Richards

[Esteban de la Sexface]

he wasn't tested against two shit teams and played very well. He will always struggle against teams that put us under intense pressure, well, until he understands how to read a game fully. I have every confidence he will be able to read a game and become and outstanding defender for our club

 

[hilts]

Well, I don't agree with any of the posters so far on this thread.
Granted, Richards is an athlete and a physical masterpiece, however he has not, and never will have the brain of an intelligent footballer.
He is fascinating going forward and has the ability to go past defenders when he pushes forwards, however this is often because they are unable to read what he is about to do, not from his quickness of thought, merely because they like him, have no idea of what he is going to do next.
good emmergency squad cover and brilliant in the air when he gets it right, however his possitional sense is the poorest I've ever seen, cost us all four goals against the rags.
I don't hate him or even disslike him, so don't start going on about negativity, I'm just speaking the truth and with a class act like Mancini in charge, his first team chances, I'm sure, will be few and far between.
I wish I was wrong, as he always puts in a shift and tries his best, but just seems numb from the neck up, which is a real shame.
He has had the odd appearance which has suggested a very minor improvement this season, but if you lot think he had a good game tonight, you must have been watching a different game from the one I saw!
CTID.

do you think things like positional sense and concentration can be taught? i dont know the answer to this i know ferdinand suffered badly from lapses of concentration but he has improved

 

[ell]

Hes got football skills but hes a right dopey lad.

One of my main critisisms is that he is far too flat footed an doesnt anticipate play.

Solid performance tonight though but Zabaleta is far ahead of him imo

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Well, I don't agree with any of the posters so far on this thread.
Granted, Richards is an athlete and a physical masterpiece, however he has not, and never will have the brain of an intelligent footballer.

And that sums up his problem. There was more than one occasion tonight where he showed his lack of footballing intelligence.

 

[Esteban de la Sexface]

Well, I don't agree with any of the posters so far on this thread.
Granted, Richards is an athlete and a physical masterpiece, however he has not, and never will have the brain of an intelligent footballer.
He is fascinating going forward and has the ability to go past defenders when he pushes forwards, however this is often because they are unable to read what he is about to do, not from his quickness of thought, merely because they like him, have no idea of what he is going to do next.
good emmergency squad cover and brilliant in the air when he gets it right, however his possitional sense is the poorest I've ever seen, cost us all four goals against the rags.
I don't hate him or even disslike him, so don't start going on about negativity, I'm just speaking the truth and with a class act like Mancini in charge, his first team chances, I'm sure, will be few and far between.
I wish I was wrong, as he always puts in a shift and tries his best, but just seems numb from the neck up, which is a real shame.
He has had the odd appearance which has suggested a very minor improvement this season, but if you lot think he had a good game tonight, you must have been watching a different game from the one I saw!
CTID.

do you think things like positional sense and concentration can be taught? i dont know the answer to this i know ferdinand suffered badly from lapses of concentration but he has improved

of course they can be taught!! That is why they train 5 days a week. Lack of concentration and positional sense will never be fully eradicated but they can be improved vastly. I believe Richards has the will power to improve

 

[dctid]

Well, I don't agree with any of the posters so far on this thread.
Granted, Richards is an athlete and a physical masterpiece, however he has not, and never will have the brain of an intelligent footballer.
He is fascinating going forward and has the ability to go past defenders when he pushes forwards, however this is often because they are unable to read what he is about to do, not from his quickness of thought, merely because they like him, have no idea of what he is going to do next.
good emmergency squad cover and brilliant in the air when he gets it right, however his possitional sense is the poorest I've ever seen, cost us all four goals against the rags.
I don't hate him or even disslike him, so don't start going on about negativity, I'm just speaking the truth and with a class act like Mancini in charge, his first team chances, I'm sure, will be few and far between.
I wish I was wrong, as he always puts in a shift and tries his best, but just seems numb from the neck up, which is a real shame.
He has had the odd appearance which has suggested a very minor improvement this season, but if you lot think he had a good game tonight, you must have been watching a different game from the one I saw!
CTID.

Agree - he has been told but if he does it again he will be in major shit - its not about coaching its about common sense and doing as he is told - if he dont he will be upthe road.

 

[Roberto Mancini]

He was excellent, I'd still have Lahm or Maicon at right back though.

 

[Lordeffingham]

Like I said, have nothing against him personally, and 2 years ago thought he was going right to the top, but though I accept, he may benefit from coaching, surely people don't think he hasn't recieved some top coaching advice in the past 2 seasons, just appears it obviously goes in one ear and out the other, lol.
hope I'm proved wrong, as his physical attributes would if combined with some nouse, would make him, arguably the best defender on the planet.

 

[blueonblue]

however his possitional sense is the poorest I've ever seen, cost us all four goals against the rags.

Richards played where the numpty told him, and how, exactly the same as all the others who played in the back four............and looked sh*te thanks to the tactic numpty kept playing,

No more numpty and the defence looks a mile better while being without 35 million quids worth of players, set pieces are being defended, players are not being caught with their d*cks hanging out because the numpty had them out of possition too far up the pitch to defend.

 

[second to none]

Granted he's not an intellectual giant, but saying he's so stupid he'll never learn to read a game seems unfair. He's still quite young and developing, anyone that age makes poor decisions. It's a complex position, there's a reason defenders don't peak until their late 20s.