Overreliance on Silva

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I thought yesterday revealed our one major major weakness. No it wasn't (only) having below average defensive cover. It was the fact that we have no one who can carry the playmaking responsibility when Silva is not playing. Our passing game was extremely poor for long periods at a time. I kept banging about having someone shoulder the responsibility behind him being the one major signing we needed this summer.

Dave seemed exhausted in the end of the last season and then had long tournament during the summer and seems to have come back even more exhausted than he was (which is to be expected actually). I think he is long term injury waiting to happen right now and otherwise playing with 75% of his full skill array. Sitting him for most of the game yesterday was the right thing to do but we really REALLY need some sort of cover in next few days. Even if it's someone experienced again.

[Dunnylad]

Or Barry? Silva is undoubtedly a star, but against the Saints he was poor, for me it's the option to push YaYa further forward that really stunts us as an attacking force

[Slim]

Or Barry? Silva is undoubtedly a star, but against the Saints he was poor, for me it's the option to push YaYa further forward that really stunts us as an attacking force

Like against Newcastle? or Stoke in the FA Cup? Villareal? or MANY other occasions where that move has worked?

We need to go back to our 4-3-3 set up, or 4-2-3-1 or whatever we call it, that fucking system worked and now he won't even entertain the fucker. Won the league with it FFS, urgh.

[Dunnylad]

Sorry meant to say that not having the option of YaYa pushing forward stunts us as an attacking force & I think is more of a hindrance to us that relying on Silva

[Beeks]

Or Barry? Silva is undoubtedly a star, but against the Saints he was poor, for me it's the option to push YaYa further forward that really stunts us as an attacking force

Agreed..I think Barry is a massive loss for us.,he breaks up the opposition play like no other..and unlike De Jong he has the intelligence to find a pass too

[Blue Since 76]

Or Barry? Silva is undoubtedly a star, but against the Saints he was poor, for me it's the option to push YaYa further forward that really stunts us as an attacking force

Agree. Every time at the end of last season or start of this that we've released Yaya he's had a positive contribution, either goals or assists. We need to find a formation/team list that lets him go where he wants on the pitch.

As an aside, Yaya's game is reliant on his energy which won't last forever. With the quality of his passing, I wonder if he could become the deep lying midfielder that Mancini wants - the Pirlo role from the Euros or the role Scholes has played for the rags for a few years. Sit in the hole, but behind midfield rather than in front of it and just spray balls around the place whilst no one marks you.

[mr_nool]

After the Southampton game I thought Nasri was ready to step up to the plate and cover for Silva when he is rested. I will give him another chance before slating him, but he was very poor yesterday.

[OliverHardy]

After the Southampton game I thought Nasri was ready to step up to the plate and cover for Silva when he is rested. I will give him another chance before slating him, but he was very poor yesterday.

So a player can only have 2 offish games before he gets slated? Great fans

[The Sheikh]

So a player can only have 2 offish games before he gets slated? Great fans

Nasri is one of the most underrated players at City. His natural role is that of which Silva plays but he never complains about being slightly out of position. If he was given a real run in Silva's role he'd be superb

[mr_nool]

After the Southampton game I thought Nasri was ready to step up to the plate and cover for Silva when he is rested. I will give him another chance before slating him, but he was very poor yesterday.

So a player can only have 2 offish games before he gets slated? Great fans

He's had more poor games than good games for us, in my opinion.
That's beside the point, though. I like Nasri and I hope he will have his real break through in the City shirt this season. However, I always thought he was under performing because Silva was "occupying" his space. With Silva out Nasri should be able to shine.
That said, the whole team was horrible yesterday.

[Swales4ever]

Sensible thread and very much spot on.
Yet, humbly, not that surprising news.
we are well aware that City is exposed to 2 major "weakness": Dave and Yaya, simply have not a shade.
that' s also why, someone felt with so much "sensitivity" the recent performances of the so called "Chairman's non-playing management team". Hazard and De Rossi would have changed that reality and I am still far from convinced that a SENIOR SPORTING DIRECTOR would have not taken advantage of the 2 months we were ahead of Chelsky in the chase of the Hazard cunt, as well as come to "reasonable terms" with the Agent's greedy demand.

