Oleks Zinchenko - 2018/19 Performances

[Neville Kneville]

Pep doesn't use orthodox fullbacks

it's not his game,

Don't be stupid & don't try to be a smartarse.

All his signings for fullback, are fucking fullbacks, & he signed 3 of them.

For fucks sake.

 

[remember arthur mann]

Walkabout Walker a fullback, don't make me laugh, hasn't a clue, Mendy, can't defend for toffee, an out and out wingback, same for Danilo.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

@Dax777 I think Zinchenko is a good midfielder with admirable attitude, but he lacks athleticism of a 'real' fullback, same could be said about Delph. Using a midfielder there ruins the whole idea of fullbacks as athletes capable of sprinting back and forth, creating superiorities in both phases of play.

'Transfer offtop': IMO it would be logical to replace both Delph and Zinchenko by a 'real' homegrown fullback, providing a competition for Mendy and freeing 1 foreign spot at once. Sam Lee has repeatedly mentioned City's interest in Chilwell. If it's true, I can't see Zin staying unless Pep finds the way to use him in midfield.

Unless we try to move Mendy on? Harsh, but if he's never available to play it's a waste of a squad place.

 

[schfc6]

Walkabout Walker a fullback, don't make me laugh, hasn't a clue, Mendy, can't defend for toffee, an out and out wingback, same for Danilo.

All 3 have spent the vast majority of their careers playing full back. Like 90% plus of the games they’ve played in their careers.

 

[schfc6]

What total did Laporte, Ederson and Jesus all get up to before their respective streaks ended?

Wasn’t Ederson 1? We drew his first home game. Laporte will have got to Burnley or Rags?
Jesus didn’t lose in ages.

 

[ctid1894]

Zinchenko has another cracking game last night, he’s definitely getting better defensively and kept Antonio very quiet. He got caught out for the Carroll chance but you could tell he was gutted and couldn’t get to Ederson quick enough to thank him for bailing him out.

A natural fullback will always have better defensive instincts but Zinchenko deserves his shirt at the moment because he’s clearly working just as hard off the pitch to improve as he is on it. I don’t think he’ll stay long term because he needs to be playing in his natural position in midfield and he’ll also need more game time than we can offer when Mendy is fit and/or we buy a natural left back. Will be a shame to eventually lose him but he deserves to be playing in his position in someone’s first team week in week out.

 

[mccity]

Wasn’t Ederson 1? We drew his first home game. Laporte will have got to Burnley or Rags?
Jesus didn’t lose in ages.

I read the tweet incorrectly as unbeaten instead of winning run. My mistake!

 

[Dax777]

Zinchenko has another cracking game last night, he’s definitely getting better defensively and kept Antonio very quiet. He got caught out for the Carroll chance but you could tell he was gutted and couldn’t get to Ederson quick enough to thank him for bailing him out.



A natural fullback will always have better defensive instincts but Zinchenko deserves his shirt at the moment because he’s clearly working just as hard off the pitch to improve as he is on it. I don’t think he’ll stay long term because he needs to be playing in his natural position in midfield and he’ll also need more game time than we can offer when Mendy is fit and/or we buy a natural left back. Will be a shame to eventually lose him but he deserves to be playing in his position in someone’s first team week in week out.

Would they though? Walker makes this very mistake 3-4 times a game. The leftback for Chelsea kept losing Benardo when we beat them 6-0. Frankly, I'm always amused when people talk about imaginary fullbacks who never get beat or lose their man. I haven't seen them.

The kid has been very good.

@Dax777 I think Zinchenko is a good midfielder with admirable attitude, but he lacks athleticism of a 'real' fullback, same could be said about Delph. Using a midfielder there ruins the whole idea of fullbacks as athletes capable of sprinting back and forth, creating superiorities in both phases of play.

'Transfer offtop': IMO it would be logical to replace both Delph and Zinchenko by a 'real' homegrown fullback, providing a competition for Mendy and freeing 1 foreign spot at once. Sam Lee has repeatedly mentioned City's interest in Chilwell. If it's true, I can't see Zin staying unless Pep finds the way to use him in midfield.

City lefbacks the last 10 years:
Garrido
Bridge
Kolarov
Clichy
Mendy
Delph

I only see 1 who was more Athletic, Gael in his first year. Other than that, he is on per or more Athletic than the rest. The claim of lack of athletism always befuddles me: Compared to who? Wan Bissaka or Walker? Sure maybe not. Zabaleta or Azpilicueta? Certainly more than both. And those are 2 legends of the premier league at full back.

I think it's just a mental thing. Too many had convinced themselves he was not a fullback long ago, and they are simply not going to change that opinion.

I mean the guy is performing and the best some can say is, they hope he leaves so he can start somewhere else at his preferred position.

It's quite hillarious to read. Mendy would need some serious performance to win his job back, and yet we are doubting the kid's capabilities? Ok!

