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The way he's started this season is amazing. On several occassions he's saved our ass defensively, although I can only watch from a live broadcast it does seem like he's stopped with his occassional walks back when we've lost the ball and he never stops providing an outlet in the attacking half. And, despite what some say, I definitely think he's not pinging in crosses at random. He provides hard, difficult to stop crosses, with almost total accuracy. He's seemingly also stopped with his frustrating habit of standing too far off his winger and allowing time for a good cross.

So in a nutshell, has he ever been this good for us? I can't remember an occassion when he was as solid both defensively and attacking wise.

I think there are quite a few reasons why he's picked up this season. The first being that he's had a continued run in the team. It seems that certain players, Dzeko being another one, benefit from playing every match without the chopping and changing.
Another is that he's had Sterling in front of him for the majority of matches and I think they compliment each other well.
Personally I also think not having Dzeko and Jovetic around has helped him as weird as that sounds. He's probably had to get closer to other members of the squad rather than stick to one clique and it looks like from watching tunnel cam he seems to talk to Vinny quite a lot.

He'll still get stick from the majority of City fans cause we need a 'boo boy' right?

I think he's started great, but was a little bit sloppy yesterday. Maybe suffered from not having Sterling in front of him, initially anyway.

He's doing well, like most of the lads that were criticised last year.

Long may the harmony reign.

iwasthere2012 wrote:I think he's started great, but was a little bit sloppy yesterday. Maybe suffered from not having Sterling in front of him, initially anyway.

He's doing well, like most of the lads that were criticised last year.

Long may the harmony reign.

Agree with that. Strange timing this thread Coca given he wasn't great yesterday, by no means am I saying he was poor before anyone has a go but kicked away possession needlessly on a number of occasions .

Don't think there'll be many booing him on current form. He's red hot at the moment. His initial potential has been realised.

I'd also argue that he had become an important player for the club. He seems like one of those players who the rest look up to. Professional, hard working and tough as old boots.

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

iwasthere2012 wrote:I think he's started great, but was a little bit sloppy yesterday. Maybe suffered from not having Sterling in front of him, initially anyway.

He's doing well, like most of the lads that were criticised last year.

Long may the harmony reign.

Agree with that. Strange timing this thread Coca given he wasn't great yesterday, by no means am I saying he was poor before anyone has a go but kicked away possession needlessly on a number of occasions .

He mopped up a few loose balls in our penalty area as well.

He played great for the first 4 games but yesterday he was fuckign SHIT mfrom start to finish..............its a fact mase, you fucking kolorov licker !

The defensive side of his game had always been his weakness, but I think the combination of system change and Sterling has made him look much more comfortable and left us less exposed when he attacks (when neither fullback can be expected to get back quickly enough if we lose the ball).

No surprise his worse game was yesterday against quick wingers with no protection and a system we probably hadn't planned on. Hopefully back to his best for Saturday

I think yesterday was his least effective game of the season yesterday but his standards have been set high. For my money he was still good enough.

carl_feedthegoat wrote:He played great for the first 4 games but yesterday he was fuckign SHIT mfrom start to finish..............its a fact mase, you fucking kolorov licker !

I've not been allowed to be a Kolarov licker since he got the restraining order on me!

He was woeful yesterday any more of that shit and the knives will be out again.

lets all have a disco wrote:He was woeful yesterday any more of that shit and the knives will be out again.

He missed Sterling.

he can't blame yesterday on sterlings absence. several times he was caught daydreaming on the ball and other times he was just fucking lazy letting slightly misplaced passes run out of play.

Tokyo Blue wrote:

lets all have a disco wrote:He was woeful yesterday any more of that shit and the knives will be out again.

He missed Sterling.

I know the team dynamics changed but the passes to Palace just put us under pressure i'd rather he pass it to the right than try to be a playmaker.
But hey ho i wont sharpen the knife today he has been great so far this season.

Yesterday he wasn't as good as the first 4 games, but for the season so far as a whole he's played very well.

He's definitely benefitted from having an actual winger in front of him.

Zab always had Milner or Navas in front of him which greatly helped his game. He particularly linked up well with Milner.

Kolarov, more often than not, had Silva or Nasri in front of him. But both of those players like to move into different positions across the pitch. Sterling and Kolarov have started very well together and have the makings of a strong partnership down the left for us.

There is a general hunger in these players that was missing last year. IF they keep it up the sky is the limit. But kola, nasri, Yaya, vinnie etc need to stay on the ball every game.

Start as you mean to go on.

He'll still get stick from the majority of City fans cause we need a 'boo boy' right?

I think Nasri and Navas has that position cornered, but you never know.

Agree with that. Strange timing this thread Coca given he wasn't great yesterday, by no means am I saying he was poor before anyone has a go but kicked away possession needlessly on a number of occasions .

It was something I had intended to post about for a while but never got of the mark. I agree that he was not as good yesterday but then again, noone was having a good day except Kelechi. The team was clearly saving itself for the CL game on Tuesday IMO. There was a lot of brain farting going on, with the exception of Hart, Sagna and Fernandinho (if I recall correctly). Unfair to single out Kolarov IMO.

Professional, hard working and tough as old boots.

Agree.

Another is that he's had Sterling in front of him for the majority of matches and I think they compliment each other well.
Personally I also think not having Dzeko and Jovetic around has helped him as weird as that sounds. He's probably had to get closer to other members of the squad rather than stick to one clique and it looks like from watching tunnel cam he seems to talk to Vinny quite a lot.

Agree.

Cocacolajojo wrote:

He'll still get stick from the majority of City fans cause we need a 'boo boy' right?

I think Nasri and Navas has that position cornered, but you never know.

Agree with that. Strange timing this thread Coca given he wasn't great yesterday, by no means am I saying he was poor before anyone has a go but kicked away possession needlessly on a number of occasions .

It was something I had intended to post about for a while but never got of the mark. I agree that he was not as good yesterday but then again, noone was having a good day except Kelechi. The team was clearly saving itself for the CL game on Tuesday IMO. There was a lot of brain farting going on, with the exception of Hart, Sagna and Fernandinho (if I recall correctly). Unfair to single out Kolarov IMO.

Professional, hard working and tough as old boots.

Agree.

Another is that he's had Sterling in front of him for the majority of matches and I think they compliment each other well.
Personally I also think not having Dzeko and Jovetic around has helped him as weird as that sounds. He's probably had to get closer to other members of the squad rather than stick to one clique and it looks like from watching tunnel cam he seems to talk to Vinny quite a lot.

Agree.

I didn't single him out.

I didn't single him out.

Fair enough, but I think it should be said that his performance was not worse than that of the team as a whole. It's hard to have a good day when your team clearly isn't.