Virgil van Dijk

[Neville Kneville]

I think in terms of pure defending he's better, personally. We know that the demands on a central defender are different under Pep though and you'd have to suspect that it could be utter carnage with Mangala back there and us trying to relentlessly pass out from the back even when the opposition are pressing us at the edge of our box.

Too much is made of that imo. There should be a way of compromising to achieve the same outcome. And too much is made of Stones' 'ability' on the ball. His ball playing ability is that of a lower class midfield player imo & there is absolutely no evidence anywhere of anything he's ever done, which suggests he can do aything on the ball, that a Glen Whelan or Joey Barton can't. In fact both of them are more skillful passers of the ball, & have far more variety, but often play in teams who don't demand it.

What Stones does have, is good technique for a centre back & the desire to use it, where many other cbs, which may include Mangala, have decent technique but at least appear not to really fancy it & end up in two minds. But we have never seen Mangala play regularly in a City team which gives him options to pass to. Pellegrini had a half arsed system which neither pressed nor sat, or had a long or short passing plan (which tbf was City v Utd, we were a mess) & we played high lines with offside traps & fullbacks who can't run, plus Demichelis.

If three of your back 4, plus the keeper, are good on the ball, it should be dead easy imo, for the 4th defender to play in that, under instruction to keep it simple if pressed. And tbh, none of the defenders should be taking risks just for the sake of making a forward pass, they should create angles by simple passing.

If Mangala hasn't got the bottle to do that, fair enough, but otherwise he should have the ability to pass a ball without fucking it up.

 

[eversince 76]

The whole VVD going to Liverpool saga has been too predictable to be true.
VVD being too eager, letting slip he wants to join the dippers after talks with Klipperty (that was probably the moment Pep decided to let go of chasing this target). Southampton correctly accusing Pool of tapping up their player, with Pool apologizing and stepping back. Than the play begins.
Former dippers (nearly all of them "respected" pundits wherever one is needed) claiming via the Pool-loving media VVD should simply need to put in a transfer request. Pretty much as in 'doing a Sterling' for which these same clowns crusified the than Liverpool player. Than when trainingsessions strats, VVD let know he does want to be soemwhere else and is kicked out of the squad 'temporarely'. Next step will be Southampton giving their vote to Pool to come and get their player, not for the former price, but the City-price that is as we all know at least 10mill more. After being snubbed by Keita there's some sprae money left and Klipperty will decide to free VVD from his injustice suffering at the Saints prison. End of story with the Pool loving media crying out 'ends well alls well'. And not one mention of VVD being the most expensive CB in the world.

 

[Gingers Dad]

Too much is made of that imo. There should be a way of compromising to achieve the same outcome. And too much is made of Stones' 'ability' on the ball. His ball playing ability is that of a lower class midfield player imo & there is absolutely no evidence anywhere of anything he's ever done, which suggests he can do aything on the ball, that a Glen Whelan or Joey Barton can't. In fact both of them are more skillful passers of the ball, & have far more variety, but often play in teams who don't demand it.

What Stones does have, is good technique for a centre back & the desire to use it, where many other cbs, which may include Mangala, have decent technique but at least appear not to really fancy it & end up in two minds. But we have never seen Mangala play regularly in a City team which gives him options to pass to. Pellegrini had a half arsed system which neither pressed nor sat, or had a long or short passing plan (which tbf was City v Utd, we were a mess) & we played high lines with offside traps & fullbacks who can't run, plus Demichelis.

If three of your back 4, plus the keeper, are good on the ball, it should be dead easy imo, for the 4th defender to play in that, under instruction to keep it simple if pressed. And tbh, none of the defenders should be taking risks just for the sake of making a forward pass, they should create angles by simple passing.

If Mangala hasn't got the bottle to do that, fair enough, but otherwise he should have the ability to pass a ball without fucking it up.

I agree with you regarding Mangala has never really been given the opportunity and that Pellegrini didn't really have a system. Where disagree with you is that you can have a non-ball playing defender if you want to knock the ball about at the back. If City are going to play like that then all the team has to be switched on immediately and willing to make angles and receive the ball. And also have the ability on the ball when pressured. Otherwise at some point the system will fall down and someone will get robbed of the ball in a dangerous situation.

 

[yeah whatever !!]

It's probably because his grandad Dick was such a great Sweeper !!!

But he did end up going to pot .

