The end for Nige ?

[charliebigspuds]

NDJ just doesn't fit in the way we play nowadays IMO, not his fault and he's still quality but he doesn't start attacks like Barry or Yaya

I've argued this before that we can still play just as attacking with him, we simply push Yaya forward more where he is actually more effective for us. I still think one of our most elegant games football-wise was the 4-1 over Villa (a hard to break down team as United found out last week) where we played the "negative" (sayeth the pundits last season) trio of Yaya, Barry, and De Jong and had 65% of possession, 14 goal attempts, and 8 on target. I think this system would have been better against Chelsea because lets be honest Yaya was quite useless the other day in his role and would have been better used further forward with less defensive duties.

I agree with you to a certain extent but the one problem I have with NDJ is that he's more effective when we haven't got the ball and considering how we like to dominate possession he's then largely redundant because of his lack of drive and an eye for a pass. He certainly is good enough to be in our squad and we need a player like him in it but I don't think he'd settle for being a bit part player and I wouldn't expect him to. Yaya was poor by his own standards the other night but you can count on one hand the amount of times he's played and not had a big effect on games. We are more unpredictable and fluid with the way we play now than last year IMO.

 

[scenecreamer]

Whether De Jong moves on or not linking him with QPR is insulting. Dortmund, Juve, Munich or someone alright...but Q P R ffs.

Didn't you hear? We're their feeder club.....

 

[nomorethaksintimes]

If De Jong goes though Javi Martinez please. My number one would be Busquets (though understand why many detest him for his diving antics). Martinez is young, excellent attitude and a big frame which should make adapting to the league easier.

As has been said earlier all our midfielders should be capable of incisive forward passes at any time - no harm in trying to copy Barcelona's template here. Worst that can happen is we end up as an inferior Barca - which is enough to win the league.

 

[yerwot?]

NdJ seems pre-programmed to win the ball, and that's all. If he gives it short he automatically goes backward even when space is available forward. Love to see him become a more complete midfielder , as i am sure he could be, great attitude great tackler.

 

[leighton]

De Jong isnt a bad player going forward. The thing is you cant have everyone going forward some have to sit back just in case we lose the ball. De Jong gives it simple and fast he reads the game well in the big games we need a player like De Jong who will get stuck in more so away from home. In my view in the 2 away games at Liverpool and Chelsea we missed De Jong in the midfield getting into the faces of there players.

Just look at the goal at Chelsea Yaya let Meireles run free and he scored never tracked his run all the way back. Normally De Jong would do that and pin point a danger and try and cut it out. IF De Jong goes it will be a bad move the knocks he has picked up have been hard for him to get back to full fitness we have a strong squad and there will rotation. As for a replacement for Yaya when hes away simple really Nasri from a central area is a hell of a lot better than from a wide area.

Yaya is undropable no matter what and if he starts he will play all of the game no matter how good or badly he is playing. Its times like this I would love to see Mancini take him off for someone else it might give him a wake up call that he is being taken off when he isnt preforming to a good standard.

 

[Blue Elmo]

Yaya starts every game, so it is inevitable that we want him here as long as possible. That story to me signals nothing about Nige. Over the Christmas period he will get plenty of game time as will Barry, as will Milner and I am backing Hargreaves to get a few minutes in as well

 

[lostgalaxy]

I prefer a De Jong / Razak central pair.

 

[primemutton]

we need him in january for sure. i for one think he should get more games, against liverpool and chelsea yaya looked knackered to me , apart from carling cup has yaya missed a game yet?

 

[niall'sdiscoshorts]

must be getting close to january sales again.... ffs

 

[daveduke67]

It's a journalists opinion thats all.

When it says Roberto Mancini said at the City press conference 'I have lost confidence in Nigel' then it will be worth commenting on.Until that time just ignore them.