De Jong

[Alex Sapphire]

In fact, maybe he read this thread and thought "Yeah, I was shit in Derby and need to start working for this team". Who knows?

yeah that'll be it. You saved his career and for that we can all be thankful.


;)

[john@staustell]

I think any percieved problem with Nigel was due to the formation/interaction with firstly Kompany and then Barry. At my very humble level I used to play midfield in a 433, sort of box to box player. If the wise boss decided we needed to go 442 it sort of put me off my game. Instead of charging about commanding everything you start to think, maybe subconciously, that your mate is covering that bit. Nigel always used to pass to Komps, end of story.

Nigel now seems to have command of it, and I'm sure they have worked out those problems in whatever way, and we are reaping the benefit.

[Original Dub]

De Jong is the least gutless and spineless player that I have watched in a blue shirt. The lad is a warrior. I think Essien would agree judging by his avoidance of two 50:50s with the Dutchman

I wish he had showed that spirit in second half of the Derby instead of watching the game pass him by. Just for the record, I would've much preferred game winning performance from him against Rags than Chelsea although I'm obviously delighted he has turned his game around.

In fact, maybe he read this thread and thought "Yeah, I was shit in Derby and need to start working for this team". Who knows?

HE WASN'T SHIT IN THE DERBY!!!!

FOR FUCK SAKE MAN THAT IS WHY FOLK ARE BRINGING THIS THREAD UP - BECAUSE YOU STILL STICK BY YOUR ORIGINAL VIEW!!!

De Jong was one of our best players in the first half of the derby and for most of the second half United were parked in our half and we couldn't turn the game into a midfield battle because were camped around our box!

There's always folk that get onto a holding mid's back whenever a game doesn't go according to plan and I think a lot of the time its completely unwarrented.

Like all the dippers calling Mascherano "useless" lately - purely because their gameplan isn't working and they haven't got the right blend anymore. He was an extremely important player for them last season and that's because they had leads to hold onto.

Someone else said in this thread De jong's first good game for us was Saturday?!!

I fucking Despair sometimes.

[Socrates]

De Jong is the least gutless and spineless player that I have watched in a blue shirt. The lad is a warrior. I think Essien would agree judging by his avoidance of two 50:50s with the Dutchman

I wish he had showed that spirit in second half of the Derby instead of watching the game pass him by. Just for the record, I would've much preferred game winning performance from him against Rags than Chelsea although I'm obviously delighted he has turned his game around.

In fact, maybe he read this thread and thought "Yeah, I was shit in Derby and need to start working for this team". Who knows?

I'm delighted that Hughes has changed his role so that he has stopped getting in the way!

[Goataldo]

Wow. Can't believe I've trawled through this whole thread, but most of it was quite entertaining, and some of it even insightful, so cheers!

Seems to me a player needs time to be judged, and in NdJ's case, he appears to be getting better and better as time goes on. Adapting to a different club can be hard, never mind a different league, country, culture etc. If there was a graph of his overall progress at City, I'm confident it would be going in the right direction. As is the club.

We're all too quick to judge on occasion, in terms of players and fellow posters. Anyone who disagrees can f*ck off and die btw. Sorry I was getting a bit zen there and needed more balance. Christ, I did it again.

Anyway; slightly off topic - someone asked in page 8 (I think), whether or not we had a song for him yet. Currently it appears the only song for him is to repeat DE JONG, DE JONG, DEJONGDEJONGDEJONG at an unpronouncable pace.

Just read a good suggestion from MAncOnline though:

"Breaking legs in the hot sun, he fought De Jong and De Jong won, he fought De Jong and De Jong won.
He used to have two legs but now he's got one, he fought De Jong and De Jong won, he fought De Jong and De Jong won......all I want now is to be able to replace the word 'he' with the word 'Neville'! Roll on Jan 6th!
The Original Blue John, London
8/12/2009 "

to the the tune of I Fought The Law, obviously.

[Beefymcfc]

NQDP (or amyone who cares to answer), I keep reading posts on how shit Nigel was in the 2nd half of the Derby match and how you keep reverting back to this point and although I respect your opinion, I do disagree.

This is not a swipe at you or any who had those thoughts, and won't be thrown back in your face. So, I'd like to know, 'Who would you now choose in that role, Nigel or Zab; or do you have another?'.

[mcfc1632]

NQDP (or amyone who cares to answer), I keep reading posts on how shit Nigel was in the 2nd half of the Derby match and how you keep reverting back to this point and although I respect your opinion, I do disagree.

This is not a swipe at you or any who had those thoughts, and won't be thrown back in your face. So, I'd like to know, 'Who would you now choose in that role, Nigel or Zab; or do you have another?'.

