Denayer, Iheanacho and Lopes to be promoted

[Im_Spartacus]

We need to get Denayer's contract renewed, he's only got 12 months left, according to transfermarkt.

One would expect then, that this will be the first big test of whether we can give a youngster the game time he needs to aid his development, and whether that game time is enough to satisfy the player that he is genuinely wanted. I'd be surprised if his agent advised him to sign up over the summer unless city make him an exceptionally good offer.

We need to offer him "an exceptionally good offer", because he seems an exceptional talent. Imo it would be criminal if he leaves like Milner on a free.

He can't leave on a free, but I know what you mean.

Unfortunately, Denayer holds the cards at the moment, and if Pellegrini doesn't play him as much as he feels appropriate, who could blame him for wanting to consider a move elsewhere? They would be queueing up across Europe to sign him on a pre-contract in January.

The positive way to spin it, is that in the years to come Mangala and Denayer will get better whilst MDM and Kompany decline, so his exposure would increase at a sensible pace for a player of his age. If his head's on his shoulders right, I just hope he makes the right decisions about his future.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Possibly one difference is that in the past the mistakes have not cost us points as often. We just scored more goals, so the mistakes are more easily overlooked.
Although it seems churlish to complain about our attacking efforts, with us being top scorers in the league, it certainly is the case that we lost some of our cutting edge.

Not churlish at all, we weren't good enough from an attacking pov, especially for a team with an attacking mindset.

Back on topic, why isn't Iheanacho starting for the Nigeria under20s? Is it just fitness issues?

[Ted Hughes]

Iheanacho is barely match fit & has also not trained with the team in the warm ups, so is not part of the team as such. Add to that the fact the coach apparently played him in midfield in the first game (which they lost to Brazil) & he hasn't played there for over a year.

The priority for the coach is winning & not Iheanacho, so he'll only pick him if he thinks it's the best option & the striker got a couple of goals last game, so he may not play him there even if he does get on.

Re Denayer, I think if City show him they are right behind him, he will sign, but he will probably want a good money, pro level contract, as that would be his status if he moved anywhere else.

[sheblue]

Iheanacho is barely match fit & has also not trained with the team in the warm ups, so is not part of the team as such. Add to that the fact the coach apparently played him in midfield in the first game (which they lost to Brazil) & he hasn't played there for over a year.

The priority for the coach is winning & not Iheanacho, so he'll only pick him if he thinks it's the best option & the striker got a couple of goals last game, so he may not play him there even if he does get on.

Re Denayer, I think if City show him they are right behind him, he will sign, but he will probably want a good money, pro level contract, as that would be his status if he moved anywhere else.

He seems to have had his fair share of injuries recently, hope its not an omen.

[Ted Hughes]

Iheanacho is barely match fit & has also not trained with the team in the warm ups, so is not part of the team as such. Add to that the fact the coach apparently played him in midfield in the first game (which they lost to Brazil) & he hasn't played there for over a year.

The priority for the coach is winning & not Iheanacho, so he'll only pick him if he thinks it's the best option & the striker got a couple of goals last game, so he may not play him there even if he does get on.

Re Denayer, I think if City show him they are right behind him, he will sign, but he will probably want a good money, pro level contract, as that would be his status if he moved anywhere else.

He seems to have had his fair share of injuries recently, hope its not an omen.

He's not injured, he has had to sit on his arse or just play training games for a whole year, due to not having a work permit. Then he picked up an injury just prior to becoming available & it recurred in his first game back. Now he's been back for a few games, just started to find his level & got on a plane to play with a team most of whom he hasn't seen for 12 months. Then played in a different position.

[Nigels Tackle]

poor lopes has hardly been mentioned at all....
not really seen anything of his time in france... do those that have think he's got what it takes to make an impact in our first team?

[Ted Hughes]

poor lopes has hardly been mentioned at all....
not really seen anything of his time in france... do those that have think he's got what it takes to make an impact in our first team?

His season fizzled out due to injuries & a red card. At one point he was Lille's best player by a distance. Two things; workrate without the ball plus linking up with Silva etc on the same wavelength.

If he achieves those two things then we will see him regularly imo. The ability is without question. We will find out very quickly pre season I think. If he's ready to play the passing game with Silva etc, he will be a revelation and he will score goals. He has a shot like a missile.

If he can't play that game pre season , he may be back out on loan. He has everything he needs to play for City ability wise, but has to show he has the sharpness of thought/decision making to go with it.

I think he will tear it up, but we'll see. If he starts running down blind alleys & losing the ball, then he'll be off.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

poor lopes has hardly been mentioned at all....
not really seen anything of his time in france... do those that have think he's got what it takes to make an impact in our first team?