Nasri is a very good player, and fast becoming a dedicated Blue, but he's still far away from fitting a David Silva/Xavi Hernandez bill, as he was at Arsenal.

as said and posted, contless times by many, let's hope nothing serious and long lasting, will happen to Dave, Yaya, and the 2 CBs.

[Ted Hughes]

In the Southampton game, I thought Nasri stepped up & did Silva's job, with more defensive cover.

For some reason v Liverpool, he didn't seem to play the same way & played almost like a forward rather than trying to run the game. We looked completely different when Silva came on. I'm sure Nasri is capable of doing everything that Silva did when he came on, but for some reason just didn't.

Hazard is an enormous miss & would have been incredible in our team but I can't think of another player we could get who would fill that role. We can however change our style slightly & still be just as dangerous with players like DeRossi & Jovetic, or their equivalent.

I saw a real role for Sinclair in that set up actually. I think he would have made a big difference.

I agree 100% about Barry btw but DeRossi would solve that problem!

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Yaya playing deep and Nasri having an off day contributed significantly to us looking poor yesterday for much of the game.Add to that the system we played and the inneffectiveness of the 2 wide players and one of the front two.As soon as the change was made to release Yaya and then bring on Silva we were a miles better attacking unit.

It isnt just Yaya's basic attacking threat with his power but he also has such great control and awareness and works so well with the rest of the attacking players. Strange to see Nasri yesterday play so poorly,it's as if he wasnt well or something!

[Ted Hughes]

Yaya playing deep and Nasri having an off day contributed significantly to us looking poor yesterday for much of the game.Add to that the system we played and the inneffectiveness of the 2 wide players and one of the front two.As soon as the change was made to release Yaya and then bring on Silva we were a miles better attacking unit.

It isnt just Yaya's basic attacking threat with his power but he also has such great control and awareness and works so well with the rest of the attacking players. Strange to see Nasri yesterday play so poorly,it's as if he wasnt well or something!

To me it's a double whammy when Yaya is asked to play a set role; we lose his attacking threat & he leaves gaping holes defensively. What makes it much worse imo is that sometimes he defends brilliantly, which he can, then when the same situation arises next time, his team mates trust him to do a similar job so nobody else covers it. Then he doesn't bother & the whole team is all over the place.

He should imo be played in a free role & be a spare attacker or spare defender as needed rather than being relied upon to fill a particular hole.

[Sideshow Bob]

i didn't think nasri played badly. nearly set up a couple of chances for tevez. however, like many of our players, he appeared to be confused by his role in the new formation....didn't know whether to stay out wide or drift inside.

[sheblue]

You could say that every team relies on one or two of its senior players. Yes we relied a lot on silva last season and it is a worry for this season too. But without him we had enough to do better yesterday and I think this new system will take a little time to bed in, it might be better when at home and teams come to park the bus?

[PeterParker]

I think we have a replacement and his name is Suarez.

Let's look behind, yesterday at the game, Scouse 1 used a youngster called Sterling. 17 years old and imho he was their best player. He owned in many situations Kolo, in the first half, until Bobby put Vinnie on that side.
Then we have Arse, who has the Ox, a young fella that stepped up and delivered so i ask myself, what can go wrong with teams like Southampton, Reading, QPR, etc at home, where Bobby could use a very good youngster like Suarez, with Nasri, Yaya, Gaz, Milner etc?

The boy will grew and grew until he will become a star. Why search for responses in other places, when you brought many young talents from every corner of the world? Playing week in/out with the reserves won't take you to the next level.

I want this kid to have a chance to prove himself he can cover Dave.

[Dubciteh]

I think we have a replacement and his name is Suarez.

