Player topic: Eliaquim Mangala (2014/15)

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

MDM got the same ,not actually watching the games just presuming he had a bad game ,its the same with this lad , there's no getting away from it he was poor at the start of the season ,but over the last few games he looks powerful and commanding ,of course there are a few mistakes and these are highlighted because of his poor start with us ,he will do the business with us of that im certain .

Let's hope so because we can't afford for him not to really.

He has got better but games are 90 mins and for me he still lacks concentration for the full 90.

It does appear the playing in all the games is helping though. Not quite sure why Pellegrini dropped him because it must have hit his confidence and set him back. It's not like Demichellis has been great in the last 3/4 months.

 

[nellyonthewing]

He's not bad when the play is in front of him but when its level or behind him e,g a corner he singularly failed to mark an opponent,challenge or be in a position to clear the ball. Now I kind of understood that fundamental when playing amateur football-so why can't he.

 

[Segga]

We paid 30 million quid for a centre back, and we are desperately looking for some potential. He should be a ready made centre half for that money. I think he will come good but it's a shocking bit of business either way.

 

[whp.blue]

He has all the attributes to be a great Centre half for us for years to come

he needs games and could certainly do with a good left back to help him out
My only real criticism of Pellegrini is he has not allowed a back four to settle and form an understanding

We need to play him every game and let him fully acclimatize to the premiership

 

[blue ranger]

We are all desperate for him to do well but he was all over the show first half yesterday. Losing players he is marking at set pieces and at times when he is in charge of a situation his decision making is poor.

Really want him to come good but got it all to prove and we have to remember we paid £32m and for that we should be getting the finished product.

 

[BigOscar]

He's suffering a lot just because people are blaming him for anything that happens when he's on the pitch. Yesterday, Demichelis was all over the place in the first 20 minutes, constantly playing people onside and letting people run across him without following him, yet Mangala gets slaughtered for it instead, both in the media and on here. He's got work to do and will look better the more time he has to settle, but people seriously need to get off his back and stop attacking him every time anything goes wrong with our defence, as it's been a hell of a lot better when he's been in it and he's doing no worse than any of our other defenders.

 

[blue ranger]

He's suffering a lot just because people are blaming him for anything that happens when he's on the pitch. Yesterday, Demichelis was all over the place in the first 20 minutes, constantly playing people onside and letting people run across him without following him, yet Mangala gets slaughtered for it instead, both in the media and on here. He's got work to do and will look better the more time he has to settle, but people seriously need to get off his back and stop attacking him every time anything goes wrong with our defence, as it's been a hell of a lot better when he's been in it and he's doing no worse than any of our other defenders.

Agree MDM wasn't great yesterday either and was caught out of position far too much. But the fact is he didn't cost us £32m.

Like i said I desperately want him to do well but I've seen nothing yet over a period of games to suggest he is what we need. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Thenumber1blue]

We paid 30 million quid for a centre back, and we are desperately looking for some potential. He should be a ready made centre half for that money. I think he will come good but it's a shocking bit of business either way.

Not really,£30 million doesn't buy you that much in football nowadays.With the system we play,plus the non existent midfield for the first 20,it's not a surprise we looked shaky at the back.

 

[pudge]

Deflection, promises, and one-upmanship are far more prevalent than criticism at this point.

 

[Pablo ZZZ Peroni]

He's suffering a lot just because people are blaming him for anything that happens when he's on the pitch. Yesterday, Demichelis was all over the place in the first 20 minutes, constantly playing people onside and letting people run across him without following him, yet Mangala gets slaughtered for it instead, both in the media and on here. He's got work to do and will look better the more time he has to settle, but people seriously need to get off his back and stop attacking him every time anything goes wrong with our defence, as it's been a hell of a lot better when he's been in it and he's doing no worse than any of our other defenders.

Agree MDM wasn't great yesterday either and was caught out of position far too much. But the fact is he didn't cost us £32m.

Like i said I desperately want him to do well but I've seen nothing yet over a period of games to suggest he is what we need. Hope I'm wrong.

Have our results suffered when Mangala is in the team? Have the oposition teams been able to take advantage of his multiple "deficiencies" as highlighted on here and in the media? Was Big Sam right?

Sure he is not the finished article but the answer to all 3 questions is a resounding NO.

Since and including the Bayern Munich home win he has started 19 times in all competitions. We have won 16 of them, drawn 2 and lost just 1 at Liverpool away. In those 19 games we have conceded just 14 goals.