Player Topic: Vincent Kompany (2015/16)

[George Hannah]

Have you not noticed a correlation between Kompany's form and the way the team is set up?

Playing deep and having a tight midfield in front of him = world class

Playing an absurdly high line with a midfield that doesn't pressure the ball = reckless idiot

Kompany last season kept coming charging out trying to win the ball early, do you think he's just decided that? Of course not. He's being instructed to play higher and more aggressive. And when he sees that Fernandinho was the only midfielder putting any kind of pressure on the ball, he presses even higher, which inevitably leads to mistakes.

Very few defenders look good playing a high line. Remember Chelsea under AVB? High line, John Terry was an absolute embarrassment, people were calling for him to retire. Last season under Mourinho, he was playing deep, defending his 18 yard box and he was the best defender in the league.

Same reason Nastasic looked like the next Paulo Maldini in 2012/13 and the season after when we switched to a high line, he looked like the next Steve Redmond.

The only way you can play a high line is if you've got midfielders who have high energy who put pressure on the ball to win it back high up the pitch. That is the Barca model, and the one we are seemingly following. However playing a 442 with Yaya and Fernando, there is no pressing the ball whatsoever, so playing them two with a high line is just a disaster waiting to happen. West Ham away being a prime example.

If we switch to a 433 or 451 variation next season, which seems likely, the extra body in midfield will allow us to compete more in the middle and not get as overran as last season. I'm convinced you'll see a much improved defense and a much improved Vinny because of it.

Steve Redmond wasn't too bad

 

[Shaelumstash]

Steve Redmond wasn't too bad

I agree mate, maybe not in the same class as Paulo Maldini though...

 

[bluemoon98]

 

[Pablo ZZZ Peroni]

Have you not noticed a correlation between Kompany's form and the way the team is set up?

Playing deep and having a tight midfield in front of him = world class

Playing an absurdly high line with a midfield that doesn't pressure the ball = reckless idiot

Kompany last season kept coming charging out trying to win the ball early, do you think he's just decided that? Of course not. He's being instructed to play higher and more aggressive. And when he sees that Fernandinho was the only midfielder putting any kind of pressure on the ball, he presses even higher, which inevitably leads to mistakes.

Very few defenders look good playing a high line. Remember Chelsea under AVB? High line, John Terry was an absolute embarrassment, people were calling for him to retire. Last season under Mourinho, he was playing deep, defending his 18 yard box and he was the best defender in the league.

Same reason Nastasic looked like the next Paulo Maldini in 2012/13 and the season after when we switched to a high line, he looked like the next Steve Redmond.

The only way you can play a high line is if you've got midfielders who have high energy who put pressure on the ball to win it back high up the pitch. That is the Barca model, and the one we are seemingly following. However playing a 442 with Yaya and Fernando, there is no pressing the ball whatsoever, so playing them two with a high line is just a disaster waiting to happen. West Ham away being a prime example.

If we switch to a 433 or 451 variation next season, which seems likely, the extra body in midfield will allow us to compete more in the middle and not get as overran as last season. I'm convinced you'll see a much improved defense and a much improved Vinny because of it.

Good post and broadly agree with you. 2points to add:

Kompany alluded to this himself in that interview in 2013/2014 when he implied it was particularly hard work as a defender in the Pellegrini system. Then add to that his fitness issues where he probably has rarely played at 100% fitness it is pretty easy to see how he has struggled.

 

[Dribble]

So being good at best for the last 3 seasons when you're suppose to be world class isn't worth writing off? Go on then mention 1 game out of the last 3 seasons Vinnie has been the stand out player like he use to be?

