Dzeko

[Slim]

Yeah it did.

The thing is, his adjustment to the Premier League has not been a good one, things like first touch, ball control, etc don't disappear however this may be for a couple of reasons.
1. He is snatching when the ball comes his way, in adjusting to the pace of the premier league he is panicking a little because he has less time and the defenders get away with being a lot more physical in the English league. If this is the case he needs to calm the fuck down, panicking and trying too hard to do things quicker is just as damaging to our possession as having the ball taken off you.
2. (Need some German based blues insight here) The ball is moving a lot quicker and harder and he never really had the touch to begin with, just appeared so in a slower more methodical league.(However, I don't really know this is the case, Bundesliga may as well not exist to Australian TV channels)
3. He is being asked to play a role he isn't suited for, the Goat never had a great touch either, but with Ali, Kennedy, even Dunne(lol) supplying him in the right areas, he was damned effective.

BTW, the comparison's with Samaras are not without merit and time will tell if we have indeed bought a rich man's Samaras here. He is by no means a writeoff as it may have seemed was implying earlier, I was more concerned with what, if anything, he can provide the team he joined without asking that we accomodate him and if we aren't going to change our style until at least the summer, what value does he have in our run in. Short answer is none imo.

[ant london]

Would be interesting (although I know Doug wont say) to hear how we are and do line up in training over this week and whether Mancini and staff make any concerted efforts to actually try to work on a system that actually gets some supply into the box.

I know there was a whole lot wrong with the set up the other night but a team without Silva pulling strings and Tevez creating havoc and space around the box really needs an alternative supply line and that is not going to come from Milner or Barry through the middle. Even Yaya's marauding only really works most effectively when you have the problems and space created by the presence of David/Carlos around the danger areas.

Although I entirely see the rationale behind Slim's team up above I just cannot see SWP starting. I think Mancini will put Mario onto one of those wider roles. His was a piss fucking poor display the other day and I dread to think what cuntery he could pull in a pressure cauldron like Saturday but I honestly don't think Roberto or Mario will have learned their lesson on that and I expect to see him played. I only hope in that respect that he puts Mario wide right and Johnson on the (right) left side. Johnson was abysmal on Monday night and any full back/manager worth his salt should be able to predict his only two gameplans on that side. As long as you can stop him properly cutting in there is minimal danger. Keep him wide, sure he might skip past you and get to the byline but then what.....no right peg whatsoever (which, is a fucking disgrace in a modern top flight footballer IMO).

I would not have Kolarov anywhere near the pitch at the start on Saturday. I still hope he may come good next year but he needs to work his fucking arse off in pre-season and come back sharper, stronger and more determined as he was a shambles, a halfhearted, bumbling, half-arsed, cowardly, daydreaming, wandering out of position cunt of a shambles the other night. Get Pablo in and just tell him to do his job and defend and set a platform for Johnson to go forward.

I'm desperately hoping that Micah makes it, Boyata looked shakey the other night but I think the course of the match just unbalanced him as he knew this was going horribly wrong. Agree also that Barry should not start under any circumstances. Start with NdJ and Yaya and if/when Yaya flags bring on Milner in that role.

They all need to stand up and be counted on Saturday. I am still hopeful we can do it but if they fail us then a number of them should be (and likely will be) for the door

[Esky]

.2. (Need some German based blues insight here) The ball is moving a lot quicker and harder and he never really had the touch to begin with, just appeared so in a slower more methodical league.(However, I don't really know this is the case, Bundesliga may as well not exist to Australian TV channels).

I know last season they showed lots of Bundesliga through the week on One HD. Never home to watch it these days so I'm not sure if it's still airing.

[CityFanFromRome]

I was more concerned with what, if anything, he can provide the team he joined without asking that we accomodate him and if we aren't going to change our style until at least the summer, what value does he have in our run in. Short answer is none imo.

I tend to agree with you here; we can't play him if we intend to feed him the way we did with Tevez becaue let's face it, he's much bigger than Carlos and so he can't be so rapid, and agile with the ball at his feet; he's a decent footballer but what Tevez does with the ball at his feet is not going to be replicated by Dzeko. If we play Dzeko we should play to his strengths which are aerial power and a general awareness of where to be inside the box to score; a goal like Hernandez scored last night is a typical center forward goal, and that's what Dzeko is very good at; the problem is that we never put balls like the one Giggs did last night into the box for our centre forward to slam in. We tend to overelaborate our moves, unless it's a counterattack, and that is something which will nullify Dzeko's qualities.

