Nicolas Otamendi - 2016/17 performances

[doobyedoobye]

Puyol was 10x the defender Otamendi will ever be, and when he did last-gasp stuff it was because it genuinely had to be done, not because he couldn't resist.

Puyol had years of world class coaching to help develop him into the defender he became. Hopefully Pep can have a positive impact on Otamendi over the next few years.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

Our best natural centre back by a damn mile(Reckon Sagna would be v good there) and it's about damn time we started appreciating him.

Oh dear

 

[mcfcphil]

No, no, no, no.

Otamendi wouldn't have stopped a single goal we conceded against Leicester. We conceded vs Leicester because the team wasn't compact enough and we lost the second balls - that's why Guardiola had them do 2 hours a day practising defending that. That's why he mentioned it in his interview with Henry, in his pre-match press conference and in his post-match press conference.

1st goal, ball drops to Mahrez in acres of space in midfield - nothing to do with Otamendi's absence, everything to do with the team being too spread out.

2nd goal, ball drops to King because the team is too spread out.

3rd goal, Vardy is much faster than Otamendi anyway, if he can't keep up with Costa vs. Chelsea he's got no chance vs. Vardy.

4th goal, Stones back pass, nothing he'd have done to stop it.

I didn't say Otamendi would have prevented all of Leicester's goals. I said we missed him badly, which we did.

 

[domalino]

I didn't say Otamendi would have prevented all of Leicester's goals. I said we missed him badly, which we did.

If by "missed him badly" you mean "he wouldn't have made a single bit of difference", then yes I agree.

 

[mosssideblue]

That's not good enough. If he doesn't shake off the recklessness then he will be out the door. Guardiola's entire defensive thinking revolves around having calm defenders who stick to the tasks assigned to them and don't do things like gamble on a tackle and leave gaping holes if they miss.

Look at the prototypical Guardiola defenders from his career so far, and none of them are gamblers like Otamendi.

It might be what you like about Otamendi, the fact he makes up for the bad tackles with a good one, but Pep won't keep him around if he carries on like that.

Fair enough, we will have to agree to disagree

 

[ell]

Thought he had a decent enough second half yesterday but still couldnt resist being a tit and gave away a reckless free kick in a dangerous area.

 

[domalino]

Fair enough, we will have to agree to disagree

It's not really about me or my opinion, or whether I like it or not, Pep has made it really clear himself:

“I don’t like it when central defenders go down on the pitch. I don’t know about last season because I wasn’t here, but we are here to get him better."


​

Speaking about Otamendi in August. If he carries on diving into tackles, he'll be out the door.

So far I don't see him any more restrained than he was last season. For the first few weeks he was, but it's reverted to normal since September.

 

[mcfcphil]

If by "missed him badly" you mean "he wouldn't have made a single bit of difference", then yes I agree.

I think you're causing an argument when there really isn't one to be had.
It's a bit disingenuous to leap from me saying we missed him to "he wouldn't have made a single bit of difference" just because hypothetically he might not have prevented the goals.
Would he have played better than Kolarov? I believe so. Would he have played better than Stones? I believe so. That doesn't mean I think Otamendi would have saved the day and turned a heavy defeat into a rousing victory.
You're being a bit contrary for the sake of being a smart arse.

 

[Sunny Coast Blue]

Some of his passing was awesome, and some of his wrong decisions worked I. His favour. Too rash by a mile but if it can be coached he may be able as a def mid.

 

[domalino]

I think you're causing an argument when there really isn't one to be had.
It's a bit disingenuous to leap from me saying we missed him to "he wouldn't have made a single bit of difference" just because hypothetically he might not have prevented the goals.
Would he have played better than Kolarov? I believe so. Would he have played better than Stones? I believe so. That doesn't mean I think Otamendi would have saved the day and turned a heavy defeat into a rousing victory.
You're being a bit contrary for the sake of being a smart arse.

Well I think it's much more likely he was worse than Stones and Kolarov, like he was against Chelsea where he was completely responisble for the first 2 goals which cost us the match.

It's incredible how a successful reckless tackle erases the memory of so many people on here.