Nasri, making his mind up

[Cocacolajojo1]

I don't want to go out guns blazin on Nasri. He's a good player and he's definitely scored some important goals for us. He rarely loses the ball, perhaps more seldom than Silva and Tevez even. But... when he's standing there, on the edge of the penalty box, facing a defender, leaning over the ball.... and for the umpteenth time just stands still, without a plan... having a hard time to make his mind up. It just hurts. It's like something nails against a chalk board or something. OK, it could have been worse. He could be running around like a headless chicken, loosing the ball all the time... but it's excruciating to watch him stare at the grass, the defender, the grass, his team mates, the grass, the defender, the ball, the grass, the defender... and not doing anything.

Am I the only one?

[AFKAE]

No. It's frustrating when he reduces everything to a walking pace.

[Moonchesteri]

No. And I've seen him skipping past defenders in arse shirt - why can't he do that in City shirt? or even fucking try? but that is the same for any player in our team apart from Mario, nobody ever even bloody tries to run at defenders or go past them!

[Mase]

He worked hard tonight though...for once!

[Tokyo Blue]

He is doing a lot more work off the ball for us than he ever used to for Arsenal.

[Dameerto]

Several games in a row that he's put a shift in, if I remember correctly - finally settling into life in Manchester maybe?

[Michael Brookes]

Nasri has been decent in a lot of games we've been shite in this season

[Wonderwall]

Nasri's biggest issue is beating a man twice, why does he insist on beating his man and then pull it back to have another go at him? He does it countless times and this is why the play slows down, he needs to develop his game to a faster attacking pace that means once you have beaten him look for the next pass/shot

[Nigels Tackle]

He worked hard tonight though...for once!

this.

movement not samir is our issue

[gillie]

He worked hard tonight though...for once!

this.

movement not samir is our issue

Exfuckinactly mate.

[clawbaggio]

Nasri's biggest issue is beating a man twice, why does he insist on beating his man and then pull it back to have another go at him? He does it countless times and this is why the play slows down, he needs to develop his game to a faster attacking pace that means once you have beaten him look for the next pass/shot

Agree. He does work hard but he always wants too many touches and turns back all the time and slows the play. Having said victims. The one touch stuff didn't come off tonight. Too rushed and not accurate enough.

[clawbaggio]

BTW - what is wrong with Clichy?
Was he just knackered or could he not be arsed? Never gets tight or closes the attacker. He was the same over there

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I don't want to go out guns blazin on Nasri. He's a good player and he's definitely scored some important goals for us. He rarely loses the ball, perhaps more seldom than Silva and Tevez even. But... when he's standing there, on the edge of the penalty box, facing a defender, leaning over the ball.... and for the umpteenth time just stands still, without a plan... having a hard time to make his mind up. It just hurts. It's like something nails against a chalk board or something. OK, it could have been worse. He could be running around like a headless chicken, loosing the ball all the time... but it's excruciating to watch him stare at the grass, the defender, the grass, his team mates, the grass, the defender, the ball, the grass, the defender... and not doing anything.

Am I the only one?

When he is " standing there" as you put it, he is looking for a pass to make, looking for movement from a teammate.I don't doubt that he wants to play a quick early ball but he rarely looks to play the hopeful one. I don't think the options being given for passes are very good at the moment but will improve immediately Silva returns.

[Duckman]

maybe he's been constantly told to try and emulate silva but he just cant fucking do it so he dwells on the ball so much?

[gillie]

maybe he's been constantly told to try and emulate silva but he just cant fucking do it so he dwells on the ball so much?

His problem is no movement from a team mate as in not on same wavelength.

[Duckman]

maybe he's been constantly told to try and emulate silva but he just cant fucking do it so he dwells on the ball so much?

His problem is no movement from a team mate as in not on same wavelength.

valid.

[Cocacolajojo1]

I don't want to go out guns blazin on Nasri. He's a good player and he's definitely scored some important goals for us. He rarely loses the ball, perhaps more seldom than Silva and Tevez even. But... when he's standing there, on the edge of the penalty box, facing a defender, leaning over the ball.... and for the umpteenth time just stands still, without a plan... having a hard time to make his mind up. It just hurts. It's like something nails against a chalk board or something. OK, it could have been worse. He could be running around like a headless chicken, loosing the ball all the time... but it's excruciating to watch him stare at the grass, the defender, the grass, his team mates, the grass, the defender, the ball, the grass, the defender... and not doing anything.

Am I the only one?

When he is " standing there" as you put it, he is looking for a pass to make, looking for movement from a teammate.I don't doubt that he wants to play a quick early ball but he rarely looks to play the hopeful one. I don't think the options being given for passes are very good at the moment but will improve immediately Silva returns.

Well Douglas, I think one of the most active verbs in my post is actually stare, as in see. And yes the movement is not as good as it could be, but still, make your mind up before you get the ball and then do it. As Wonderwall put it, don't beat the same person twice.

[FA cup winners 2006]

No. And I've seen him skipping past defenders in arse shirt - why can't he do that in City shirt? or even fucking try? but that is the same for any player in our team apart from Mario, nobody ever even bloody [b]tries to run at defenders or go past them[/b]!

you must be joking. if anything running at players seems to be one of our main attacking plan. how many times has Tevez, Aguero, Yaya, Dzekp, Milner, Nasri picked up the ball and run down blind alleys, it happens every game. Mancini even said it was the game plan in ajax.

Also we have to remember that teams set up differently when playing us and we dont get space to run in behind. we do try but one player againist 3-4 defenders is not gonna be sucessful.

We need to learn to move the ball fast and move and pull their defenders around the place.

[phips]

none of this yet.
[youtube]0EcyxIKcR_Y[/youtube]

[Blue In Bolton]

BTW - what is wrong with Clichy?
Was he just knackered or could he not be arsed? Never gets tight or closes the attacker. He was the same over there

Not having that; Clichy had another decent game with absolutely sod-all protection last night and Ajax recognised this by loading up (especially on his side of the pitch in the first half) and frequently had 2 v 1.