It's a shame because if he got a consistent run of games, I think he'd prove to be just as potent a crosser as Routledge, Lamah or Dyer. But with Lamah ineffective, Routledge blowing hot and cold and Dyer injured - and likely Hernandez AGAIN - we need another winger, one who can cross the ball well. That, a striker and another centreback. I'd be delighted if we recalled Bartley and gave him a chance.
IMO Chico is the weak link in our defence. He is just far to erratic for me and his decision making costs us. Tremmel is conceding these soft goals every game at the minute. He's definitely costing us points and the sooner vorm is fit the better. I thought our center mids played very well today. Bony was absolutely immense! Very promising performance overall, just a few individual errors that is costing us the games. Cut them out and we should be back firing again!
@ Knackered Think you're reading far too much into his last few games, just because he's at last put in shifts he should have been doing from the start of the season, doesn't wash with me, he's an expense we can well do without, and you keep blowing that smoke up his rear, if it makes you feel good, but remember this, he'll be gone when Laudrup goes!...............
JDG may well be gone - let's just hope we get someone who can take a decent free kick, cross the ball and provide goals to Bony and others with invaluable assists. Yet you think we can "do without" this input? Really? Right now I can't think of anyone else who gives us what he does, can you? We've hardly got any players who can do it. Certainly not Ki wo just cannot bring a defensive game to the table. Be careful what you wish for.
Thought we played well today, but at times I though Citeh oozed class and look potential title winners. They swarmed forward in attack and looked the business. With Jesus on the wing, we needed a miracle to win today.
Clearly you have not been following Ki closely enough at Sunderland, I suggest you watch him today, far more consistent than De Goose, and he can do anything that De Goos can do, matter of fact his passing is far superior than De Goose!....................
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/0...3-manchester-city-premier-league-highlights/? Well worth the money , both quality finishes .and take a look at hart's expression after Bony's second rasping shot went wide .
I think Tremmel could have saved the 3rd Citeh goal, but the other two, especially Williams own goal deflection he was never going to stop, Tremmel is below par though!........................ Highlights, Bony's at the races at last, long may it continue! [video=dailymotion;x193rr6]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x193rr6_swansea-2-3-manchester-city_sport[/video]
First goal had Rangel nearest to Nasri and didn't block - but Chico and Tremell are being blamed for not making a block / save. No mention of Canas and Routledge who could also have put a foot through it. Second goal Ash's attempted block took the ball away from Tremell and spun in to the net. Third goal had Rangel jogging back (maybe that's all he could do late in the game and having put in a hard working shift) but left Chico having to defend too many options - Good shot maybe Tremell should have got a stronger hand to it but there was serious power behind the ball. Ash should have scored and Bony came close with shots from distance. All round good performance and with some more luck could have gone our way - another game where we have (apart from finishing) played equal or better football than Man City.
The first two there was nothing he could do about, it's the third one I think he should have saved. The ball even hit him in the face. That was the killer goal for us. Away to Chelsea hazard hit the ball directly at him yet it still sneaked in. Home to Everton Coleman scored at his near post, should never get beaten there. These are just off the top of my head but I feel that with vorm in the team we wouldn't have conceded these soft goals.
Going forward we're starting to look better - seemed to be creating more chances and getting the ball in better. Routs had a habit of playing it blind, limiting the opportunities that Bony had. Whilst Lamah had a habit of not being able to play football, which was a problem. His touch was poor, didn't seem to know what he should do when he got the ball. Obviously Bony was excellent - the team, especially with no Michu, needs to be set up to make the most of him. Our real problem is that we are slow and disorganised at the back. Telling is the way that Williams has to be the hero diving in for everything: it's because he has to cover for everyone else. There isn't the protection. Organised teams do not have to have a single player cover as much as he does. Look back over the previous goals - how many have been caused by a) Chico breaking rank and lunging at/chasing after a random player? b) Chico failing to track a player because he was being drawn to the ball? c) Slow tracking back (the third goal was appalling for that - and Rangel was quite guilty for that one)? It's really frustrating because, if we were organised at the back, then the game was there for us to get some points.
I said in my previous post (#162) that these defencive errors need to be cut out, Chico is the main culprit lately, though Ben Davies has been guilty of not getting back quick enough to this season, I know he likes to get forward, but a defender he is. Good post there Goodland, agree with all.......................
He is a beast when he hits the ball, those 2 goals will really boost his confidence, Laudrup needs to make sure the supply of service to him is maintain though, not taking anything away from Bony, but both teams where going for the win, so it left plenty of space for Bony to work with, he won't always get that with other teams who put the team behind the ball!.......................
We cant complain with the effort today thats for sure, It was great to see Bony at last start a game against a big club as like a lot of us said that a player of his caliber should be playing against these bigger sides, A very good game where we showed that we can put in a shift and match any of the big boys and even though we lost i was pleased that we never looked like a team that was there to keep the score down, OK bony's header into the goal looked dodgy but like i have always said some you get and some you don't but we deserved something for the effort we put in...Have to give my MOM to rangel who just edges out bony and will give the whole team 8 1/2 out of 10 for effort....