The Official EDS and Academy Thread 2013/14

[pee dubya]

Can you please describe to me, which things you see in Rekik which make you feel he is the player to which a club aiming to regularly win the Champions league & Premier League will one day entrust the job of central defender ?

Other than the fact that he is 'young' what else has impressed you ? What was so good about Rekik when he played for our reserves ? What has he done this season, in Holland, which makes you think he can be the future for City ? You thought he showed something v Milan which tells you he will be the kind of player we need ? What ? What is it that impresses you ?

We are looking for the absolute best players on the planet to come through & play as our future central defenders.

Can any of you describe to me, which things in Rekik's game, make you feel he is likely to reach that standard ?

Yes, his mentality, attitude, physique and composure.

Against Balotelli he was not intimidated in any way, he tried to impose himself, be the dominant player in their duel. He got beaten at times, but he's an 18 year old with 10-20 competitive games, playing against one of the best strikers around.

His comfort and ability on the ball is absolutely essential for a top central defender these days, he's good enough in that department already.

For an 18 year old he's strong and agile, not the fastest but you don't need to be.

Sometimes he makes mistakes with his positioning and can rash in tackles, but in general he's a good one on one defender.

The reason I think he can make it, is because there are areas of footballer you can develop and things you can't develop, they have to be there naturally.

I think Rekik has what can't be developed in a footballer and his deficiencies are things which can be worked on and will naturally improve with experience.

I'm certain he'll turn out a very good player, he already is good enough to play at a high level (I watched both games against Zulte, one against Milan and one in the Eredevise, he didn't look out of his depth in any). There's absolutely no certainty it will be with us, but he has a good chance.

Also, in defence, you actually don't need to have the best players on the planet. Obviously they need to be at a certain level, but the unit as a whole is more important than the individual. Individual quality is far more important in the attacking positions.

For example take Athletico Madrid, they have the best defence in La Liga, in the centre they have Miranda and Godin, good players, but they are not special players, they wouldn't be in a World 11.

Anyway Rekik's confidence and fearlessness are why I think he can make it. He has the ability, but you need the mentality to utilise it, I think he has the correct mentality.

I am specifically talking about City.

I don't doubt Rekik will make a career in football.

I honestly don't know what part of either game against Milan you thought was an indication of a future City central defender. He was positionally shocking, slow, weak in the air & prone to giving away fee kicks. as well as being responsible for at least one goal & missing an open net at the other end.

I just don't understand how anyone watches that & thinks it's an indication of future success. I've never seen Balotelli spend so much time actually stood up, he's usually on his arse at the first challenge but he beat Rekik so easily he just stood & controlled the ball without going down.

I see Rekik as a reasonable prospect in some position, he is a decent footballer & with the right coaching/attitude, it's quite possible he could do the job DeJong for instance does. Or perhaps he could be a strong fullback, I doubt Gary Neville had any more ability. But at centre marking players of the calibre of Aguero or Negredo in Premier League matches ? I would be delighted to see him at cb for another team v those two.

Surely if we are one day trying to win the Champions League with homegrown players, we should be looking for a player of similar ability who is bigger, stronger & faster, as our future cb ?

If Rekik then becomes so good that he forces his way past such players then well done to him, but imo, we should be looking at something different for the cb job.

He has plenty of physical development time left. I watched the first leg, where PSV were equal to Milan. Would I back him against Aguero and Negredo? No. I wouldn't back any 18 year old against them.

You're clearly entitled to your opinion, but I think the potential he has is extremely obvious. I'm not sure what your expectations are of such a young defender are, what you've said seems very unrealistic.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Yes, his mentality, attitude, physique and composure.

Against Balotelli he was not intimidated in any way, he tried to impose himself, be the dominant player in their duel. He got beaten at times, but he's an 18 year old with 10-20 competitive games, playing against one of the best strikers around.

His comfort and ability on the ball is absolutely essential for a top central defender these days, he's good enough in that department already.

For an 18 year old he's strong and agile, not the fastest but you don't need to be.

Sometimes he makes mistakes with his positioning and can rash in tackles, but in general he's a good one on one defender.

The reason I think he can make it, is because there are areas of footballer you can develop and things you can't develop, they have to be there naturally.

I think Rekik has what can't be developed in a footballer and his deficiencies are things which can be worked on and will naturally improve with experience.

I'm certain he'll turn out a very good player, he already is good enough to play at a high level (I watched both games against Zulte, one against Milan and one in the Eredevise, he didn't look out of his depth in any). There's absolutely no certainty it will be with us, but he has a good chance.

Also, in defence, you actually don't need to have the best players on the planet. Obviously they need to be at a certain level, but the unit as a whole is more important than the individual. Individual quality is far more important in the attacking positions.