But Beefy - you have probably already previously answered your question - you know there is no choice between Zab (who I love) and Nige - and you know that anyone criticising Nige must privately be biting their tongue, facts are:

Nigel joined us with an injury - bedded in still quickly - and became increasingly impressive

He is now immense in his impact that is obvious for anyone objective - he is becoming the 1st name on the sheet for certain fixtures where the DM role is important and if any other DM in the PL is considered equal / better it is by margins

In the derby he was clearly one of our better players in the first half and no worse than the vast majority of our players in the 2nd half when when the team allowed itself to be overrun - seemed a bit OTT to single him out in those circumstances

To be fair to NQDP he did make a comment (I seem to recall) saying something along the lines of ...it was heat of the moment... and of course it would have been better to restate this rather than try and restate the opinion - but he would not be the first to find it hard to just 'hold their hands up'

More importantly for me is that this thread should be a wholehearted recognition of just a) how good Nige is and b) fair play to Hughes for getting him and recognising the talent - it is easy to say well - easy spot given he is a main Holland player - but many on here did not appreciate how good a signing he was - I said at the time that (following our period of winning things) I thought we might look back and identify him as being the key signing

All top teams need such a rock - be perfect if he could just add a bit of Essien style shooting from range - but I am happy with the cover he gives the defence

[Goataldo]

NQDP (or amyone who cares to answer), I keep reading posts on how shit Nigel was in the 2nd half of the Derby match and how you keep reverting back to this point and although I respect your opinion, I do disagree.

This is not a swipe at you or any who had those thoughts, and won't be thrown back in your face. So, I'd like to know, 'Who would you now choose in that role, Nigel or Zab; or do you have another?'.

I reckon Vinnie is the best contender in that defensive enforcer role. Disciplined, hard, and able to help set up a counter with some intelligent passing. Apart from NdJ that is. From DH's training reports it sounds like there's more to come from NdJ in terms of attacking play, so I reckon he'll get better and better.

[mcfc1632]

".....That De Jong is a beast. Fantastic player. Battling Drogba and co, who are twice his size, very well....."

From scouse1 fans watching the game

[Beefymcfc]

Thanks 1630 something and USD for answering, and by your posts and most of the current posts, it is quite obvious that Nigel is doing the business and has made his name one of the first on the team sheet. The original precis of this thread was that Nigel was shit in the second half of the Scum game (debated to death) and that Zab should be in before him. It is good that he has proved himself, and Hughes to be correct in his selection, which now means that this little debate can now be put to bed, only to be raised in extreme circumstances and not used to belittle people on past thoughts.

Nigel has proved himself to be an excellent acquisition and definately worthy of the nickname 'de Schlong' (which nobody should ever use by the way), and hopefully will go on to write his name into the 'City Legends' book when he lifts the Prem title! Only a matter of time..................isn't it!?!

[ronk]

Thanks 1630 something and USD for answering, and by your posts and most of the current posts, it is quite obvious that Nigel is doing the business and has made his name one of the first on the team sheet. The original precis of this thread was that Nigel was shit in the second half of the Scum game (debated to death) and that Zab should be in before him. It is good that he has proved himself, and Hughes to be correct in his selection, which now means that this little debate can now be put to bed, only to be raised in extreme circumstances and not used to belittle people on past thoughts.

Nigel has proved himself to be an excellent acquisition and definately worthy of the nickname 'de Schlong' (which nobody should ever use by the way), and hopefully will go on to write his name into the 'City Legends' book when he lifts the Prem title! Only a matter of time..................isn't it!?!

Without in any way criticising de Jong, who's excellent, I wouldn't have him as first on the team sheet. He does an excellent job for us but let's not forget that we just beat Arsenal 3-0 without him (I know he wasn't on the bench either). There will be days when we want a different balance to the midfield and he'll end up on the bench. In saying that, I do expect him to grow into a more all around role as the team settles, especially with Ireland dropping deeper on occasion to help out.

[Socrates]

NQDP (or amyone who cares to answer), I keep reading posts on how shit Nigel was in the 2nd half of the Derby match and how you keep reverting back to this point and although I respect your opinion, I do disagree.

This is not a swipe at you or any who had those thoughts, and won't be thrown back in your face. So, I'd like to know, 'Who would you now choose in that role, Nigel or Zab; or do you have another?'.

I'll answer. The role he was playing prior to the Chelsea game as 5th defender? NOBODY. The role he played v Chelsea as hard tackling box to boxer - De Jong. More of this please LMH. Have the courage and when things do go wrong, and they will at some point, don't revert to playing 8 defenders!

[ant london]

Without in any way criticising de Jong, who's excellent, I wouldn't have him as first on the team sheet. He does an excellent job for us but let's not forget that we just beat Arsenal 3-0 without him (I know he wasn't on the bench either). There will be days when we want a different balance to the midfield and he'll end up on the bench. In saying that, I do expect him to grow into a more all around role as the team settles, especially with Ireland dropping deeper on occasion to help out.

