End of Season Player Ratings...

by blueboy Sun May 22, 2016 11:38 am

Goalkeepers

Willy Caballero - 6 just for his C1C exploits
Joe Hart - 7 some errors, but some wonderful saves
Richard Wright - pointless waste of money

Defenders

Nicolas Otamendi - 6 still a liability, but has had some good games
Gael Clichy - 7 been one of the better performers this season
Martin Demichelis - 3 total waste of an EDS players position
Jason Denayer - should have been in the squad from the start
Aleksandar Kolarov - 4 poor, simple as. Can't defend to save his life
Vincent Kompany - 4 awful season to forget
Eliaquim Mangala - 6 made some great tackles, still think he could be an 8 under another manager. Passing needs to improve
Bacary Sagna - 7 see Clichy
Pablo Zabaleta - 5 looking his age now

Midfielders

Fabian Delph - 5 got chances, but got injured
Fernando Francisco Reges - 6 had some great games, got better as the season progressed
Fernandinho Luiz Roza - 8 had an excellent season
Samir Nasri - can't really score him
Jesus Navas - 6 worked hard for the team, but absolutely no end product
David Silva - 6 not the merlin of the seasons before
Kevin De Bruyne - 8 wonderful first season
Raheem Sterling - 6 good in Europe, average in the PL
Patrick Roberts - shame he didn't get more chances
Yaya Toure - 4 abysmal effort and attitude, simple as
Bruno Zuculini - ???

Strikers

Sergio Aguero - 7 top scorer again, looked knackered by the last game
Wilfried Bony - 3 awful signing
Edin Dzeko*
Kelechi Iheanacho - 7 scored some very important goals - still got a lot to learn though
Stevan Jovetic*

Management

Manuel Pellegrini - 6 won a trophy, got to the semi's of the CL, showed little faith in the EDS when supposed big players were letting him down. Too slow to make tactical changes. 3 years, 3 trophies, guess he done his best, but his best wasn't good enough. Great first season, poor last one.

by blueboy Sun May 22, 2016 11:43 am

Team for next season: It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Pep kept Sagna and Clichy for next season, but bring in 2 new CB's. He can't change the whole team, so he may decide to make some tweaks at CB and both Clichy and Sagna have had good seasons.

I think the MF is where all the big changes will be made.

Hart
Sagna, ?, ?, Clichy
?, Fernandinho, ?
Sterling/?, Aguero, KDB

4 or maybe 5 changes.

Hart
Sagna, Stones, Laporte, Clichy
Gundogan, Fernandinho, Pogba
Sterling, Aguero, KDB

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 12:07 pm

I honestly can't see Peppy starting with Sterling if he's sniffing around Mane and Kroos. He could play Fernandinho as a CB to start the season to accommodate his new midfielders.

I can see him buying two new FBs, young with quality. He can integrate them into the team over the first few months. The Euros are going to spoil the pre season with the final on 10th July. The Pl season starts again on 13th August. Rather than get a good 6 weeks with the players, he'll get about 2-3.

Copa America finishes in June so some players will have a little rest.

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 12:10 pm

I think Harty deserves a bit more than 7. 7.5-8 for me as he has saved our biffa countless times. Distribution is poor and may end costing him his place.

I'd give Kompany more than 4. it's his body's fault that he's had a stop start season. When fit, he was good.

I liked what I saw from Nasri in the few games he played. He gave us some much needed control in the final 3rd, has an eye for a pass and can score the odd goal or two.

The others, I pretty much agree on.

I wouldn't give Pellegrini more than 5 and, even then, I think I'm being a little generous.

by blueboy Sun May 22, 2016 12:13 pm

Thing is Dawg, if he brings in Mane, who let's face it, looks raw himself, what's the point of Sterling?

Pep may be able to get the best out of Sterling...I really can't see Sterling being a bench warmer for £44m.

I put Pogba in, but can't really see us getting him, maybe Kroos instead.

by blueboy Sun May 22, 2016 12:15 pm

Topdawg wrote:I think Harty deserves a bit more than 7. 7.5-8 for me as he has saved our biffa countless times. Distribution is poor and may end costing him his place.

I'd give Kompany more than 4. it's his body's fault that he's had a stop start season. When fit, he was good.

I liked what I saw from Nasri in the few games he played. He gave us some much needed control in the final 3rd, has an eye for a pass and can score the odd goal or two.

The others, I pretty much agree on.

I wouldn't give Pellegrini more than 5 and, even then, I think I'm being a little generous.