For example take Athletico Madrid, they have the best defence in La Liga, in the centre they have Miranda and Godin, good players, but they are not special players, they wouldn't be in a World 11.

Anyway Rekik's confidence and fearlessness are why I think he can make it. He has the ability, but you need the mentality to utilise it, I think he has the correct mentality.

I am specifically talking about City.

I don't doubt Rekik will make a career in football.

I honestly don't know what part of either game against Milan you thought was an indication of a future City central defender. He was positionally shocking, slow, weak in the air & prone to giving away fee kicks. as well as being responsible for at least one goal & missing an open net at the other end.

I just don't understand how anyone watches that & thinks it's an indication of future success. I've never seen Balotelli spend so much time actually stood up, he's usually on his arse at the first challenge but he beat Rekik so easily he just stood & controlled the ball without going down.

I see Rekik as a reasonable prospect in some position, he is a decent footballer & with the right coaching/attitude, it's quite possible he could do the job DeJong for instance does. Or perhaps he could be a strong fullback, I doubt Gary Neville had any more ability. But at centre marking players of the calibre of Aguero or Negredo in Premier League matches ? I would be delighted to see him at cb for another team v those two.

Surely if we are one day trying to win the Champions League with homegrown players, we should be looking for a player of similar ability who is bigger, stronger & faster, as our future cb ?

If Rekik then becomes so good that he forces his way past such players then well done to him, but imo, we should be looking at something different for the cb job.

He has plenty of physical development time left. I watched the first leg, where PSV were equal to Milan. Would I back him against Aguero and Negredo? No. I wouldn't back any 18 year old against them.

You're clearly entitled to your opinion, but I think the potential he has is extremely obvious. I'm not sure what your expectations are of such a young defender are, what you've said seems very unrealistic.

My expectations of a young defender are nothing at all. I expect them to make mistakes & struggle when up against older players.

My expectation of a young potential Manchester City centre back are that he should be absolutely exceptional in some areas & make me think 'he just needs a bit of this, or a bit of that plus some game time & experience & he could be the business '.

Both Micah & Ned for instance were like lightning accross the ground & although Ned was average in the air, Micah was also fantastic there. Both were very very difficult to beat 1v1 & regularly saved seemingly impossible situations. Sometimes at reserve level they looked just too good to be playing there, even at England U21 level, Ned was like dad playing with the kids.

Move forward to Rekik. Some big eared no mark rag attacker runs at him in the reserve derby & he can't even get close. You think 'oh it's probably just a one off'. Then it happens again. 'Perhaps he's carrying an injury'. Then some mishappen no mark non entity does the same for Liverpool reserves 'perhaps he's a bit under the weather'. He goes off to Blackburn & their fans say he's dogshit 'they don't know anything so that's no indication'.

He plays a friendly at the end of the season & Makes Garcia look like Keith Curle, one bloke almost walking past him to stick the ball away, another having Rekik hoof him up in the air in our penalty box. 'Perhaps he's not match fit'.

Then we hear he's doing great in Holland, so I think 'ah he was, ill, injured, not match fit, etc etc etc on all the other occasions, now he's fully fit & doing the biz, can't wait to see him'. Eagerly I tune in to watch him. He is awful. 'Well perhapsit was a bad day'. Watch him again, tragically terrible & the bloke next to him, who is 21, looks miles better & he is someone fucked off by Chelsea for 2 million because he isn't good enough.

At that stage, you think 'this lad has got a fair way to go before he can be considered a genuine contender'.

You then read people on here telling everyone that actually, he is fucking fantastic & had a great game v Milan etc.

No he isn't & no he didn't.

I have NEVER written him off as a player or as a City player. What I have said, is that he has a long way to go if he is to reach that level, & it is not the forgone conclusion some on here are making it out to be.

He will also come up against some stiff competition both from within the club's own ranks & signings from outside.

People go too far over the top building these kids up after one or two half decent performances. It's a long hard road, & much improvement is needed.

If he gets there, well done to him, he will deserve his chance to take a first team shirt but he definitely isn't there now, & NO he isn't currently better than Garcia as has been suggested. Same pace, less ability on the ball, less aggression, less experience & nowhere near even in the same class in the air.

 

[sam-caddick]

Manchester City FC ‏@MCFC 28m

EDS XI: Lawlor, Drury, Leigh, Boyata, Plummer (C), Demichelis, Rusnak, Rodwell, Hiwula, Glendon, Pozo. Subs to follow. #mcfc

Manchester City FC ‏@MCFC 27m

EDS SUBS: O'Brien, Angelino, Huws, Byrne, Ntcham. Match updates and report to follow here from this 7pm kick-off. #MCFC

Where is Lopes?? In the squad for Saturday maybe?