To be honest I think most blues have their heads in the sand when it comes to certain players! Vinnie has probably been our problem in defence for a few seasons yet all criticism in defence goes straight to Kolarov, Clichy, Sagna, Demi or Mangala because they haven't acquired the legend status, It went on to show later last season when Vinnie was injured so Mangala played along side Demi and looked a miles better player beside Demi then he did beside Vinnie because Mangala was shot of confidence when playing along side Vinnie and had to cover for him every time the guy went bulldozing into midfield but many fans blue tinted glasses refrains them from being critical to Vinnie!
Same went for Demi when he first came he got slated to fuck but when Vinnie got sent off vs Hull and missed 3 games Demi came along more, it's not a fucking coincidence that both Demi and Mangala profited from not playing along side Kompany.

Even as a captain (and I've pointed this out at so many home games) you never see Vinnie give any orders, there's no communication from him whatsoever, he's almost Mcmanaman esc at just pointing, only time I've seen him communicate with other players is when we concede....

It's not like I take pleasure in saying this but it's a taboo subject that's needed attention because in the end Vinnie could end up doing a Vidic and burning himself out to the point of where he's no use to us any more!

Mate, Vinny himself has said that everything changed for our defence with the introduction of the 442 formation and the fact we lost our title of having the meanest defence in the league for 3 seasons running is a testament to that.

Our whole defence went from being the rock we were built on to the shaky mess we saw all too often last season. The fact that Vinny, Pablo & Gael all seemed to suffer over the last 2 seasons can't be down to just pure coincidence.

You're entitled to your opinion mate, I just don't think you've considered all the wider mitigating factors surrounding Vinny's drop in form not least the fact that he spent huge swathes of last season injured or returning from injury to a seriously underperforming team.

 

[Shaelumstash]

Good post and broadly agree with you. 2points to add:

Kompany alluded to this himself in that interview in 2013/2014 when he implied it was particularly hard work as a defender in the Pellegrini system. Then add to that his fitness issues where he probably has rarely played at 100% fitness it is pretty easy to see how he has struggled.

I've not seen that interview you're referring to mate, but it makes sense. I think playing so high in England is even tougher than any other league because the game is played at such a higher pace, and teams aren't afraid to knock it over the top against you. Unless you've got 4 rapid defenders you'll always be vulnerable.

 

[Dribble]

Have you not noticed a correlation between Kompany's form and the way the team is set up?

Playing deep and having a tight midfield in front of him = world class

Playing an absurdly high line with a midfield that doesn't pressure the ball = reckless idiot

Kompany last season kept coming charging out trying to win the ball early, do you think he's just decided that? Of course not. He's being instructed to play higher and more aggressive. And when he sees that Fernandinho was the only midfielder putting any kind of pressure on the ball, he presses even higher, which inevitably leads to mistakes.

Very few defenders look good playing a high line. Remember Chelsea under AVB? High line, John Terry was an absolute embarrassment, people were calling for him to retire. Last season under Mourinho, he was playing deep, defending his 18 yard box and he was the best defender in the league.

Same reason Nastasic looked like the next Paulo Maldini in 2012/13 and the season after when we switched to a high line, he looked like the next Steve Redmond.

The only way you can play a high line is if you've got midfielders who have high energy who put pressure on the ball to win it back high up the pitch. That is the Barca model, and the one we are seemingly following. However playing a 442 with Yaya and Fernando, there is no pressing the ball whatsoever, so playing them two with a high line is just a disaster waiting to happen. West Ham away being a prime example.

If we switch to a 433 or 451 variation next season, which seems likely, the extra body in midfield will allow us to compete more in the middle and not get as overran as last season. I'm convinced you'll see a much improved defense and a much improved Vinny because of it.

 

[Yates]

Looked awesome, hopefully a sign for the coming season. That tackle when Caballero booted it off the opposing players head was sublime.

 

[Vienna_70]

VK is to fly home from Australia as his wife is about to give birth to their third child.

Maybe that's why he was playing around so much last season.

Or maybe it's Zaba's!

 

[sam-caddick]

Denayer's time to shine with Roma and Real Madrid coming up.

Mangala no doubt will play so it could be a battle for who partners Kompany next season.