I feel Kolarov can do even more than he has shown us so far.
3)Small glimpses in recent games: blocking shots / putting body on line etc that he is up for the fight which encourages me.
4) Given our current set-up I can't help feeling that a more naturally speedy left back (in the Evra / Clichy / Gibbs mould ) would have suited us better.
Milner + AJ have no pace so lack of speedy full-backs makes us look very ponderous at times when attacking down the wing.(only time we break with speed is via Carlos dribbling or Yaya storming through middle)

 

[samharris]

It's his turn now is it?

Ade,Jo, Kolarov...

yes john..the alphabetical order is being maintained. ;)

 

[leewill31]

I meant he is good enough to defend in this system. People forget he missed the first 1/3 of the season through injury.

And I'd agree with that. I also appreciate the lay-off through injury and won't judge him until he's had a regular run.

some need to pay attention to this!

 

[Didsbury Dave]

It's his turn now is it?

Why is it that some people have to jump all over threads and try and shout down anyone who is raising legitimate points?

To be fair, Scooby, it's been much better on here today than for a long time for that. There's some good constructive discussion going on without the Blue Moon Dogs of War telling people to "Fuck off to Old Trafford"

 

[taconinja]

What are you talking about?

The system is 4-2-3-1.

He's a full back.

If he doesn't defend properly we're in the shit.

Yes, we're playing a 4-2-3-1. It's well established that the way you get width in the formation is to have the fullbacks go up in support while the two central midfielders provide cover for them. It's the only way the formation works. In effect, the fullbacks become midfielders while the central midfielders funnel things towards the central defenders. That's a problem when Lescott is in as we all witnessed last night.