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I just wanna give micah a big thumbs up for making alot of progress under bobby. hes getting his old form back and well done to bobby for helping a young defender to development his game. if your reading this micah..well done for turning it around, keep it up!

He's been good recently although I felt he had a poor game against Chelsea. He invited Anelka into the box on a number of occasions. Much better than last season, and his goal a few weeks back was one of the highlights of the season for me

When was it Micah was actually dropped? I think it's after that his form and attitude started to improve. He has clearly shown some good signs but lets not get carried away by a few good games and hope for consistency. As it happens he wasn't that great on Saturday was he? Some questionable work on the ball and some mistimed tackles that gave free kicks away in dodgy areas.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:When was it Micah was actually dropped? I think it's after that his form and attitude started to improve. He has clearly shown some good signs but lets not get carried away by a few good games and hope for consistency. As it happens he wasn't that great on Saturday was he? Some questionable work on the ball and some mistimed tackles that gave free kicks away in dodgy areas.

Everything about Saturday was perfect. You're just sorry we won ;-)

He seems to have improved in general alright, but he has a bit to go. He has to want to become the best there is in his position. He is what it takes to become the best, the rest is up to him.

the current manager hasn't actually started him at right back that often, so while i agree he's in a good "vein of form", I don't know whether that's personal determination, better coaching, or the manager wot done it.
Doesnt really matter so long as he's improving.

He's look better under Mancini, but then so has the entire defence. Similarly, some of our offensive players, particularly those creative midfielder types have struggled.



All about balance shifting innit.

He's starting to get back to his best. He struggled with Anelka on Saturday when he drifted to the left but Anelka is one of premierships best attackers so i can cut him some slack. Its not like stephen hunt gave him the run around.

He looks a little more mobile to me and he's doing the basics right at the back first and foremost before galloping down the wing and swanning back when possession was lost as he is prone to do.

Micah for long periods over the last couple of years has been overcomplicating things rather than letting them come naturally. You can see it in the tenseness of his play, he was deciding the outcome of things befoe anything had happened.

He seems to be a lot better than he has been. His positional sense and defending has got back to the way it was when he was being touted as the next best thing but he still doesn't bother his ass getting back when the ball breaks down.

Think he's looked very good for half of this season but not on Saturday. Could have cost us the game several times.

Very much improved, probably because less is being asked of him and he is getting clearer instructions. The m,ain problem on Saturday was his footwear, he kept slipping at vital moments, like all the villa lads yesterday.Weird.

Ach.. I know I'll take some stick for saying this, but I still don't think Micah is a great defender. Yes, he has improved his endurance, and he has some good ability when running straight up and down the field. But really.. and it's not just the likes of Anelka and Drogba that can do this to him.. any attacking player with decent ball skills and good lateral agility can beat him. He got torched by Anelka and Drogba more often than not, and in my opinion, we were lucky that the (I believe it was) five set pieces Micah gave away as a consequence of stupid fouls resulting from him getting beat, came to nothing.

As I alluded, I think Micah's one v one defending skills.. lateral agility and reaction time when stepping to a defender, is poor.

Will never be as good as people make out. He is doing better than he was doing at the start of the season but it's still not good enough.

A new RB is a MUST as neither Richards or Zabaleta are up to it.

the_georgian_genius wrote:Will never be as good as people make out. He is doing better than he was doing at the start of the season but it's still not good enough.

A new RB is a MUST as neither Richards or Zabaleta are up to it.

I agree

My assessment of the 2:

Zab - excellent squad/utility player - while maybe not good enough to hold down any particular position as 1st choice - what a squad player to have!! Able to play in so many positions - RB, LB, DM, CM - this because he has 2 key attributes - a great attitude and a football brain - he has been excellent recently - yes I think a RB should have been top priority in January -but certainly in the summer

Micah - cult hero to some - come through the ranks etc - this allows blue tinted spectacles to overlook that he he has not kicked on from the promise that he showed YEARS ago - gets more chance than other player would with similar performance levels - has really been no different under Mancini than before - just gets arsed enough to flatter occasionally - but it is always temporary. Main reasons for his lack of development (IMO) is that he seems to have no football brain which means that he cannot read plays, link up with team mates, make a run for the ball, make a run to create space for others, play an astute pass etc. Also his attitude seems to be shit with him only being arsed sometimes when his ego allows him to feel his position is threatened - now of course we do not know what he is really like - but that statement on attitude is an opinion formed on seeing his performances for the last 2 years

So where Zab can be trusted to make a stab at almost any role and is moved around accordingly, Micah is seen as a poor choice at CB and therefore it is RB or nothing - not great this as he also cannot get past players, cannot cross and strolls back to the RB role leaving the team exposed - so I doubt that, despite all the love-in he gets, he will feature next year - until then Zab is a no-brainer at RB unless being used elsewhere

LookMumI'mOnMCF.net wrote:He's look better under Mancini, but then so has the entire defence. Similarly, some of our offensive players, particularly those creative midfielder types have struggled.



