I do not see many fighters in this team. Only Fred and occasionally Lindelof after Young left. In our days of old half the team would be fighting for their team mates. Get one player fouled half the team would be up for a fight. I do not see that anymore. Now I am not blaming Ole but this was the same in Jose's time too. No Young and no fighting.
Lack of fighters
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Then you have Fred taking on the entire Chelsea team on his own. I dont think Maguire is a shrinking violet and reckon Bruno coukd have a nasty streak when needed.
No fighters? McTominay and Williams could twat everyone in the league between them. Pair of lunatics.
so suddenFred, McT, Maguire, Matic, Bruno, Bailly to name a few
Fouling someone while having a nasty streak like Brandon and getting in their faces is two different things. Young used to do that. Fred does it now. No one else I see doing it. They just remain calm and far away.
Fred, McT, Maguire, Matic, Bruno, Bailly to name a few
Another reason to not hound Jesse 'in the Red corner' Lingard out, he doesn't let anybody take liberties.
I get your point. It's definitely lacking. Fred also talked about it when he made the "interview comments". We have too many "nice" players. That said McT and Bailly are the Get in Their Faces we've got (remember their past games eg. McT against Spurs and some small teams, Bailly in european games). Wouldn't surprise me Bruno as well.
Bailly hardly can change his facial expression. It is always the same look. We need nasty players like we used to have to get into their faces. Herrera used to do that. Half the team should be at it at least. I mean to go after the referee too. We are too nice now.
Depends what you mean. Takes no nonsense and can't be frightened off the pitch, we've plenty. Fred, Maguire, McTominay just to name a few. Williams gives as good as he gets too despite his tender age.
If you're talking loses his temper easily, likes handbags too much and gets a load of red cards, thankfully we don't have one of those at the moment.
If you're talking loses his temper easily, likes handbags too much and gets a load of red cards, thankfully we don't have one of those at the moment.
Sign Tyson Fury.
I hate football cliches like "We need warriors/fighters/etc". Ugh
I hate football cliches like "We need warriors/fighters/etc". Ugh
Yup. Not Matic but he’s good for tactical fouls. Williams is a little shithouse too.
Fred, McT, Maguire, Matic, Bruno, Bailly to name a few
Far more fighters in the squad than there have been in the last 6 years.
I assume OP wants that mentality on the top of acceptable level of performance.
It's on the Attack we're so soft. Martial, Rashford, Mata/James are all easily bullied. You can see the big contrast when Ighalo is up front.
Lack of fighters? Are we in MMA? We need footballer, not fighter. Do we have players who don't like winning? Who enjoy losing?
I agree, although I think James might grow into being a bit of a shit house the way Ole did. Ighalo brings a whole different element.
McTominay and Fred don't take much crap. Neither does Pereira to be fair. Pogba gets in people's faces from time to time, but no one seems to take him serious. I think a hardman centreback next to Maguire wouldn't go a miss. Not Rojo though, there's a line between hard man and man who can't think.
100%
Rules and punishments for brawls becoming stricter, in general, makes it impossible to compare a team from 2020 to a team from 90s, but I think Bruno, Maguire, Fred, McT and Lindelof are no pushovers.
I'd understand this post if it was the end of last season but I think we've shown the complete opposite this year. The team haven't been pushovers. We've been remonstrating with the referees often when people have been fouled/decisions gone against us(not that I enjoy that). It's another area that Bruno completely changes when the alternative is Lingard.
If you mean actual physical fighting then it's all bravado anyway
If you mean actual physical fighting then it's all bravado anyway
The feck?
Rashford and James might grow some more balls. But it will be at least a few more years.
Barca has shown that smaller frame players can go all the way to the top. But then, their football skill is insanely high. Just like Bruno who has regular sized frame but it's hard to bully him because he's so skilful.
Exactly. I don't want someone who s being a dick just to be a dick like a D. Costa or Suarez but when you think back to just recent times with guys like Zlatan, RvP and Rooney not only doing just enough to antagonize the other team but also being a hard man when other players are getting shit it feels like we re still missing that a bit today. Granted Tony is pretty good at that too on his good days, and Rashie has gotten a lot better about asserting himself - but not at those levels (yet).
Mane, Salah, Aguero, Vardy, Kane are all hard to be bullies. You need someone like them to lead your attack. Zlatan was just so perfect for us, even at 35 y.o. He's the type of striker we need to have.
In all the time since Fergie retired, now is when you chose to make this thread? 3/4 of the way through a season in which we've finally started to see players fighting for the shirt again?
We've been soft so many times over the past decade but this year we've been anything but. Williams, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka, Fred, McTominay, Fernandes, Rashford, James and Ighalo all look well up for the fight. Even fellas who you might have questioned before, like Matic, Shaw or Martial, have looked far hungrier and more aggressive recently.
