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Mangala is the centre half we've been heavily linked with - he and Fernando almost joined us in the last transfer window from Porto. Fernando was suspended for this so thought I'd tune in and keep an eye on Mangala.

Tonight was the first chance I've had to watch him and he was up against Sevillia in the Europa league q/f.

Sevillia ran out 4-1 winners on the night led 3-0 at h-t and despite a red card for Coke in the second half added a fourth for which Mangala was culpable. Caught totally out of position and ball watching - proper school boy stuff. I have to say for a big strong lad he looked pretty hopeless all night. I'm not wanting to judge him on one game and certainly trust our scouts so hopefully tonight was a blip particularly as we are talking big money - he made Demi look like a top quality defender!

Quaresma looked like an interesting proposition for Porto - didn't play particularly well but you could see he is a bit of a talent. Hit a terrific consolation for Porto right at the death.

Sevillia - terrific fans, what an atmosphere they created!

He had the same performance at Napoli too, but with a thew briliant moments.

Yeah, I felt the same. He reacted very slowly to their 4th in particular and wasn't impressed by his positioning.. Not sure what the hype is about.

Honestly, It would be wise to stay away from the Portuguese league. Most players there seem to look better than they actually are. David Luiz comes to the mind.

Clowncrete wrote:Yeah, I felt the same. He reacted very slowly to their 4th in particular and wasn't impressed by his positioning.. Not sure what the hype is about.

Honestly, It would be wise to stay away from the Portuguese league. Most players there seem to look better than they actually are. David Luiz comes to the mind.

Reckon Tranny might be the only one in the Prem. Postiga was shit at Spuds. Garcia is only just finding his feet. Boa Morte never really shone as much as he should. Nani and Anderson have been poor value. Surely the Portuguese league is three good quality sides with 15 others to make up numbers. Competitiveness is not a word usually associated with them

Honestly I've watched mangala in several matches and he doesn't seem to have any better possession skills than " hot potatoe lescott ". His distribution skills are mediocre and I have not seen one stand out performance yet. No chance the duo is worth 41 mill. Hes a pretty good defender but lest we forget it is the Portuguese league after all. If we do sign him I doubt he'll be any better than demi. Infact I still have high hopes for matija the youngster. On the other hand hasn't joleon already announced he's leaving in the summer - super stoked!-

I hope we sign him. Id love a shirt with Quim on the back.

I think we should give a serious consideration for daniel agger

420[C]ity wrote:I think we should give a serious consideration for daniel agger

Definitely not. He's fucking shite. Slow as anything and we want to play a high line.

Reminds me of a young Vinnie but with more physical presence, he has the odd mistake in him but show me a young defender who hasn't. Didn't see the game last night but caught the first leg of this tie, I was sure Sevilla would do them especially with Fernando missing.

Anyone take note of Moreno for Sevilla? Another player we've allegedly been linked with.

twosips wrote:
Definitely not. He's fucking shite. Slow as anything and we want to play a high line.

Agreed and he is another one made of glass

I dont understand why Richards has nit been given a go next to vinny.

I've only seen snippets of Mangala & it's clear he has pace, can jump, has all the basic attributes, but that's just the start. Then comes the bit where you have to actually play Premier League football. He might take to it like a duck to water, or it might take him two years.

I watched Denayer & Facey, last night, v a quick, physical, striker who basically played like a 'grown up'. They had no fucking idea whatsoever. They were just talented children playing vs the dads. Rekik is the same but bigger built tbf, but turns like a tank & is slower than Garcia.

If we let Lescott & Micah go, we are gambling with chucking the whole season down the shitter before it's started.

Lescott's pretty well said he's leaving and tbf he hardly gets a game anyway. The problem with Micah is he's refused a new contract hasn't he so we have to sell to get something for him. I think we have to face it that the club will buy at least one centre back this summer plus probably a right bank to give cover for Zaba who's played too many games this season with Micah injured for much of it.

blues2win wrote:Lescott's pretty well said he's leaving and tbf he hardly gets a game anyway. The problem with Micah is he's refused a new contract hasn't he so we have to sell to get something for him. I think we have to face it that the club will buy at least one centre back this summer plus probably a right bank to give cover for Zaba who's played too many games this season with Micah injured for much of it.

Lescott 'hardly gets a game' because Vinny is fit. Otherwise he would be playing all the time.

We need to start the season assuming VK is injured & ask ourselves if the Nastasic/ Demichelis partnership is ideal. Because if the new cb doesn't take to the Prem straight away, those two will be our main cb partnership in the event of VK needing a rest, getting suspended, or getting injured.

Add to that, the fact that Nastasic is made of glass, & it becomes Garcia/Demichelis.

Just give Lescott another year ffs.

General consensus in many circles is that Garay is a better player and much more like the finished article.

And if we are paying north of £25m Id want the finished article, and not some rough diamond who may take 2 years to adapt. We bought one of those in Savic and it went shit-shaped; we tried another with Nastasic and he's gone backwards this season. Then we went for the stop-gap in Demichelis who is what he is - cheap and has a few glaring weaknesses.

We need to splash the dosh on a top top class centre half please and stop fooking about.

Our inability to fill this hole in our team either last August, or in January, will likely cost us the Prem Lge this season. No more fannying about with it City. Find the top player available and a worthy partner to Vinny, pay him and sort the problem.

Hummells??

Dubciteh wrote:Hummells??

Another plodder though isn't he ?

Most of the so called 'ball playing' cbs we are linked with are just fodder for Premier League strikers.

Ted personally I would give him another year but it seems clear that the club don't agree so I think we have to move on. It's not just City scouts who rate Mangala and I see no reason why we've lost interest given our clear need for someone in that position.

Mangala looked super shit last night but................he had fuck all support from his partner and midfield.

blues2win wrote:Ted personally I would give him another year but it seems clear that the club don't agree so I think we have to move on. It's not just City scouts who rate Mangala and I see no reason why we've lost interest given our clear need for someone in that position.

I've no problem signing Mangala, we have to sign someone. I would sign two.

My problem is with what happens if they struggle.

Too expensive and too lazy to defend well in a serious league like Premier actually is! Let's wait for Brazil before signing a partner of Vinnie or Demi, please!