Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa joins AS Roma then Lyon

[The College Dropout]

For his standard, can people really argue against the claim he's been poor this season?

[Lotus]

Whilst i don't think he should be dropped in the PL, Coloccini has been poor consistently since S'land.

 

Fully agree with "he hasn't been at the races" comment. I was saying he was playing poorly before the news came out that he wanted to leave and I got shouted down, people blaming Willo or simply overlooking poor mistakes by Colo etc.

 

I don't understand that. For a CB to be actually poor as in very, very bad indeed. You would have to want him dropped.

[Guest hydeous]

Looking forward to seeing this guy play. I wonder who he'll partner. Saylor probably.

[Flip]

For his standard, can people really argue against the claim he's been poor this season?

 

Absolutely. Colo since he arrived at the club has only had one season where he has been absolute world class and consistent. The Championship doesn't count and for the other seasons at the club he has shown a tendency to have a poor game every here and then. The guy is a top class footballer but like all defenders when there is a lack of help he is prone to have a mistake or so. Look at most top defenders. I mean in the PL, Kompany, Skrtel, Lescott, Ferdinand, Cahill, David Luiz all of them have had one or two costly mistakes.

 

So your argument is an absolute shitfest. Colo has been steady for our last three games. He was nowhere near at fault for the penalty caused by Debuch, or the fact that Perch can't react to a freekick, because let's be honest here, a freekick from that range should never go in when hit at that height. It wasn't a very good freekick and it still went in. And for the 2nd goal both our CBs were at equal amount of fault, so based on that logic Streete and MBiwa should start since they haven't been bad this season yet.

[The College Dropout]

Whilst i don't think he should be dropped in the PL, Coloccini has been poor consistently since S'land.

 

Fully agree with "he hasn't been at the races" comment. I was saying he was playing poorly before the news came out that he wanted to leave and I got shouted down, people blaming Willo or simply overlooking poor mistakes by Colo etc.

 

I don't understand that. For a CB to be actually poor as in very, very bad indeed. You would have to want him dropped.

 

He hasn't been Colo the clown, he just hasn't been the Colo of the last 3 or so years. For Coloccini, he's been poor and costing us points and goals. But CB is a very important position and we are too close to relegation to throw Mapou in when Colo has the quality and desire to turn it around but he does need to pick it up soon. It's not going to happen if we ignore the poor performances.

 

Give Mapou some Europa league and regular action off the bench. In March/April we should simply pick the best defensive partnership.

[TheHoob]

These last few pages

[The College Dropout]

For his standard, can people really argue against the claim he's been poor this season?

 

Absolutely. Colo since he arrived at the club has only had one season where he has been absolute world class and consistent. The Championship doesn't count and for the other seasons at the club he has shown a tendency to have a poor game every here and then. The guy is a top class footballer but like all defenders when there is a lack of help he is prone to have a mistake or so. Look at most top defenders. I mean in the PL, Kompany, Skrtel, Lescott, Ferdinand, Cahill, David Luiz all of them have had one or two costly mistakes.

 

So your argument is an absolute shitfest. Colo has been steady for our last three games. He was nowhere near at fault for the penalty caused by Debuch, or the fact that Perch can't react to a freekick, because let's be honest here, a freekick from that range should never go in when hit at that height. It wasn't a very good freekick and it still went in. And for the 2nd goal both our CBs were at equal amount of fault, so based on that logic Streete and MBiwa should start since they haven't been bad this season yet.

 

 

What?

 

 

Every player has bad games, what's your point? 3 out of 4 games the last 3 years you could expect a good performance from Colo.

 

Kompany himself would admit he's been in poor form at times this season. Not one or two costly mistakes but poor form. His team are down one place  in the league and performed the way they did in the CL last season. He, the fans and everyone can admit he hasn't been as good, why can't we about Colo?

 

 

The man has been and is unsettled at the club, we can't admit it has affected his performance?

 

He's made numerous mistakes this season that have led to goals, I won't bother coming up with examples. I've already said he should continue in the PL, I just know he has to improve soon for our own sake. I don't want to throw Mapou in at the deep end and Willo/Streete aren't good enough.

[Hanshithispantz]

How many genuine "poor mistakes" has he actually made? You do your argument no favours when you list giving a free kick away as one of them.

[pi_D]

Colo bashing has been ridiculous, he's been inconsistent but bad? come on and another thing i don't find it a coincidence the bashing comes flooding out after he asked to leave.

