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well that experiment failed didn't it. 4/5 times we were caught with 3 against 2....

love gaz baz but richards and clichy have to start against bayern...

As I said on the match thread I think it was a good move. Loads of games, get everyone feeling their involved, keeps the supposed first 11 on their toes. Had we'd been 2 up after 20mins this would not even be discussed ... ok, so we wern't but you get the point. I think its likely one or both will come in against Bayern with Zabs and/or Kolarov getting a full run out in the Everton/Blackburn games

dont understand why they were dropped tbh

I reckon its because they will both play against Fulham .. izz futbol innit

Nigels Tackle wrote:well that experiment failed didn't it. 4/5 times we were caught with 3 against 2....

love gaz baz but richards and clichy have to start against bayern...

from the beginig i was wondering if u know that ths is italian side and manchini know how they play why u have slower and less efective fullbacks in the game zaba and kolarov shuld play against bayern when we are going to go not so offensiv , richards and clichy have bether speed culd strech dfence so dzeko and kun culd get few usufol ball and i think specily nasri agree more with clichy then kolarov , for me kolarov and zaba is away fullbacs and richrds and clichy at home but overall manchini was last night i dont know like kost , anywone see that this is not working spesily in second half but nothing and when we give a goal have a momentum he tzake dzeko out tevez in and took that momentum for us , tevez is relly not fit in this city any more .

I said in the match thread that I think not playing Micah was a mistake. Our system didn't have any real width on the right other than Zabba and whilst he willing in getting forward he slowed our attacks down. Micah would have made a difference.

im not sure if micah had some kind of injury because about 45mins before kick off when the teams were read out over the loud speaker he was on the bench but then 15mins later when they were read out again he wasnt mentioned so might of been pulled out for some reason and as for kolarov i know he scored but doesnt seem to give us that attacking option clichey does down the left so against bayern he has got to start for me

Too slow right accross the back 4 & def midfield. The balance is wrong against this type of team. Yaya has the pace but not the engine to keep getting back time & again. Barry, and DeJong for that matter, are too slow to be able to protect a slow defence. Somewhere in that group, at least 2 or 3 players need pace. Imo, the CB pairing of Kolo & Lescott is too slow to play in a side which plays that open. You need at least one of them to be lightning. Failing that, a speedy fullback has to stay back, come accrooss & protect them & preferably a fast midfielder too.

What happened last night was EXACTLY what happened when Hughes team tried to play like that & the result was the same.

Learning curve for all concerned, Napoi were a lot better than I realised, clever shape, we will learn. For me the front 4/5 need to be able to do there stuff back 4/5 can defend all day.

I could completely understand it if it was the knock out stages, get the away goal with attacking fullbacks and keep the back door shut at home. Maybe he is playing this way through the group stages so Kolorov and Zabba are accustomed to our squad when we get to the later rounds?

I am just wondering if Mancini could have miscalculated Napoli's ability on the counter. Kolarov and Zabs played well at both ends, I am just not sure if Barry did enough to support them. Though in fairness, the goal counter was purely off a blatantly poor pass from Barry and the rush was too much for the wingbacks to get back to help.

Overall I am not too bothered by the selection, and frankly a good/lucky save by the keeper kept Kolarov from scoring two.

Napoli signed eleven new players over the summer - they'd only played one league game before facing us - I think Bob's tactics were based on best guesses from what he knew about their manager/coach. I was annoyed he didn't go for width earlier in the second half (well before Napoli's goal) when they started pressuring us, and even more annoyed that he took Dzeko off not long after going for width.

I'm more amazed that anyone thinks Kolarov is a defensive anything. He had a reasonable game the other night except for losing out in the air to a midget on the wing every time, losing posession and generally not being a right lot better than he was last year.

At least he has cut the ridiculous "shoot from anywhere" nonsence out of the game this season

Was disappointed with Zabba also, as someone has said he slowed the play down more than anything going forwards.....however being his first game I would hope that is rustiness as much as anything else as he was almost as good as Micah down that flank last year.

Few more games for both of them and i'm sure we will see a steep improvement fo Kolarov and Zabba

In what world is Kolarov "defensive" fullback? His only real strengths are going forward.

Gareth Barry was simply horrible and wasn't doing his job covering for Kolarov at all. Maybe it'd be just best to forget attacking fullbacks like Kolarov all together and play through middle more?

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:In what world is Kolarov "defensive" fullback? His only real strengths are going forward.

Gareth Barry was simply horrible and wasn't doing his job covering for Kolarov at all. Maybe it'd be just best to forget attacking fullbacks like Kolarov all together and play through middle more?

I am one of Barry's biggest critics and was surprised to find I was in the minority around me with my assessment of his contribution on Weds. Aside from being caught in posession, I thought Barry had one of his best games for us nicking posession in midfeld loads of times - although clearly not upto the standard of the cover Milner provided at weekend and at Bolton.

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:In what world is Kolarov "defensive" fullback? His only real strengths are going forward.

Gareth Barry was simply horrible and wasn't doing his job covering for Kolarov at all. Maybe it'd be just best to forget attacking fullbacks like Kolarov all together and play through middle more?

I agree with you but I think Bobby does consider Kolarov to be the more defensive of the two leftbacks.

Clichy is just better. He should play in the bigger games.