Really good review of Lopes' here NT, taken from Twosips' blog

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.ie/20 ... w.html?m=1

We could do with another left footer in attack

[Nigels Tackle]

poor lopes has hardly been mentioned at all....
not really seen anything of his time in france... do those that have think he's got what it takes to make an impact in our first team?

Really good review of Lopes' here NT, taken from Twosips' blog

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.ie/20 ... w.html?m=1

We could do with another left footer in attack

thanks for that
a good read

[Wonderwall]

poor lopes has hardly been mentioned at all....
not really seen anything of his time in france... do those that have think he's got what it takes to make an impact in our first team?

as far as players go, this lad is the most exciting IMO, I love his touch and vision. He is the type of player I love to watch, he seems to have so much time on the ball and doesnt panic, just like our Merlin.

[Dameerto]

Whatever his issues are, it's not the style of football we're playing. Since you're making assumptions I'll join in - are you seriously telling me Kompany only had one decent game in Pellegrini's first season in charge?

The mistakes he has made have been more noticeable in the last year or two, where the mistakes often directly lead to goals or cards. It becomes even more noticeable when more specifically it seems to be an issue with his judgement being rash in trying to cut out a ball or stop an attack early particularly when defending whilst running towards goal. It doesn't matter how many good games he has, he can't win us a game on his own, but if we sling 10 points a season away through his errors he can directly drop points.

So either kompany is declining or the tactics are exposing a flaw which may be being exposed due to a physical issue. He was never before the high risk type, he was confident and cultured, but something is making him shit himself

Either way, we don't have the player we had in 2011

Or a third way, injury (injuries?) has/have affected his game both physically and mentally - when he finally started getting a few games back to back this season just gone he struck me as being angry, that's the overall impression I got of him - anger which I assumed was frustration at himself. He was rightly left out of the team when we started fielding a settled back four, and results completely justified it. I don't see it as a reason to give up on him though, he is worth another preseason/season to try and find the form he had.

[Ted Hughes]

I don't think any of the defenders look comfortable, not just Kompany. They have all dropped an absolute plethora of bollocks.

If folks think Demichelis & Mangala have been getting it right, they are watching a different game to me.

It's not just the cbs who have struggled, Joe Hart & the fullbacks have all come to pieces at different times & had periods of failure. Zabaleta is a complete joke at the moment.

The idea Kompany has been worse than everyone else is bollocks. The whole thing is a work in progress & as a team they have all struggled to get it right .

Honestly we were better when Kompany went off at the swamp & looked a nice solid unit ? Really ?

[PrezIke]

poor lopes has hardly been mentioned at all....
not really seen anything of his time in france... do those that have think he's got what it takes to make an impact in our first team?

Really good review of Lopes' here NT, taken from Twosips' blog

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.ie/20 ... w.html?m=1

We could do with another left footer in attack

That blog seems to be good reading, in general. Caught it recently and enjoyed the loan summaries of Denayer and Guidetti as well.

[Im_Spartacus]

Whatever his issues are, it's not the style of football we're playing. Since you're making assumptions I'll join in - are you seriously telling me Kompany only had one decent game in Pellegrini's first season in charge?

The mistakes he has made have been more noticeable in the last year or two, where the mistakes often directly lead to goals or cards. It becomes even more noticeable when more specifically it seems to be an issue with his judgement being rash in trying to cut out a ball or stop an attack early particularly when defending whilst running towards goal. It doesn't matter how many good games he has, he can't win us a game on his own, but if we sling 10 points a season away through his errors he can directly drop points.

So either kompany is declining or the tactics are exposing a flaw which may be being exposed due to a physical issue. He was never before the high risk type, he was confident and cultured, but something is making him shit himself

Either way, we don't have the player we had in 2011

Or a third way, injury (injuries?) has/have affected his game both physically and mentally - when he finally started getting a few games back to back this season just gone he struck me as being angry, that's the overall impression I got of him - anger which I assumed was frustration at himself. He was rightly left out of the team when we started fielding a settled back four, and results completely justified it. I don't see it as a reason to give up on him though, he is worth another preseason/season to try and find the form he had.

I personally expect injuries will be playing a part and that he is struggling to adapt his game as a result of a deterioration in his physical capabilities. For players who play on the edge, even a 1% drop in your physical abilities can be the difference between world class and mistiming tackles.

As it stands therefore it would appear that he is trying to write cheques his body can't cash, and those flaws are being exposed principally when teams counter against us, hence why I feel our tactics do expose him. Perhaps he is angry about this, he sure must be frustrated about being dropped. I feel it's likely to be a combination of factors, and I hope there is actually a reason, and that he hasn't just 'gone shit'

He needs to learn to adapt with age to his physical deterioration, and I'd like to think he can, but so far he is really struggling badly to do this. If he can't do it in the next 12 months, I'd say we would need to move him on if Denayer is the real deal, and this indeed may be the clubs plan, as I'm sure the sports scientists will know exactly what's going on with vince

[twosips]

poor lopes has hardly been mentioned at all....
not really seen anything of his time in france... do those that have think he's got what it takes to make an impact in our first team?

