Player Topic: Nicolas Otamendi (2015/16)

[Neville Kneville]

He is a heart & sould defender who has a good leap on him but no pace or particular strength or positional intelligence. He can jump high but doesn't win many key headers v bigger stronger players, but he shouldn't be getting done so much on the ground. Also, many times he has to rescue his own position by jumping in on the floor or an overhead kick.

But I do like the fact that he is an active, aggressive defender, who tries to sort out problems, rather than stand around watching, like Nastasic for example. But he tends to make at least one huge mistake per game, then it's just a case of whether he gets away with it or not.

But it's his first season & anyone who thouight he would just step straight into the Prem & dominate it, is a knobhead. The Premier League is different. It's a mugger's alley. It takes time.

 

[01cravend]

Otamendi - 40% tackle success, 23/57
Kompany - 27% tackle success, 4/15
Mangala - 33% tackle success, 11/33
Demichelis - 27% tackle success, 7/26

All of them down from their stats from last season...Kompany and Demichelis joint worst tackle stats out of our defensive players except Yaya.

Otamendi - 10 defensive actions per game average
Kompany - 8 defensive actions per game average
Mangala - 7 defensive actions per game average
Demichelis - 4 defensive actions per game average

Otamendi has been our best Cb, it is just a lack of communication between him and Mangala which is costing us, as you can see with Giroud's goal last night. And Demichelis is just awful. Kompany hasn't been amazing it's just that he leads and communicates with the back-line. Which none of the other three seem capable of. Lack of communication and leadership is a problem throughout the team, exemplified when Vinny is missing (which is close to always at the moment).

 

[spud100]

He let Giroud run off him for their second. Personally I think when he plays on the left with VK he's ok and it's his first season in the most demanding league on the planet. His passing is quite good IMO as the pass to Kun leading up to the KDB chance showed? The kid has come from Spain where as we all know physicality and strength are not paramount even for a Centre Half, so he has to adjust and every mistake he makes seems to cost us as he has no VK next to him to get him out of the shit, as Mangala seems to each game morph more into the centre half from the Albert Inn at Didsbury. He needs time, something that's in short supply at the moment as he's our leading Centre Half and thinking of a Manga/Demi CH partnership has me reaching for the Prozac, so the kid is in the spotlight in his first season, hopefully it will stand him in good stead for his second season. You don't go from the best defender in Spain to shite overnight. He could do with a few more inches but hey couldn't we all! Have faith this kid will be class.......I hope!!!

 

[Phil1]

Otamendi - 40% tackle success, 23/57
Kompany - 27% tackle success, 4/15
Mangala - 33% tackle success, 11/33
Demichelis - 27% tackle success, 7/26

All of them down from their stats from last season...Kompany and Demichelis joint worst tackle stats out of our defensive players except Yaya.

Otamendi - 10 defensive actions per game average
Kompany - 8 defensive actions per game average
Mangala - 7 defensive actions per game average
Demichelis - 4 defensive actions per game average

Otamendi has been our best Cb, it is just a lack of communication between him and Mangala which is costing us, as you can see with Giroud's goal last night. And Demichelis is just awful. Kompany hasn't been amazing it's just that he leads and communicates with the back-line. Which none of the other three seem capable of. Lack of communication and leadership is a problem throughout the team, exemplified when Vinny is missing (which is close to always at the moment).

If ever there was a set of stats which were as useless as those I'm yet to see them. Just random numbers in an effort to paint him as a better player than he's been whilst missing out the fundamentals of being a top CB. In fact, those fundementals seem to have been glossed over when talking about what's important at the moment, such as communication and leadership. Vinny brings them to the table as well as the actual defending part whilst Otomendi is great at making tackles for the camera and so far, not a great deal more.
This isn't to say I don't see a great defender in him or have no faith he isn't going to be an important player for us. I just see as much to be concerned about at the moment as I do to be positive.

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

Otamendi - 40% tackle success, 23/57
Kompany - 27% tackle success, 4/15
Mangala - 33% tackle success, 11/33
Demichelis - 27% tackle success, 7/26

All of them down from their stats from last season...Kompany and Demichelis joint worst tackle stats out of our defensive players except Yaya.