 

Some of it is mental

[Hanshithispantz]

For his standard, can people really argue against the claim he's been poor this season?

 

Absolutely. Colo since he arrived at the club has only had one season where he has been absolute world class and consistent. The Championship doesn't count and for the other seasons at the club he has shown a tendency to have a poor game every here and then. The guy is a top class footballer but like all defenders when there is a lack of help he is prone to have a mistake or so. Look at most top defenders. I mean in the PL, Kompany, Skrtel, Lescott, Ferdinand, Cahill, David Luiz all of them have had one or two costly mistakes.

 

So your argument is an absolute shitfest. Colo has been steady for our last three games. He was nowhere near at fault for the penalty caused by Debuch, or the fact that Perch can't react to a freekick, because let's be honest here, a freekick from that range should never go in when hit at that height. It wasn't a very good freekick and it still went in. And for the 2nd goal both our CBs were at equal amount of fault, so based on that logic Streete and MBiwa should start since they haven't been bad this season yet.

 

 

What?

 

 

Every player has bad games, what's your point? 3 out of 4 games the last 3 years you could expect a good performance from Colo.

 

Kompany himself would admit he's been in poor form at times this season. Not one or two costly mistakes but poor form. His team are down one place  in the league and performed the way they did in the CL last season. He, the fans and everyone can admit he hasn't been as good, why can't we about Colo?

 

 

The man has been and is unsettled at the club, we can't admit it has affected his performance?

 

He's made numerous mistakes this season that have led to goals, I won't bother coming up with examples. I've already said he should continue in the PL, I just know he has to improve soon for our own sake. I don't want to throw Mapou in at the deep end and Willo/Streete aren't good enough.

No, please do.

[captainhaircut]

Off the top of my head, I can think of Fulhams's second where he lost Rodellega, Stokes second where he didn't track Jerome and Bales second on Saturday. He was also recklessly sent off against Liverpool and wasn't great against Arsenal.

 

Not poor all season but certainly not as imperious as last season.

 

To me, he doesn't look fit and we also have to consider his off the field problems too.

 

EDIT: Suarez's goal and Bruges' first weren't exactly his finest moments either.

[Hanshithispantz]

So we're probably looking at half a dozen mistakes that have led to goals in 20 odd Premiership games, I doubt that's too far off any other season barring last year, where he was playing in a side that collectively finished 5th.

 

We've shipped goals for fun at times this season, a centre back is hardly going to be covered in glory, but I think he's looked solid all season except for when we've came up against pacey hard working forwards, who he's always struggled against.

[TheHoob]

So off the top of your head you've got 6, 2 of which were against the most in form players in the league at the time in Suarez and Bale.

 

I'm not saying he is beyond criticism but for every mistake you've just listed I could probably pick out a game this season where he has been the best player on the pitch. Yeah he hasn't been as good as last season where is was one of the best CBs in the league, but he certainly hasn't done enough to justify being dropped from the team.

[The College Dropout]

He lost out in the air from a set piece, to Hugo Rodallega. He was on the wrong side. There where only 3 attackers in the set-piece anyway. That's terrible. Freekick wasn't taken quickly, he had plenty of time to compare.

 

edit: was going to name some off the top but Haircut named some of the more obvious ones but i'll talk about what makes them so bad.

 

Let's take the freekick for example. He got turned easily by Clint Dempsey who is not particularly strong or quick. That means his reading of the situation was poor in the first place to get into the bad position then he lacked the physicality to make up for the mistake so he had to foul him. It was a yellow card offense too as the comentators pointed out. Had it been later in the game it would've been. It wasn't miles out, it was within shooting distance. Just poor defending.

 

The red card at S'land was stupid and out of character. He let the team down that day. Just an indication of where his head is at. He ended up missing 3 games as a result and he's been poor in a lot of the games he's been poor.

 

He's looked weak at times too. Lukaku and Demba caused him plenty of problems with strength and he was AWOL when we shipped goals at Stoke.

 

We are 15th ffs, how can any of our defenders have looked solid for most of the season? We have to accept that some of our better players have been under-performing. He is one. A main one. If he can go back to some of last season's form we will climb the table. It's that simple.

[mattypnufc]

He got red carded at S'land?

[NG32]

Demba went off, Chelsea scored to wonder goals.  None of which were colos fault.

 

 

And tbf, Demba Ba is a handful for any player at any level.  Thats why chelsea nabbed him on the cheap.

[NG32]

He got red carded at S'land?