Think Hart has also made some awful gaffs as well this season, but would you put him on a par with Fernandinho and KDB? I guess so.

Nasri is a hard one - he hardly played.

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 12:16 pm

I agree about Sane and Sterling. Only one will start so they'll both have to work their socks off to make sure it's them. Which is good news for City. If Sterling doesn't cut the mustard, so be it. Dog eat dog time. Step up or step out.

I don't think Pogba will come either and Kroos looks a more likely option.

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 12:17 pm

If you were to pick our most important players this season, Fernandinho and Kev stand out, but I think Hart is up there and Sergio not far behind.

by blueboy Sun May 22, 2016 12:19 pm

Thing is...we know on his day, Sterling can be brilliant in the PL, with Sane we don't.

He'd also cost another £40m+ for an unproven PL player.

I guess if we sell Dzeko/Jovetic and Bony, he won't be too much of a risk....I'd personally rather spend £40m on Morata.

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 12:26 pm

It's a toss up between potential (which is proving expensive these days) and proven good players. I'd like a foot in each camp. Get in some proven players like Kroos, Sanchez maybe and some potential like Stones, Sane etc.

I want us to get players with a point to prove. Players who play for the love of the game and the desire to push themselves and be the best they can be and win trophies.

Leicester are a good example of players with points to prove.

by TMG Sun May 22, 2016 12:45 pm

Butchered yours a little bit Bluey but here are my ratings

GOALKEEPERS

Willy Caballero - 6 just for his C1C exploits but absolutely dreadful in the FA Cup
Joe Hart - 9 Best in England by far and one of the best in the world. But for him we'd have finished further down the table
Richard Wright - pointless waste of money

DEFENDERS

Nicolas Otamendi - 6 Has a propensity to dive in but I think under another manager with some defensive knowledge he could come good
Gael Clichy - 7 He is OK Pretty reliable & solid but we should have someone far better
Martin Demichelis - 3 total waste of a wage & EDS players position
Jason Denayer - should have been in the squad from the start
Aleksandar Kolarov - 4 poor, simple as. Should rebrand as a MF as shit defender
Vincent Kompany - 4 I've never known anyone to have so many comebacks and injuries in a season. just ridiculous.When fit we are a different defensive unit
Eliaquim Mangala - 6 Seems to switch off at times but otherwise same as Otamendi
Bacary Sagna - 7 see Clichy
Pablo Zabaleta - 5 Not had much of a look in but is past his best
MIDFIELDERS

Fabian Delph - 5 OK as a back up, LC games, sub etc.. but never gonna make it at City with the others around him and probable buys in the summer
Fernando Francisco Reges - 7 One of the positives for me With his twin made an excellent solid MF especially in CL. Shame they often had to do the work of another so called MF as well as their own !
Fernandinho Luiz Roza - Him and KdB were our 2 best players
Samir Nasri - can't really score him
Jesus Navas - 5 1 goal is just pathetic for a striker/winger which would be fine if he made 20 goals but he cant do that either so has to go. Just about every winger in the PL has better stats
David Silva - 6 Poor by his standards but I think he has been carrying injuries for most of the season. Hopefully he wont play too much for Spain
Kevin De Bruyne - 9 wonderful first season
Raheem Sterling - 5 Very disappointing for me. Runs into players too much. But he's young and I think he will shine under Pep
Patrick Roberts - shame he didn't get more chances
Yaya Toure - 2 Piss poor before he knew Pep was coming. Even worse afterwards. Thank fuck he will be going
Bruno Zuculini - ???

STRIKERS

Sergio Aguero - 7 top scorer again, looked knackered by the last game
Wilfried Bony - 3 Where was the hardworking striker who played at Swansea. Dreadful for us but not helped by our inability to cross to the big man which is what Swansea managed
Edin Dzeko* He was actually twice the player Bony is
Kelechi Iheanacho - 7 Great season, fabulous prospect and should have been used more
Stevan Jovetic*

MANAGEMENT

Manuel Pellegrini - 6 won the Carling Cup thanks to Big Willy, SF of CL is no mean feat but then seemed relatively happy to lose to 'the mighty' RM by 1-0
Too slow to make tactical changes. 3 years, 3 trophies but could and should have been more with the players he had and the money available
A charming man & I wish him the best but too weak, unable to drop poor performers and tactically inept on too many occasions

by blueboy Today at 11:43

Team for next season: I disagree think he will keep both Otto & Mangala and look to bring in 1 more hopefully not Stones. Think he'l keep both Clichy and Sagna too but we need to bring in two new ones. Cresswell at LB would be good. Not sure about RB but someone young who is already in the PL

I think we'l get Gundagan and maybe one more hopefully Muller. I think Mane from Saints is an excellent player & we could do a lot worse

Would love to get Lewandowski as Sergio cant do it all on his own and as much as I rate Itchy I think we need another world class striker

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 12:51 pm

Can't see him going into next season with Otamendi, Mangala, Kompany and AN Other. That won't be too much different from this season when Kompany gets injured and AN Other gets injured/suspended.

