MotM v The Toon

[Sue Perb]

Ed.

Edin because of his performance set in the context of his 'best' last season.

He looks more hungry to get the ball under control, more determined to contribute to a team performance and a significantly improved level of effort; IMHO

[MaineRoadMemories]

Dzeko for me too.

Player ratings article here for those interested. http://mancityfans.net/player-ratings-v ... le-united/

[mcfc1632]

Nice when there are several choices

[Ted Hughes]

Ed.

Edin because of his performance set in the context of his 'best' last season.

He looks more hungry to get the ball under control, more determined to contribute to a team performance and a significantly improved level of effort; IMHO

At the start of last season, the difference between Dzeko & Negredo at centre forward was so instantly obvious; Negredo was a centre forward, Dzeko was just a forward who happens to be tall. Later in the season, Dzeko was working much harder & trying to do stuff not previously associated with his 'normal' game.

Today, not only was he 'trying' to do that stuff but he was doing it expertly, like a proper, genuine centre forward; winning headers, holding the ball up, fighting off defenders, & keeping possession both on the ground and in the air. Today, he was a TOP centre forward, not a lazy arsed goalscorer, a CENTRE FORWARD.

Brilliant, hope he keeps it up.

[sheblue]

Thought clichy was great and fernando very good debut. But ed just snook it for me.

[Sue Perb]

Ed.

Edin because of his performance set in the context of his 'best' last season.

He looks more hungry to get the ball under control, more determined to contribute to a team performance and a significantly improved level of effort; IMHO

At the start of last season, the difference between Dzeko & Negredo at centre forward was so instantly obvious; Negredo was a centre forward, Dzeko was just a forward who happens to be tall. Later in the season, Dzeko was working much harder & trying to do stuff not previously associated with his 'normal' game.

Today, not only was he 'trying' to do that stuff but he was doing it expertly, like a proper, genuine centre forward; winning headers, holding the ball up, fighting off defenders, & keeping possession both on the ground and in the air. Today, he was a TOP centre forward, not a lazy arsed goalscorer, a CENTRE FORWARD.

Brilliant, hope he keeps it up.

Ted, that's what I was trying to convey in my post, just not as eloquently as yours!

DITTO DZEKO MOTM

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Dzeko for me too.

Player ratings article here for those interested. http://mancityfans.net/player-ratings-v ... le-united/

No one deserved less than a 6.

Dzeko MOTM.

[Beefymcfc]

On the Dzeko effort, it was good to hear him mention how Pellers wants them to play, putting the emphasis on working for the team.

Edin's taken a leaf from Goater's book, literally.

[littlebig]

Edin. Long may that continue

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

I've gone for Edin, he's upped his all-round game and I thought he was superb even in defence today. Well done to Clichy and Fernando, also. Oh, and Silva.

[nottsblue]

Ed.

Edin because of his performance set in the context of his 'best' last season.

He looks more hungry to get the ball under control, more determined to contribute to a team performance and a significantly improved level of effort; IMHO

At the start of last season, the difference between Dzeko & Negredo at centre forward was so instantly obvious; Negredo was a centre forward, Dzeko was just a forward who happens to be tall. Later in the season, Dzeko was working much harder & trying to do stuff not previously associated with his 'normal' game.

Today, not only was he 'trying' to do that stuff but he was doing it expertly, like a proper, genuine centre forward; winning headers, holding the ball up, fighting off defenders, & keeping possession both on the ground and in the air. Today, he was a TOP centre forward, not a lazy arsed goalscorer, a CENTRE FORWARD.

Brilliant, hope he keeps it up.

Just going off on a tangent. If he does keep up this style of play, will Negredo get a game again?

[twosips]

Personally think Negredo at his very peak is better than Dzeko at his peak. He's faster, more skilful and has an eye for a pass that big Ed doesn't have. Whether Negredo will get to those heady heights again remains to be seen though.

[kennyboy]

I thought Dzeko had a bad game despite his lovely flick to Silva, loosing the ball, falling on his ass several times.
I must be the only one.

[freshie]

I thought Dzeko had a bad game despite his lovely flick to Silva, loosing the ball, falling on his ass several times.
I must be the only one.

Yes you must

[Goaters 103]

Fernando. Provided just the job we were looking for in the Makelele role. An excellent debut - more please.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Personally think Negredo at his very peak is better than Dzeko at his peak. He's faster, more skilful and has an eye for a pass that big Ed doesn't have. Whether Negredo will get to those heady heights again remains to be seen though.

I'm not so sure about that tbh. Negredo is technically better and the fancier of the two but we saw two Negredo's last season and it's hard to know which was the real one. At least when Dzeko's poor he's still getting himself in good positions and getting chances, when Negredo is poor he may as well take out a deck chair and sit down, he's that bad.
Dzeko has consistently scored goals and big goals over the last four seasons, Negredo has done it for half a season.

Negredo has shown he can play when the sun is shining but when the chips are down and you need someone to step up can he do it like big Ed has? Remains to be seen.