[Kanji]

Wish we'd shift Colo talk to the Colo thread.

[The College Dropout]

Everyone has said S'land was the turning point.

 

He and the whole team where poor against WBA. Lukaku caused problems all day. The next league game he could've done better for the goal and got himself a deserved red card and a 3 match suspension.

 

Poor like everyone against Brugge.

 

Misses the next 3 games out of stupidity. Him not being available for such a silly offence in these games is a black mark against his name as he let the team down.

 

Didn't watch Maritimo.

 

Cost us points at Stoke.

 

Solid against a 10 man Wigan undoubtedly.

 

Poor at Fulham.

 

Average vs City

 

Solid against QPR.

 

The less said about ManU/Arsenal the best better a couple players stood out in those games positively, Colo wan't one.

 

the form has been pretty sketchy this year too.

[The College Dropout]

Sorry L'pool. Am i wrong in what i'm saying? No.

[The College Dropout]

At work, typing furiosly. sp/sentence mistakes have been made but you get the gist.

[Hanshithispantz]

He lost out in the air from a set piece, to Hugo Rodallega. He was on the wrong side. There where only 3 attackers in the set-piece anyway. That's terrible. Freekick wasn't taken quickly, he had plenty of time to compare.

 

edit: was going to name some off the top but Haircut named some of the more obvious ones but i'll talk about what makes them so bad.

 

Let's take the freekick for example. He got turned easily by Clint Dempsey who is not particularly strong or quick. That means his reading of the situation was poor in the first place to get into the bad position then he lacked the physicality to make up for the mistake so he had to foul him. It was a yellow card offense too as the comentators pointed out. Had it been later in the game it would've been. It wasn't miles out, it was within shooting distance. Just poor defending.

 

He gave away a freekick man, let it go

 

The red card at S'land was stupid and out of character. He let the team down that day. Just an indication of where his head is at. He ended up missing 3 games as a result and he's been poor in a lot of the games he's been poor.

 

What, like when he tried to knock Elmander out?

 

He's looked weak at times too. Lukaku and Demba caused him plenty of problems with strength and he was AWOL when we shipped goals at Stoke.

 

Demba Ba caused him precisely 1 problem and received a broken nose for his troubles. But he's not a physical defender and never will be, Jones tore him to shreds at St James' Park a few years ago for example.

 

We are 15th ffs, how can any of our defenders have looked solid for most of the season? We have to accept that some of our better players have been under-performing. He is one. A main one. If he can go back to some of last season's form we will climb the table. It's that simple.

I think for the vast majority of games he hasn't exactly looked a shambles that's all, the fact we're 15th and have been largely poor as a team is 1 reason why I'm not going to jump to say he's letting his off field problems effect him, or that he's unfit, or on the decline etc.

 

If seasons were reversed and we we're locked in a relegation battle for half of a season last year do you think he would have looked like one of the best defenders in the league? Not a chance.

[TRon]

I wonder if we hadn't signed Mbiwa whether the critics would be so keen to drop Colo? Because if he's been so bad, they really should say they would.

[The College Dropout]

Poor defeding is poor defending.

 

 

"He let Bale get the ball, move on".

 

Aye, getting sent off for no reason and missing 3 games, who cares though?

 

 

Oh he's not physical. That's not a problem in the Premiership.

 

 

Never he said he's looked a shambles. But he been under-performing, you see the difference? We have been poor as a team and as indivduals largely. Colo has been poor, can we just admit that? Never said he's unfir or declining but I do think one of the reasons for his own personal dip in-form is the issues that make him want to leave.

 

What is your last question about? We wouldn't be 15th had he performed like last season. same way we wouldn't be 15th if Cisse had scored 15 goals this term. We wouldn't have finished 5th with this season's Cisse. He's a valuable member of the team, his performance directly correlates to points ffs.

 

He's one of the biggest differences in us winning/losing points.

[Hanshithispantz]

Oh he's not physical. That's not a problem in the Premiership.

It's never really been a massive problem other than a handful of games, it's Pardew's job to set us up so we're not really effected by it. But yeah, surprisingly 6ft tall average build Fabricio Coloccini isn't going to out muscle 6ft 3 brick shit house Romelu Lukaku.

 

And he hasn't been "poor", so I won't admit to that, no.

 

Pointless continuing this anyway as it's probably just becoming an argument of semantics. Coloccini is a better defender than what he has looked this season, I just don't think it's down to his own poor form or off field problems etc.