Olivier Ntcham

[MadchesterCity]

"Ntcham who has been labelled the next Michel Platini, arrived at City from Havre AC for a fee of 1.2M in 2012."

How good is this lad? What's the chances of breaking through to first team?

 

[Paladin]

Well, he's not made much impression at UEFA yet.

 

[twosips]

Ha! Next Michel Platini! Who the fuck wrote that? His dad?

He's a decent player, but absolutely nowt like Platini stylistically or in any other way. Platini was a silky skilled genius. Ntcham isn't. Some days he looks like Joey Barton, all headless running and overhit passes. On others he gets forward powerfully, capable of striking the ball well and slipping past the odd challenge, drawing obvious Vieira/Yaya comparisons. They're over the top obviously. He's athletic and well built with a decent turn of pace and capable of beating a man, and he always puts a shift in. Hugely inconsistent though and those good and bad days are evenly spread, meaning I'd guess he'd find somewhere in the middle over the long run.

I'd be very surprised if he made it at City - perhaps can imagine playing for a mid table premiership club and doing a job like someone like Delph or Noble or whatever by his mid to early 20s. Reminds me a bit of Diaby actually at Arsenal.

Edit - come to think of it. He reminds me a bit of Milner as a CM. Or Fernando in a way. Imagine if Fernando was a bit less good at defending and instead a bit better at striding forward and attacking. That's what he'd remind me of. Both players are built around energy and physicality, Ntcham's the same. Hence also why I can imagine if he had a few years away playing regularly he could reach a similar level. Its possible, I just dont think he'll get that opportunity at City though.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Ntcham is a strange one. He seems to be able to do pretty much anything you would want a player in his position to do, is fast, works his cock off & is tough as old boots, & yet is just kind of bang average at everything most of the time. I just can't figure him at all. I don't actually understand why he isn't brilliant, but he seems to find ways to avoid it.

I would have to sit down with Vieira etc to have lessons of how to evaluate Ntcham, because nothing would surprise me, brilliant or awful, in his future career. He could turn out to be absolutely anything imo.

 

[kunaguero10]

He's nothing like Fernando.

He also doesn't seem to have improved since he joined in 2012. He went straight into the u21s (was he 15 then? Or 16?) but just hasn't pushed on. In fact, his physicality when he joined gave him more of an edge but he seems to have slimmed down since then and grown taller.

As has been said he seems to have it all, and is usually on the pitch, but rarely has a tangible impact on games. Strange but he's still 18 I think so it could still happen. I can't see him being good enough for us though, I think we would have seen more by now if that were to be the case.

 

[twosips]

I don't think he plays anything like Fernando, no. I agree. I just meant the way he moves reminds me of him, and how he relies on physicality and energy. He has a similarly powerful running style. About the same height, is strong and athletic. As I said, if Fernando's skill-set was one of an attacking mid as opposed to a defensive mid i think you'd get something like Ntcham. Vague, but I know what i mean.

 

[Centurions]

Ntcham is a strange one. He seems to be able to do pretty much anything you would want a player in his position to do, is fast, works his cock off & is tough as old boots, & yet is just kind of bang average at everything most of the time. I just can't figure him at all. I don't actually understand why he isn't brilliant, but he seems to find ways to avoid it.

I would have to sit down with Vieira etc to have lessons of how to evaluate Ntcham, because nothing would surprise me, brilliant or awful, in his future career. He could turn out to be absolutely anything imo.

I had to laugh at that bit, although it's also very true.

 

[MadchesterCity]

Ha! Next Michel Platini! Who the fuck wrote that? His dad?

He's a decent player, but absolutely nowt like Platini stylistically or in any other way. Platini was a silky skilled genius. Ntcham isn't. Some days he looks like Joey Barton, all headless running and overhit passes. On others he gets forward powerfully, capable of striking the ball well and slipping past the odd challenge, drawing obvious Vieira/Yaya comparisons. They're over the top obviously. He's athletic and well built with a decent turn of pace and capable of beating a man, and he always puts a shift in. Hugely inconsistent though and those good and bad days are evenly spread, meaning I'd guess he'd find somewhere in the middle over the long run.

I'd be very surprised if he made it at City - perhaps can imagine playing for a mid table premiership club and doing a job like someone like Delph or Noble or whatever by his mid to early 20s. Reminds me a bit of Diaby actually at Arsenal.

Edit - come to think of it. He reminds me a bit of Milner as a CM. Or Fernando in a way. Imagine if Fernando was a bit less good at defending and instead a bit better at striding forward and attacking. That's what he'd remind me of. Both players are built around energy and physicality, Ntcham's the same. Hence also why I can imagine if he had a few years away playing regularly he could reach a similar level. Its possible, I just dont think he'll get that opportunity at City though.

It's a quote from football manager

 

[Bob Hope]

Thought he had a poor game today and was subbed late on. He seemed to make the wrong decisions most of the time today.

 

[Ric]

Di Marzio just tweeted that he is going to Genoa on loan.