We need to buy two CBs and bring Denayer back. Even if we don't get rid of Otamendi and/or Mangala, there is pressure for the position where 6 don't fit into 2.

Clichy and Sagna should be our back up FBs by the end of the season.

by TMG Sun May 22, 2016 1:03 pm

Agree about the FBs
We will have Denayer maybe Vinny Mango Otto & AN other (Laporte?)
Preferably Vinny & Laporte as the 2 CBs with Mango Otto Denayer as back up & the young lad from EDS who played in the Cup match if things go really tits up

by blueboy Sun May 22, 2016 1:09 pm

Yoyo and Denayer should definitely be given cup chances next season.

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 1:18 pm

this is where pellers was a let down. he disn't trust the younger players at all. Rashford didn't get a look in in the EDS games but Pellers went with the slow, but experienced, MDM rather than the much pacier Yoyo who had Rashford in his pocket.

by blueboy Sun May 22, 2016 1:31 pm

In both games he had Rashford in his pocket.

There's never any guarantee these kids will turn out like Rashford, but the kid got a chance and took it. Now he's in the 26-man provisional squad for the Euros.

If you don't give them a chance, how will we ever know?

I think that's something Pep will address. If they prove their worth to him over the summer (and they'll get loads of opportunities as the main players will be away), then he'll give them their chances.

Be interesting if the youth philosophy/style of play will change.

The EDS haven't been hugely successful, but from 14's upwards, they've pretty much dominated all their leagues with ease and in overseas tournaments.

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 1:39 pm

Yoyo or Denayer would have got plenty of games this season if they had stepped in and stepped up when we were short handed with CBs. No one was to know that Kompany would be injured most of the season and MDM would become a bigger liability than Managal and Otamendi.

We didn't have another option, not one that Pellgrini was willing to use anyway.

The same way Roberts has taken his chance at Celtic, he should have been given half a dozen games with us instead of Navas to see if he could have made a difference.

If the kids don't play under Pep because the older players are doing well, most of us wouldn't complain. It's when the older players don't put it in or are playing badly and the kids still don't get a chance that gets our goat.

by skyblueoz Sun May 22, 2016 3:49 pm

I think the difference with mango & ota will be that pep insists players hold their positions which will mean no getting dragged out of position covering for ambling full backs, I can see with the odd addition mainly 2 the full back positions the midfield, & probably 2to3 able strikers if we lose Dzeko, Jovetic & Bony.I can see as many as 8 play coming in, 1 wide player, 1 keeper,2 midfielders & 2 strikers & 2 full backs.

players to leave Caballero, Kolarov, Sagna, Toure, Navas, Dzeko, Bony, Jovetic. Their is 8 & that does not include players like Zucullini & possibly one of the fernas & 1 of the centre backs. It is a squad game so I wouldn't be surprised to see a fair number of signings.

by **Topdawg** Sun May 22, 2016 4:41 pm

zabba stays and sagna leaves? can't see that happening.

by skyblueoz Mon May 23, 2016 7:27 am

I can

by **shakencity** Mon May 23, 2016 8:21 am

Sterling and Mangala 6....... affraid

Take atleast 4 off Laughing

by **leopold** Mon May 23, 2016 10:39 am

This is my view on who was good and bad.

Goalkeepers

Willy Caballero - 5. Great penalty saves in the C1C final, but other than that has been very variable
Joe Hart - 7. Has made some incredible saves, but I do wish he'd work on his distribution.
Richard Wright - 0. Getting paid to do sod all.

