Mangala Improving

He has lacked the stability of having a solid partner throughout his time at the club. I think he did OK yesterday especially when he had a mobile, competent partner in Fernandinho.

I am a firm believer that there is one do not **ck about with unless you are forced to - defence. We saw when there was the constant rotation of full backs how it disrupted things and this season our CB pairings have been chronically disrupted by injuries.

i think Mangala would be fine as a PL defender and when Otamendi is back he needs to be selected alongside him.
 
He was quick to the ball yesterday and worked well with Clichy. He clattered a couple of them as well but the most clear example of his improvement was his willingness to push forward. His distribution of through balls was better than we have seeb from any of our CBs this season on a couple of occasions.
 
There is a common misconception that abounds regarding defending - that it is easier than being a striker or midfielder.

Praise is often heaped upon strikers and/or midfielders on how they form a 'partnership' and 'instinctively know where their partner is' etc etc. Defending is no different in my view and you have to just as much confidence in what your defence team mates are going to do, where they are going to be, whether they are going to attack the ball etc etc. When that confidence is missing it can make everyone look bad - that lack of subtle understanding, the anticipation, just the basic knowledge that develops with playing with the same guy alongside you game after game.....when that is missing or isn't allowed to develop because of tactical decisions (rotation) or injuries then you get a dysfunctional unit.

Not all of Leicester's success is down to their defence BUT I think we would find that the Huth-Morgan partnership has not had the disruption we have suffered this season.

Mangala did well yesterday. He just needs someone to play alongside him for more than two games. It should go without saying that that person should not ever be Demichelis. His time in the PL is done. :009:
 
I didn't watch it yesterday ( saw Demi in the starting XI and knew what was coming ) but I've always thought the criticism he gets is ridiculously over the top. Still has the odd mistake in him but no more than most, I suspect people just see £42million or whatever the press say his cost was whenever he makes an error.
 
To be fair to our £42m central defender he is still adjusting to the pace of the PL and oughtn't really be judged until such a time as he has ample opportunity to do so. Demichelis must, after yesterday's performance realise that the writing is on the wall for him, it shouldn't need bi focals to spell it out.

 
Once Mangala finds his feet and has a settled partner in defence, he will be an absolute beast.

He's very good with the ball at his feet, he just needs to play with a regular partner and more often! Suspect Pep will be able to work a bit of magic on him, he looks like the kind of decent passer of the ball Pep is known to admire
 
Headline in today's Times - "City braced for loss on £42m Mangala in Guardiola overhaul".

Ridiculous - with time he could be a City stalwart.

 
I thought The Mangalator did OK, on Sunday, as has done when he is not under pressure, as with Kompany, and even Otimendi telling him when and where to go, he nullified Rushford and Martial in the 2nd half, imo, he has pace, built like brick outhouse and can handle himself,your typical centre half, and with Pep coming in he could benefit from it but if reports are to be believed he's Gone in the summer, and I think he and Deneyar could make an awesome partnership in the yrs to come....there young and could save the club loads of money next term with the right tactical training,
Sergio was too greedy imo on Sunday, at times when he had a shot it was wide or once it hit the post but there was other players in a better scoring position, Bony was on the 6 yard line and a tap in but Aguaro elected to shoot from a tight angle on the keepers near post and he put it wide, Bony is not everyone's cup of tea, but he was the leagues leading scorer at Swansea and was 1st on the team sheet there, he needs matches on a regular basis,which he was never going to get here, like Dzeko, but he could have scored on Sunday, IF Sergio wasn't to greedy, and trying to be the hero...imo.
 
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