Set Pieces

[CityFanFromRome]

I agree with what you say mate, especially the bit about judging after a full season (which due to injury disruptions this season would be about 18 months from now, but I would point out that a full-back should first and foremost be able to defend. Boateng, on the admittedly flimsy evidence of what we have seen so far, can't mark his man regularly, can't win it in the air regularly and can't stop crosses going in at all.

Maybe the role of the full-back is changing and I am out of date.

I think it depends on the kind of full backs you want to employ. IF Mancini wanted defensively sound FBs he wouldn't have bought Kolarov, for example; while not gash at defending, his reputation here in Italy has always been that of an attacking FB, thus he's better going forward than defending. Boateng, well imho he's more of a CB but anyway, I think Mancini could have seen something in him to make him think he could employ the lad as an attacking RB; admittedly, his crossing and touch should, on paper, be better than Micah's. Maybe not so much better than Zabba though.

[Ted Hughes]

I agree with what you say mate, especially the bit about judging after a full season (which due to injury disruptions this season would be about 18 months from now, but I would point out that a full-back should first and foremost be able to defend. Boateng, on the admittedly flimsy evidence of what we have seen so far, can't mark his man regularly, can't win it in the air regularly and can't stop crosses going in at all.

Maybe the role of the full-back is changing and I am out of date.

I think it depends on the kind of full backs you want to employ. IF Mancini wanted defensively sound FBs he wouldn't have bought Kolarov, for example; while not gash at defending, his reputation here in Italy has always been that of an attacking FB, thus he's better going forward than defending. Boateng, well imho he's more of a CB but anyway, I think Mancini could have seen something in him to make him think he could employ the lad as an attacking RB; admittedly, his crossing and touch should, on paper, be better than Micah's. Maybe not so much better than Zabba though.

The problem is, as I'm sure you know, football here is different. Fullbacks here need to defend or people (apart from City) regularly put crosses in from which teams score. Even Arsenal do it now after years of winning fuck all without it & now we have Dzeko hopefully we will too. Either Boateng & Kolorov learn how to defend properly or they're history. Even Bob will have to admit it if they don't improve. I think they can improve though, eventually.

[CityFanFromRome]

The problem is, as I'm sure you know, football here is different. Fullbacks here need to defend or people (apart from City) regularly put crosses in from which teams score. Even Arsenal do it now after years of winning fuck all without it & now we have Dzeko hopefully we will too. Either Boateng & Kolorov learn how to defend properly or they're history. Even Bob will have to admit it if they don't improve. I think they can improve though, eventually.

Yeah, i know football in England is different, and I agree that they have to improve that side of their game or they won't make it at City; I'm just saying that since defending is not their strength, it might take them a while to improve on that. Eventually they will, I'm sure of it, but they will probably find it harder than another kind of FB who's naturally more focused on defending.

There's only few FBs in the world who are really comfortable at both parts of the game, one is Maicon, the other, sadly, is Evra (imho), and another is Cashley; players like Alves, Lahm, Clichy don't excel in both aspects, but prefer one of the two.

[Ted Hughes]

The problem is, as I'm sure you know, football here is different. Fullbacks here need to defend or people (apart from City) regularly put crosses in from which teams score. Even Arsenal do it now after years of winning fuck all without it & now we have Dzeko hopefully we will too. Either Boateng & Kolorov learn how to defend properly or they're history. Even Bob will have to admit it if they don't improve. I think they can improve though, eventually.

Yeah, i know football in England is different, and I agree that they have to improve that side of their game or they won't make it at City; I'm just saying that since defending is not their strength, it might take them a while to improve on that. Eventually they will, I'm sure of it, but they will probably find it harder than another kind of FB who's naturally more focused on defending.

There's only few FBs in the world who are really comfortable at both parts of the game, one is Maicon, the other, sadly, is Evra (imho), and another is Cashley; players like Alves, Lahm, Clichy don't excel in both aspects, but prefer one of the two.

If we're scoring hatfuls of goals in most games then we may get away with playing them, as their mistakes won't be as crucial & they'll be applying the pressure rather than under it, but I don't think it's wise at all to be playing these two in the tougher games. So far we're just about getting away with it but if one or both end up costing us a cup or a big PL game, they'll find it difficult to come back from it, as the fans will be waiting for the next cock up & will make them even more nervous.