I agree with that Ronk

As impressively monstrous as he has been lately. There are some games where I don't think we really need that shield that he provides

Specifically, if we were playing the 4-3-3 that I would like to see at some point, there is no place for him there in terms of offering the dynamism with the ball that the three midfielders could offer going forward

-----------------------------given-------------------------------
richards----------toure--------------lescott------------bridge
ireland--------------------johnson-----------------------barry
tevez---------------------adebayor--------------------robinho


He's great though, I thought so from the off. Can we not just have a thread actually talking about Nigel now rather than dredging up old bollocks and negativity towards posters?? (irrespective of whether we disagree with what they had to say at the time)

There's an interesting bit of comment in today's Times about him actually

Nigel De Jong pivotal to Manchester City's future

James Ducker

There were a few laughs when it was put to Mark Hughes after Manchester City’s 2-1 win at home to Chelsea that it was better the club had missed out on Kaka in January rather than Nigel de Jong, but it was a valid point.


(is that the one we nearly got instead on his arse??)

Kaka would undoubtedly improve City no end but he was the wrong player at the wrong time. City’s attempts to sign the Brazil forward were equivalent to a chef trying to put a cherry on top of a cake he had still to bake.

A year or two down the line, a player in the Kaka mould may well be the right signing for City, but the building blocks needed to be put in place first and De Jong was just the kind of player the club needed at that stage of their development. Chelsea’s midfield players will not dispute that.

It takes a lot to quieten a midfield as imposing and inventive as Chelsea’s, but Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and Frank Lampard were clearly uncomfortable having the combative Holland midfield player snapping at their heels. It was the kind of performance Claude Makelele used to produce on a regular basis for Chelsea and Real Madrid.

If City are to finish in the top four this season, they will need De Jong to maintain that high standard and continue to offer the defence a protective shield. On Saturday’s evidence, it is well within his capabilities.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

NQDP (or amyone who cares to answer), I keep reading posts on how shit Nigel was in the 2nd half of the Derby match and how you keep reverting back to this point and although I respect your opinion, I do disagree.

This is not a swipe at you or any who had those thoughts, and won't be thrown back in your face. So, I'd like to know, 'Who would you now choose in that role, Nigel or Zab; or do you have another?'.

I agree with Socrates. The whole system of basically having five defenders is poor thinking. Especially as you know that if you start backtracking against Rags thery will punish you. Without exception. Always.

I wouldn't have replaced at halftime but 15 minutes into second half it was clear that he had completely lost midfield battle and raised his hands up. I mean, Andersson and Fletcher were running rings around him for whole 45 mins. At this stage changes needed to be made. Personally I would've thrown Petrov in to stretch their defence. Hughes did that twenty minutes too late and they had already put us under enormous pressure for which we eventually paid.


I stand by my opinion that anyone who claims otherwise, simply weren't watching the game. If you are unsure I'd suggest you watch the game again. I have done that, twice now and I stand by my original opinion (although I should have worded it better).

[Original Dub]

NQDP (or amyone who cares to answer), I keep reading posts on how shit Nigel was in the 2nd half of the Derby match and how you keep reverting back to this point and although I respect your opinion, I do disagree.

This is not a swipe at you or any who had those thoughts, and won't be thrown back in your face. So, I'd like to know, 'Who would you now choose in that role, Nigel or Zab; or do you have another?'.

I agree with Socrates. The whole system of basically having five defenders is poor thinking. Especially as you know that if you start backtracking against Rags thery will punish you. Without exception. Always.

I wouldn't have replaced at halftime but 15 minutes into second half it was clear that he had completely lost midfield battle and raised his hands up. I mean, Andersson and Fletcher were running rings around him for whole 45 mins. At this stage changes needed to be made. Personally I would've thrown Petrov in to stretch their defence. Hughes did that twenty minutes too late and they had already put us under enormous pressure for which we eventually paid.


I stand by my opinion that anyone who claims otherwise, simply weren't watching the game. If you are unsure I'd suggest you watch the game again. I have done that, twice now and I stand by my original opinion (although I should have worded it better).

No mate, now you're saying that its Hughes' fault for the system he deployed De Jong in. If you had thought that at the time, you would have vented your anger at the manager and not the player.

To try and tell everyone else that it was you who read the game right and the rest of us "didn't watch it" is farcical.

You were very very wrong in what you said in the OP. You got it badly wrong and not only are you back tracking and now saying that its Hughes who was to blame, but that we're all wrong and you're right.

Give over will you and just admit you got it wrong. The rest of the class is laughing at you.