Really good review of Lopes' here NT, taken from Twosips' blog

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.ie/20 ... w.html?m=1

We could do with another left footer in attack

That blog seems to be good reading, in general. Caught it recently and enjoyed the loan summaries of Denayer and Guidetti as well.

Cheers you two!

[Ted Hughes]

Whatever his issues are, it's not the style of football we're playing. Since you're making assumptions I'll join in - are you seriously telling me Kompany only had one decent game in Pellegrini's first season in charge?

The mistakes he has made have been more noticeable in the last year or two, where the mistakes often directly lead to goals or cards. It becomes even more noticeable when more specifically it seems to be an issue with his judgement being rash in trying to cut out a ball or stop an attack early particularly when defending whilst running towards goal. It doesn't matter how many good games he has, he can't win us a game on his own, but if we sling 10 points a season away through his errors he can directly drop points.

So either kompany is declining or the tactics are exposing a flaw which may be being exposed due to a physical issue. He was never before the high risk type, he was confident and cultured, but something is making him shit himself

Either way, we don't have the player we had in 2011

Or a third way, injury (injuries?) has/have affected his game both physically and mentally - when he finally started getting a few games back to back this season just gone he struck me as being angry, that's the overall impression I got of him - anger which I assumed was frustration at himself. He was rightly left out of the team when we started fielding a settled back four, and results completely justified it. I don't see it as a reason to give up on him though, he is worth another preseason/season to try and find the form he had.

I personally expect injuries will be playing a part and that he is struggling to adapt his game as a result of a deterioration in his physical capabilities. For players who play on the edge, even a 1% drop in your physical abilities can be the difference between world class and mistiming tackles.

As it stands therefore it would appear that he is trying to write cheques his body can't cash, and those flaws are being exposed principally when teams counter against us, hence why I feel our tactics do expose him. Perhaps he is angry about this, he sure must be frustrated about being dropped. I feel it's likely to be a combination of factors, and I hope there is actually a reason, and that he hasn't just 'gone shit'

He needs to learn to adapt with age to his physical deterioration, and I'd like to think he can, but so far he is really struggling badly to do this. If he can't do it in the next 12 months, I'd say we would need to move him on if Denayer is the real deal, and this indeed may be the clubs plan, as I'm sure the sports scientists will know exactly what's going on with vince

Unless Konpany is forced out due to injury, he will be at City 5 years from now. As for him being replaced full time by a 19 year old kid who Belgium don't even trust to be in the back 4 when defending corners; this is absolutely not going to happen!

I can't believe some of the ideas on here at times. Denayer may get a run of games, yes, IF he can cope with the aerial stuff. But he's 19!

He's not going to be kicking the captain out of the club!

[blues2win]

Correct Ted but Vinny does need to shape up this season. He can't afford a repeat of last season. Same for Zaba.

[Ted Hughes]

Correct Ted but Vinny does need to shape up this season. He can't afford a repeat of last season. Same for Zaba.

Absolutely & if he doesn't hit form quickly then he shouldn't be first choice in the team, but that's a lot different than being sold & replaced by a kid who hasn't even kicked a ball in the Premier League.

Once again, the article I posted a while back with Keown interviewing Vieira gave a good indication how City view Vincent Kompany & how they see him in the future.

[Wonderwall]

Correct Ted but Vinny does need to shape up this season. He can't afford a repeat of last season. Same for Zaba.

Absolutely & if he doesn't hit form quickly then he shouldn't be first choice in the team, but that's a lot different than being sold & replaced by a kid who hasn't even kicked a ball in the Premier League.

Once again, the article I posted a while back with Keown interviewing Vieira gave a good indication how City view Vincent Kompany & how they see him in the future.

I agree in part Ted. However, things change quickly in this game and if Kompany shows no signs of returning to past glories, he will be discarded. Thats just the way it works and he knows it, so I am hoping for a reaction.

[DoomMerchant]

poor lopes has hardly been mentioned at all....
not really seen anything of his time in france... do those that have think he's got what it takes to make an impact in our first team?

as far as players go, this lad is the most exciting IMO, I love his touch and vision. He is the type of player I love to watch, he seems to have so much time on the ball and doesnt panic, just like our Merlin.

it seems in this day and age time on the ball without panic, and with a great sense of touch...is a really lacking set of qualities in my life, so i do share your predilection for those traits my friend.

Just relax, and "enjoy the ball" as they say. Come on.

cheers