Micah Richards

[gillie]

I said it earlier in another thread that I think Micah's problem is that he is too top heavy.When he overbalances forwards he cannot right himself like other players and that's because of his upper body.Example today bombing forward near Watfords box the ball got away from him and as he leant forward to try to get the ball he just falls over.He has defo regressed imo but that's probs due to his injuries.

[mr_nool]

I said it earlier in another thread that I think Micah's problem is that he is too top heavy.When he overbalances forwards he cannot right himself like other players and that's because of his upper body.Example today bombing forward near Watfords box the ball got away from him and as he leant forward to try to get the ball he just falls over.He has defo regressed imo but that's probs due to his injuries.

Micha's main problem is that he's not a good enough footballer for this team. When he broke through we were playing pretty much like the average premier league team, which suited Richards perfectly. He mainly defended, but went on the occasional run forward, mainly making an impression with his amazing athleticism.

In the team we have now and with the football we play, athleticism isn't nearly enough. All ten outfield players have to be able to adapt to a neat pass and move game, and although it pains me to admit it, Micah simply isn't good enough.

[Herb]

I love Micah to bits but he isn't at his best at the moment and even when he is at his best he isn't good enough for us as we are now. We play a high-tempo attacking game and we rely on our fullbacks getting up and down fast - Micah's bulked himself up too much and carries to much for the athletic role he needs to fill if playing for us.
In all fairness I say we move him along to a club where he can get regular football and get back to his best in the hope of an England berth.

[Wonderwall]

I love Micah to bits but he isn't at his best at the moment and even when he is at his best he isn't good enough for us as we are now. We play a high-tempo attacking game and we rely on our fullbacks getting up and down fast - Micah's bulked himself up too much and carries to much for the athletic role he needs to fill if playing for us.
In all fairness I say we move him along to a club where he can get regular football and get back to his best in the hope of an England berth.

So you are saying he isn't a good footballer for the type of football we play? Totally agree. Love micah bur for me today was a defining moment

[carl_feedthegoat]

The sooner he is sold the better.

[PeterParker]

Dunno if you lot remember, but in our best moment with Bob in charge, august-november 2011, when we trashed everyone, Micah was our top lad on the right, not Zabs.

Remember the game he made in the swamp? The ”mighty” Ashley Young was nowhere to be seen. We played with high tempo and fullback that were wingers and he managed just fine. Look at his ball control now or his crosses. They are terrible, he can't defend and he can't attack.

I love him to bits, but things are beyond weird with him. Either:

1) he has a terrible life outside the field (late drinking, lost nights, etc).

2) Our doctors rushed him everytime and he wasen't fully fit to play 90 at full speed.


Something is wrong behind the curtain and my theory is based on this: Why did we buy Maicon last year? Zabs and Micah were fully fit. Why did Bobby needed a third choice there? What was wrong with Micah? (He got the nasty injury 3 weeks after we signed Maicon).

[mcfc1632]

I said it earlier in another thread that I think Micah's problem is that he is too top heavy.When he overbalances forwards he cannot right himself like other players and that's because of his upper body.Example today bombing forward near Watfords box the ball got away from him and as he leant forward to try to get the ball he just falls over.He has defo regressed imo but that's probs due to his injuries.

Micha's main problem is that he's not a good enough footballer for this team. When he broke through we were playing pretty much like the average premier league team, which suited Richards perfectly. He mainly defended, but went on the occasional run forward, mainly making an impression with his amazing athleticism.

In the team we have now and with the football we play, athleticism isn't nearly enough. All ten outfield players have to be able to adapt to a neat pass and move game, and although it pains me to admit it, Micah simply isn't good enough.

Spot on - we all have a soft spot because he connects with our past - when he came through and played for England we could bask in the reflected glory of having a up and coming player. We are a very different club now and we have moved way onwards - unfortunately Micah has only moved backwards.

It has been an issue for 2 years now - and yes I know about his injuries etc - but the fact is he does not have a football brain (IMO) - nowhere near good enough to be a CB (needs a football brain) and not good enough as cover at right back.

We need to get over it and move on

[bayblue]

Spot on - we all have a soft spot because he connects with our past - when he came through and played for England we could bask in the reflected glory of having a up and coming player. We are a very different club now and we have moved way onwards - unfortunately Micah has only moved backwards. It has been an issue for 2 years now - and yes I know about his injuries etc - but the fact is he does not have a football brain (IMO) - nowhere near good enough to be a CB (needs a football brain) and not good enough as cover at right back. We need to get over it and move on

I agree. His positional sense has always been poor and if it has improved by now then it won't get significantly better looking forward. He also infuriates me by his seeming to be uninterested when he is caught upfield. I can forgive mistakes by players but strolling back when his team mates are trying to cover for him is just not on. Zaba puts him to shame every time he replaces him. I know a few years ago Chelsea ŵere interested but if we were to let him go this summer I'm really not sure if any top team would see him as an improvement on their right backs, and definitely not as a centre half.

[Ted Hughes]

Kolarov, 1st half, was guilty of all the stuff Richrds is being criticised for.

[london blue 2]

You do realise Micah was injured most of last season and that Micah started ahead of Zabs most of the time including the famous 6-1

But that was 2 seasons ago?

2 seasons ago our team with Micah and Clichy looked miles stronger and faster than the same team with Zab and Kolarov. It made a huge difference to our overall game and most of our best performances were when we has the former two starting.