Defenders

Nicolas Otamendi - 5. Sometimes he does well, but he's got no read on a game and dives in with his feet far too often.
Gael Clichy - 8. Solid in defence, reads a game very well and has intercepted crosses really well. Gets forward at times, but it's not really his thing.
Martin Demichelis - 1. And he only gets that for being shown up by Rashford and proving the point he's well past his best.
Jason Denayer - 0. Should've been here instead of the ageing Argentinian.
Aleksandar Kolarov - 3. Apart from a couple of goals, what has he done? Can't defend, can't cross, can't shoot from less than 35 yards.
Vincent Kompany - 5. Damn fine captain, stabilises and strengthens our team to great effect. Shame he can't do the same with his own legs.
Eliaquim Mangala - 6.5. He started shaky, but getting a run of games has seen him improve a lot. Very quick, good positional awareness, but he's too quick to pull out of position. Could get better.
Bacary Sagna - 8. From his first game to his last, made Zaba's life a lot harder. Covers his wing well, gets forwards a bit, good positional awareness. Gets turned out by the fastest players, but even then he doesn't let them get away with it for long.
Pablo Zabaleta - 4. I love Zab, he epitomises City. But this season he's been dreadful when he's been given a chance, he looks a yard slower and you can see on his face that he's not feeling it any more.

Midfielders

Fabian Delph - 5. Shown flashes of being a total bargain, but needs to get more game time.
Fernando Francisco Reges - 6.5. Started out poorly, but like Mangala has benefitted from getting more game time.
Fernandinho Luiz Roza - 9.5. Not utterly perfect, but he's been extremely hard to fault this season. Works hard, tackles hard, can defend and attack, he's quick, clearly passionate and has even banged in a couple of corkers.
Samir Nasri - 5. Has looked good on the odd occasion we've seen him. If I were Pep, I'd hang on to him just because he gives us something else in midfield.
Jesus Navas - 4. Can't fault his work ethic, but unfortunately can fault every other aspect. His passing is awful, his crossing dreadful and he's missed four absolute sitters!
David Silva - 6. He's definitely not right. Even a half fit Silva is better than the majority of midfielders in the world, but he's way under par.
Kevin De Bruyne - 7.5. He started off brilliantly, but towards the end of the season looked like he was running out of steam.
Raheem Sterling - 5. Apart from a couple of games, he's been distinctly underwhelming. Doesn't tackle, bails out of 50-50 balls, crossing is variable. Not the tiger we saw at Liverpool when Suarez was there.
Patrick Roberts - We need to see more of him.
Yaya Toure - 3. If we thought he was lazy before, we hadn't seen anything! Lethargic, slow, careless, couldn't be bothered. Giving him the armband brought the entire team down, as evidenced every time Kompany went off injured.
Bruno Zuculini - Another one who needs more game time.

Strikers

Sergio Aguero - 7. We all love Sergio, but he's showing signs of frustration this season. Spent way too much time outside the box, trolling the halfway line and basically not being where he needs to be.
Wilfried Bony - 2. And we thought Bernardo Corradi was bad! He's strong, yes, but he turns like the QE2 and has all the pace of a Yaya.
Edin Dzeko*
Kelechi Iheanacho - 7. Very impressive in places, but shows some naivety at times too. He wants to score though and you can see him trying very hard to get into scoring opportunities, which is all to his credit. And he's quick, too. Definitely one to watch.
Stevan Jovetic*

Management

Manuel Pellegrini - 6. Even in a poor season, we won a cup and got to the CL semi finals for the first time ever. But it was a poor season and we didn't kick on from the first five games. Didn't know how to break down teams that parked the bus - which Sunderland did to us in his first season and, by the end, almost everyone else was doing. Some very odd calls on team selection too, such as picking Demichelis to defend against the fastest strikers in the league, choosing a clearly uninterested TLF as captain, having two DCMs against sides parking the bus when it's clear we needed more pressing of the back line and, most unforgivably, not doing something to limit the damage when we were clearly on the end of a caning.

by blueboy Mon May 23, 2016 10:58 am

Can't argue too much with that.

I'd possibly give KDB a tiny higher score. 4 POTM awards for his first season shows how good he's been.

What's interesting, is that you said he looked like he was running out of steam. Was he, or.....look at where he ended up playing when MP played a 4-4-2 - wide left instead of Sterling.

