Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa joins AS Roma then Lyon

[Teasy]

for the people rating him at 10/10 yesterday was it not him that totally lost benteke for the goal, or was it sissoko? 

 

It was Sissoko.

[mrmojorisin75]

aye, then he was class

[littlelunchbox]

Look like a cultured centre back already.

[Ikon]

Knew his class would be obvious this season. (like many others)

[Guest bimpy474]

While it may have gone unnoticed i thought one of his best bits of play was when Weimann broke clear, by the time Weimann got to the box Mapou was on him and Weimann rushed his shot, putting it wide. While it's a simple piece of chasing back, it was good recovery and great defending imo.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The Game podcast this week single him out for special praise. Marcotti in particular absolutely loves him.

 

(I know you love these podcast updates)

[basjen]

While it may have gone unnoticed i thought one of his best bits of play was when Weimann broke clear, by the time Weimann got to the box Mapou was on him and Weimann rushed his shot, putting it wide. While it's a simple piece of chasing back, it was good recovery and great defending imo.

 

Not unnoticed. He is lightning fast, made it look like nothing. If it was Tayls there, Weimann would be 1v1 with Krul.

[Ikon]

Can't believe we got him

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just heard the mbiwa love on the podcast

 

Not the first time they've mentioned him, they were properly impressed when we signed him.

[Ronaldo]

Having watched the Villa goal again we certainly can't afford our CB partnership to 'defend' like that too often. My only criticism of the pair of them in the past few games but it's a cause for concern.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

 

Just heard the mbiwa love on the podcast

 

Not the first time they've mentioned him, they were properly impressed when we signed him.

 

Never really listened to that one, might have to give it a go. They were bang on, he showed exactly how to deal with Benteke, gave him nothing in that game

 

I like Marcotti, although he plays devil's advocate a lot to get the other people going. The Guardian one is probably better overall, but as for the football nerd there's a fair bit to like about The Game.

[Lotus]

Having watched the Villa goal again we certainly can't afford our CB partnership to 'defend' like that too often. My only criticism of the pair of them in the past few games but it's a cause for concern.

 

Wasn't Sissoko marking Benteke? Or meant to be anyway...

[Ronaldo]

He was, yes. With Mapou on the outskirts of anything approaching a challenge.

[Lotus]

I think Krul was trying too hard that game. Think the CBs realised he was coming for everything whether he should or not.

 

I'm not convinced on the basis of that game that MYM and Colo are an ideal pairing anymore than you. Clearly they're very good when the ball is played on the deck. We'll see how they get on with the aerial stuff as the season goes on. Did well against Villa though, must be said.

 

And, if Sissoko's marking Benteke and loses him completely it's a bit churlish to blame someone else entirely.

[Tooj]

 

Just heard the mbiwa love on the podcast

 

Not the first time they've mentioned him, they were properly impressed when we signed him.

 

Never really listened to that one, might have to give it a go. They were bang on, he showed exactly how to deal with Benteke, gave him nothing in that game

 

I like Marcotti, although he plays devil's advocate a lot to get the other people going. The Guardian one is probably better overall, but as for the football nerd there's a fair bit to like about The Game.

 

I can't stand that tit Glendenning.

[Ronaldo]

I think Krul was trying too hard that game. Think the CBs realised he was coming for everything whether he should or not.

 

I'm not convinced on the basis of that game that MYM and Colo are an ideal pairing anymore than you. Clearly they're very good when the ball is played on the deck. We'll see how they get on with the aerial stuff as the season goes on. Did well against Villa though, must be said.

 

And, if Sissoko's marking Benteke and loses him completely it's a bit churlish to blame someone else entirely.

 

I'm not blaming Mapou for the goal. I just think defending set pieces should primarily be the responsibility of the CBs, especially looking at the rest of the team. If Colo and Mapou can't or won't compete in the air, we've got a bit of a blatant weakness to target and some dogshite teams will exploit it even if we're bossing the game on the ground. One of the reasons I wanted a striker like Carroll here, tbh.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

TBF Benteke and that other giant were almost above the crossbar when they jumped, and the cross was excellent.

[The College Dropout]

He was, yes. With Mapou on the outskirts of anything approaching a challenge.

 

Yep. You want your central defenders marking the biggest aerial threats, not an attack minded CM.

[The College Dropout]

I think Krul was trying too hard that game. Think the CBs realised he was coming for everything whether he should or not.

 

I'm not convinced on the basis of that game that MYM and Colo are an ideal pairing anymore than you. Clearly they're very good when the ball is played on the deck. We'll see how they get on with the aerial stuff as the season goes on. Did well against Villa though, must be said.

 

And, if Sissoko's marking Benteke and loses him completely it's a bit churlish to blame someone else entirely.

 

I'm not blaming Mapou for the goal. I just think defending set pieces should primarily be the responsibility of the CBs, especially looking at the rest of the team. If Colo and Mapou can't or won't compete in the air, we've got a bit of a blatant weakness to target and some dogshite teams will exploit it even if we're bossing the game on the ground. One of the reasons I wanted a striker like Carroll here, tbh.

 

 

Absolutely correct. I think Krul's decision to come out for everything was he/Pardew compensating for our lack of aerial prowess.

[Ronaldo]

TBF Benteke and that other giant were almost above the crossbar when they jumped, and the cross was excellent.

 

What's that got to do with the defenders taking responsibility for nullifying set pieces?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

TBF Benteke and that other giant were almost above the crossbar when they jumped, and the cross was excellent.

 

What's that got to do with the defenders taking responsibility for nullifying set pieces?

 

I thought you were talking about our aerial weakness at CB, I was highlighting the fact that even the best aerial defenders might not have had a chance.

[Ronaldo]

I can't even be bothered.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I can't even be bothered.

 

 

Who's rattled your cage like? It was a fairly low-impact observation.

[Ronaldo]

I've said twice now that I'm not blaming Mapou.

 

Watch the goal, watch Mapou's positioning. It's not his fault who he been told to mark, obviously, but at the same time if Sissoko's a better bet (and he might be) than him and Colo to mark the opposition's main threat, we've got a problem, and it'll cost us.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I've said twice now that I'm not blaming Mapou.

 

Watch the goal, watch Mapou's positioning. It's not his fault who he been told to mark, obviously, but at the same time if Sissoko's a better bet (and he might be) than him and Colo to mark the opposition's main threat, we've got a problem, and it'll cost us.

 

 

I agree our CBs should theoretically be marking the big lads, and we probably are (overall) slightly weak in the air. All I think is, if the alternative is playing Taylor instead of Mapou, then it's a weakness we're just going to have to live with.