What's Happened To Our Defence?

[Didsbury Dave]

It will be fine when Stones and KDB return. Nothing to worry about. A bad spell.

 

[117 M34]

Need to control the game higher up the pitch.
Doku and alavarez - as good as they are offensively - leave us light in terms of controlling the ball and takes a man out of the middle of the pitch.

 

[Witney Blue]

No Stones, no Gundo (can Kovacic step up?), no Kev, Rodri understandably knackered (as no rest cos Phillips doesn’t cut it)
Plus Foden and Alvarez this season have looked weak in the challenge to me.
And the perpetual left back issue - chatting with my lad today we named Clichy and Zinchenko as the stand outs over the last 10 years with the rest being out of position (Ake, Delph, Gvardiol, Laporte etc) I won’t mention a certain Frenchman and fair to say I wasn’t Kolarovs biggest fan!

 

[franksinatra]

We have lost the control of Gundogan, the decisiveness of KDB, to put doubt in defences, and have recruited poorly in midfield resulting in a striker (Alvarez) playing as our attacking midfielder. Consequently, Rodri is constantly isolated and sides are running through the spaces straight at our back 4. Rodders is the best DM in the world when the structure is right, but not when having to chase players running at our midfield.

 

[blue whippet]

It’s not just the back line. We seem to lack control in the middle too.

Yes this for me too, our midfield is definately part of the problem. Rodri has too much to do on his own.

 

[blue whippet]

For me three things stand out.

The Akanji role.

Walker, he got dropped last season and we become a better team.

Alvarez I love the guy he’s a cracking player but I believe Foden or Grealish are better options for that 10 role.

Agree about Alvarez, he doesn't work in that role for me.

 

[Blu1]

We are asking them to be midfielders & constantly rotating then

 

[CityBrat64]

10 goals conceded in the last 4 games.

2 goals conceded in the last 10 minutes at the Etihad against Liverpool and Spurs.

What's happened to our once solid defence from last season?

Missing Gundogan in midfield, the defence are being exposed far too much, too many attack minded players in team.

 

[jim tolmies perm]

It will be fine when Stones and KDB return. Nothing to worry about. A bad spell.

We could be a long way behind by that time....

 

[John Wayne]

We have lost the control of Gundogan, the decisiveness of KDB, to put doubt in defences, and have recruited poorly in midfield resulting in a striker (Alvarez) playing as our attacking midfielder. Consequently, Rodri is constantly isolated and sides are running through the spaces straight at our back 4. Rodders is the best DM in the world when the structure is right, but not when having to chase players running at our midfield.

Agree with nearly all of that but think it's just a little premature to say we've recruited poorly in midfield (Phillips apart). Nunes needs time and needs our support. It's been stop-start for him but we need to be patient. All four signings have good qualities but are finding their feet in a new club.