Good To See Nigel De Jong Back To His Best

[King Kev]

I thought he made a huge difference when he came on, back to his form of last season.

Long may it continue.

[paulmclaren]

I agree top class latly is nige.

[PALUS]

I thought he made a huge difference when he came on, back to his form of last season.

Long may it continue.

def, tonigth pure class if we start with him win by 2 3 goals for sure....

[phips]

I dont really understand why he started on the bench tonight.....maybe he couldve helped keep out the first goal or something and maybe he could've made a difference in the first half.

I think either NDJ or Barry have to start every game...Barry was injured so it shouldve been NDJ tonight.

[Jon London]

I dont really understand why he started on the bench tonight.....maybe he couldve helped keep out the first goal or something and maybe he could've made a difference in the first half.

I think either NDJ or Barry have to start every game...Barry was injured so it shouldve been NDJ tonight.

Agree - Ya Ya was too deep 1st half - played like a centre back. NDJ comes on and Ya Ya is up in the space to press and contribute

[Original Dub]

We've had this debate before...

De Jong is one of those players that needs a run of games and becomes a seriously important player. He will be huge in the run in.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I think it was just an attempt by Mancini to spread the games around a bit a use the passing talent that Pizarro has. Trouble is we are not used to a deep lying midfield player missing out the midfield passing and pinging long balls.

The strikers were miscontrolling them and the other midfield players werent in touch with them anyway.Yaya simply has to be used where he can really affect the game and that isnt deep like tonight.

[twosips]

Tempted to say we should go for the solid base of De Jong and Barry behind Yaya for the rest of the season. Yaya simply has to play further forward, and De Jong and Barry link so well together.... Then any three of Silva, Balo, Aguero, Nasri and Dzeko up top....On current from yu'd presume it'd be the first three. If Dzeko plays like he did when came on today then he can maybe start too.

[Original Dub]

Tempted to say we should go for the solid base of De Jong and Barry behind Yaya for the rest of the season. Yaya simply has to play further forward, and De Jong and Barry link so well together.... Then any three of Silva, Balo, Aguero, Nasri and Dzeko up top....On current from yu'd presume it'd be the first three. If Dzeko plays like he did when came on today then he can maybe start too.

Be tempted all you want but I don't want to see yaya barry and de jong in the same team.

[DoomMerchant]

Be tempted all you want but I don't want to see yaya barry and de jong in the same team.

And I'd like silva to have a soak for about two weeks.

[Bryces34]

Give some credit to sporting, that free kick was amazing

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Give some credit to sporting, that free kick was amazing

Good free kick but a Joe mistake to start to move to his right.

[Esky]

Been one of our best players in the last month or two. Hardly a surprise there, though.

Would like to see Milner begin to play more. Whether the arm injury has kept him out or not, he's been much better than Nasri has this season.

[Goaters 103]

I think it was just an attempt by Mancini to spread the games around a bit a use the passing talent that Pizarro has. Trouble is we are not used to a deep lying midfield player missing out the midfield passing and pinging long balls.

The strikers were miscontrolling them and the other midfield players werent in touch with them anyway.Yaya simply has to be used where he can really affect the game and that isnt deep like tonight.

This.

Pizarro's selection cost us that match. He had a principal part on why we were so disjointed in the first half. Mancini carries the can for that nonsensical decision to select him.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

I thought Pizzaro was an inspired choice til half an hour in.

Daft free kick really took the wind out of sails, before that Pizzaro was in everything and going forward which Nige rarely does.

[Goaters 103]

Give some credit to sporting, that free kick was amazing

Good free kick but a Joe mistake to start to move to his right.

This.

It should have been kept out - Hart gambled by taking a step to his right as the kick was taken. He will be disappointed with his part in 2 of the 3 goals we conceded in this tie.

[Mase]

It wasn't match fitness that made him duck out of challenging Wellbeck or not tracking players back for goals we've conceded.

He's still one of my favs though and good to see him doing well now.

[david yearsley]

Just knew that "Matigol" , the most hyped up wanker of all time was going to score. He had that nickname at Villarreal which was ironic as he hardly played let alone scored. Should NEVER have gone in at the far post. You can work out for yourselves where the problem lay

[Dubaimancityfan]

I thought Pizzaro was an inspired choice til half an hour in.

Daft free kick really took the wind out of sails, before that Pizzaro was in everything and going forward which Nige rarely does.

He played well the first 20 minutes but then started giving the ball away. For me it was a mistake by Bob to start him instead of Nige. It meant Yaya stayed back and that affected our whole style of play. On topic, Nige was excellent.

[Tokyo Blue]

I thought de Jong played very well, as he has done every time he has played recently. I was particularly happy to see him showing more ambition when on the ball. More of the same is needed.