the mangler

[ruralblue]

It's not the doubt over it maybe being a one off performance or him not being consistent enough to build a solid partnership with Vincent. Nor his speed, mental awareness or positioning.

It's that small niggle embedded in all of us who have loved and watched City since the depths of Wednesday night football at York and Halifax.
Yes it's the, i would be so typical City for the guy to develop Leprosy and lose a limb whilst playing on the pitch and never be able to play for us again. We have by the early looks of things found something that could make of defence so solid for years to come....... somethings got to go tits up!

[Nigels Tackle]

finding his feet isn't he?

[Sideshow Bob]

Deffo improving but still looks ungainly/off balance with ball at his feet.

[shortagain]

Deffo improving but still looks ungainly/off balance with ball at his feet.

Really, what a strange observation. Can't you accept he is developing into what they bought him as, a top class defender

[Sideshow Bob]

just my opinion. Still rate him and think he'll continue improving.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Saw him live against Chelsea in his first game and he showed he's got everything. Watched him since then and he's slowly but surely learning what's needed in this league. He's going to be fucking immense.

[Im_Spartacus]

Deffo improving but still looks ungainly/off balance with ball at his feet.

Really, what a strange observation. Can't you accept he is developing into what they bought him as, a top class defender

It's a very relevant observation, given that our previous most consistent defender over 3 seasons was not offered a new contract last year amidst criticism that regardless of his defensive merits, he can't pass the football.

So our response, appears to have been to go and spend £30m on a younger version of Lescott

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Deffo improving but still looks ungainly/off balance with ball at his feet.

Really, what a strange observation. Can't you accept he is developing into what they bought him as, a top class defender

It's a very relevant observation, given that our previous most consistent defender over 3 seasons was not offered a new contract last year amidst criticism that regardless of his defensive merits, he can't pass the football.

So our response, appears to have been to go and spend £30m on a younger version of Lescott

Completely disagree. I'll explain why tomorrow when I've sobered up.

[South Stand Balti]

Deffo improving but still looks ungainly/off balance with ball at his feet.

Really, what a strange observation. Can't you accept he is developing into what they bought him as, a top class defender

It's a very relevant observation, given that our previous most consistent defender over 3 seasons was not offered a new contract last year amidst criticism that regardless of his defensive merits, he can't pass the football.

So our response, appears to have been to go and spend £30m on a younger version of Lescott

That's a very interesting observation. He is quicker but similar. We did pay £23m for Joleon though and Mangala is young enough to become more reliable on the ball. But Joleon was top draw for me and "top of the league."

[craigmcfc]

Deffo improving but still looks ungainly/off balance with ball at his feet.

Really, what a strange observation. Can't you accept he is developing into what they bought him as, a top class defender

Not a strange observation at all, it's one that I mentioned during the game. He tried a clearance at one point with his right foot which looked like he'd never kicked a ball with it before. I also think his style is just a bit ungainly. But, just as the OP wrote, I see bags of potential and I'm extremely confident of him turning into a top defender for us for years to come.

[Beefymcfc]

..... developing .......

As I've mentioned elsewhere, the lad is growing on me, thankfully ;-)

[Ted Hughes]

He makes some fuckups in possession from time to time, as does Demi, & sometimes he attempts too much a gets dispossessed, but bad on the ball ?!

Imo, he is miles miles miles miles miles better than Kompany on the ball (as is Demichelis) & we pass the ball much better when they are together.

Vince has some quality moments on the ball, but just as many Joe Hart moments. His long passes are no better than Dunnie's. Mangala at times is like a midfield player.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

looks a great buy for me and Pellers did well to introduce him gradually into the team.I am sure he will prove to be one of the best in the league.

[Hazy2]

He is looking like a man who has needed games to get upto speed. Looks the real deal with years to develop into a star.

[sheblue]

He is just settling in nicely.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Deffo improving but still looks ungainly/off balance with ball at his feet.

Really, what a strange observation. Can't you accept he is developing into what they bought him as, a top class defender

It's a very relevant observation, given that our previous most consistent defender over 3 seasons was not offered a new contract last year amidst criticism that regardless of his defensive merits, he can't pass the football.

So our response, appears to have been to go and spend £30m on a younger version of Lescott

Completely disagree. I'll explain why tomorrow when I've sobered up.

Managala is certainly as good in the air as Lescott, which is saying something. But whereas Lescott was strong Managala is powerful, which means not only is he harder to turn but he can recover from his fuck-ups much better than Lescott as he's much quicker. His speed also allows us to play a high line with no great worry as and when required. His passing is better and he reads the game just as well as Lescott. He's still a rough diamond so it's hard to say if his fuck-ups are going to be a permanent feature of his game or not, but I for one see him becoming one of the outstanding central defenders in European football, given a fair wind.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Greatest compliment I can pay him os that for the 1st time ever I genuinely don't want Vinny rushing back from Injury. Not that I don't want him back, but that I don't feel we're lost without him at all.

[Ted Hughes]

Deffo improving but still looks ungainly/off balance with ball at his feet.

Really, what a strange observation. Can't you accept he is developing into what they bought him as, a top class defender

It's a very relevant observation, given that our previous most consistent defender over 3 seasons was not offered a new contract last year amidst criticism that regardless of his defensive merits, he can't pass the football.

So our response, appears to have been to go and spend £30m on a younger version of Lescott

Completely disagree. I'll explain why tomorrow when I've sobered up.

Managala is certainly as good in the air as Lescott, which is saying something. But whereas Lescott was strong Managala is powerful, which means not only is he harder to turn but he can recover from his fuck-ups much better than Lescott as he's much quicker. His speed also allows us to play a high line with no great worry as and when required. His passing is better and he reads the game just as well as Lescott. He's still a rough diamond so it's hard to say if his fuck-ups are going to be a permanent feature of his game or not, but I for one see him becoming one of the outstanding central defenders in European football, given a fair wind.

I don't think he reads it as well as Lescott yet, personally, I think that's where a lot of his problems have come from, but I agree with the rest.

He is the kind of player we have always lacked, going right back to Hughes' days. Kolo was supposed to be it, but unfortunately wasn't. Lescott was too slow & cumbersome to be ideal for the kind of team we are trying to be, but he was miles better than anything else available at City or in the Prem & got the best out of Vinny. Boateng looked like he could become that player but we very soon saw he is a great big fucking wuss (& still is).

Mangala has everything to actually be the player we hoped Boateng would become. And once he settles, we could have him doing it for more than ten years.

[blues2win]

Entirely agree Ted. What impressed me about his interview was that he goes through the match video in detail after every match to look at what he did right and wrong. He's clearly got a great hunger to improve and I'm sure he will but he's already a good player.

[Beefymcfc]

I miss Joleon.