quote:
City’s main problem was that they lacked a deep-lying central playmaker, a talented midfielder who could play key passes from the centre of midfield.

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I've been saying this about Man City for a while. Perhaps Mancini feels a DLP will sacrifice defensive rigidity. I feel employing a DLP is as much a defensive move as an offensive, since you are dictating to the opposition the tempo of possession.

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Posted by wm72

Brooklyn

Member since Mar 2010

9004 posts

Posted on 11/24/11 at 2:56 am to crazy4lsu

quote:
I've been saying this about Man City for a while. Perhaps Mancini feels a DLP will sacrifice defensive rigidity.

I do recall you saying this during the summer transfer window.

I would venture to guess that it was something Mancini wanted to address from at least the summer though.

It's not just rumor that Man City has been continually increasing transfer fee as well as salary offers for Daniele De Rossi going back to the early summer, if not earlier.

While he's not a DLP in the Pirlo mold, that he passes out of deep lying positions arguably better than any defensive mid in the game seems to potentially address the problem ZM to which alludes without adding a MF that requires defensive cover?

I pray De Rossi sticks to his stated intention of not leaving Roma for any price as it seems that he could be the missing piece it seems Man City lacks, namely a capable defensive option to De Jong in match-ups where more attacking impetus is needed.

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Posted by crazy4lsu

Member since May 2005

39154 posts

Posted on 11/24/11 at 3:25 am to wm72

quote:
that he passes out of deep lying positions arguably better than any defensive mid in the game seems to potentially address the problem ZM to which alludes without adding a MF that requires defensive cover?

Another player who can fit this description would be Javi Martinez. I hope De Rossi doesn't go. I've always admired him as a player.

Even then, I think De Rossi is the conservative option. A player like Ever Banega or Luka Modric would make Man City lethal in Europe.

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Posted by Friend of OBUDan