Aymeric Laporte | Txiki doesn't forgive (except for when he does)

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Fer said:
So, if we sign Varane, Marquinhos, Manolas, Koulibaly or Mustafi, do you think they are going to struggle?

IMO Laporte is one of the best young CBs. Well, I prefer him over Stones. He is also good scoring goals, I think he scored 5 this season.
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Marquinhos wouldn't be great either, but the rest are much more physically equipt. We've seen already with Otamendi how good defenders in la liga can fair, it doesn't always translate well to England.

I am more concerned about the leg break TBH. that's a big confidence knock and he might not come back the same player.
 
Stability said:
Haha. A system that protects him more, and not with Kolarov next to him. Whoever plays at LCB for City with Kolarov next to them has an impossible job, I think people don't appreciate quite how poor Kolarov really is defensively!

Mangala is actually very good against certain types of players, essentially big strong physical strikers. He's always good against players like Costa, Lukaku, Ibra & the likes, yet struggles significantly with the smaller more skillful players (where I feel Otamendi is much better against). Like you said though he has his flaws, namely concentration for me, he can have a good game for 85 minutes then throw in a howler from nowhere. He has the physicality & if he can get his mentality sorted I can see him being a good defender, maybe not at the top level, but at a decent enough level.

Like I said though, I expect we'll sign Laporte & potentially Stones, meaning Mangala will be on the way out.
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Having to protect a center half with athleticism to spare is telling. Granted, a too adventurous fullback can expose any center half in an attacking 4-4-2, but I think the point stands. We aren't talking about a slow, canny veteran that really completes a back line.

It's how often he is caught without a clue of what he should be doing. He often freezes up and watches the defense breakdown. It's shocking how poor he is at solving the problems movement causes. He just doesn't have it between the ears. It's just not there. He makes Jones look just about ready. Mangala is a shocking player. I can absolutely see why they tried, but if they don't cut bait soon, it'll make me wonder what City are doing. They should be looking to move him on.

Those 85 minutes of concentration before a lapse are his better matches. A good half of the times I've seen him play he's all over the place far more than five minutes. He's I no man's land a ton, and that's damning for a player that can run plenty of strikers down.

Otamendi looks a little raw, but at least he is decisive and imposing. In the thick of it, a decent plan executed now is better than the better plan done tomorrow. Otamendi brings that.

City have the money and draw ro bring in someone like Laporte and shove Mangala to the fringe or out the door. It would be a real benefit to United if City continues to count on Mangala in any fashion.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Marquinhos wouldn't be great either, but the rest are much more physically equipt. We've seen already with Otamendi how good defenders in la liga can fair, it doesn't always translate well to England.

I am more concerned about the leg break TBH. that's a big confidence knock and he might not come back the same player.
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That's a good point. Also, I think Blind has similar characteristics to Laporte (just slower and 10cm shorter).

I think we will end up overpaying for Stones. But I hope he can improve under Mourinho.

I agree with you about the broken leg being a bigger concern. We are in a similar scenario with Shaw. We are assuming that we will be the same after that, but we need to wait and see. Hopefully we can return even better.
 
ManUchosenbosslvg said:
Bit like Sakho they have the tools to be a very dominant centre back but seem prone to lapses of concentration leading to mistakes.

I can see why we were competing with City for Mangala though, even if it hasn't worked out great for him.
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I'd say Sakho is a better center half than Mangala--almost good enough for a 5th place contender. Mangala is more athletic but Sakho is no slouch. Sakho has a better sense of the big picture and how to be proactive. That's a key difference that puts them on different levels for me.

Mangala might come good, but he needs to play more than a top four tram could afford to risk. A loan to West Brom or Sunderland would do him wonders. Something like that could push him up or beyond Sakho's level.
 
City bound or not, he's a great player and would love United to be in for him. Not sure if I buy the 'major injury' excuse we're faffing with because we dont want to seem bothered if he end up in City, if a few months of injury is all it takes to end a player, we would hardly see any great players these days.
 
Burrow said:
City bound or not, he's a great player and would love United to be in for him. Not sure if I buy the 'major injury' excuse we're faffing with because we dont want to seem bothered if he end up in City, if a few months of injury is all it takes to end a player, we would hardly see any great players these days.
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I think all the faffing around about who our manager would be has shot us in the foot. We should have been in for him, but not knowing what was happened has allowed City to get in. I would have got him last season instead of having to use Blind at CB, so losing a midfield option in the process.
 
Knowing guardiola he will play laporte in midfield and gundogan in defence.
 
@Distracted Steward Disagree with your views on both Managala and Otamendi.

Otamendi has been an absolutely woeful defender since the day he signed for City. His eagerness to go to ground is one of the most frustrating things to watch. His timing in a tackle is horrendous and because he rushes out so often he's consistently left out of position. It causes is all kinds of problems on a weekly basis.