[Hazy]

NQDP (or amyone who cares to answer), I keep reading posts on how shit Nigel was in the 2nd half of the Derby match and how you keep reverting back to this point and although I respect your opinion, I do disagree.

This is not a swipe at you or any who had those thoughts, and won't be thrown back in your face. So, I'd like to know, 'Who would you now choose in that role, Nigel or Zab; or do you have another?'.

I agree with Socrates. The whole system of basically having five defenders is poor thinking. Especially as you know that if you start backtracking against Rags thery will punish you. Without exception. Always.

I wouldn't have replaced at halftime but 15 minutes into second half it was clear that he had completely lost midfield battle and raised his hands up. I mean, Andersson and Fletcher were running rings around him for whole 45 mins. At this stage changes needed to be made. Personally I would've thrown Petrov in to stretch their defence. Hughes did that twenty minutes too late and they had already put us under enormous pressure for which we eventually paid.


I stand by my opinion that anyone who claims otherwise, simply weren't watching the game. If you are unsure I'd suggest you watch the game again. I have done that, twice now and I stand by my original opinion (although I should have worded it better).

No mate, now you're saying that its Hughes' fault for the system he deployed De Jong in. If you had thought that at the time, you would have vented your anger at the manager and not the player.

To try and tell everyone else that it was you who read the game right and the rest of us "didn't watch it" is farcical.

You were very very wrong in what you said in the OP. You got it badly wrong and not only are you back tracking and now saying that its Hughes who was to blame, but that we're all wrong and you're right.

Give over will you and just admit you got it wrong. The rest of the class is laughing at you.

Been thinking about an answer to this complete pile of bollocks. And yes I have been laughing, but we all post nonsense at the end of the day, I mean I was there and saw a master class from Giggs and Owen to win the game.

[Original Dub]

NQDP (or amyone who cares to answer), I keep reading posts on how shit Nigel was in the 2nd half of the Derby match and how you keep reverting back to this point and although I respect your opinion, I do disagree.

This is not a swipe at you or any who had those thoughts, and won't be thrown back in your face. So, I'd like to know, 'Who would you now choose in that role, Nigel or Zab; or do you have another?'.

I agree with Socrates. The whole system of basically having five defenders is poor thinking. Especially as you know that if you start backtracking against Rags thery will punish you. Without exception. Always.

I wouldn't have replaced at halftime but 15 minutes into second half it was clear that he had completely lost midfield battle and raised his hands up. I mean, Andersson and Fletcher were running rings around him for whole 45 mins. At this stage changes needed to be made. Personally I would've thrown Petrov in to stretch their defence. Hughes did that twenty minutes too late and they had already put us under enormous pressure for which we eventually paid.


I stand by my opinion that anyone who claims otherwise, simply weren't watching the game. If you are unsure I'd suggest you watch the game again. I have done that, twice now and I stand by my original opinion (although I should have worded it better).

No mate, now you're saying that its Hughes' fault for the system he deployed De Jong in. If you had thought that at the time, you would have vented your anger at the manager and not the player.

To try and tell everyone else that it was you who read the game right and the rest of us "didn't watch it" is farcical.

You were very very wrong in what you said in the OP. You got it badly wrong and not only are you back tracking and now saying that its Hughes who was to blame, but that we're all wrong and you're right.

Give over will you and just admit you got it wrong. The rest of the class is laughing at you.

Been thinking about an answer to this complete pile of bollocks. And yes I have been laughing, but we all post nonsense at the end of the day, I mean I was there and saw a master class from Giggs and Owen to win the game.

Yes we do all post nonsense at the time and I actually came into this thread to say I thought it was ridiculous to be giving NQDP stick for saying something completely foolish in the heat of the moment... but the this is hardly the heat of the moment and I refuse to be accused of not watching the match because he wants to stick by these crazy crazy comments.

[Hazy]

He is a good lad just knows nothing about football he just thinks he does which is fair enough we are all guilty of that.Well were not actually but heyho.

[john@staustell]

Fella of Dutch descent I know (and a Forest fan) was raving about Nigel when we signed him. Told me we had captured an absolutely terrific player.

We are starting to see that and you cant underestimate how hard it is to come into the Premier from one of the more pedestrian leagues. And DeJ has a huge appetite for training and learning.

[Hazy]

The thing is supporting is all about banter and having a laugh on here it is devoid of craic and understanding OF the person who comments, In the car to Bolton on Saturday it will be a laugh on the way, on the way back if we win the same , if we lose full blown row, calling each other EFFING clueless and worse, you just accept it and if you drop a bollock of a comment you are soon told, me I blamed Micah for that goal when you see it again the pass is genius from Giggs, hats off top pass super cool finish as SWP reacts a split second late. Speaking with a rag after the match and seeing it in the pub he was spot on pass of the season from Giggs.