Kolarov over Clichy?

[franksinatra]

Gash is probably the wrong word as gash is.......removed so not to offend female readers....
Considering we are in the top league this guy would probably struggle to get in a Frank Clarke team. He`s possibly one of the worst defenders I`ve witnessed at City whilst playing in the top league. His positional sense, pace (or lack of it), and sense of urgency is worrying.
And, I`m not prepared to go down the.... "my support is fucking gash road"......those that know me don`t doubt my support, the number of airmiles accumulated, and the 70 odd away grounds watching City points to my commitment.
Also, I did cheer when he scored on saturday, and then we all laughed together as our goals were scored by possibly our worst performers on the day.

ps do/did you cheer Tevez upon his return? I did, because he wears the "shirt".

And not watching from behind my keyboard....and didn`t just blame Kolorav, get your facts right

Stuggle to get in A frank Clark team. One of the worst defenders I have seen in the top league.

Do you really believe that or is it an attempt to give your point more validity?

You also said the two goals were his fault, can you explain why a quick free kick taken to a player who then runs past Yaya Toure and crosses it for a striker who beats our defece in the air is Kolarovs fault?

You have already made your mind up who to blame and your best justification is it was from his side. For some reason you just want to blame Kolarov, I dont understand it to be honest... but each to their own.

1 i didn`t blme him for 2 goals, did I? You`ll find that was another poster.
2 Not the worst defender in the top league, one of the worst MCFC defenders I`ve seen in the top league (HE CAN NOT DEFEND). There is a difference.
Perhaps I`ve been spoilt over the years by remembering the good left backs in the likes of Paul Power and Andy Hinchcliffe and forgetting the dross such as Frontzeck.

If there`s a chance of Mancini sorting out the problem with him in the team at left back good luck to him. But we are now at a level where we can not accomodate a defender just because they take a good free kick.

But as they say opinions are just like arseholes, we all have one.

Yes you didnt blame him for two goals, Ive done that twice now in a couple of days so apologies for that. It must be all the pressure and mind games getting to me.

Like you say its all about opinions, you clearly mush have highly rated that Frank Clark team as well. Interestingly probably the worst left back display this season was Clichy at Chelsea for me. It rarely gets a mention but im sure if it was Kolarov it would be used as a bloody big stick to beating him with.

 

[Jumanji]

In the absence of any other decent crossers of the ball (don't mention AJ, my laughter will disturb the neighbours) I'd play Kolarov for at least part of every match now, especially if Balo and Dzeko are playing as they need a decent service from wide areas, particularly as the defence-splitting passes through the middle have dried up recently.

Those who criticise Balotelli and Dzeko should note that all three goals against Sunderland had fuck all to do with our midfield. Dzeko won the pen through his own skill, Balo created his own space to drive in the second and even the third was down to a half cleared cross landing at Kolarov's feet. Not an ounce of midfield creativity visible.

Incorrect! No wonder the current best player at City gets no love. Even when he does a thing like get a recordable statistic, folks erase it from memory.

I'll have to watch the 3rd goal again in that case but my point about the lack of creativity through the middle recently still stands but it's the strikers who seem to cop for all the flak.

I'll save you time...Pizarro lays it off perfectly for Kolarov to strike from range.

 

[zandvoort blue]

Stuggle to get in A frank Clark team. One of the worst defenders I have seen in the top league.

Do you really believe that or is it an attempt to give your point more validity?

You also said the two goals were his fault, can you explain why a quick free kick taken to a player who then runs past Yaya Toure and crosses it for a striker who beats our defece in the air is Kolarovs fault?

You have already made your mind up who to blame and your best justification is it was from his side. For some reason you just want to blame Kolarov, I dont understand it to be honest... but each to their own.

1 i didn`t blme him for 2 goals, did I? You`ll find that was another poster.
2 Not the worst defender in the top league, one of the worst MCFC defenders I`ve seen in the top league (HE CAN NOT DEFEND). There is a difference.
Perhaps I`ve been spoilt over the years by remembering the good left backs in the likes of Paul Power and Andy Hinchcliffe and forgetting the dross such as Frontzeck.

If there`s a chance of Mancini sorting out the problem with him in the team at left back good luck to him. But we are now at a level where we can not accomodate a defender just because they take a good free kick.

But as they say opinions are just like arseholes, we all have one.

Yes you didnt blame him for two goals, Ive done that twice now in a couple of days so apologies for that. It must be all the pressure and mind games getting to me.

Like you say its all about opinions, you clearly mush have highly rated that Frank Clark team as well. Interestingly probably the worst left back display this season was Clichy at Chelsea for me. It rarely gets a mention but im sure if it was Kolarov it would be used as a bloody big stick to beating him with.

No problem, I just feel at times that Mancini compromises other positions to accommodate Kolarov and at the level we are at we can`t carry passengers.

And as for Frank Clarke, shite manager but apparently one hell of a guitar player.