Basically then, we either start crossing the ball, high or low doesn't matter so much but high would be better, or Dzeko is not going to be effective.

[dazby]

.2. (Need some German based blues insight here) The ball is moving a lot quicker and harder and he never really had the touch to begin with, just appeared so in a slower more methodical league.(However, I don't really know this is the case, Bundesliga may as well not exist to Australian TV channels).

I know last season they showed lots of Bundesliga through the week on One HD. Never home to watch it these days so I'm not sure if it's still airing.

Yeah it is. I've found a couple of times this season I've stopped watching city on my stuttering screen and had my attention taken by the Bundesliga. Been much more exciting.

[Rag_hater]

Dzeko not being very fast may have some truth in it,but saying places like La Liga and Bundesliga are slow I don't agree with.Less physical ,yes.
However if people are saying that those leagues are slower because of players speed on the ball then in La liga for example Tranny ,Messi and Kaka are very quick with the ball at their feet in Bundesliga Robben and Ribery in Holland there said to be a lad called Elia who they say is rapid.
If people are saying the Prem is faster than Europe cos the players think faster then that is way of the mark aswell.Half the players in the prem and probably the fastest thinking player in our squad (David) are foriegn.
If its speed of execution then look at the number of passes European tems make compared to the EPL and Europeans seem to have quicker feet by the look of it.
Speed of anticipation comes with experience. This is the ability to anticipate what opponents, as well as teammates, will do next
Here is what a list I have been able to find about players speed.There might be a few people missing but for me it says that probably the fastest player in the world(Tranny tops quite a few lists)is not in the prem.And the difference in speed with the speed merchants and average players is not that much.



POR C.Ronaldo: 10.43m/s or 23.3mph or 37.5km/h
FRA T.Henry: 10.42m/s or 23.3mph or 37.5km/h
ENG T.Walcott: 10.42m/s or 23.3mph or 37.5km/h emirates
ENG G.Agbonlahor:10.41m/s or 23.3mph or 37.5km/h emirates
WAL G.Bale: 10.23m/s or 22.9mph or 36.8km/h emirates
CAM S.Eto'o: 10.10m/s or 22.6mph or 36.4km/h
ARG L.Messi: 10.00m/s or 22.4mph or 36.0km/h
ENG A.Lennon: 9.92m/s or 22.2mph or 35.7km/h
ENG W.Rooney: 9.72m/s or 21.7mph or 35.0km/h emirates
FRA J.Biabiany: 9.72m/s or 21.7mph or 35.0km/h
BRA Ronaldo: 9.57m/s or 21.4mph or 34.5km/h
ENG M.Owen: 9.31m/s or 20.8mph or 33.5km/h
NED A.Robben: 9.26m/s or 20.7mph or 33.3km/h
ITA I.Abate: 9.21m/s or 20.6mph or 33.2km/h
POL Z.Boniek: 9.21m/s or 20.6mph or 33.2km/h
ECU J.Guerron: 9.18m/s or 20.5mph or 33.1km/h
GER D.Odonkor: 9.11m/s or 21.4mph or 32.8km/h
FRA G.Clichy: 9.11m/s or 20.4mph or 32.8km/h emirates
BRA R.Carlos: 8.37m/s or 18.7mph or 30.1km/h

ESTIMATION OF SPRINTING MEAN SPEED
WAL G.Bale: 8.95m/s or 20.0mph or 32.2km/h
FRA D.Cisse: 8.90m/s or 19.9mph or 32.0km/h
FRA T.Henry: 8.83m/s or 19.8mph or 31.8km/h
NIG Ob.Martins: 8.75m/s or 19.6mph or 31.5kmh
RUS A.Arshavin: 8.42m/s or 18.8 mph or 30.3km/h
GRE V.Koutsianikoulis: 8.33m/s or 18.6mph or 30.0km/h
HON Ed.Alvarez: 7.83m/s or 17.5mph or 28.2km/h
DEN D.Rommedahl: 7.83m/s or 17.5mph or 28.2km/h
ENG J.Hart: 7.75m/s or 17.3mph or 27.9km/h
ENG W.Rooney: 7.64m/s or 17.1mph or 27.5km/h
ENG G.Agbonlahor: 7.61m/s or 17.0mph or 27.4km/h