Let's look behind, yesterday at the game, Scouse 1 used a youngster called Sterling. 17 years old and imho he was their best player. He owned in many situations Kolo, in the first half, until Bobby put Vinnie on that side.
Then we have Arse, who has the Ox, a young fella that stepped up and delivered so i ask myself, what can go wrong with teams like Southampton, Reading, QPR, etc at home, where Bobby could use a very good youngster like Suarez, with Nasri, Yaya, Gaz, Milner etc?

The boy will grew and grew until he will become a star. Why search for responses in other places, when you brought many young talents from every corner of the world? Playing week in/out with the reserves won't take you to the next level.

I want this kid to have a chance to prove himself he can cover Dave.

i dont think Suarez is anywhere near ready yet imo. He may well be in the future but right now and away to liverpool isnt the right time, he will be bedded in when we are in full flow to start with.

[PeterParker]

I think we have a replacement and his name is Suarez.

Let's look behind, yesterday at the game, Scouse 1 used a youngster called Sterling. 17 years old and imho he was their best player. He owned in many situations Kolo, in the first half, until Bobby put Vinnie on that side.
Then we have Arse, who has the Ox, a young fella that stepped up and delivered so i ask myself, what can go wrong with teams like Southampton, Reading, QPR, etc at home, where Bobby could use a very good youngster like Suarez, with Nasri, Yaya, Gaz, Milner etc?

The boy will grew and grew until he will become a star. Why search for responses in other places, when you brought many young talents from every corner of the world? Playing week in/out with the reserves won't take you to the next level.

I want this kid to have a chance to prove himself he can cover Dave.

i dont think Suarez is anywhere near ready yet imo. He may well be in the future but right now and away to liverpool isnt the right time, he will be bedded in when we are in full flow to start with.

Was Sterling yesterday? Was Chamberlain? We can't know that for sure, not until Bobby gives him a game with the top boys.

Look at Razak, he has been around the first team for almost 2 years now and he didn't step up because he didn't had many chances to prove himself. Look at Scapuzzi, last year with Wolves in Cup imho he was the best man on the ground, now i don't know if he still has a contract with us.

A key player can come from where you least expect. Barcelona will have a grudge on themselves because they had the "brilliant" idea to sell Yaya because he can't dribble and pass. All i am saying is give the lad a chance, what's the worst it could happen?

[Slim]

I think we have a replacement and his name is Suarez.

Let's look behind, yesterday at the game, Scouse 1 used a youngster called Sterling. 17 years old and imho he was their best player. He owned in many situations Kolo, in the first half, until Bobby put Vinnie on that side.
Then we have Arse, who has the Ox, a young fella that stepped up and delivered so i ask myself, what can go wrong with teams like Southampton, Reading, QPR, etc at home, where Bobby could use a very good youngster like Suarez, with Nasri, Yaya, Gaz, Milner etc?

The boy will grew and grew until he will become a star. Why search for responses in other places, when you brought many young talents from every corner of the world? Playing week in/out with the reserves won't take you to the next level.

I want this kid to have a chance to prove himself he can cover Dave.

i dont think Suarez is anywhere near ready yet imo. He may well be in the future but right now and away to liverpool isnt the right time, he will be bedded in when we are in full flow to start with.

Was Sterling yesterday? Was Chamberlain? We can't know that for sure, not until Bobby gives him a game with the top boys.

Look at Razak, he has been around the first team for almost 2 years now and he didn't step up because he didn't had many chances to prove himself. Look at Scapuzzi, last year with Wolves in Cup imho he was the best man on the ground, now i don't know if he still has a contract with us.

A key player can come from where you least expect. Barcelona will have a grudge on themselves because they had the "brilliant" idea to sell Yaya because he can't dribble and pass. All i am saying is give the lad a chance, what's the worst it could happen?

Ummm, Johnson was the best on the park against Wolves in the cup last year. I think Nasri was better than Scapuzzi as well.