Our Defence...

[ifiwasarichfan]

I am happy with all our Defenders and i expect them all to get a decent number of games, Horses for courses and all that.

The key to the Defence's success will be Gareth Barry and possibly Garcia if he can perform like Gareth.

 

[Any1aBlue]

Richards..........kompany...........lescott...........clichy

I am sure that will be most people's choice- probably mine as well. But I do think Mancini has lost some confidence in Lescott...

He's not the only one! Simply not good enough in pace, vision or skill - unless we need a caravan parking on the penalty area.

Richards used to be mighty when paired with Dunne - and he showed in one match that he can do so again, but this time with Kompany and now a bit more mature. Keep Zabaleta on the right wing/fb as hes just as effective (perhaps more so) than Richards.
Lescott and Kolo Toure need moving on - and should have been so over the summer.

I wonder what a pairing of Richards and Yaya would be like infront of the back four?<br /><br />-- Fri Oct 12, 2012 9:06 am --<br /><br />

from now on i'd pick zabaleta-micah-vinnie-clichy and nastasic as the first backup to micah and vinnie(the same things about his form were said same time last year but he ended up with the best player of the season award-for me he is the best cb in the world.)I just don't rate lescott for me he is too slow and im now sure mancini doesn't rate him that much too.

EXACTLY !!

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

The 'problem' with our defence is that two back fours contain quite different footballers. We don't have a complete back four.

VK a little off everything at the moment
Jole is a defender, end of.
Micah can defend, has pace, is fearless, but out on the flank where you want to see him use his strength and pace, means on occasion he goes mentally awol.
Kolarov is an attacking full back with limited defensive inclination
Clichy is pacy, and can defend well
Zab has the lot bar pace

so yer left with the conundrum that if yer play a certain back four, yer wish that yer'd picked the other one. Hence only one clean sheet this season.

 

[jollylescott]

This is a really tough call because Zab gives so much to the team. I can't bring myself to drop him so I would go for Zab Vinnie Micah and Kolarov. At the start of the season I would never have said Kolarov but his improvement has been spectacular and importantly he crosses the ball so much better than Gael. That's not to say that I am not a huge fan of Gael. He played a massive part at the end of last season. Nevertheless at the moment I would go for Kolarov.

For me the other interesting question is the midfield in the Champions League games. If we have all available there is David, Samir, Gazbaz, James, Yaya, Jack and Javi. This is really a critical call because you could see the freedom that David had with Gazbaz and James. They worked perfectly together and the tempo of the game was what was most noticeable. The go forward was so much better than the sideways passing which comes from Jack and Javi.

I hope that RM sticks with Gazbaz and James at least against Ajax.

My only other view is that Nastasic needs more experience before he plays in further Champions League games.

 

[Deepest Blue]

Wouldn't play Micah and Kola together as FB's and also would keep K Toure a mile away from the team.

Other than that I'm happy with the defence so long as 2 of Barry, Garcia and Milner are supporting/filling in for them.

 

[Any1aBlue]

HART
ZABALETA
NASTASIC
KOMPANY
CLICHY

RICHARDS
YAYA

TEVEZ
AGUERO
SILVA

DZEKO

-- Fri Oct 12, 2012 9:25 am --

Zab Kompany Richards Lesscott

Lescott at LB?????! Nonsense.

 

[kunaguero10]

For me:

Zabaleta Richards Kompany Clichy

Strength, pace, versatility and timing.

Richards...................Kompany....................Lescott................Clichy.

However I think a CB pairing of Richards and Kompany could well be the long term pairing!

That line up, with Milner, Barry and Yaya in front helping to protect them = clean sheets galore.

What are the odds on milner not getting a game for another 2 months?!

 

[cibaman]

I think Mancini will stick with Kolarov for the time being. He still has his weaknesses but he could be on the brink of a step change in performance, such is the increase in his confidence.

 

[Any1aBlue]

I think Mancini will stick with Kolarov for the time being. He still has his weaknesses but he could be on the brink of a step change in performance, such is the increase in his confidence.

Kolarov is a winger now - not a FB.....................

 

[sonnymancity]

some people on here are so deluded if they think Richards would be effective in midfield and Lescott at left back.

Richards never has the first touch, the awareness or the passing ability to be a midfielder. He is a good athlete and is powerful but he isnt a good 'footballer', in that his awareness and defensive intelligence has never been the best so we have played him RB where these attributes are not as important. At RB he can go on mazy runs out of position, he can lose possession.....this cant happen at CB. I think he will mature though and improve as a CB by playing to his strengths like Lescott does by not even attempting to pass the ball, leave that to someone more talented. Lescott is 30 no and will only have 2/3 more years of top quality football left in him so i think long term Richards and Nasty are fighting for that spot. All 3 will be rotated for the next 1/2 years until one consistently performs and nails the spot.

TBH i think due to his form, Kolorov must e in the team at the moment, certainly for the 'easier' games. His set peices are such a weapon as well. I wonder how many goals per game on average come from one of his crosses, corners, crossed FK's, shooting FK's.

Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy when we need to be more defensive and there's more aerial threat (PL away games, Stoke's, Norwhich's etc). That is our best defensive back 4.

Zaba, Kompany, Nasty, Clichy is our best 'footballing' back 4. Best for CL games and games where we must retain possession and pass better.

Zaba, Richards, Kompany, Kolorov is our best attacking back 4. Best for home games against 'easier' opposition.

 

[salfordblues]

For me:

Zabaleta Richards Kompany Clichy

Strength, pace, versatility and timing.

Richards...................Kompany....................Lescott................Clichy.

However I think a CB pairing of Richards and Kompany could well be the long term pairing!

This. I think we have a slight problem at CB this season. Mancini doesn't seem to have much cofidence in Lescott and Nasti and Richards are short of experience playing the position.

The long term solution is Richards/Nasti alongside VK but I'm not sure how the season will play out.