Kolarov.

[The Fat el Hombre]

I have read this forum for a while now and looking at your comments on Kolarov.

I am Serb and have watched Aco play since he started to play for the U21.

I find it funny how during his pre-season friendlies people were like 'wow, this guy is going to be great' and all of a sudden he is worse than Wayne Bridge..

The biggest problem he has had this season is that ankle injury. I don't think he is a slow player, but he has been notably slow on the turn.

My biggest problem with him right now is his reluctancy to attack his man. I'm almost certain this is something to do with tactics, and not being over-exposed. Remember he doesn't have any one in front him and he can be exposed pretty quickly/easily.

The stupidest things I read on here is that he hasn't got a good cross. Come on.... nearly every game when City have a chance it's because of one of his crosses. He has a very good cross, and his corners seem to always produce chances. When he's around the box he is a threat, I don't agree with him shooting from 30+ metres.

His short passing game is solid. There is nothing to be criticized there, if anything you can say he passes too much instead of attacking forward, but he doesn't really waste possession.

A concern on here is willingness to go in for a challenge. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand I know he can be a fighter, but as you have said on here he has been responsible for a few goals this season where he should have been stronger. He should be stronger than he is in the air for his size though - I have to agree there.

I am hoping after a full injury free pre-season you will see a lot more confidence from him next year. There is a reason my Mourinho rates him highly, and there is no way he is bad as most people on here are making out.

Great post. Welcome to the board

 

[FantasyIreland]

I think the big problem is too many people have bought into the Youtube videos of him, and got unrealistic expectations of this awesome, Roberto Carlos esque attacking full-back, despite probably never seeing him actually play live. He's done okay if you ask me. Not brilliant, but alright.

Thats all very well but we paid 16m(maybe more....) for a defender no better than what we already had.

 

[cccc]

You make some good points to be honest. I don't know how anyone can criticise his forward play and crossing. He regularly creates chances, examples of the last two games being goal for vieira against Sunderland and the cross for Balotelli which just had a bit too much pace.

I find it difficult to understand the criticism of that side of his game, there is very little threat from the other full back, and we have a lot of players who are happy to pass responsibility to another player, hence our ponderous slow build up.

Kolarov does take responsibility more than others and due to the lack of supporting players in advanced positions his crosses do not always reach a City player. But with any player who tries the more difficult pass his stats will not always be as impressive as the player who plays the safe ball, a fact overlooked by supporters who regularly quote statistics as evidence of a players performance.

However his defending is shocking and he lacks the pace and conviction in the tackle, which a top class fullback requires.

Its fair to criticize his forward play, as he hasn't attacked his man for what seems like ages... it's when people bash his crossing, which usually results in good chances for the team. Indeed, what exactly comes from the right hand side?

His defending isn't THAT bad, when it comes to 1 on 1 he is usually quite astute and can tackle. I will agree that he gets beat too easily on pace, mostly on the turn as I have already said. Wasn't it his defensive work that led to a goal against Sunderland recently? I'm not trying to make excuses here, I have had defensive reservations about him since his Lazio days also and even for Serbia.. but at that time he was so potent going forward it didn't really matter. Again like I said, this may be Mancini's instructions for him, to not commit too much to beating a man especially if no one is behind him to cover.

 

[cccc]

I have read this forum for a while now and looking at your comments on Kolarov.

I am Serb and have watched Aco play since he started to play for the U21.

I find it funny how during his pre-season friendlies people were like 'wow, this guy is going to be great' and all of a sudden he is worse than Wayne Bridge..

The biggest problem he has had this season is that ankle injury. I don't think he is a slow player, but he has been notably slow on the turn.

My biggest problem with him right now is his reluctancy to attack his man. I'm almost certain this is something to do with tactics, and not being over-exposed. Remember he doesn't have any one in front him and he can be exposed pretty quickly/easily.

The stupidest things I read on here is that he hasn't got a good cross. Come on.... nearly every game when City have a chance it's because of one of his crosses. He has a very good cross, and his corners seem to always produce chances. When he's around the box he is a threat, I don't agree with him shooting from 30+ metres.

His short passing game is solid. There is nothing to be criticized there, if anything you can say he passes too much instead of attacking forward, but he doesn't really waste possession.

A concern on here is willingness to go in for a challenge. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand I know he can be a fighter, but as you have said on here he has been responsible for a few goals this season where he should have been stronger. He should be stronger than he is in the air for his size though - I have to agree there.

I am hoping after a full injury free pre-season you will see a lot more confidence from him next year. There is a reason my Mourinho rates him highly, and there is no way he is bad as most people on here are making out.

Great post. Welcome to the board

Thanks

 

[Happy Feet]

You judge what you see on the pitch, not on what you are told or what you see on You Tube and at the moment he is a very poor player.

 

[bri an t]

its is first season, wait till next season you will see the difference.

 

[schfc6]

The guy is shocking. No pace, cant cross, cant tackle, attempts impossible passes, at fault for both goals, fucking useless. He really is poor.

Wrong Adam Johnson was at fault for Liverpool's last two goals. No argument to that.
Kolarov has looked poor in some games and good in others. If he is this level this time next year then get rid. But if United fans thought like us, Evra would have been out of the door.
We are a side short on the left defensively, so he gets exposed, I personally don't want Silva doubling up on players.
Kolarov is suffering & struggling somewhat, but I can't remember the last decent left back we had, Phelan?

As cccc says give him at least a year.

 

[mcfc49]

pearce maybe dbrightwell pointon lescott im struggling here

 

[Unknown_Genius]

The guy is shocking. No pace, cant cross, cant tackle, attempts impossible passes, at fault for both goals, fucking useless. He really is poor.

Wrong Adam Johnson was at fault for Liverpool's last two goals. No argument to that.
Kolarov has looked poor in some games and good in others. If he is this level this time next year then get rid. But if United fans thought like us, Evra would have been out of the door.
We are a side short on the left defensively, so he gets exposed, I personally don't want Silva doubling up on players.
Kolarov is suffering & struggling somewhat, but I can't remember the last decent left back we had, Phelan?

As cccc says give him at least a year.

So United fans are never critical of their players at all?

 

[persvenality cult]

How can anyone imagine Bridge was a better player for us?

Two years, zero succesful crosses. So many cock-ups in defence it was untrue. Not just failing to block a shot or getting beaten in the air by Andy Carrol. He could lose track of the ball just by looking at it. Watching him size up a simple clearance was like watching that moment when a cat realises that that the fly it is chasing is in fact a very angry hornet.

Garrido?

Nearly every game he played turned into a free for all down his side. Good attacking player, good free kick taker, you say? He wasn't bad. In three years he scored nearly as many goals as Kola has in his first three months.

Not perfect, no. But he's tried pretty hard, and has had far too much placed on his shoulders in defence. When he is getting beaten by strikers directly in front of goal, the question you should be asking is, where are our centre backs?

Can't cross? What the.... he's delivered the best crosses of any city player this year. A few of them have been the best crosses I've EVER seen one of our players deliver. Some joker told me that the cross on Monday that disected an entire defence and missed Mario's toe was a cock up of a shot. Good greif. That's what they do. Aim for the far stick and miss. If you hit it low and hard past the first man, it's always a win. If it's too near the goalkeeper he's likely to spill it back into the six yard area. It it's too wide then it becomes a nightmare ball to defend.