Player Topic: Eliaquim Mangala (2015/16)

[Marvin]

We've seen this with almost every player at City who doesn't play regularly - you leave a player out of the team and then bring him back in and he struggles.

 

[Wilmslow Road]

Whoever scouted him wants binning. He lacks even the basics of control ,composure and an ability to read the game. I was no fan of Nastatic ,or Savic but I'd put these in the same bracket. Most of us who've played and watched the game for more years than we care to mention can spot a talent. I look at Mangala and all I see is a bald poor version of Micah Richards -so I ask what pillock decided he was worth £35 million that's plain incompetence ?

It would be nice to get an answer from City on that mate.

 

[Dax777]

We've seen this with almost every player at City who doesn't play regularly - you leave a player out of the team and then bring him back in and he struggles.

He was poor defensively today, but even on his best day defending, he has always been a poor player on the ball. And when we play any team that pressures like a Klopp team, he is always going to be a detriment, even when he is defending well.
Lots of folks on the game thread whined heavily about Yaya and Nando today, but in reality, our biggest problem was not having enough players on the field with the technical and tactical ability to play in tight spaces. Even after we threw in our hustle guys, the game simply just became disjointed. As both teams cancelled each other out for the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half. It looked like a championship game for a bit there. But Liverpool simply had better movement. And deserved the win.

We could all hope and wait on Silva. Coz he helps. But we simply can't invest in technically inferior players. And we can't invest in players who don't work defensively. But this squad is good enough to get us over the line.

 

[Dax777]

Whoever scouted him wants binning. He lacks even the basics of control ,composure and an ability to read the game. I was no fan of Nastatic ,or Savic but I'd put these in the same bracket. Most of us who've played and watched the game for more years than we care to mention can spot a talent. I look at Mangala and all I see is a bald poor version of Micah Richards -so I ask what pillock decided he was worth £35 million that's plain incompetence ?

No point going back to what was said before the purchase. He is an athletic tackler. That's it.

 

[super_city_si]

He is crap on the ball. An issue we had with Lescott and I honestly don't see the difference except Lescott could defend.

 

[hutton who blue]

He wasn't good against Liverpool but was left exposed by a weak midfield that Liverpool run through like a hot knife through butter, it wasn't a wise decision to play him after some time not playing for the team, he needs nurturing and time to develop he has the quality. I retain faith in him, his previous performances support that.

 

[cleavers]

He is crap on the ball. An issue we had with Lescott and I honestly don't see the difference except Lescott could defend.

The other difference is age :) which matters quite a bit. Not his finest game by a long way, but lets not crucify him, he should have been playing alongside Otamendi, or Demichelis should.

 

[flyer]

Any player who is so one footed should never be in a Premier league team. His shape at times is simply embarrassing. The scout who watched him should be sacked immediately

 

[nickamon]

a fucking shocking display , total fucking liability, wank in the air, no anticipation whatsoever.

Said it last season, he's fucking crap.

I'm all for supporting our prayers but I agree 100%. Really for the money we paid we should be getting better than this. For me, he is always suspect. I haven't seen a worse defender in awhile.

 

[stony]

He was poor defensively today, but even on his best day defending, he has always been a poor player on the ball. And when we play any team that pressures like a Klopp team, he is always going to be a detriment, even when he is defending well.
Lots of folks on the game thread whined heavily about Yaya and Nando today, but in reality, our biggest problem was not having enough players on the field with the technical and tactical ability to play in tight spaces. Even after we threw in our hustle guys, the game simply just became disjointed. As both teams cancelled each other out for the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half. It looked like a championship game for a bit there. But Liverpool simply had better movement. And deserved the win.

We could all hope and wait on Silva. Coz he helps. But we simply can't invest in technically inferior players. And we can't invest in players who don't work defensively. But this squad is good enough to get us over the line.

I refuse to accept that our players are technically inferior to Liverpools, it just isn't true. We lost the game because Yaya cannot play in a two man midfield against a team who presses. Added to that we had two players in central defence having their first start in a long while. The problem today was the starting 11 and the tactics, and that is all down to Pellegrini. .