Re: Close Season Football Chat : Sat Aug 14, 2010 10:43 pm
Cibaman wrote:
I think Mancini rates Johnson, but last season he tended to be ineffective in the first 30 mins and had more of an impact when the game opened up in the second half. I think he'll get plenty of game time but mostly off the bench.
I agree the obvious weakness in Mancini's formation is that the full backs might not be up to the job.
I thought we could have been accurately summed up today in the words of Naomi Camplbell as a team of dirty little stones, although Hart seemed well polished and some of the last ditch defending was better than anything I've seen from City for a long time.
I agree the obvious weakness in Mancini's formation is that the full backs might not be up to the job.
I thought we could have been accurately summed up today in the words of Naomi Camplbell as a team of dirty little stones, although Hart seemed well polished and some of the last ditch defending was better than anything I've seen from City for a long time.
I was a little confused by some of Mancini's signings. I can only assume that Boateng has been signed as a right back? Whilst Kolarov is signed to be the first choice left back? Where will David Luiz play when he signs? I think what City are lacking is a dominant defender, whilst I think Kompany can be this player, he's had questionable fitness throughout his career, but he is a complete defender when fit.
Kolarov is a good player, but I don't think he was the right signing by City. He has ability, obvious ability going forward, but he's never struck me as the greatest athlete in the world. In Serie A, athleticism isn't tested that much, so it isn't something you'll see exposed too much, but the counter-attacking speed in England will certainly expose him. I know it's a little early for comparisons, but I said to my mate when City signed him "top player, but don't be surprised if he struggles like Dossena did at Liverpool". By that I meant, in Serie A, he's able to get up and down the flank at decent speed for that league, but when he came to England, he was awfully exposed time and time again. Whilst I think Kolarov is good and will do better than Dossena, I'm not totally convinced by him yet. Maybe he has a bit more brains than Dossena, which should leave him less exposed.
I didn't like the City midfield today, no real balance.