 

[mosssideblue]

This lad has won me over big time. Still one or two rough edges that Pep will polish out, but he has impressed of late. Glad he stayed and fancied his chances here

 

[mosssideblue]

Pep said on friday that" he will have a long career,hopefully here",i hope we do keep him,he is learning all the time and i would be happy to have him back up to benny,if benny ever stays fit that is

I would like him to stay and think he will give Mendy some real competition for the shirt

 

[born2bblu]

Superbia Proelia (@SuperbiaProeIia) <a href="">February 28, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Franknorgrovesnephew]

last 4 games wow what a changed player he really is taking to the LB role yes there's still work to be done but definitely a massive change for the good.Well done son

 

[citytilllidie]

Man of the match in the last two games for me.

Problem is, Pep splashed out on Walker and Mendy because he wants overlapping full backs firing in crosses.

However, one can't cross the ball, whilst the other can't stay off the sick bed.

I wonder how good we'd be if we actually had the players to play how Pep envisaged?

 

[117 M34]

Not a big fan of his and I've been critical of him in the past but he's been fantastic recently. Hope he keeps it up and proves me wrong.

 

[Delphinho]

Superbia Proelia (@SuperbiaProeIia) <a href="">February 28, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Very likeable lad. Was told he could leave in the summer, but he stayed instead to fight for his place. Elite mentality. Always works his arse off and doesn`t moan if he`s not playing. If you compare him today with his performance against Wolves in the cup last season, you can see that the improvement is immense. Lately, he`s pocketed Willian, Pedro, Hudson-Odoi and Antonio. All 4 are very tricky wingers with lots of pace, but none of them stood a chance against him. There are still things to improve (e.g. the Carroll chance, even though it was a very good cross), but he improves rapidly and I hope he stays here for a long time

 

[Gabriel]

His first-time passing is a joy to behold, though it is to be hoped that he can improve on his defensive concentration. However, the big test for him, and Guardiola, will be when Watford come calling with their cast from The Land of the Giants. It's all very well keeping nippy players quiet but the Alamo scenes in the last 15 at Vicarage Road should give him a heads up (boom boom) of what to expect.

 

[Metalartin]

I don't see how anyone can say he hasn't improved his sense of danger, his positioning and his tackling in the games he's played in recently. Full credit to him, the coaching staff and any players who've helped him, needs to be given from the off.

It's not the position he grew up playing in, so he'll still have to improve but he knows that and he is learning because there is a marked improvement. Also I don't see a problem with his height, how many LBs get tasked with beating 6ft+ strikers for headers in the prem these days? That's not in the modern fullbacks remit to begin with, so why criticise him for it?

There are promising signs that we might not need to buy a LB, if he wants to work at it but maybe rather than seeing his future at LB he sees it as a temporary measure to get game time and be part of the team. In the end it's not even just up to Pep, it's where Zinchenko sees his future. We can't knock him one bit for his time at City so far though.

 

[blueballs84]

Been fantastic recently. Has a superb cross on him, attack minded. I think he can learn the defensive side and he has improved a lot at that, but my biggest question is: does he have the pace to play that position for us. There's no getting around the fact that he is slow. Because our full backs are expected to bomb forward then be able to recover I think his pace has and will continue to be targeted. Our fullbacks need to be quick the way the play. I love the kids attitude and his recent form has been great but I have a lot of concern whether he can be a long term fix given that he does struggle for pace over 20 yards. Seen to many people ghost past him like he doesn't exist.

 

[blueballs84]

Very likeable lad. Was told he could leave in the summer, but he stayed instead to fight for his place. Elite mentality. Always works his arse off and doesn`t moan if he`s not playing. If you compare him today with his performance against Wolves in the cup last season, you can see that the improvement is immense. Lately, he`s pocketed Willian, Pedro, Hudson-Odoi and Antonio. All 4 are very tricky wingers with lots of pace, but none of them stood a chance against him. There are still things to improve (e.g. the Carroll chance, even though it was a very good cross), but he improves rapidly and I hope he stays here for a long time

To be fair despite all the injures Carroll remains one of the very best players in the world in the air. I think even van djik or fellaibi would struggle to stop hi getting his head to a ball he really wants. I'm more concerned about his ability to contain pacey wingers. He isn't quick, so his positioning needs to be top notch. It's definitely improved but can he keep improving?

 

[Delphinho]

To be fair despite all the injures Carroll remains one of the very best players in the world in the air. I think even van djik or fellaibi would struggle to stop hi getting his head to a ball he really wants. I'm more concerned about his ability to contain pacey wingers. He isn't quick, so his positioning needs to be top notch. It's definitely improved but can he keep improving?

He has contained loads of pacey wingers lately, and he has done incredibly well. Looks like he is a little quicker than a year ago