[Sue Perb]

Personally think Negredo at his very peak is better than Dzeko at his peak. He's faster, more skilful and has an eye for a pass that big Ed doesn't have. Whether Negredo will get to those heady heights again remains to be seen though.

I'm not so sure about that tbh. Negredo is technically better and the fancier of the two but we saw two Negredo's last season and it's hard to know which was the real one. At least when Dzeko's poor he's still getting himself in good positions and getting chances, when Negredo is poor he may as well take out a fucking deck chair he's that bad.
Dzeko has consistently scored goals and big goals over the last four seasons, Negredo has done it for half a season.

Negredo has shown he can play when the sun is shining but when the chips are down and you need someone to step up can he do it like big Ed has? Remains to be seen.

A fascinating debate; I don't think Negredo is the same kind of player as Dzeko.

Think we all agree that AN is a technically more able player, he can beat a defender, make a pass and score from outside the box. In some respects AN is more akin to Jovetic!

However, ED & AN do share some common facets, strong with their back to the goal and can lay a good pass off to Aguero et al.

Edin is a player who scores goals from scrappy play, defensive errors, an all round 'garbage' player (not a judgement on his performance note!).

I'd like to see AN get fit and confident and I think he'd compliment Aguero, Dzeko and Jovetic.

An embarrassment of riches, me thinks. Just the kind of problem MP like, I hope?

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Personally think Negredo at his very peak is better than Dzeko at his peak. He's faster, more skilful and has an eye for a pass that big Ed doesn't have. Whether Negredo will get to those heady heights again remains to be seen though.

I'm not so sure about that tbh. Negredo is technically better and the fancier of the two but we saw two Negredo's last season and it's hard to know which was the real one. At least when Dzeko's poor he's still getting himself in good positions and getting chances, when Negredo is poor he may as well take out a fucking deck chair he's that bad.
Dzeko has consistently scored goals and big goals over the last four seasons, Negredo has done it for half a season.

Negredo has shown he can play when the sun is shining but when the chips are down and you need someone to step up can he do it like big Ed has? Remains to be seen.

Not quite true that, is it? He's had some remarkable seasons before he came to City in terms of goals scored.

He hardly played in the second half of last season following that shoulder injury, 5 minutes here, 20 minutes there. There's no getting away from the fact that he was poor in them appearances but how often do we see that with strikers when they don't get a decent run of starts?

[Ted Hughes]

I thought Dzeko had a bad game despite his lovely flick to Silva, loosing the ball, falling on his ass several times.
I must be the only one.

Yes you must

And not for the first time ;)

Re Dzeko v Negredo; my argument with Dzeko has always been that he doesn't actually lack any of the abilities needed to do what Negredo or any top cf does. Imo it has always been purely down to attitude. If you are casual about controlling the ball, you fuck it up. If you don't fight to win a header, & really try to direct it, then it just bounces off & goes for a throw in. If you don't really try to hold onto the ball & then pass it, you just lose it instead.

I've never believed that Dzeko lacks a first touch or can't play in this or that system, imo it's purely been down to him wanting everything on a plate & not concentrating properly if he doesn't get it. 'Can't fit in' has been an excuse for 'can't be arsed trying'.

Last season we saw a different Dzeko in the 2nd half; one trying to do what Negredo does at his best. Yesterday we saw a cf succeeding in doing what Negredo does at his best. Imo, there's little that Negredo can do to improve on Dzeko yesterday.

I remember during one of the many Dzeko whingefests on GMR early last season, the Goat talking about his early days at City & how he couldn't understand why everyone was on his case, but cheering Paul Dickov, then he watched Paul Dickov & he realised. He said he was going to have a word with Dzeko.

I wonder if he did ?

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Personally think Negredo at his very peak is better than Dzeko at his peak. He's faster, more skilful and has an eye for a pass that big Ed doesn't have. Whether Negredo will get to those heady heights again remains to be seen though.

I'm not so sure about that tbh. Negredo is technically better and the fancier of the two but we saw two Negredo's last season and it's hard to know which was the real one. At least when Dzeko's poor he's still getting himself in good positions and getting chances, when Negredo is poor he may as well take out a fucking deck chair he's that bad.
Dzeko has consistently scored goals and big goals over the last four seasons, Negredo has done it for half a season.

Negredo has shown he can play when the sun is shining but when the chips are down and you need someone to step up can he do it like big Ed has? Remains to be seen.

Not quite true that, is it? He's had some remarkable seasons before he came to City in terms of goals scored.

He hardly played in the second half of last season following that shoulder injury, 5 minutes here, 20 minutes there. There's no getting away from the fact that he was poor in them appearances but how often do we see that with strikers when they don't get a decent run of starts?

As far as I'm concerned they come to the PL with a clean slate. Everyone scores for fun in the Spanish league, even Soldado managed it and he's shiter than shite. Means nothing unless they can reproduce it here.
He played more than you are suggesting and the reason he didn't play more was because of his poor form when he did play.