Sorry, but I'm having difficulty seeing that Ben Mendy was all that great yesterday. He was, to my eyes, o.k. No more, no less. He was o.k. Certainly an improvement on what he's been. I know about the injuries, and the difficulty of coming back from them. All I feel, though, is that if he can't get back to those superb overlapping runs and low fizzing crosses in — perhaps he can, I'm not calling it either way — then I don't really see that he's a better option than Zin, and a year or two up the road, when he's less raw, even Angeliño might be a better option. One thing that does my nut in is that he'll be hugging the touchline, he'll get the ball passed out to him, and instead of going for it, he'll stop the ball, hold it for a couple of seconds, and then pass it straight back, diagonally and backwards to whoever's inside, completely breaking the momentum of our forward movement as a team. Perhaps he's been told to do this by Pep, for all I know, because he can no longer get back if he loses the ball. Or in any case, not at present. I still expect great things of Ben, but I think the jury's out.
Honestly?Was Colin Bell as good as KDB?
I thought Colin Bell was more consistently at a very high standard over a good number of years. One thing that Colin had the advantage of was being being able to score headed goals. Having said that KDB is incredible. Is there any need to put them in order?Honestly?
No, not in my opinion.
I thought Colin Bell was more consistently at a very high standard over a good number of years. One thing that Colin had the advantage of was being being able to score headed goals. Having said that KDB is incredible. Is there any need to put them in order?
There will always be the talk of generation(s) ago players being/not being as good as modern day players. Today's football is so different, even the football is different to when my Dad played football when he used to play with a 'casey'. It would be interesting to task today's footballers to try taking free kicks with one and see if they can do those banana shots? It would be interesting. Today's game is played at a faster pace, on pitches that are like carpets, not like bogs. So let's not get tied down with Bell not as good as De Bruyne or Silva and so forth. The truth is, in each era, each are world class.On the Peter Doherty point. I spoke to an elderly gentleman in a pub in Didsbury a couple of years back who'd seen Doherty play a few times (and he wasn't a blue or a rag). He couldn't speak highly enough about him reckoned he was one of the best 2 or 3 players he'd ever seen.
He is a warrior so by definstion a leaderone of our greatest ever players but he is not captain material going forward in the coming seasons . Maybe kdb or Laporte or even someone who has not joined but we need a true leader on that pitch and ferdy is not that leader I’m afraid .
This was in 1966 by Garrincha, with a "casey". It's nothing new.There will always be the talk of generation(s) ago players being/not being as good as modern day players. Today's football is so different, even the football is different to when my Dad played football when he used to play with a 'casey'. It would be interesting to task today's footballers to try taking free kicks with one and see if they can do those banana shots? It would be interesting. Today's game is played at a faster pace, on pitches that are like carpets, not like bogs. So let's not get tied down with Bell not as good as De Bruyne or Silva and so forth. The truth is, in each era, each are world class.
Probably notI thought Colin Bell was more consistently at a very high standard over a good number of years. One thing that Colin had the advantage of was being being able to score headed goals. Having said that KDB is incredible. Is there any need to put them in order?
This was in 1966 by Garrincha, with a "casey". It's nothing new.
On the Peter Doherty point. I spoke to an elderly gentleman in a pub in Didsbury a couple of years back who'd seen Doherty play a few times (and he wasn't a blue or a rag). He couldn't speak highly enough about him reckoned he was one of the best 2 or 3 players he'd ever seen.
How he has not won any awardsThe sun is going down on Merlin's career. Think of that ridiculous pass to Edin during the 6-1. Think of the way he virtually single-handedly turned it round against Hull away in 2014 when Kompany had been sent off. Those moments will not come again, but we've had so many of them over the approximate decade that he's been with us. We should just be thankful to have seen the greatest ever (nobody alive has seen Peter Doherty, who by all accounts was a force of nature).
In the second half of the season, I expect to see him being brought on for half-hour periods towards the end of a game, or starting and playing a first half or so. But time and tide etc. It'll be an emotional one at the end of the season.
yeh okHe is a warrior so by definstion a leader
Walker going forward offers nothing, defensively he is a good defender and has more pace than anybody else, he must be kept back, allow Mendy to go forward leaving 3 at the back Laporte Fern and Walker. KDB moving inside centrally as the only No8 with any 2 of Bernie, Rodri or Gundo in CM behind him is causing havoc leaving the wingers 1 on 1 with fullbacks i.e. Raz penalty and Mahrez goal, Raz had a stinker but another day him or Sane would have a field day however Walker must be kept back or dippers, rags, Leicester and Wolves will continue to hit us on the break with pace, at the moment there is a 10 x 40 yard space left open either side of the defence with only Fern & Nicko to cover.
Play back Vardy goalI thought Walker took up some really interesting positions alongside Kev and Mahrez, and that helped make the space for both.
Our pressing was the Best in a very Long time i hope mendy Will be the mann we signed from MonacoAn absolute privilege to watch us. Tactically perfect.
Nothing better than an opponent seeing what is being done to them, yet unable to do anything about it.
I was so pleased for Mendy, his best game by a country mile.
Both he and Walker set the platform by being so aggressive.
Other brilliant nuances were Bernardo in the centre, he must stay there. His pressing and energy allows Sterling and De Bruyne to really dovetail with Jesus in the intensity from the front.
This title is not over if we can repeat this level over Christmas.
Dave should be used off the bench after 65/70 mins when the opposition have tired, shouldn’t be starting games very often nowadays.As much as it hurts me to say it one of the biggest improvements since the derby has been the lack of Silva in the middle.
He doesn’t have the legs to play how the likes of Foden and Bernardo have played recently. Chasing everything down - being a nuisance with and without the ball.
Slightly worried he’ll be slotted straight back in the team when he returns from injury. An amazing player and one of the best ever but now doesn’t quite have the engine to play week in week out.
I thought Colin Bell was more consistently at a very high standard over a good number of years. One thing that Colin had the advantage of was being being able to score headed goals. Having said that KDB is incredible. Is there any need to put them in order?
I think this is spot on. Bell was still full of running after 90 minutes. Kev playing the brilliant Kev way has 75 minutes in the tank.Bell was an incredible athlete (a freak of nature) in addition to being a a very fine all round football player but he wasn't the best midfield player in the world during his career; whereas I would say that KDB is currently the wolrd's best midfielder, as was Yaya in his peak season.