Virgil van Dijk

[BlueDeadHead]

Kolarov? Come on I know the lad hasn't done too badly this season but him as 3rd/4th choice (depending on Vinny's fitness) is scary if you've got ambitions of winning the Champions League and the Premier League.

You don't spend £80m on a goalkeeper and attacking midfielder, probably another £80m on fullbacks and another £50/60m on Sanchez to leave yourself with Kolarov at centre back if you get 1/2 injuries.

So you expect Otta to take a role as 4th CB at his age and essentially get 5-10 starts?

 

[Jonsilfab]

So you expect Otta to take a role as 4th CB at his age and essentially get 5-10 starts?

Probably more if you consider Kompany's inevitable injuries.

 

[Neville Kneville]

If anything tipped the balance of Otamendi leaving us, to sign for Real Madrid, that would surely be it.

 

[ak93city]

Pretty amusing the disdain for player stats here.

Could've sworn I remember reading an article a few years back where it said City elicit the services of 11-12 companies which specialize in data and statistical anaylsis of players.

Moreover, Pep Guardiola himself said at a press conference in November 2016 I believe that in terms of using numbers and statistics, there is nobody who does it more than him.

But I suppose we all love to hammer things which we don't understand properly -__-

 

[mosssideblue]

Otamendi without Kompany is bollocks though.

Not exactly true though is it? he had some good performances when Vinnie was out

 

[mosssideblue]

@domalino summed it up well.. I'm not fixated by the need to have WC players, I want the best team.

Otamendi is simply not world class and never will be. Sure he looks great next to Kompany as would practically every defender. I see some are quoting stats here. Please go watch his performance against Chelsea at home and more importantly Monaco at home which was probably one of the worst performances I have every seen of a "top" CB, I was hoping he would be subbed off, absolutely terrible. Rashford, an average striker absolutely embarrassed Otamendi a few times as well when we played the rags at home, could of easily conceded a goal. I actually don't mind him staying but its much better to sell him while he still has decent value on the market. My main issue with Otamendi is he is inconsistent, can be top class one day, league one quality another, at his age this is unacceptable for a club with our ambitions.

Like I said we have a great group of CBs if we sign VVD and to add, Mendy can probably fill in at CB if needed, he has all the attributes.

You are both missing the point I was trying (obviously not so well) to make. VVD is a great PL defender I agree. What I was trying to point out though is that last season Ota was our best defender yet some are wanting him sold to bring in VVD (would personally rather see Kolorov go). My point is that whilst VVD is a great PL defender, he had only done that for the Saints and there is a huge assumption that he will replicate that for us yet people will let go our best defender to find out whether he could. I'm sure Chelsea thought the same when they took on Torres.

I would love VVD here, but let's not throw out the baby with the bath water is all I'm saying.

I'm not fixated by the need to have WC players, I want the best team which IMO, will be a mix of all types.

 

[Bewar3them00n]

Not exactly true though is it? he had some good performances when Vinnie was out

Stones without Vinny is a prospect that worries. Otomendi has improved steadily, his positional sense is way better than Stones, and he's not bad on the ball either, Stones still has a lot to learn and some work on his strength needs doing as he goes over too easy.

 

[mosssideblue]

Stones without Vinny is a prospect that worries. Otomendi has improved steadily, his positional sense is way better than Stones, and he's not bad on the ball either, Stones still has a lot to learn and some work on his strength needs doing as he goes over too easy.

I agree. Stones might be the longer term prospect, but he has a long way to go

 

[fatbloke]

So you expect Otta to take a role as 4th CB at his age and essentially get 5-10 starts?

The club is more important than any individual, while he's under contract then it's up to him to fight for his place. There shouldn't be any guaranteed starters, whoever is in the best form/working the hardest in training gets the shirt unless there's a specific tactical decision (e.g Van Dijk because of his height against Andy Carroll).

 

[City_Sean]

You are both missing the point I was trying (obviously not so well) to make. VVD is a great PL defender I agree. What I was trying to point out though is that last season Ota was our best defender yet some are wanting him sold to bring in VVD (would personally rather see Kolorov go). My point is that whilst VVD is a great PL defender, he had only done that for the Saints and there is a huge assumption that he will replicate that for us yet people will let go our best defender to find out whether he could. I'm sure Chelsea thought the same when they took on Torres.

I would love VVD here, but let's not throw out the baby with the bath water is all I'm saying.

I'm not fixated by the need to have WC players, I want the best team which IMO, will be a mix of all types.

I don't think you can ever have enough top class players. Otamendi makes the squad far stronger than Kolarov.