It's one of the big ticks for Ole in my book.
We've been soft so many times over the past decade but this year we've been anything but. Williams, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka, Fred, McTominay, Fernandes, Rashford, James and Ighalo all look well up for the fight. Even fellas who you might have questioned before, like Matic, Shaw or Martial, have looked far hungrier and more aggressive recently.
It's one of the big ticks for Ole in my book.
Those who dismiss fighting spirit are wrong. Having balls is an intangible skill.
There's a reason De Gea was stripped of the captaincy more or less immediately.
There's a reason De Gea was stripped of the captaincy more or less immediately.
Who are the fighters in city and liverpools teams?
Seriously, i personally value players who are proud to wear the shirt. For the first time in a long time, i feel like most of our team wants to be here and for the right reasons. That is the sort of fight i like in our players. Between AWB, Maguire, Bailly, Williams, Matic, Fred, Bruno, McT, Rashford (and others), we have a list of players that represent the right combination of passion, fight and talent i think.
Seriously, i personally value players who are proud to wear the shirt. For the first time in a long time, i feel like most of our team wants to be here and for the right reasons. That is the sort of fight i like in our players. Between AWB, Maguire, Bailly, Williams, Matic, Fred, Bruno, McT, Rashford (and others), we have a list of players that represent the right combination of passion, fight and talent i think.
Indeed, confusing time for this thread. The leaders, fight and character in this team is night and day compared to last season
The op mention Ashley Young not once but twice, and apparently he's shite as well, so you'd be assuming wrong.
Would like to see Bailly get in people faces a bit more.
He’s a quiet dude but I can tell he can throw them hands.
Beware the patient man!
I agree we need some more vocal players in the side.
He’s a quiet dude but I can tell he can throw them hands.
Beware the patient man!
I agree we need some more vocal players in the side.
We need to get better not badder.
Again, Bailly needs to improve his composure not get in people's faces.
Having a few influential vocal players is good for any team. But wouldn't say it's an absolute necessity. City don't have many. It depends on the make up of the team. Just because Keane got in people's faces doesn't mean every team definitely needs that.
I don't necessarily agree, it doesn't hurt at all to have a starting 11 that can pull their weight, rough up the opposition and hound the referee, there is an art to this and you don't have to be carded to implement it.
Sometimes, very recently as well, we have had very good shout for a penalty etc and literally nobody has made a fuss. You compare that to other top sides and the entire team surround the ref, it's a darker side to the game but a necessary one.
Even the great Barca sides did the same, they were one of the worst I've seen for it.
Agreee, it’s odd timing for a thread considering we now finally do appear to have “fighters” in the team. Fred, McTominay, Bruno, Williams being the four standout ones. This thread would have made sense 2 years ago.
agreed, I’d rather players like Silva than Robbie Savage.
Maguire and McTominay will go to war with anyone. You don't need more.
Being a fighter doesn't automatically mean you lack quality... You can have both
Troy Deeney: “There's no one in that Arsenal team that you fear, they don't have an Eric Bailly."
There's a few. Two players in particular ... I see jump to defend their teammates ... Pereira and Lingard. Lingard especially, shows quite the disrespect to his opponents
Edit - Rest of Deeney quote:
‘When you play against a tough centre-half like Bailly you think “he’s going to give me a whack!”
There's a few. Two players in particular ... I see jump to defend their teammates ... Pereira and Lingard. Lingard especially, shows quite the disrespect to his opponents
Edit - Rest of Deeney quote:
‘When you play against a tough centre-half like Bailly you think “he’s going to give me a whack!”
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Pogba features here quite heavily
The team is a reflection of the manager and Ole always kept his cool on the pitch. Sir Alex on the other hand has been scrappy all is life and still wouldn't back down from a fight now in my opinion.
Don't have an opinion on 'fighters' but (thanks to Corona work from home) i was watching old United classics and i do believe that our team has lacked 'fight' for far too long. SAF's teams from the late 90s and 00's was absolutely full of fight. They made mistakes too, gave away balls in midfield, fell down at inopportune moments. But immediately got back up got after the opposing team player and chased the ball down. Those teams was a different sight altogether.
For what it's worth i do believe it's coming back a little under Ole.
For what it's worth i do believe it's coming back a little under Ole.
You're right but if you compare him to Keano and Neville it's a very different kind of fighting. Those guys would always fight for the ball first and only once play was stopped would they get in the faces of their opponents. As i see it, the difference with Lingard and the lot is that they get knocked over, let the play carry on and then whine and moan and take it out on the opponent.
Soon as players started carrying on like performing monkeys after scoring a goal they lose any intimidating factor.
Just raise a hand when you score like Keano or Shearer and straight back to the kick off and no one messes with you,
Just raise a hand when you score like Keano or Shearer and straight back to the kick off and no one messes with you,