Managala on the other hand is not a bad defender at all, and has actually started turning in some very solid and mature performances. He has all the attributes you'd want, and is comfortably a better defender than Otamendi on this seasons viewing. His biggest weakness by far is his inability to play football with the ball at his feet, which could be a big problem in a Pep system. If he does leave, he will make a fine defender somewhere, much like Savic has gone on to do as well.
 
salford_ said:
If i was Pep seeing the injuries I'd have thrown about £30m to Madrid for Kroos, test the water. Far better than Gundogan and less injury prone. For CB, I think i would have gone for Godin
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Kroos is not far better than Gundogan at all.

I think Pep could get the best out of Otamendi.
 
Manchester Dan said:
@Distracted Steward Disagree with your views on both Managala and Otamendi.

Otamendi has been an absolutely woeful defender since the day he signed for City. His eagerness to go to ground is one of the most frustrating things to watch. His timing in a tackle is horrendous and because he rushes out so often he's consistently left out of position. It causes is all kinds of problems on a weekly basis.

Managala on the other hand is not a bad defender at all, and has actually started turning in some very solid and mature performances. He has all the attributes you'd want, and is comfortably a better defender than Otamendi on this seasons viewing. His biggest weakness by far is his inability to play football with the ball at his feet, which could be a big problem in a Pep system. If he does leave, he will make a fine defender somewhere, much like Savic has gone on to do as well.
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Good to hear your view. I've liked your posts, and you bring a City perspective.

I imagine Otamendi has been palatably disappointing. City needed a quality center half to replace Demachelis, especially with Kompany's trouble staying fit. Otamendi really hasn't been at that level. He's been rash and poor. He defends rather individually. Still, I think he's been far better than Mangala for the reasons I stated earlier. Do you honestly disagree with that or do you think that's the disappointment with Otamendi creeping in?

When did Mangala start playing well in your view?
 
Distracted Steward said:
Having to protect a center half with athleticism to spare is telling. Granted, a too adventurous fullback can expose any center half in an attacking 4-4-2, but I think the point stands. We aren't talking about a slow, canny veteran that really completes a back line.

It's how often he is caught without a clue of what he should be doing. He often freezes up and watches the defense breakdown. It's shocking how poor he is at solving the problems movement causes. He just doesn't have it between the ears. It's just not there. He makes Jones look just about ready. Mangala is a shocking player. I can absolutely see why they tried, but if they don't cut bait soon, it'll make me wonder what City are doing. They should be looking to move him on.

Those 85 minutes of concentration before a lapse are his better matches. A good half of the times I've seen him play he's all over the place far more than five minutes. He's I no man's land a ton, and that's damning for a player that can run plenty of strikers down.

Otamendi looks a little raw, but at least he is decisive and imposing. In the thick of it, a decent plan executed now is better than the better plan done tomorrow. Otamendi brings that.

City have the money and draw ro bring in someone like Laporte and shove Mangala to the fringe or out the door. It would be a real benefit to United if City continues to count on Mangala in any fashion.
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Guess we'll see how he does in the future, I see potential, but agree he's not near the level required yet.

As I said though, if City get Laporte & Stones it'll be Demichelis & Mangala leaving. Even if we only get Laporte it'll be Kompany, Otamendi & Laporte ahead of him in the pecking order, that's without Denayer in the equation also.

But we'll leave it at that, don't want to derail the thread into a debate on Mangala :wenger:
 
I think he stays at Bilbao. Would make sense with City turning their attention to Stones.
 
Rumours of some news tonight at 10pm on Tele Bilbao or something, apparently theres strong talk he is staying

EDIT: He is staying, signed new deal. Well, some City fans look silly now dont they. And their ITK have AGAIN been found out to be full of sh1t.
 
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salford_ said:
Rumours of some news tonight at 10pm on Tele Bilbao or something, apparently theres strong talk he is staying
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That would probably mean that they will be desperate to get Stones. Everton could get a huge fee if they play it right.
 
Didn't see that coming - tho signing an injured player did seem weird for City
 
Wow, that's really being taken off the market

I'm surprised tbh but his injury I'm guessing was a factor. Extending him at a higher transfer fee ensures the club gets top dollar for, presumably, a rehabilitated player rather than a discounted one for an injured player

There aren't a lot of left footed central defenders with his profile so on one hand I would've been curious how he could've developed under Guardiola but on the other I'm happy he stays in Spain. Hope the Umtiti rumours pan out else Aymeric would've been the logical alternative
 
I expected that and I'm pleased, he will comeback peacefully.
 
Would have been stupid to move. Trying to comeback from a broken ankle at a new club in he most physical league. While at the same time trying to justify a €50m fee and competing with a host of other CBs. Would be madness.
 
As much as I am happy that this probably means he's not going to City, it's also extremely stupid of him to sign a contract with that release clause. Any other club in Spain and you could possibly negotiate, but not with Athletic. Fair play to them though.
 
Doesn't necessarily mean he won't leave. Maybe he's just letting them get a fair amount of money for him.
 
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