Think if looking for negatives he would be down the list so far.
Not a natural right back but doing a decent job in a defence that has conceded twice in 3 matches and none whilst at right back.
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For 2 seasons Manga has been an accident waiting to happen whichever position he plays in.
I would prefer to see Patterson at right back and that's another potential disaster but at least he has some attitude.
Manga gives this impression of being a very good footballer until he is under pressure. But he is slow, and can't tackle very well, and has no idea how to pass.
How he is such a popular player with some supporters is quite beyond me. He should never be in a Premier League starting X1.
And this is not a pessimistic post, I am happy enough with most of our squad and how we have started. No Premier experience except for Arter and it will take a bit of time if it is to work at all. We have the potential to make a good fight of it.
But not with Manga in the team.
Think if looking for negatives he would be down the list so far.
Not a natural right back but doing a decent job in a defence that has conceded twice in 3 matches and none whilst at right back.
He is a good central defender, he is not a right back - he gets exposed for a lack of pace there. When he joined the club he seemed so cool on the ball, but he’s got to be one of worst at the club now.
It’s a case of Neil trying to squeeze 3 centre backs in a team where there are only 2 spots really. I would like to see Jazz Richards given a chance but you can’t see that happening unless we go on a run of games conceding goals.
Manga is an excellent centre back, but gets exposed at right back. What does it say about our other right backs, Peltier and Richards, when he keeps getting picked ahead of them? I'd rather see him at centre back alongside Morrison, leave out Bamba as he has more mistakes in him the Manga.
Maybe Neil gets a cut of his appearance bonus
Joking aside I don't think he's done much wrong tbf as a natural CB he doesn't have the instinct of an attacking full back I would personally play jazz but think it's unfair to criticize bruno but seems a good weekend to have a pop at the players
I would definitely give Jazz a go at right back, will offer much more of an attacking threat
Considering our frailties on the wings this weekend this could well be an opportunity to play both Manga and Richards, with 5 at the back, our midfield 3 of the last two games, and Reid or Murphy in behind Ken.
Manga has done better at right back than Connolly did last time we were in the premier league. I agree he's a far better centre back than fullback, but he's doing okay at the moment.
We’ve conceded 2’goals in 3 games and one of those was when we were pressing for an equaliser and got sucker punched in injury time. I don’t think our defence is where we need to improve.
We’re going to be safety first in every game is my guess and we’re going to score our goals from set pieces. The
criticism of Zohore is also really harsh in my opinion as I’d expect the goals we’ll score will be in the last 20 mins of games when we’re either chasing a game or have weathered the storm
The two live games yesterday showed the difference in attitude which exists between how the full back role is perceived by Premier League managers. The winning goal in the Watford v Palace match might have been a fluke, but it came from a full back who got himself into an area near the opposition corner flag and stayed there when the ball went out for a throw in - all four full back got forward consistently throughout the game. At Newcastle, Chelsea's goals came when their left back was fouled for a penalty and then when his cross was turned in for an own goal, their other full back had a shot from within the penalty area in the first half which was blocked close to the goal line. By contrast Newcastle played with a fairly rigid back five, but it was only "fairly rigid" because their energetic right back was always trying to support on the rare occasions his side attacked and their goal eventually came from his cross.
I also watched our game at Huddersfield again on the club website and for most of the time it offered even more proof that Neil Warnock sees his full backs primarily as defenders - his insistence on playing two wingers means that there is not as much need for his full backs to be auxiliary attackers, but, for the first hour, Murphy and Paterson, while he was on, also played like full backs - thus ensuring that Zohore was even more isolated than normal.
Under this system, I think Bruno has got the support to do an adequate job as a defensive right back, but his limitations were shown when the sending off completely changed the character of the game and we were trying to win it for all of the last half an hour. All of a sudden, Bruno and Bennett were under orders to play like modern day full backs and although the former showed willing to the extent that he was caught out of position upfield when Huddersfield posed their only real attacking threat during that time, he showed that while he can do an adequate job as a centreback playing at full back, he cannot cope when asked to play, more or less, like a winger. On the other flank, Joe Bennett showed he could convert to a more modern full back role if required, while also confirming the suspicion that we don't get the best out of him when he's told to leave the attacking stuff to the winger in front of him.
Besides Bennett, Callum Paterson appears to be the full back in the first team squad that could play like seven of the eight full backs on show in yesterday's live games did, but our manager doesn't think he can defend. Jazz Richards offers a Ralls like all round competence which marks him out as pretty good in all aspects of the modern day full back role, but outstanding in none of them. so I'd say he'd be the best bet at right back at the moment, but Cameron Coxe has done a good job of playing the modern day full back for his club at Development team level and his country at Under 21 level. Tomorrow night would represent a chance to see if Coxe could carry those performances levels into the first team, but I'm pretty sure it won't happen - Cunningham will play tomorrow and it'll probably be Peltier or Richards at right back.
I like Bruno I think he does have weaknesses he struggles against real pace and strength. For me he looks like he doesnt keepthe ball moving when has it like most pros.
the thing is if Mnga is going to get exposed for pace then so is Peltier.
I cant see Jazz coming in from the cold anytime soon I think he isnjudt there for his versatility
Keeping a clean sheet or limiting the goals against is probably our best chance of picking up points for a draw or a win.
We are not likely to be scoring that many goals at present and the back 4 are probably the best at the club at this moment, including Manga at RB.
Some of his crossing on Saturday was awful though, he does need to work on this.
NML being injured maybe just maybe be a chance to change formation, we have Reid who looks clever and tricky who must be desperate to play.
He's doing fine as are all others .
In fact I think Manga who looked suspect at right back has looked okay in the Premiership, it could be because not so many clubs use out and out wingers,with big lumpy forwards, if you look at thier tactics its more through the middle and inner channel running.
I also agree NW has to play Manga ,Bamba and Morrison without them we lose that strength at the back ,it's worth noting we've not been stuffed yet.
I also think NW like tall mobile full backs .
Richards could be a risky change, and I think Pelt's will struggle as hes a Championship player at best.
As a unit its done well ,so best left alone in my view.
Manga is doing well. He's the most comfortable on the ball of our centre backs, but can defend too and has pace. He's doing ok at right back, but he'd be better off in the centre. NW obviously wants him in the team, but not at the expense of Morrison and Bamba, so must see him as his 3rd choice centre back.
I thought Manga was decent tonight and led by example but too many of the team under performed. We just looked too passive for most of the game and let Norwich have an easy ride.
When we did have the ball we weren't great at keeping it or creating much and this against a mid table, average championship team.
Tonight makes a case is he should be up for corners as well
Manga was MOTM for us tonight.
Loic Damour on the other hand.
Just 2 centre mids playing tonight, and we took (the best) one of them off!
Damour will be loaned out pretty soon I guess.