Player topic: Eliaquim Mangala (2014/15)

[CatMan]

Re: Mangala

Our defence now is worse than when Mancini arrived!

Quite what the f*ck is going on I have no idea. One thing that is obvious however is the team is fast becoming predictable. Combinations of over playing and only having 1 holder in this easily combated 442 is letting athletic teams with little technical ability have a punchers chance. They get everyone behind the ball and break when we lose possession. The distances between our forwards and defenders is huge and there doesn't seem to be a game that goes by when Kompany is not at risk of being sent off due to having to step out and challenge players running at our 'Sitting Duck' defence.

If I can see that 442 doesn't work and that Dzeko offers little if Aguero continues to be the furthest forward, then why can't Pellegrini.

In short, we need to ensure that away from home we avoid any chance of losing the game before we attempt to win it.

Clichy and Mangala are awful and I truly fear that Mangala is going to become City's worse ever purchase, perhaps even providing less value for money than Roque Santa Cruz.

Seriously made me laugh out loud. Cheers for that mate.

Well I'm glad you find the whole thing amusing! Seriously though, if you believe that Mangala is money well spent you are deluded. His performances are woeful, he has no ball control and was outpaced on several occasions today. It's like what I would expect if Shaun Goater was told to play Centre Half, Clueless!

 

[BigOscar]

Re: Mangala

Our defence now is worse than when Mancini arrived!

Quite what the f*ck is going on I have no idea. One thing that is obvious however is the team is fast becoming predictable. Combinations of over playing and only having 1 holder in this easily combated 442 is letting athletic teams with little technical ability have a punchers chance. They get everyone behind the ball and break when we lose possession. The distances between our forwards and defenders is huge and there doesn't seem to be a game that goes by when Kompany is not at risk of being sent off due to having to step out and challenge players running at our 'Sitting Duck' defence.

If I can see that 442 doesn't work and that Dzeko offers little if Aguero continues to be the furthest forward, then why can't Pellegrini.

In short, we need to ensure that away from home we avoid any chance of losing the game before we attempt to win it.

Clichy and Mangala are awful and I truly fear that Mangala is going to become City's worse ever purchase, perhaps even providing less value for money than Roque Santa Cruz.

Seriously made me laugh out loud. Cheers for that mate.

Well I'm glad you find the whole thing amusing! Seriously though, if you believe that Mangala is money well spent you are deluded. His performances are woeful, he has no ball control and was outpaced on several occasions today. It's like what I would expect if Shaun Goater was told to play Centre Half, Clueless!

You summed yourself up nicely.

 

[Gordyola]

Re: Mangala

Better than Kompany today. Without him we would have conceded 3 or 4. His last ditch tackles, often using his pace, spared us more blushes. Far from a rock solid performance but he was the best of our back 4. Seems a convenient scapegoat because he's new (see: Fernandinho this time last year).

Spot-on

 

[mosssideblue]

Re: Mangala

Better than Kompany today. Without him we would have conceded 3 or 4. His last ditch tackles, often using his pace, spared us more blushes. Far from a rock solid performance but he was the best of our back 4. Seems a convenient scapegoat because he's new (see: Fernandinho this time last year).

Spot-on

Absolutely spot on. Scapegoat of the week. Yes he is a little nervous and not PL savvie yet, but he did stop a couple of clear goal scoring opportunities today. Give him time

 

[bluwes]

Re: Mangala

Better than Kompany today. Without him we would have conceded 3 or 4. His last ditch tackles, often using his pace, spared us more blushes. Far from a rock solid performance but he was the best of our back 4. Seems a convenient scapegoat because he's new (see: Fernandinho this time last year).

Spot-on

Absolutely spot on. Scapegoat of the week. Yes he is a little nervous and not PL savvie yet, but he did stop a couple of clear goal scoring opportunities today. Give him time

He had to spend half the game today covering for Clichy, no other team leaves its centre backs as exposed as we do

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Re: Mangala

Seriously made me laugh out loud. Cheers for that mate.

Well I'm glad you find the whole thing amusing! Seriously though, if you believe that Mangala is money well spent you are deluded. His performances are woeful, he has no ball control and was outpaced on several occasions today. It's like what I would expect if Shaun Goater was told to play Centre Half, Clueless!

You summed yourself up nicely.

Are you happy with Mangala so far? For £32m I expected better

 

[callumcity]

Re: Mangala

He looks good to me, definitely has the physical attributes and doesn't look scared to move with the ball or pass like joleon did. I think he's just getting used to the premier league, he probably had a lot more time to think in Portugal whereas in the PL you don't get that time before attackers are pouncing on you and running in behind you

 

[BigOscar]

Re: Mangala

Well I'm glad you find the whole thing amusing! Seriously though, if you believe that Mangala is money well spent you are deluded. His performances are woeful, he has no ball control and was outpaced on several occasions today. It's like what I would expect if Shaun Goater was told to play Centre Half, Clueless!

You summed yourself up nicely.

Are you happy with Mangala so far? For £32m I expected better

He's had a few bad moments but his overall play has been generally very promising, despite being left constantly exposed.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Re: Mangala

Mangala will prove an excellent buy,he has performed as well as I could have expected,a few blips but many more important interceptions and challenges.A tremendous athlete,he most definitely isn't our defensive weakspot.

 

[TGR]

Re: Mangala

The City boo boys need a scapegoat so Managala will do - eh?

Mangala did more than OK today and had a decent game to be fair to him.
He has all of the attributes to be genuine top class defender and he will be.
Lets not forget he has played less than a handful of games in the PL.
Give him time and get off his back.