I think you're half right, certainly with Demechelis, he's both in decline and not good enough. As I said in an earlier post, the way they are being told to play makes them look worse than they are. Up until recently Kompany was considered 1 of, if not the best centre back in the world. Has he regressed that much or is it poor tactics that have made him look dodgy?Zabba, clichy, sagna, Kolarov, mango, MDM and Kompany are either in decline or not good enough - scary how it's got to this without being addressed.
I'm not having a go at Delph. Just saying that at the moment we are a shambles defensively whoever is on the pitch. Toure didn't play last week and we were awful. It doesn't seem to matter who plays. It's a team thing and the team as a whole doesn't defend well enough unless Kompany is on the pitch.
Completely disagree.
Last week Fernando dived in like a schoolboy twice on Shaqiri, missing his challenge and letting him walk through straight at our back four. It's all individual mistakes because our midfield (Fernandinho, Delph and Navas excluded) don't always do the basics of following runners, closing down quickly and aggressively or if they don't think they can get there dropping off and shielding the defence.
I think you're half right, certainly with Demechelis, he's both in decline and not good enough. As I said in an earlier post, the way they are being told to play makes them look worse than they are. Up until recently Kompany was considered 1 of, if not the best centre back in the world. Has he regressed that much or is it poor tactics that have made him look dodgy?
We will just have to disagree then. I think the whole team don't defend we'll enough with the exception of 2/3. Starts up top and works its way down.
I don't think VK has regressed it's just that I think Kompanys injury record of late means his best years are now behind him. It would be wrong for anyone to say his best years are still to come.
If his best years are behind him does that not imply he has regressed? Either way, he's still one of the best defenders around, however the way we set up defensively, especially the way our cb's are told to run out to try to win the ball doesn't do him, or any of our other defenders any favours. Now I'm not saying Mangala is is 30 odd million quid defender, far from it, but I'm sure he's not as bad as he's being made to look playing in this ridiculous set up Pellers is insisting on playing. It's no coincidence Mangala, Kompany, Otamendi and Demechelis are made to look ordinary at times. Whether they are past their best or not, there's no way all 4 of them have regressed the same amount at the same time, it's down to the tactics and the manager needs to wake up and sort it outI don't think VK has regressed it's just that I think Kompanys injury record of late means his best years are now behind him. It would be wrong for anyone to say his best years are still to come.
We set ourselves up for it so it no longer surprises me when we concede shit goals.
Not one defender ever seems to open their mouths, we have Otamendi who is new to the league, Mangala who doesn't come across very imposing or commanding, Sagna a reliable RB but not a world beater or someone to rip someone apart like Zaba and Kolarov/Clichy just go about their jobs and have good and bad games.
Zaba and Kompany are cornerstones for our team, no matter what money is spent.
Kompany alongside Ota or Mangala will bring our defence back in shape, Zaba if he gets his fitness and sharpness back will push our defence even further.
Both Otamendi and Mangala are natural front foot defenders, defending deeper doesn't play to their strength. Pressuring better up top does. The problem with our defending often occurs long before it gets to our CBs.We do miss Vinny's leadership skills. The 4-1 capitulations and Stoke debacle happened when he was out injured. I suggest in the meantime we defend deeper, especially away from home so that we can play to Otamendi & Mangala strengths.