He was far better when given that No.10 role and freedom to roam.

by TMG Mon May 23, 2016 11:31 am

Exactly Blue
He was brilliant until MP made that ridiculous decision, one of many I'm afraid
However I do agree that him & Sergio did look a bit fucked at the end of the season
Not really sure why? When I were a lad I used to play twice a week, sometimes on a Sat & Sun for a whole season without too much problem These days they have months out (injured) & 70 minutes per match and the poor lambs are tired. I was obviously not as finely tuned an athlete as these 'superstars" Very Happy

by blueboy Mon May 23, 2016 1:36 pm

You probably didn't run 8-11 miles per match either!! Razz

by **leopold** Mon May 23, 2016 1:53 pm

Sergio was knackering himself by trying to do too much. So many times he'd run way out of position (even onto the wings or right out to full back) in order to get the ball back, which isn't his job. So many times he'd hang on to the ball to find a shot, rather than release it to someone else. It looked for all the world that he didn't trust anyone else to do the job. He was trying to be a new Tevez, which is silly because we don't need one of those. We need the existing Serge.

KdB, yes, probably looked lost due to being parked on the wing, but what were we going to do, play Silva there, who is just as out of place? It's a problem that doesn't go away when Nasri is fit either. This is probably why Navas got so many games, because he is, for all his flaws, a winger. Kev isn't fast enough to be a winger. Silva isn't either, he does his best work in the middle where he can use his skill to weave past players. Nasri is fast enough, but only in short bursts and ideally needs someone to play him through - something that most of our players don't do.

And there's something else. All season, the only players who seem to look for the through ball are Serge and Silva. Kev has on a few occasions, as has Dino, but that's been about it. Most of the time, it's ball to feet, which doesn't encourage a fast attack.

by blueboy Mon May 23, 2016 1:56 pm

BUT, if you have players with the pace of Sterling, why not use him if we wanted to attack that way?

MP would rather use and injured Silva with KDB out wide left. Square pegs, round holes...his tactics were baffling.

by **shakencity** Mon May 23, 2016 2:04 pm

blueboy wrote:BUT, if you have players with the pace of Sterling, why not use him if we wanted to attack that way?

MP would rather use and injured Silva with KDB out wide left. Square pegs, round holes...his tactics were baffling.

Perhaps he just doesn't rate Sterling Embarassed

by **Topdawg** Mon May 23, 2016 2:24 pm

shakencity wrote:
blueboy wrote:BUT, if you have players with the pace of Sterling, why not use him if we wanted to attack that way?

MP would rather use and injured Silva with KDB out wide left. Square pegs, round holes...his tactics were baffling.
Perhaps he just doesn't rate Sterling

by **Topdawg** Mon May 23, 2016 2:28 pm

Kev came back from a nasty injury and probably got through the first few games on adrenaline. Then he probably ran out of fitness.

He was a star for us when he first came until he was injured.

I agree with Leo that Sergio tries to do too much himself. He would run into blind alleys chased by 3 defenders rather than pass it to someone that may be free.

He needs proper support next season.

by **leopold** Mon May 23, 2016 3:22 pm

Topdawg wrote:I agree with Leo that Sergio tries to do too much himself. He would run into blind alleys chased by 3 defenders rather than pass it to someone that may be free.

He needs proper support next season.

Totally agree. The frustration on his face at times this season was very noticeable.

by blueboy Mon May 23, 2016 3:57 pm

shakencity wrote:
blueboy wrote:BUT, if you have players with the pace of Sterling, why not use him if we wanted to attack that way?

MP would rather use and injured Silva with KDB out wide left. Square pegs, round holes...his tactics were baffling.
Perhaps he just doesn't rate Sterling

OK...I think we get it that you don't like Sterling Den....but he was on fire in the CL games, probably our best player...and, wasn't he the one being credited for our sudden rejuvenation in the PL at the start of the season?

So something went wrong....as even last night for England, he didn't look right.

We all have our favourites, one's we don't like....me in particular with TLMLF, but I've been saying that for 18 months....let's give Sterling a chance under a manager who is resounded for bringing young players through, making them better players.....Jesus, our manager chose Navas over a free-scoring, free-assisting Patrick Roberts. It wasn't like he even gave the kid a chance, but even though it's the SPL, he's proven he can do it at a decent level.

I'm still hopeful for the likes of Sterling and Mangala....I know some aren't. Let's see what we do next year under the best manager in world football. If he can't make them perform, then they will be sold.

by **shakencity** Mon May 23, 2016 4:07 pm

I wasn't having a go at Sterling blue, purely stating a reason as to why MP didn't pick him.

by **shakencity** Mon May 23, 2016 4:07 pm

I wasn't having a go at Sterling blue, purely stating a reason as to why MP didn't pick him.

by blueboy Mon May 23, 2016 4:31 pm

Hmm, double-defence? Razz

by **shakencity** Mon May 23, 2016 5:12 pm

Posted via my phone.....don't know why it sent twice.lol

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