Otamendi - 10 defensive actions per game average
Kompany - 8 defensive actions per game average
Mangala - 7 defensive actions per game average
Demichelis - 4 defensive actions per game average

Otamendi has been our best Cb, it is just a lack of communication between him and Mangala which is costing us, as you can see with Giroud's goal last night. And Demichelis is just awful. Kompany hasn't been amazing it's just that he leads and communicates with the back-line. Which none of the other three seem capable of. Lack of communication and leadership is a problem throughout the team, exemplified when Vinny is missing (which is close to always at the moment).

If ever there was a set of stats which were as useless as those I'm yet to see them. Just random numbers in an effort to paint him as a better player than he's been whilst missing out the fundamentals of being a top CB. In fact, those fundementals seem to have been glossed over when talking about what's important at the moment, such as communication and leadership. Vinny brings them to the table as well as the actual defending part whilst Otomendi is great at making tackles for the camera and so far, not a great deal more.
This isn't to say I don't see a great defender in him or have no faith he isn't going to be an important player for us. I just see as much to be concerned about at the moment as I do to be positive.

Exactly. All those stats show is that the best defenders don't go diving in, and why Kompany has adjusted his game. I've got complete faith in Otamendi coming good but he's got some improving to do.

 

[01cravend]

If ever there was a set of stats which were as useless as those I'm yet to see them. Just random numbers in an effort to paint him as a better player than he's been whilst missing out the fundamentals of being a top CB. In fact, those fundementals seem to have been glossed over when talking about what's important at the moment, such as communication and leadership. Vinny brings them to the table as well as the actual defending part whilst Otomendi is great at making tackles for the camera and so far, not a great deal more.
This isn't to say I don't see a great defender in him or have no faith he isn't going to be an important player for us. I just see as much to be concerned about at the moment as I do to be positive.

Useless in they point that he makes the most tackles, the most clearances and the most interceptions out of our CBs? is that not what they are paid to do? I'm just pointing out that individually he's been good but as part of the whole he has been bad due to our glaring weaknesses....Part of which, like i said, is our defensive communication and lack of leadership. And that we rely so heavily on one injury prone individual to actually have an essence of that in our team is ludicrous

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Useless in they point that he makes the most tackles, the most clearances and the most interceptions out of our CBs? is that not what they are paid to do? I'm just pointing out that individually he's been good but as part of the whole he has been bad....And yes like i said, communication is the weakness in us defensively at the moment. And that we rely so heavily on one injury prone individual to actually have an essence of that in our team is ludicrous

He is better than Mangala but lets face it most premier league CB's are better than him. He will come good i'm sure but he needs Kompany alongside him or someone similar.

We actually need to buy another CB which is fucking ludicrous based on the cash we have already splashed in this area because the two back ups are not good enough.

 

[Phil1]

Useless in they point that he makes the most tackles, the most clearances and the most interceptions out of our CBs? is that not what they are paid to do? I'm just pointing out that individually he's been good but as part of the whole he has been bad due to our glaring weaknesses....Part of which, like i said, is our defensive communication and lack of leadership. And that we rely so heavily on one injury prone individual to actually have an essence of that in our team is ludicrous

You have to ask the question as to why he's making more tackles, clearances and interceptions. Is it because he reads the game so well, or in fact the opposite and it leaves himself making last gasp challenges. The communication part of the back four is absolutely vital and without it the best 'defenders' in the world will be left to look stupid. At the moment it's non-existent and its leaving us exposed far too often.
If, as some are hoping, Kompany is put down the pecking order then I'd hope to see Otomendi raise his game considerably because as it stands, without somebody to guide him, he's been very hit and miss.

 

[blue ranger]

Think this guy is a poor signing. Too slow and weak. When he threw himself to floor in box v Stoke allowing them to score and did exact thing last night. Allowed giroud to bully him. Imagine what other physical strikers like Lukaku, Deeney etc will do to him.

 

[BigOscar]

Of course he makes the most tackles, he throws himself in like a lunatic at every opportunity. He's overcommiting himself when there is no need, as that's how people defend in Spain, but if he just stays on his feet and tracks runners then we'd be far better off. Demichelis was the same when he signed, so hopefully he'll start to improve as well, but I don't know if Demichelis was told to change or whether it was just his experience and him realising himself that he had to adapt, because if it's the latter then we're in trouble. We're constantly short handed at the back with Pellegrini in charge, so the last thing you need is one of the few remaining people doing all or nothing tackles at every opportunity. He's playing as an individual, like far too many of our players.