Back-to-Back MOTM displays for AC...

Good to see AC performing to a high standard, ahead of the season opener.
Deserved man of the match against Belgium & England.

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Rudiger should be 4th choice. Not sure what’s happened to him.

Order will depend on who stays fit and takes their chance to establish themselves as the undisputed first-choice when the opportunities present themselves.

Christensen NEEDS to step up this season. The excuses start running dry if he doesn't.

I give him the benefit of the doubt more than most because he was a player that Sarri mishandled IMO (sure I'm preaching to the choir there lol). After the Barcelona error caused his 17/18 season to drift he needed a great start to 18/19 as first choice CB to shake it off. Sarri firmly parking him into a 3rd choice spot wasn't what he needed. It stalled him.

Last season nobody in the defense covered themselves in glory, but Christensen's expectations should be higher because anyone who saw him playing in the Bundesliga knows he's potentially our best CB easily. Needs to start showing it ASAP now he's played a full season for a manager who believes in him.

comment by Devil D.A. (U6522)
posted 2 minutes ago
Christensen NEEDS to step up this season. The excuses start running dry if he doesn't.

I give him the benefit of the doubt more than most because he was a player that Sarri mishandled IMO (sure I'm preaching to the choir there lol). After the Barcelona error caused his 17/18 season to drift he needed a great start to 18/19 as first choice CB to shake it off. Sarri firmly parking him into a 3rd choice spot wasn't what he needed. It stalled him.

Last season nobody in the defense covered themselves in glory, but Christensen's expectations should be higher because anyone who saw him playing in the Bundesliga knows he's potentially our best CB easily. Needs to start showing it ASAP now he's played a full season for a manager who believes in him.
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He had a poor season but I feel like the other CBs, for me a lot of his form was down to bad management and tactics.

He didn't get as many games under Sarri, but he was certainly still better than this season. Likewise, Rudiger was fairly solid but has deteriorated completely - so much so that he looks like our worst CB.

Both looked very good under Conte. It's obviously not just down to the manager, the players are responsible too. Christensen has another season to prove his worth here, otherwise it's time to sell.

It's often normal for young players to stall through their career. Very few have linear development. However, sometimes it's just a bad fit or they are not actually good enough.

Yep, don't disagree with any of that

The system predominantly played last season was extremely taxing on all the defenders, I think it's why Zouma's pace stood out at times - made him look like our best CB during parts of the season (after restart for sure). Sarri liked to compress the midfield space more, made defending as a unit easier in 18/19.

The point about young players frequently stalling I acknowledge, but in Christensen's case that particular error vs. Barca clearly affected him, he wasn't quite the same during the reminder of 17/18 where before it he was our best CB IMO. If we still had Conte going into the following season I'm sure he'd have recovered because he believed in him, Sarri didn't & it was clear from day one. Horses for courses, personally think Sarri misjudged that one.

comment by Devil D.A. (U6522)
posted 35 minutes ago
Yep, don't disagree with any of that

The system predominantly played last season was extremely taxing on all the defenders, I think it's why Zouma's pace stood out at times - made him look like our best CB during parts of the season (after restart for sure). Sarri liked to compress the midfield space more, made defending as a unit easier in 18/19.

The point about young players frequently stalling I acknowledge, but in Christensen's case that particular error vs. Barca clearly affected him, he wasn't quite the same during the reminder of 17/18 where before it he was our best CB IMO. If we still had Conte going into the following season I'm sure he'd have recovered because he believed in him, Sarri didn't & it was clear from day one. Horses for courses, personally think Sarri misjudged that one.
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It probably affected him but he needed it also for the experience. Up until then he had barely put a foot wrong, a high profile error was a big lesson he needed.

And I agree with all of the above btw. Not much else to add to that!

Comment Deleted by Site Moderator

comment by Sideshow (U11809)
posted 1 hour, 56 minutes ago
Having watched him play in the academy and kept a close eye on him on loan I thought Christensen had the potential to be a world-class defender. Quite frankly since he’s been in the first-team squad, underwhelmed would be an understatement - and that includes his season under Conte. It doesn’t take a good defender, yet alone great one to perform well as the libero in a three; and composure means little when you take no risk on the ball. His story is going to same way Rugani’s is for Juventus.
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Sadly I have to concur with you Sidey.. He's at an age now where he should be coming of age but seems to be going backwards.

This season, I believe, will be make or break for him with us!