And with that note I`m off for my grub before I settle down to watch the second biggest upset of the season as Blackburn do the double over the odious bastards.....Rooney does his cruciate ligament with another of his lunges resulting in the ref giving Blackburn a penalty which gives Yakubu his hat trick...............If only Carlsberg did Monday Night Football.

 

[King Of All Geordies]

I think our best defensive left back is actually Pablo Zabaleta!

As for Kolarov and Clichy, i believe tactics and the nature of the opposition should dictate who plays, I'm happy to have them both in the squad due to their different qualities.

 

[cccc]

I think people definitely magnify Kolarov's problems defensively. I'm not gonna sit here and say he is good at defending, because he isn't the best but he doesn't make as many mistakes as some make out. A lot of the time he is just sloppy in getting back - which is still a problem of course.

As for people wanting him to be a winger: well he doesn't really commit his man and run at them, so I still think he works best as LB but as someone mentioned Lescott covers his space a lot better than anyone else. Big difference.

It's obvious that he has the best deliveries and has lately been maybe City's most dangerous player - which doesn't speak well of the attacking lineup.

I think he needs to play in every game, an attacking mentality favours Kolarov. One thing that no one really mentions is how good his passing is. The majority of the time he will play it backwards or sideways, but when Balotelli or Aguero peel away on the wing he picks them out with a very high accuracy. Same as the first time passes in to Silva's feet. He is most definitely a footballer in that respect.

It's kind of refreshing to see a lot of good been said about him lately too - rather than just the same old 'he is shit', 'worst LB ever at City' bla bla

 

[Josh Blue]

He has been putting some really good crosses in latley, I would play him against all the teams who sit back against us.

 

[simonr555]

Both Clichy and Kolarov have their strong and weak sports. Clichy's pace gets him out of a lot of shit, whereas we all know that Kolarov lacks that kind of pace. However, I think Clichy's defensive abilities are overstated sometimes. He stands off his man a hell of a lot (something Kolarov is lambasted for) and is crap in the air. The less said about his crossing, passing and shooting the better.

Kolarov ticks the boxes going forward and is a genuine threat with some of the balls he puts into the box. Weren't people saying Dzeko needs that kind of service to thrive? Not once did he try to get on the end of a cross on Saturday. He does leave a lot of space behind him because he offers a genuine wide, attacking threat. Something our team lacks. Isn't the holding midfielder meant to help him out and sit in when he bombs forward? Or you'd at elast think they'd sort out some kind of cover for when he goes forward.

Clichy, on the other hand, will get up and down all day long but, for me, doesn't offer any kind of threat to the opposition. As already mentioned, his pace digs him out of a hole a lot of the time.

Whoever plays out of the two it seems that a lot of attacking by the opposition is doen down our left hand side because it is an obvious weak spot for us, no matter the personnel filling in there. Somebody earlier mentioned Zabaleta being our best defensive left back and I have to agree. He isn't too shabby going forward, but obviously isn't great. I'd still rather see him in the team against a top side than either Clichy or Kolarov.

I'm sure people will disagree, and some may agree, but that is my simplistic analysis and what I genuinely believe.

 

[ell]

No thanks, cost us another 2 goals on saturday. And yeah he scored one but he costs more than he scores

No basis for that statement. Watch the goals again, not in a million years his fault

The 3rd was the most glaring not sure how you have missed that one. The second a typical trait of Kolarov to let them cross the ball in

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if I'm nicking someone elses opinion:

First of all, I'd pick clichy over kolorov every time, no exceptions. Clichy has been a good signing in many ways. He's a good, combatative fullback who wingers don't fancy playing against. The only weakness in his game is a fairly minor one, but is magnified in our team because we are narrow, and are often playing teams defending deep: his crosses are looping, rather than pacy, making them much harder to get on the end of.

Kolorov is the opposite: there's nothing he's good at apart from crossing at pace.

The problem is that if you start kolorov you can concede goals through his lack of pace, inability to tackle and poor aerial presence. If you start clichy against a defensive side you are not much threat down the left. If clichy had kolorovs cross you'd have the perfect left back .

 

[SWP's back]

Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if I'm nicking someone elses opinion:

First of all, I'd pick clichy over kolorov every time, no exceptions. Clichy has been a good signing in many ways. He's a good, combatative fullback who wingers don't fancy playing against. The only weakness in his game is a fairly minor one, but is magnified in our team because we are narrow, and are often playing teams defending deep: his crosses are looping, rather than pacy, making them much harder to get on the end of.

Kolorov is the opposite: there's nothing he's good at apart from crossing at pace.

The problem is that if you start kolorov you can concede goals through his lack of pace, inability to tackle and poor aerial presence. If you start clichy against a defensive side you are not much threat down the left. If clichy had kolorovs cross you'd have the perfect left back .

From where I sit in the Stadium, Clichy makes all his 1st half crosses in front of me. What I want to know, is that with 9 months of coaching, how the fuck have the management not been able to improve his ability to whip/drive a cross in, as opposed to cutting back inside (onto his wrong foot) or floating in his crosses as though he is using a 9 iron.