Kolarov take a bow.

[Lancet Fluke]

He has plenty of ability on the ball but he doesn't have enough pace and he doesn't have the "engine" to get up and down the pitch for 90 minutes both of which are needed in a top class full back these days. It's a shame because if he had Clichy's athletic ability he would be an excellent player as it is (imo) he is often a comlete liability at left back against a decent team.

 

[waspish]

I love the "Kolarov can't defend" rubbish. Because when you ask people to provide evidence, they usually can't.

Well i have

I read through nearly 18 pages to see if anyone had come up with this simple offering, post earlier next time to save me the trouble will you ;-)

you can't of looked very hard, i posted the below on page 7

And what evidence do you have? I haven't seen 1 goal conceded that directly came from his bad defending!

you mustn't go very often

Unfortunatly for young Aleks he cant defend, this aspect of the game, the great art of football, is unfortunatly completly beyond him.

Exhibit A: Villa's 4th goal
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewDX48PbrrY&feature=player_detailpage#t=191s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewDX48Pb ... age#t=191s</a>
see how Aleks watches Nastasic close the ball down three times before gracefully allowing Agbonlahor to breeze past him almost untouched.

also good tackle Aleks
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnPGdK_gfHU&feature=player_detailpage#t=176s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnPGdK_g ... age#t=176s</a>
you can even look at the first goal and how he gives Valencia about a year to put the cross in, he is too narrow and doesnt close.


<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjSc4CM30WU&feature=player_detailpage#t=502s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjSc4CM3 ... age#t=502s</a>
look where Larson starts from, Kolarov has to track him, you can see Kolo screaming at him to follow him as he goes to cover Bendter and in the end they are both in no mans land.

Shall i find some more? He played well yesterday going forwards, that is not in question but isnt a good enough defender. Someone posted that he made a good last ditch tackle yesterday, completly missing the fact that the reason he had to make that tackle was he had completly misjudged a harmless through ball and missed the interception.

Not missed a game for 25 years! Difference is I watch and make my own mind up instead of being a sheep! I've said before that Clichy just edges it in defending but Kolorav give you more as a package, saying that if Clichy starts games I'm happy because both are quality players

 

[Marvin]

I love the "Kolarov can't defend" rubbish. Because when you ask people to provide evidence, they usually can't.

Well i have

I read through nearly 18 pages to see if anyone had come up with this simple offering, post earlier next time to save me the trouble will you ;-)

you can't of looked very hard, i posted the below on page 7

And what evidence do you have? I haven't seen 1 goal conceded that directly came from his bad defending!

you mustn't go very often

Unfortunatly for young Aleks he cant defend, this aspect of the game, the great art of football, is unfortunatly completly beyond him.

Exhibit A: Villa's 4th goal
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewDX48PbrrY&feature=player_detailpage#t=191s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewDX48Pb ... age#t=191s</a>
see how Aleks watches Nastasic close the ball down three times before gracefully allowing Agbonlahor to breeze past him almost untouched.

also good tackle Aleks
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnPGdK_gfHU&feature=player_detailpage#t=176s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnPGdK_g ... age#t=176s</a>
you can even look at the first goal and how he gives Valencia about a year to put the cross in, he is too narrow and doesnt close.


<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjSc4CM30WU&feature=player_detailpage#t=502s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjSc4CM3 ... age#t=502s</a>
look where Larson starts from, Kolarov has to track him, you can see Kolo screaming at him to follow him as he goes to cover Bendter and in the end they are both in no mans land.

Shall i find some more? He played well yesterday going forwards, that is not in question but isnt a good enough defender. Someone posted that he made a good last ditch tackle yesterday, completly missing the fact that the reason he had to make that tackle was he had completly misjudged a harmless through ball and missed the interception.

Not missed a game for 25 years! Difference is I watch and make my own mind up instead of being a sheep! I've said before that Clichy just edges it in defending but Kolorav give you more as a package, saying that if Clichy starts games I'm happy because both are quality players

I agree with you too. I have always rated Kolarov.

Sunderland were non-existent as an attacking force so he had a free-hand to attack at will

Some of those crosses, and curling through balls are a joy to watch and too easily dismissed by his critics. Not many players can do that, and very very few defenders

Bottom line is can he defend, and against the quickest wingers I'd prefer Clichy

 

[Ed68]

Got to say when I knew Jonno was starting I was hoping we'd choose Clichy. He did well though and I only remember once when he was out of position defensively (yesterday).

Also have to admit that when we won that free kick I wanted a right footer to take it as the wall was too 'loaded' to take a direct shot.

All just shows what I know.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I read through nearly 18 pages to see if anyone had come up with this simple offering, post earlier next time to save me the trouble will you ;-)

you can't of looked very hard, i posted the below on page 7

No, it was the nice and simple I was after (ie "this simple offering") Skashion was just this, short, succinct and accurate, it's all you need to sum AK game up and where he fits in best, you just waffled on mate.

 

[baildon blue]

Blooming eck he looked a very good player yesterday i want more of that kolarov coz you can produce stellar performance

 

[taconinja]

The injury he took in his first match against Tottenham takes about two years to fully recover from usually if you ever fully recover. I think it's been about two years, right?

 

[MotownBlue]

Around the 79th minute Kola diagonally crossed the ball out to (I believe) Zaba and it landed right at his feet. Saw one of our Derbies last season and when Shrek did the same thing, but from much less distance, the commentators were swooning his name and saying how brilliant it was. Kolarov doesn't get the praise he deserves, from us or the moronic commentators.

^^^THIS^^^

Fabulous comment. When he let that ball go, the one you are mentioning, I wasn't sure why in the world he would be trying to play a switch that way. When the ball dropped right at PabZab's feet, I just about fell off the chair. What an incredible pass. Also, as many have stated in relation to yesterday, he completed some amazing passes and bombed in cross after cross of real quality. The free kick goal was amazing.

I remember when we found out AK had been signed and the biggest thing swirling around was that he had a beast of a shot. His time here at City has borne that out. I do also agree that his defense has improved this season over last.

Now, I know that a lot of other BlueMooners think he's a liability at left back which I agree with to a degree, but I see it as a horses for courses issue. If we're facing a side with better attacking skills, I'd probably prefer to see Gael Clichy in there. However, on days like yesterday when we are facing sides we are so superior to, I like having AK in there because he offers so much going forward. We improved our GD nicely yesterday, in great part due to his efforts. If he continues to shine in matches like yesterday's, he will become quite an asset to us.

In this next run of three league games against weak sides, leave him in there and let's score some goals. We have depth of squad, in my opinion, like no one else in this league right now. Making use of it will keep us healthy and fresher than the opposition as this long season progresses. I'm happy to have AK as part of that. World class defending skills? Probably not, but I'll take his strengths and showcase them in games where it makes sense.

 

[cccc]

The injury he took in his first match against Tottenham takes about two years to fully recover from usually if you ever fully recover. I think it's been about two years, right?

Is this true?

For a long time I have said that Kolarov has looked a different player fitness wise since that game. He always used to bomb forward and be from what I remember much quicker at Lazio.

 

[ZZmaestro]

The injury he took in his first match against Tottenham takes about two years to fully recover from usually if you ever fully recover. I think it's been about two years, right?

Is this true?

For a long time I have said that Kolarov has looked a different player fitness wise since that game. He always used to bomb forward and be from what I remember much quicker at Lazio.

Agree, definitly lost some speed when bombing in the counters or maybe is that he became unconsciously carefull since that day ?