The mancityfans.net football forum

phips wrote:

Spurge wrote:

phips wrote:and let's be honest, as good as he has been at LB given thats its not his natural position, he offers absolutely zero going forward. i cant remember the last time he crossed from the left or even played a through ball. yes, he's played splitting passes but those are from far deeper. when we get around the opponents box he contributes nothing offensively. i cant even remember the last time he had a reasonable shot on goal.

Good point we should sack him off for not shooting enough. FFS

good point. that's what i said we should do.

Knowledge is the bomb

Mase wrote:

PeterParker wrote:Just sayin, Alaba started as a playmaker.

If he can fix his defensive approach, he can be an huge asset for us. Look at Delpinho, who the hell was thinking he could be this good as a left back.

Delph’s been OK at LB mate. Nothing special. I reckon in this team I could play left back and have an alright match.

This might be something of a rhetorical question Mase old chum, but who would you prefer to have at left back for City - Kolarov or Delph ??

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:

Mase wrote:

PeterParker wrote:Just sayin, Alaba started as a playmaker.

If he can fix his defensive approach, he can be an huge asset for us. Look at Delpinho, who the hell was thinking he could be this good as a left back.

Delph’s been OK at LB mate. Nothing special. I reckon in this team I could play left back and have an alright match.

This might be something of a rhetorical question Mase old chum, but who would you prefer to have at left back for City - Kolarov or Delph ??

I’d prefer to have Kolarov up front than Sergio mate. Hope that answers your question.

Mase wrote:

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:

Mase wrote:

PeterParker wrote:Just sayin, Alaba started as a playmaker.

If he can fix his defensive approach, he can be an huge asset for us. Look at Delpinho, who the hell was thinking he could be this good as a left back.

Delph’s been OK at LB mate. Nothing special. I reckon in this team I could play left back and have an alright match.

This might be something of a rhetorical question Mase old chum, but who would you prefer to have at left back for City - Kolarov or Delph ??

I’d prefer to have Kolarov up front than Sergio mate. Hope that answers your question.

It certainly does so thanks for that Mase.

Some caustic souls might say that, paradoxically, they'd prefer Sergio at left back, rather than the Big K

For myself, I preferred Kolarov at centre back, as per last season.

I think he’s missed mate. I think we’d have won the league by now if he was still here.

Mase wrote:I think he’s missed mate. I think we’d have won the league by now if he was still here.

vintage Mase

Spurge wrote:

phips wrote:

Spurge wrote:

phips wrote:and let's be honest, as good as he has been at LB given thats its not his natural position, he offers absolutely zero going forward. i cant remember the last time he crossed from the left or even played a through ball. yes, he's played splitting passes but those are from far deeper. when we get around the opponents box he contributes nothing offensively. i cant even remember the last time he had a reasonable shot on goal.

Good point we should sack him off for not shooting enough. FFS

good point. that's what i said we should do.

Knowledge is the bomb

post of the month, imo.

Spurge wrote:Apart from weds vs basel i think he's been decent when called upon. He has improved hugely this season and if pep sees the opportunity for further improvement then why consider selling?

Totally agree with that.
Wednesday's game was a shambles with half the team out of position half the match, it'd be very unfair and totally wrong to judge him on that performance.
Other than that he's been sound, I thought he was MOTM against the Chavs.

PeterParker wrote:Just sayin, Alaba started as a playmaker.

If he can fix his defensive approach, he can be an huge asset for us. Look at Delpinho, who the hell was thinking he could be this good as a left back.

This is a big if, though. Delph has shown more defensive capabilities, and he had them before he was played at left back, as he was already a box to box type of midfielder, where has Zinchenko is more of a no. 10, and he doesn't have the ridiculous pace of most of our wingers. Bernardo has shown you can be effective there without it in the system, but it is clearly the preferred option for those positions.

Bottom line is there is a lot of talent ahead of him and difficult to see him getting the chances he deserves for his development.

If we try to keep him on we could see him loaned out to Girona next season where I gather he would get more opportunities.

phips wrote:

mr_nool wrote:Who would buy Zinch for good cash, though, and for what position? It's only in our set-up that he really can play leftback. And he's totally untried in any other position on a good level. Last season he couldn't break into PSV's team in a midfield / forward position.

this.

and let's be honest, as good as he has been at LB given thats its not his natural position, he offers absolutely zero going forward. i cant remember the last time he crossed from the left or even played a through ball. yes, he's played splitting passes but those are from far deeper. when we get around the opponents box he contributes nothing offensively. i cant even remember the last time he had a reasonable shot on goal.

Wait...what?

I can't recall the game, but it wasn't THAT long ago where he did very well with crosses, deft touches and passes along the left.

Of late...yes, not as great, but I think as a LWB he isn't as attuned to finding ways to maintain his effectiveness as an attacking player when he gets exposed or I wonder if more frustrated with mistakes he makes defensively.

I will agree, that I am wondering about his long term viability as a LB, even though I would like him to develop with us and remain an option as I can see him becoming a very strong attacking player, or someone who could learn given his growth this season already and who we have as manager.

Gonna score tonight.

Is having a bad game.

iwasthere2012 wrote:Is having a bad game.

He's been doing very well so far in the second period, though. Probably got an arm around his shoulder from Pep at half time.

iwasthere2012 wrote:Is having a bad game.

Is a good fourth-choice left back.

Tokyo Blue wrote:

iwasthere2012 wrote:Is having a bad game.

Is a good fourth-choice left back.

True.

iwasthere2012 wrote:Is having a bad game.

To be fair to the lad, he was up against Shaqiri, who rips new backsides out of many a prem defender

Bluedj wrote:

iwasthere2012 wrote:Is having a bad game.

To be fair to the lad, he was up against Shaqiri, who rips new backsides out of many a prem defender

Said in the match thread to fair to him he was left quite isolated in defence, in the first half.
Sane could have helped him more.
Thought it got sorted second half.

iwasthere2012 wrote:

Tokyo Blue wrote:

iwasthere2012 wrote:Is having a bad game.

Is a good fourth-choice left back.

True.

4th choice left back? You better let Pep know.

sheblue wrote:

iwasthere2012 wrote:

Tokyo Blue wrote:

iwasthere2012 wrote:Is having a bad game.

Is a good fourth-choice left back.

True.

4th choice left back? You better let Pep know.

missed out some irony there, mate.
think he meant few years ago would have wanked over that quality, now such decent lad is on cue to Benj, delphinho, plus some rhetorical addition to stress the point. my 5 pc.

at least he took a shot today