Dameerto wrote:We've just got him an entire seasons worth of experience (including European games) in central defence. I read a quote that was attributed to him saying that Wilmots' instructions when he played for Belgium was 'do what you do at Celtic'. We would be crazy to play him anywhere other than central defence until he is used to the Premier League and the first team. He will have plenty of coving for the fullbacks to do under Pellegrini's system anyway.
Crazy because it's more difficult to play fullback ?
If Denayer can step straight into City's team as a cb, & play 20+ games, then there is no problem.
Imagine for a second, that we find he can't, & he gets caught out, or some purveyor of aerial bombardment like Pulis or LVG, decides to 'weigh on' him (as we used to say).
I think Denayer is one of the best prospects I've seen in world football. Notsure yet if that is cb in the Premier League, but here's what I'd do if I was a mid table team playing against City, with Denayer at cb. Get some big ugly Benteke type cunt to mark the other cb. Keep him occupied; follow him. Get two decent aerial players, preferably one other big ugly cunt, or a Fellaini super ugly cunt attacking Denayer's area on crosses.
I'm not a manager but I recon it's 50/50 that would finish him for the Prem this season. If I can see it, then proper managers should be able to. If he can cope with it, then he can probably play there every week & become our main cb. I'm not sure he can.
So let's imagine he struggles. So he becomes Boyata, sat watching & never playing.
Or, we could instead use him as cover for more than one position, in which case, I recon he will wipe the floor with Zaba & Sagna as right back. Then he plays & perhaps he gets used to the pace of the Prem, & the movement of our backline, & then moves across to cb, when we play vs more footballing/less aerial teams. I would also consider playing him at right back, or in front of the back 4 vs tough teams in the Champions League.
Not for his benefit, but for ours, as I believe he would do a better job.
The little pass Messi plays over our right back's head, 50 times per game, has to be a lot more accurate if Denayer is playing there, as he is 4 yards quicker, turns faster & more skillful at getting a foot to the ball.