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.
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.
I wouldn't be remotely against Mangala getting a chance, I thought he should have been given a go last season tbh rather than being shipped out. I do think it could be a risk though because at times when we are really taking risks at the back in terms of knocking it about around opponents who are pressing us, it really does look like a test of a player's nerve and technique and I think there is potential for Mangala's game to unravel. But I do agree with you generally, that's why I always thought Joe should at least have been given a chance to see whether he could hack it. And it also worries me that whenever people discuss CB options, how they actually defend or whether they can organise those around them (which is absolutely key IMO considering that the whole point of buying one really is to drag the likes of Stones and Otamendi through matches when Kompany is injured or rested) doesn't even seem to be a point of discussion half the time.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 wouldn't be remotely against Mangala getting a chance, I thought he should have been given a go last season tbh rather than being shipped out. I do think it could be a risk though because at times when we are really taking risks at the back in terms of knocking it about around opponents who are pressing us, it really does look like a test of a player's nerve and technique and I think there is potential for Mangala's game to unravel. But I do agree with you generally, that's why I always thought Joe should at least have been given a chance to see whether he could hack it. And it also worries me that whenever people discuss CB options, how they actually defend or whether they can organise those around them (which is absolutely key IMO considering that the whole point of buying one really is to drag the likes of Stones and Otamendi through matches when Kompany is injured or rested) doesn't even seem to be a point of discussion half the time.
Indeed, I'd love us to get VVD and if necessary (in terms of finances) use Roberts as the extra attacking player to supplement what we already have in that area. Think in terms of the balance of our squad and the difference it would make to us overall as a competitive force at the highest level it would probably make a bigger difference than signing Sanchez. Although I don't think many would agree.I think it's more risky with a keeper because there is nobody for him to knock it back to, but for a cb, there is always that out ball even when things go wrong.
I can understand why we wouldn't want Brian Gayle or Richard Dunne in that situaton, but it should imo be easy for a modern day cb to play in a back 4, with a footballing keeper, even if he isn't quite as good as the rest, so long as the other 4 have the ability to play the ball out.
It becomes academic if we sign someone like VVD anyway, which imo is a necessity if we ae genuinely going up to the level of Real or Barca.
No, but then again our cb target is such a mystery there isn't chatter about anyone, so it could be VVD as much as anyone else. I suppose the reporting of Dippers would mean it would require a softly softly approach. Who knows.I s there any chatter that we are in for him as i've not seen any?
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.
And me WTF x 2Beat me to it.
WTF !