 

[Neville Kneville]

The whole VVD going to Liverpool saga has been too predictable to be true.
VVD being too eager, letting slip he wants to join the dippers after talks with Klipperty (that was probably the moment Pep decided to let go of chasing this target). Southampton correctly accusing Pool of tapping up their player, with Pool apologizing and stepping back. Than the play begins.
Former dippers (nearly all of them "respected" pundits wherever one is needed) claiming via the Pool-loving media VVD should simply need to put in a transfer request. Pretty much as in 'doing a Sterling' for which these same clowns crusified the than Liverpool player. Than when trainingsessions strats, VVD let know he does want to be soemwhere else and is kicked out of the squad 'temporarely'. Next step will be Southampton giving their vote to Pool to come and get their player, not for the former price, but the City-price that is as we all know at least 10mill more. After being snubbed by Keita there's some sprae money left and Klipperty will decide to free VVD from his injustice suffering at the Saints prison. End of story with the Pool loving media crying out 'ends well alls well'. And not one mention of VVD being the most expensive CB in the world.

If Klopp has tapped him up & we haven't strongly registered an interest, then obviously he would want to go to Livepool.

I'm pretty sure Sanchez would have signed for us, years ago, if Barca hadn't tapped him up in & I'm pretty sure VVD would sign for City in a heartbeat & fuck Liverpool right off, if he got a call from Pep Guardiola.

 

[Armaan]

Let's be honest, I'm not being arrogant or anything here but if we or Chelsea were seriously in for him there is no chance in hell he'd choose Liverpool over us. That to me means we haven't really had serious interest in him thus far.

 

[billfromthehill]

But he did end up going to pot .

Boom.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I agree with you regarding Mangala has never really been given the opportunity and that Pellegrini didn't really have a system. Where disagree with you is that you can have a non-ball playing defender if you want to knock the ball about at the back. If City are going to play like that then all the team has to be switched on immediately and willing to make angles and receive the ball. And also have the ability on the ball when pressured. Otherwise at some point the system will fall down and someone will get robbed of the ball in a dangerous situation.

True, but any professional footballer should be able to recieve a ball & pass it to a team mate, without it bouncing off his knee or falling on his arse. And Mangler aint Richard Dunne.

What I mean, is that it shouldn't be Mangala who plays the out ball, under pressure, he should just be one of the ten yard passers & one of the others can break out. 4 choices (including the keeper, should be enough

And the guy who gets it wrong more than anyone, is the one we signed to do it, Stones. He just looks totally in control when he does it, like when he took a sublime touch & fed Falcao to knock us out of Europe.

Maybe Mangler is a shithouse & can't keep his head under pressure, but ability wise, he should be capable of taking a pass and moving it on, which is all they do.

 

[eversince 76]

If Klopp has tapped him up & we haven't strongly registered an interest, then obviously he would want to go to Livepool.

I'm pretty sure Sanchez would have signed for us, years ago, if Barca hadn't tapped him up in & I'm pretty sure VVD would sign for City in a heartbeat & fuck Liverpool right off, if he got a call from Pep Guardiola.

I don't know if City has been interested in him. Nobody knows. I remember VVD getting a City-top from his teammates to wear in a photosession, so rumours were pretty obvious in those days. Most on here wanted him but as usual, when the transfer seems likely not to happen, suddenly the same persons say we never wanted him or never have been interested in getting VVD in.
Just saying if Pep was interested, he wasn't anymore when VVD claimed he wanted Klopp to be his nexgt manager. And why not, because Klopp is another manager that players love to play for no matter what club he is at. For Pep that statement was end of story and coincidentally it came out City cooled their interest because of the pricetag. The same time Southampton accused Liverpool of tapping up. From than on the coming scenario was only too clear. I doubt it'll end different than what I predict, but we will see.

 

[Gingers Dad]

True, but any professional footballer should be able to recieve a ball & pass it to a team mate, without it bouncing off his knee or falling on his arse. And Mangler aint Richard Dunne.

What I mean, is that it shouldn't be Mangala who plays the out ball, under pressure, he should just be one of the ten yard passers & one of the others can break out. 4 choices (including the keeper, should be enough

And the guy who gets it wrong more than anyone, is the one we signed to do it, Stones. He just looks totally in control when he does it, like when he took a sublime touch & fed Falcao to knock us out of Europe.

Maybe Mangler is a shithouse & can't keep his head under pressure, but ability wise, he should be capable of taking a pass and moving it on, which is all they do.

I don't think we have any idea whether or not Mangala could do it or not. I'm pretty sure the coaching staff at the club will do by now. I really hope he does have it in his locker. He has the physical attributes to form a partnership with Kompany the same as Lescott did. Lescott couldn't play in the current system but his partnership with Kompany in 2011/12 was probably one of the key reasons we finished joint top.