All about balance shifting innit.

why the plurality?

cheers

I think Micah got a little bit of criticism after Saturday but you have to take into account he was playing against Anelka. I imagine he kept slipping (so did Johnson) because after torrential rain in London Chelsea were hosing the pitch heavily pre-match. Gamesmanship? Surely not.

Without doubt he is benefitting because of clear instructions to defend always - unless he has a specific covering player - instead of going walkabout like he used to. His positional play has improved because Mancini wants to see the RB in the RB position.

I still think Micah can go all the way with us, if he follows instructions to the letter and stays away from the bright lights.

john@staustell wrote:I think Micah got a little bit of criticism after Saturday but you have to take into account he was playing against Anelka. I imagine he kept slipping (so did Johnson) because after torrential rain in London Chelsea were hosing the pitch heavily pre-match. Gamesmanship? Surely not.

Without doubt he is benefitting because of clear instructions to defend always - unless he has a specific covering player - instead of going walkabout like he used to. His positional play has improved because Mancini wants to see the RB in the RB position.

I still think Micah can go all the way with us, if he follows instructions to the letter and stays away from the bright lights.

Possibly - but we should not need to hope that he works hard, follows instructions etc - CITY are beyond that level of pampering now I hope

I think Micah is getting back to his best. As Grob said, he got the run around off Anelka, but so does every other defender in the premier league, thats not unusual, and definately shouldn't be ashamed of it. I think we are absolutely fine for right backs. Richards is definately first choice for me, and we're fine for cover too with Zabba and Toure able to play there. as I said in another thread, Bridge had a good game on Saturday, but he's still our weakest link in defence, so if we HAVE to sign another top defender, left back would be top of my list.

Bingo Lewis wrote:I think Micah is getting back to his best. As Grob said, he got the run around off Anelka, but so does every other defender in the premier league, thats not unusual, and definately shouldn't be ashamed of it. I think we are absolutely fine for right backs. Richards is definately first choice for me, and we're fine for cover too with Zabba and Toure able to play there. as I said in another thread, Bridge had a good game on Saturday, but he's still our weakest link in defence, so if we HAVE to sign another top defender, left back would be top of my list.

Wow - Bingo - I always respect what you post - and of course these boards are all about opinions - but it just shows how the views of fans can vary dramatically

Here we have Bridge - I would say he was having a bad season - just coming into form perhaps - about time too!! So I am no Bridge cheerleader

That said, I do see he is a specialist LB (wish he was not so incredibly one footed though) - he has been previously recognised as being one of the best in England - and the current England manager is at pains to leave his options for joining the world cup squad open - so it is not just me that thinks he is a decent player - just now needs to complete his come back from injury

Richards is not a specialist anything - certainly not CB and he has only been tried at RB because he has not made the grade at CB - so logic dictates he is not a specialist there either.

For me people get positive about him after those games where he was not a clear liability - days when he is 'not so bad as he can sometimes be' is not the way to be measuring the performance/credentials of a 1st choice player for an aspiring top club

Re Anelka - yes he gets the best of most defenders - but at least most try to put in a tackle - get close - muscle him away - rather than just act as a shadow until Anelka wants to cross or shoot and then just wave him by - Anelka invariably at 2 yards of space

Anyway - different opinions make for interesting message boards unless you differ from NQDP in which case you are clearly some ignorant dick

I personally think Richards is our weakest link. He didn't shut one person down last saturday, he runs backwards and watches the ball and they just run around him. Hes slow and clumsy and he really should be gettin his marching orders soon.

Blue in North London wrote:He's been good recently although I felt he had a poor game against Chelsea. He invited Anelka into the box on a number of occasions. Much better than last season, and his goal a few weeks back was one of the highlights of the season for me

I think this right here is a symptom of our failings as City fans, we fail to give any credit to any players not wearing a City shirt. It's Nicolas Anelka ffs, a world class talent playing some of the best football of his career, he is always going to give whoever is playing against him a nightmare and I give Micah credit for doing as well as he did.