Our game just changes completely when he comes on in terms of ability to control the match and push teams back with our possession play. We were struggling all night to keep the ball and really dictate the match, Zinny comes on and they can’t get the ball off us, then about five minutes later they basically give up and decide to defend deeper.
Its a little worrying that we can’t seem to boss matches consistently without him on the pitch.
It’d probably help if people just view him as a midfielder with more of a deep lying playmaker role, that works extra as a full back or something.
I mean you have all seen him for City for years, he isn’t here to defend like Maldini, he is here to attack like Marcelo, to help us overload, to break down teams that park the bus so that we can get that winning goal, or when are opponents are pressing the shit out of our own midfield to add that extra guy with nimble feet and creativity to help us maintain possession and turn that absorbed pressure into attacking opportunities.
Though I agree that (what seem like) lapses in his concentration, like the Wolves game, we can all do without. I’m sure Arteta lets him know
his move before Kai’s goal was pretty clever, it doesn’t look like much but the way he turns back when he get’s a bit out of options, starts moving in towards the middle instead, draws in a couple of Brighton players and then just drops it to Ödegård sets up the entire space for the attack.
Very accurate description. The crowd were getting on his back a lot today, which was a bit unfair IMO as some of his passing and vision is exceptional, but he can lose the ball at the wrong moment with a lapse in concentration.
For me, he is a player we absolutely need to keep. I do wonder when Timber returns, if he keeps his role at left back or alternates more with Kai as a second No.8 in midfield. When he plays in further advanced positions, I think he can be devastating.