 

[CELTICRORY]

1-0 at HT, Hiwula again.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

1-1 christ our EDS are poor

2-1 now to rochdale

 

[CELTICRORY]

1-2 now, poor

 

[LoveCity]

Angus Gunn is going to be about 7 foot tall when he stops growing!

 

[sam-caddick]

Does anyone know where Lopes is?

Is he injured or does anybosy see him making the West Ham squad?

 

[SrilankanBlue]

‏@MCFC 13m
GOAL CITY!! That combination again - Albert Rusnak crosses to Jordy Hiwula for his and City's second. 2-2 - are we heading for penalties?

 

[spinzer]

I am specifically talking about City.

I don't doubt Rekik will make a career in football.

I honestly don't know what part of either game against Milan you thought was an indication of a future City central defender. He was positionally shocking, slow, weak in the air & prone to giving away fee kicks. as well as being responsible for at least one goal & missing an open net at the other end.

I just don't understand how anyone watches that & thinks it's an indication of future success. I've never seen Balotelli spend so much time actually stood up, he's usually on his arse at the first challenge but he beat Rekik so easily he just stood & controlled the ball without going down.

I see Rekik as a reasonable prospect in some position, he is a decent footballer & with the right coaching/attitude, it's quite possible he could do the job DeJong for instance does. Or perhaps he could be a strong fullback, I doubt Gary Neville had any more ability. But at centre marking players of the calibre of Aguero or Negredo in Premier League matches ? I would be delighted to see him at cb for another team v those two.

Surely if we are one day trying to win the Champions League with homegrown players, we should be looking for a player of similar ability who is bigger, stronger & faster, as our future cb ?

If Rekik then becomes so good that he forces his way past such players then well done to him, but imo, we should be looking at something different for the cb job.

He has plenty of physical development time left. I watched the first leg, where PSV were equal to Milan. Would I back him against Aguero and Negredo? No. I wouldn't back any 18 year old against them.

You're clearly entitled to your opinion, but I think the potential he has is extremely obvious. I'm not sure what your expectations are of such a young defender are, what you've said seems very unrealistic.

My expectations of a young defender are nothing at all. I expect them to make mistakes & struggle when up against older players.

My expectation of a young potential Manchester City centre back are that he should be absolutely exceptional in some areas & make me think 'he just needs a bit of this, or a bit of that plus some game time & experience & he could be the business '.

Both Micah & Ned for instance were like lightning accross the ground & although Ned was average in the air, Micah was also fantastic there. Both were very very difficult to beat 1v1 & regularly saved seemingly impossible situations. Sometimes at reserve level they looked just too good to be playing there, even at England U21 level, Ned was like dad playing with the kids.

Move forward to Rekik. Some big eared no mark rag attacker runs at him in the reserve derby & he can't even get close. You think 'oh it's probably just a one off'. Then it happens again. 'Perhaps he's carrying an injury'. Then some mishappen no mark non entity does the same for Liverpool reserves 'perhaps he's a bit under the weather'. He goes off to Blackburn & their fans say he's dogshit 'they don't know anything so that's no indication'.

He plays a friendly at the end of the season & Makes Garcia look like Keith Curle, one bloke almost walking past him to stick the ball away, another having Rekik hoof him up in the air in our penalty box. 'Perhaps he's not match fit'.

Then we hear he's doing great in Holland, so I think 'ah he was, ill, injured, not match fit, etc etc etc on all the other occasions, now he's fully fit & doing the biz, can't wait to see him'. Eagerly I tune in to watch him. He is awful. 'Well perhapsit was a bad day'. Watch him again, tragically terrible & the bloke next to him, who is 21, looks miles better & he is someone fucked off by Chelsea for 2 million because he isn't good enough.

At that stage, you think 'this lad has got a fair way to go before he can be considered a genuine contender'.

You then read people on here telling everyone that actually, he is fucking fantastic & had a great game v Milan etc.

No he isn't & no he didn't.

I have NEVER written him off as a player or as a City player. What I have said, is that he has a long way to go if he is to reach that level, & it is not the forgone conclusion some on here are making it out to be.

He will also come up against some stiff competition both from within the club's own ranks & signings from outside.

People go too far over the top building these kids up after one or two half decent performances. It's a long hard road, & much improvement is needed.

If he gets there, well done to him, he will deserve his chance to take a first team shirt but he definitely isn't there now, & NO he isn't currently better than Garcia as has been suggested. Same pace, less ability on the ball, less aggression, less experience & nowhere near even in the same class in the air.

You emphasize on the rare bad situation, instead of focusing on all the good signs. Apperently you saw some other game than the rest of us fans and the dutch fans. But the people who watches Eredivisie raves about him, and he everything indicates that he is the supperior player in that defense!