upcoming analysis (anonymous voting closed):
elia, miyaichi, micah richards, nani, hazard, overmars

antonio valencia, dubarbier, lukaku, kyle walker, wrobel, richardson, robinho, bellamy, ribery, gallas, aubameyang, weah

bosingwa, lavezzi, douglas costa, faubert, suazo, kaka, adriano, thiago silva , vagner love, anelka, nasri, amaranto perea, alexis sanchez, cruzat, wynne, m.gonzález, mpenza, vermaelen, carlos vela, caniggia, jelen, mendy, scannell, gervinho, cissokho, petrov, downing, young, hernandez, adebayor, berbatov, evra, de rossi, rosicky, grosso, camoranesi, iaquinta, nadir belhadj, ­findley, pitroipa, leonardo

What suprised me is our goalie Joe seems to be fastest in squad.Somebody timed him in the derby when he had to run to stop Shrek's shot.

[Ted Hughes]

I don't know where those stats originated or under what test circumstances but I can tell you for sure that they mean absolutely bollock all when it comes to actual speed on the pitch. I've seen several City players beat Ronaldo in a sprint for a start.

This is the kind of thing you notice which you don't get on tv. The fact for instance that Agbonlahor could run a length of the pitch & be halfway back before Rooney got to one end.

[Dameerto]

Yeah it did.

The thing is, his adjustment to the Premier League has not been a good one, things like first touch, ball control, etc don't disappear however this may be for a couple of reasons.
1. He is snatching when the ball comes his way, in adjusting to the pace of the premier league he is panicking a little because he has less time and the defenders get away with being a lot more physical in the English league. If this is the case he needs to calm the fuck down, panicking and trying too hard to do things quicker is just as damaging to our possession as having the ball taken off you.
2. (Need some German based blues insight here) The ball is moving a lot quicker and harder and he never really had the touch to begin with, just appeared so in a slower more methodical league.(However, I don't really know this is the case, Bundesliga may as well not exist to Australian TV channels)
3. He is being asked to play a role he isn't suited for, the Goat never had a great touch either, but with Ali, Kennedy, even Dunne(lol) supplying him in the right areas, he was damned effective.

BTW, the comparison's with Samaras are not without merit and time will tell if we have indeed bought a rich man's Samaras here. He is by no means a writeoff as it may have seemed was implying earlier, I was more concerned with what, if anything, he can provide the team he joined without asking that we accomodate him and if we aren't going to change our style until at least the summer, what value does he have in our run in. Short answer is none imo.

The Bundesliga is one of the quicker leagues, not Prem quick but it's certainly no Serie A (and by quick and slow I'm referring to time on the ball before an oponent intervenes). It can be fairly physical too. Dzeko to me is still nervous every time he puts our shirt on - though against Liverpool he looked a little more settled. I think a few more matches this season (without Tevez playing) will do him a lot of good.

[lets all have a disco]

I think he is one of those players who if he thinks too much about his game he fucks up.

I take you back to the two goals against Aris,they were both fantastic goals deadly finishing from the lad then he got through on goal for a hat trick and fluffed it because he had too much time to think.

He needs to think less and react more.

[roblues]

I think he is one of those players who if he thinks too much about his game he fucks up.

I take you back to the two goals against Aris,they were both fantastic goals deadly finishing from the lad then he got through on goal for a hat trick and fluffed it because he had too much time to think.

He needs to think less and react more.

I agree, and would suggest that the way we are using him is forcing him to think, as he is generally getting the ball to his head, chest or feet with his back to goal.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

People harp on about his aerial ability.
We may aswell have kept Santa Cruz or Adebayor then.
And besides I'm yet to see it, he looks good in the air but not spectacular as some people make out.
First touch is diabolical.
Maybe he'll adjust and be a great player for us. I'd love people to be dragging up this post come the end of the season telling me how stupid I was for doubting him.