What's the deal with Boateng?

[Beeks]

He looked a class act at the start of the season but yesterday he looked nervy as fuck

I'm assuming Bobby brought him in as an attacking fullback but every time he got the ball last night he didn't look up to see who was available in front of him...he just passed backwards time and time again

Definitely looked like a centre-half playing in the wrong position which is essentially what he is

That RB position is Citys achilles heel...we never get it right there

[lets all have a disco]

Young,new league,new home,injuries etc etc.

He'll be cool soon enough.

[gaudy]

as soon as kolarov came on he wanted to burst up the flanks every chance he got,i want boateng to be like that while not compromising
the defence,think he has the quality to do that but to me seems to be lacking in confidence,i dont no why as hes coming off the back of a great world cup in which he played a few different positions and looked very comfortable in each of them.
any time he makes a tackle that requires effort,it takes him an extra couple of seconds and gingerly gets back to his feet,so is he fully fit or carrying a knock?

[Dubciteh]

I dont think you can count the friendlies when hes supposedly looked class, truth is in competitive games hes yet to have a good game and more often than not is our weak link. In saying that hes had an injury, new club surroundings etc and has played out of position the odd time at left back, but he really needs to get up to speed with the game, doesnt get close enough at all and puts in reckless silly challenges when players go by him. Right back has been our Achilles heel maybe give mad zabba a go there till he gets sent off again!

[The Foggy Blue]

Yeah, he has looked a little shaky at times, but I would still be willing to give him more time to settle in. I can't wait to see Kolorov getting involved every week as well.

[bluej]

He wasn't very good going forward, but I suspect he was told not to/didn't have the confidence to. Thought he was solid at the back, put a great challenge on Evra in the first half.

[Ted Hughes]

Did better defensively but wrong choice for last night's game. As soon as he went off, we started to look like we may create something as even Zabba looked like Danny Alves going forward compared to Boateng. Kolarov would have been a much better choice as a starter than Boateng & I'm looking forward to seeing him on Saturday.

I rate Boateng though & think he'll come good; very very good. Just too soon to be playing v rags & Arsenal etc.

[Mike J]

i think he looks a good player. was a little bit shaky last night. i want to see him get forward alot more. like the friendly against valencia.

[Ted Hughes]

Posted this in Yaya thread by mistake; I don't know how keenly most of you watched the rags in wide positions last night but although their crossing was almost as shittily poor as ours at times, their ability to free themselves from tight situations on the touchline was 5 classes above us & they retained possession more times than they lost it, from situations where we barely kept possession once, ever. The way they did it, looked like a practiced routine to me rather than purely off the cuff play, as it was a similar move each time. Something we could look at learning from if any of our 25 coaches are on the ball to spot it.

[dazby]

The deal with Boateng is he's one for the future. Give him time.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

The deal with Boateng is he's one for the future. Give him time.

That's the thing though, when we bought him people called me a miserable bastard for saying that he isn't ready to be star player for us and is a project at best. Now those same people call Boateng shite.

He didn't look ready when he played for Hamburg and personally I would've preferred that he had stayed there for another year. He has all the tools but will need time and patience to get into that level people expect from him.

Oh, and for me he has always been a centerback who can play o´n the right (and even left) if needed.

[avoidconfusion]

Only just came back from injury. He will be world class.

[Beeks]

Now those same people call Boateng shite.

Who's calling him shite?

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Now those same people call Boateng shite.

Who's calling him shite?

I'll withdraw my comment.

[Twobob]

Now those same people call Boateng shite.

Who's calling him shite?

I'll withdraw my comment.

Misserable bastard






;-)

[Twobob]

I Agree that I think it is a case of nerves and getting used to the league, I think he suddenly realised that play changes so quick in the premier league and I think this makes him nervous at the moment about commiting too much going forward and not knowing if there's cover for him.

Against WBA, there were plenty of times when he could run into acres of space when thier left back was being dragged in by Silva or Mario, but he didn't exploit it.

Against the Scum I do think that the options for playing a ball forward were minimal as most of our players were still in our own half. Someone not quite sure of themselves or thier teammates would have done what he did and play the simple pass back or square.

But saying that he put in some quality challenges, and did provide a couple of good crosses too - he will get better i'm sure!

[Buffalo Soldier]

He did fine defensively last night and was clearly under orders not too push forward too often last night.

There were a few times last night when he looked like he wanted to bomb on but then turned round and passed backwards. He still lacks the experience in this league/position to know when to go and when to hold back. He'll be a class player for us, but could easily be a season or two until we start seeing the best of him.

[CityFanFromRome]

as soon as kolarov came on he wanted to burst up the flanks every chance he got,i want boateng to be like that while not compromising
the defence,think he has the quality to do that but to me seems to be lacking in confidence,i dont no why as hes coming off the back of a great world cup in which he played a few different positions and looked very comfortable in each of them.
any time he makes a tackle that requires effort,it takes him an extra couple of seconds and gingerly gets back to his feet,so is he fully fit or carrying a knock?

There's a difference between Boateng and Kolarov, though. Kolarov is a proper attacking fullback, while Boateng is a player who is much more defensively minded so he will struggle to attack the flank like Kolarov does. But of course, exactly for this reason, boateng should be more defensively sound than Kolarov, in the long run.

[Alioune DVToure]

I dont think you can count the friendlies when hes supposedly looked class, truth is in competitive games hes yet to have a good game and more often than not is our weak link. In saying that hes had an injury, new club surroundings etc and has played out of position the odd time at left back, but he really needs to get up to speed with the game, doesnt get close enough at all and puts in reckless silly challenges when players go by him. Right back has been our Achilles heel maybe give mad zabba a go there till he gets sent off again!

Don't agree with that at all. He was superb at WBA and that was only four days ago.

[brite blu sky]

The deal with Boateng is he's one for the future. Give him time.

enough said.