We need defenders who can defend

You defend as a unit from striker to goal keeper, could have the greatest centre half pairing in the world playing for us and they would still be in trouble if the people in front didn't press the ball or track runners when they should.

The biggest task for the incoming manager is to fix what happens in the middle of the park and how they impose themselves on the opposition and give our forward line the best opportunity to hurt them up front. The passing has been woeful this season at times and invites unnecessary pressure, we don't come out of the blocks and shut sides down quickly enough letting the other team string passes together and grow in confidence.

I wouldn't right off Mangala and Ottemendi just yet if Pep comes in, he's made a world class centre back in Jerome Boetang when he looked like a liability for us. A better set up in front of them may stop the panic and rash challenges that are happening week in week out.

Our system does not work and is the big issue, our defenders are left exposed because we get out numbered in midfield. Pep will have a plan for Yaya whether it is managing his game time or moving him on completely.

we have two players who are very similar in what they offer in silva and De Bruyne who we are not utilised to the best of their abilities.

It's really frustrating at the moment as we can not get any consistency going, we can't keep relying on Arsenal to drop points and at the same time us not taking advantage of it and Leicester are a very real threat, they were dismissed before Christmas and are still sat on top coming into February.

Unfortunately I don't think Pellegrini will have a moment of clarity and rip up his system to one that will gain success in the 4 remaining competitions. No lessons are learned, we still can't take a corner properly and Yaya will still be bypassed in a two man midfield. He sticks to the principles he believes in by trying to out score the opposition whilst showing zero caution, we will have to put up with this for the remaining months of the season and hope the individual talent of our players do just enough to carry us to a trophy.
 
It's not the worst defence we've had in years. I know Kompany is a shadow of his former self and we've still the same full backs from 2011 or whenever but Otamendi and Mangala are, I believe, upgrades on Lescott and Savic. I mean we had Barry and De Jong protecting the defence most of the time in Mancini's days. Now we have Dinho, terrific player but not a natural defensive midfielder, or Fernando, who isn't as good as either Barry or De Jong, protecting the back four. At times our midfield criminally lets the defence down. I know Otamendi was doing his hair for West Ham's second goal but look at the first one. Yaya stands still, letting the West Ham player ghost past him and then Delph decides to try and make amends by joining the defensive line, that was perfectly positioned and didn't need an extra body there, instead of using a bit of football naus and protecting the area in front of the defence.

You sure about that? Otamendi is perfectly positioned? I don't think so my friend. Otamendi steps out to Valencia who Delph is tracking, Delph in turn tries to cover him, at the same time Ota tries to recover his own position which leaves Valencia completely unmarked.
 
The best defence we had was in Mancini's title season which was down to having the best defender in the league, Lescott, and the best defensive midfielder NDJ.

Since Txiki came in we seem to look on defending as something quite vulgar in the same way that swinging in a cross from a free kick near our opponents area would be. Individually we have first class defenders but they don't seem well drilled. The best defence in the world is not the one that contains the 4 best defenders.

We need an old fashioned stopper to do the dirty work - get his head on everything, clear crosses, put his foot in - ideally someone in the mould of Lescott. Every time I see Shawcross play I can't believe we don't try to buy him.

What we'll probably get is Stones who fancies himself as half Cruyff half Beckenbauer. He doesn't strike me as the kind of defender who loves the art of defending which is what we need
 
Not from the replay I have been watching, Delph is next to Valencia and decides to try cut out the cross leaving his man. if he tracks his man then the cross would have been cut out anyway.
 
Not from the replay I have been watching, Delph is next to Valencia and decides to try cut out the cross leaving his man. if he tracks his man then the cross would have been cut out anyway.

What's Otamendi doing? Apart from leaving a big gaping hole behind him?
 
if we did sign someone who was a defender first and foremost, people would just moan and say we need someone who can play out the back. We need someone who can do both. Ashley williams would have been good a very good defender and can play football swell. i think we and other clubs have gone to far away from being able to defend, sort of the classic English centre back like tony adams is what we need. even someone like ryan shawcross could be good for us ...
 
What's Otamendi doing? Apart from leaving a big gaping hole behind him?

Otamendi gave the ball away FOUR times in the opening 50 seconds then stepped out of position momentarily so for me the goal was down to him.
 
Otamendi gave the ball away FOUR times in the opening 50 seconds then stepped out of position momentarily so for me the goal was down to him.

Can't excuse Yaya as he shouldn't be letting Kouyate breeze by him so easily but yes you're spot on.

If he wasn't going to pick up Valencia just wtf was he doing stepping out as Kouyate put the ball by Toure? f he doesn't step out then the likelihood is he is in the position he should be to block the cross.

You're spot on about him giving the ball away too, watch the first minute again if you don't believe it.

http://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/...d-vs-manchester-city-highlights-full-match/#4
 

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