So? Micah and Clichy have both regressed since then whilst Zab and Kolarov have really improved.

Agreed. I think we should start supporting all of our squad players. For years we all shouted Kolarov is a liability and needs replacing. Same with Nasri, Garcia and now Richards. All of these are better squad players than any of our rivals have available and we need to trust pelligrini to get the best out of them. A confident Micah is easily good enough to do a job for us over the course if a season.

[dick dastardley]

Having been to the game yesterday i thought micah was no where for the 2nd goal, his defensive play was poor, bombing forward there was no end product.
When zab came on we totally changed, i love micahs bubbly personality but i think the clubs moved forward and passed him by

[City64]

Having been to the game yesterday i thought micah was no where for the 2nd goal, his defensive play was poor, bombing forward there was no end product.
When zab came on we totally changed, i love micahs bubbly personality but i think the clubs moved forward and passed him by

He is looking half the player he was , Zab has progressed into the best right back in the Premier League whilst Richards has gone backwards omho . Really hoping Richards can stay injury free and become the player he once was.

[Green & Blue]

I did not see the game yesterday but I can't deny he looks way off the pace for quite a while now.He has been great in the past when he's been fully fit so I don't think we can just put it down to him being not good enough.He needs to get himself in right shape first of all.

[tc6828]

I was there and saw first hand. Sadly, Micah has decided he prefers to attack rather than defend and whilst the finger of responsibility is being pointed at Demichellis for their goals, Micah played a part by not being in position.

For a big strapping lad, he still has the mentality of going down like a sack of spuds as soon as he is touched. He would be much more appreciated if he stood his ground and let tacklers bounce off him.

Sadly, I am with the concensus that Micah has been surpassed by Zab Man and the city approach to football and needs to be moved on.

[Herb]

Micah's issue is that he's spent years bulking himself up and now he has too much mass to do the shuttle runs from box to box that our fullbacks need to do to perform under our system.
I'm sorry to say but we need to sell him if we can find a buyer willing to accommodate his £80k a week wages - sad fact is that he'd have upped and left some time ago but for the fact that he can earn more not playing for us than he could ever earn playing regularly at the level he can perform at.
Of course he's a nice guy, and of course he's a real City player / been with us for ages but he's gone backwards while the rest of the squad has advanced and he's now only with us for the adoration he's always received from us, the pay that far exceeds his talent and the close proximity to his best mate weo 'camel-gob ferdinand.

Get him out and bring a better player in on less money - sad but true.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

I just don't buy into the 'he's too muscly' excuse.
He's just not a good enough footballer to be first choice anymore. I don't see him being able to reach Zab's level anymore.

[Original Dub]

I just don't buy into the 'he's too muscly' excuse.
He's just not a good enough footballer to be first choice anymore. I don't see him being able to reach Zab's level anymore.

I don't agree with that at all.

He has been unbelievably unlucky with injuries, but like most players, he needs a run of games before we get the best out of him.

Unfortunately, he's running out of time to stake his claim because his injuries are getting more frequent instead of less, but when on form he runs zabba very close.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

I just don't buy into the 'he's too muscly' excuse.
He's just not a good enough footballer to be first choice anymore. I don't see him being able to reach Zab's level anymore.

I don't agree with that at all.

He has been unbelievably unlucky with injuries, but like most players, he needs a run of games before we get the best out of him.

Unfortunately, he's running out of time to stake his claim because his injuries are getting more frequent instead of less, but when on form he runs zabba very close.

Fair enough. RIchards was very good in our title winning season and I lauded him for it. He was first choice. But now Zab has gone up another level even from that, both defensively and getting forward. He is now even better than Richards was imo, possibly even the best right back anywhere nowadays.

I really don't see Micah dislodging him as first choice unless Zab has a Clichy style drop in form.

[Herb]

To those out there who can't accept that carrying masses of unneeded upper body muscle is adverse to Micah's performance - please note that our fullbacks shuttle run box to box and that Micah simply can't do what he needs to do because he's built himself up.
Big and bulky may be ok for a 1 x 100 sprint but our fullbacks run several kilometers in every game - at lung bursting speed.

Micah has a run - then a walk - then a jog and . . . a while later . . another little run followed by falling on his nose because he's bolloxed - followed by another stroll for a while - followed by a little jog etc.

Zab runs hard all game because he has the heart for it and most importantly he can run hard all game because he has the right build for it and that's the key difference - it doesn't matter what Micah wants to do because he's fucked himself up trying to look sexy in the gym!

[london blue 2]

To those out there who can't accept that carrying masses of unneeded upper body muscle is adverse to Micah's performance - please note that our fullbacks shuttle run box to box and that Micah simply can't do what he needs to do because he's built himself up.
Big and bulky may be ok for a 1 x 100 sprint but our fullbacks run several kilometers in every game - at lung bursting speed.

Micah has a run - then a walk - then a jog and . . . a while later . . another little run followed by falling on his nose because he's bolloxed - followed by another stroll for a while - followed by a little jog etc.

Zab runs hard all game because he has the heart for it and most importantly he can run hard all game because he has the right build for it and that's the key difference - it doesn't matter what Micah wants to do because he's fucked himself up trying to look sexy in the gym!

You'd think with our resources someone at the club would know this and work with him to reduce his muscle mass...

That to your talking rubbish