Nicolas Otamendi - 2016/17 performances

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I don't think he has suddenly changed his style since joining us. We saw what we were buying and made the purchase.

Personally, I like the no nonsense approach to defending that he brings and I would much rather he were the last man than either Stones/Clichy/Kolorov. Sure, he goes to ground, but that's his way of defending (and we must surely have seen that when courting him). I cannot say for sure either way, but for me, he makes more than he doesn't.

Much happier when he is playing, but that is only my opinion.
 
He has been our most consistent defender for a while now, going way back into last season.

He'll split opinion because of his style. I'll admit he does frustrate at times, with being over aggressive in trying to win the ball back and by going to ground too often, we concede way too many free kicks just outside of our box and he is one of the main causes of this. However he is very rarely at fault with regards to his positioning, in fact he smells trouble and is very often "jonny on the spot" when it comes to having to make last ditch tackles and blocks.
In a weird way he is better without time. On the occasions when he has people covering behind him, that is when he tends to make the unnecessary dive in, yet when he is the last man and he has to get it 100% right, he usually does.

Best way I sum him up is.............Frustrating at times, but do I trust him? Absolutely!
 
Otamendi and stones have to be our first choice pairing at the moment. I share the same frustrations as many when he goes to ground sometimes little too often but the mans an absolute warrior and I think he just gives us some real stability at the back
 
Frustrating thing about him is that he is rock solid for the vast majority of the game. Nipping attacks in the bud early. However, he then flies into a challenge and gets beaten or gives away a dangerous free kick and this is he part that most remember. He's not quite a goal a game defender (like Mangala) but he frustrates the hell out of me all the same.
 
PaulMoulden'sRecord said:
Frustrating thing about him is that he is rock solid for the vast majority of the game. Nipping attacks in the bud early. However, he then flies into a challenge and gets beaten or gives away a dangerous free kick and this is he part that most remember. He's not quite a goal a game defender (like Mangala) but he frustrates the hell out of me all the same.
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+1

Otters just needs to maintain position and not dive in or go for a risky challenge. Pep has told him as much. And yet, he continues to play this risky style.

Talented enough to be a great defender. But too risk prone currently to start for us if Kompany and Stones are fit.
 
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Terra Passenger said:
+1

Otters just needs to maintain position and not dive in or go for a risky challenge. Pep has told him as much. And yet, he continues to play this risky style.

Talented enough to be a great defender. But too risk prone currently to start for us if Kompany and Stones are fit.
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Not sure about that in the near future. Vinnie has had little opportunity to adapt to Peps ways which showed last week. Stones and Ota are currently both better (IMO) than Vinnie playing out from the back and I see that pairing continuing for a while longer.
 
People will say a lot about his style and that he goes down to easy etc which is true, but he has been a rock for us when needed and without him god knows where we would be in the league.
 
mosssideblue said:
Not sure about that in the near future. Vinnie has had little opportunity to adapt to Peps ways which showed last week. Stones and Ota are currently both better (IMO) than Vinnie playing out from the back and I see that pairing continuing for a while longer.
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Perhaps so.

But I put Kompany's current form down to not having played regularly in a long, long, while. If - and it's a big if - Kompany can stay fit - he's bound to round back into form - at which point he's much better than either Otters or Stones.
 
Dax777 said:
He is our best defender, period!
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Actually, Kompany is our best defender period.

With the caveat that he's currently rusty, having not played regularly in forever.

The problem with Otters is that he's hyper-aggressive; needlessly making silly challenges and/or diving in when all he needs to do is to maintain position.

Pep has spoken to him about this in the past - yet this behavior continues; needlessly conceding free kicks in dangerous areas and needlessly risking yellow/red cards or penalties.

Otters would be fantastic if he could control his aggression.
 
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Terra Passenger said:
Perhaps so.

But I put Kompany's current form down to not having played regularly in a long, long, while. If - and it's a big if - Kompany can stay fit - he's bound to round back into form - at which point he's much better than either Otters or Stones.
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I would agree in the old style of play. Time (and fitness) will show us whether Vinnie can adapt to a new way of working
 
mosssideblue said:
I would agree in the old style of play. Time (and fitness) will show us whether Vinnie can adapt to a new way of working
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Agreed about time and fitness - but Kompany has always been tremendous on the ball. He's a natural for Pep's system once fit and back into form.

I'm really hopeful that Kompany can maintain fitness - such a shame if this hugely talented player must quit football due to recurring injury.
 
I find it annoying when folks use the negative in O E player's game to justify why he sucks but ignore all the positives.

As of right now, if a get rid list was instituted, the only defender who'd still be around by the time we get to Ota's name is Stones. And that's coz he is young and just got here. Everyone else would be long gone before Ota considerations come up.

Is he rash and goes down too early sometimes? Absolutely! Is that the totality of his game? Absolutely not.

Every player on our squad has some shit they do I can't stand

Aguero's overdribbling
Silva's soft shooting
DeBryune's unforced errors
Gundogan's sideways too often
Sane's press
Dihno's fouling and collections of yellow card. Not to mention the recent rash of bad passes.
Sterling's ball control
Stones one vone defending
Zab's defending period.
Kolarov's well being Kolarov.
Nando's hiding from a pass
Navas's cross
Kompany's rashness, not to mention his injury record.
Kelechi's right foot


Frankly the only player I don't have anything substantial that bugs me about him is Nolito. But I don't base my conclusion on how good each and every one of these players are simply on just what they don't do well. But rather on the totality of their impact...

And on that, Otamendi is and has been City's best defender since he got here. Nothing has changed since I made this claim over a year ago to derision.

He oscillates between great and potentially awful. I get that. But as of now, no one on defense is even that close. Maybe Sagna when healthy and in good form. But no one else.
 
Dax777 said:
I find it annoying when folks use the negative in O E player's game to justify why he sucks but ignore all the positives.

As of right now, if a get rid list was instituted, the only defender who'd still be around by the time we get to Ota's name is Stones. And that's coz he is young and just got here. Everyone else would be long gone before Ota considerations come up.

Is he rash and goes down too early sometimes? Absolutely! Is that the totality of his game? Absolutely not.

Every player on our squad has some shit they do I can't stand

Aguero's overdribbling
Silva's soft shooting
DeBryune's unforced errors
Gundogan's sideways too often
Sane's press
Dihno's fouling and collections of yellow card. Not to mention the recent rash of bad passes.
Sterling's ball control
Stones one vone defending
Zab's defending period.
Kolarov's well being Kolarov.
Nando's hiding from a pass
Navas's cross
Kompany's rashness, not to mention his injury record.
Kelechi's right foot


Frankly the only player I don't have anything substantial that bugs me about him is Nolito. But I don't base my conclusion on how good each and every one of these players are simply on just what they don't do well. But rather on the totality of their impact...

And on that, Otamendi is and has been City's best defender since he got here. Nothing has changed since I made this claim over a year ago to derision.

He oscillates between great and potentially awful. I get that. But as of now, no one on defense is even that close. Maybe Sagna when healthy and in good form. But no one else.
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Nonetheless, Pep is not at all happy with Otter's rash decisions - diving in and/or making reckless challenges when unnecessary. He's got to cut that out of his game.

Pep has even gone further out of his way to explain his position - by diving in, Otters risks, at best, an unwarranted free kick which may lead to an opposition goal.

At worst, Otters gets red-carded and a penalty is awarded.

Yes, there's a time to dive in - but Otters dives in far, far too often.

Until his decision making substantially improves, Pep will be dissatisfied with his game and will seek to replace him.
 
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