Pearce wants more of that DD swagger

Chris Bailey

October 03, 2006

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Dunne in action at Reading

RICHARD Dunne and Sylvain Distin have been urged to be more arrogant on the pitch.

The Blues' central defenders showed what class acts they are against Everton on Saturday when both played pivotal roles in City recording their first away point of the season.

As captain and former captain their combined form is likely to hold the key to how fruitful City's season will turn out to be.

And boss Stuart Pearce is convinced that he made the correct decision making Republic of Ireland man Dunne the dressing room leader.

He said: "I think the two central defenders had a lot on their hands at Everton because Beattie and Johnson are a good pairing."

Strength

"I like to include the pair of them when it comes to praise because they draw strength from one another.

"The influence that Dunney has is the dressing room is growing day by day and when you dive full length on the line and take one in the chest it sets a great example. It is nice to look in the captain's eye and wink at him.

"Richard and Sylvain always have been vitally important to what we are trying to achieve though I believe that they should go out and play with more arrogance.

"It is as if they start off with a blank piece of paper at the start of every game. I would like to see them take some of that strength from the last game into the next game and start further up the scale if you like. I couldn't fault either of them on Saturday as pair they kept us in the game at times at Everton."

Pearce wants his defence as a whole to play more to its strengths by defending further up the field and not inviting trouble as a retreating Everton did at the weekend.

He believes that they have the pace and know-how to blunt most attacks if they are disciplined in their actions.

"We need to be more aggressive with teams and squeeze them a little bit more," he said.

Capable

"We need to think who is going to run Richards, Dunne or Distin. Very few would be capable and we have to play more to our strengths.

"Sometimes you have to get in the faces of the opposition and tell them how good you are at certain things and let them know that they are going to have to be good to counteract that otherwise they are going to have a hard day."

The back four certainly have the support of the man currently stationed behind them, Nick Weaver.

So far this term the Blues have managed three Premiership clean sheets, treble the number at this same stage last season and half the total with which they ended the entire campaign.

"We have a good understanding at the back and I feel that Richard and Sylvain are one of the best pairings in the Premiership," says the goalkeeper, echoing his manager's words.

"We have looked tight at home where we have yet to concede this season and the only real bad day we had was at Blackburn."

Should Distin and Dunne be more arrogant on the pitch? Have your say.

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Pigeon scarer, Kippax roof (03/10/2006 at 09:51)

Lets not get carried away about these two after one good game, they were together against Reading Blackburn and Chesterfield as well and at times they look dodgy. When they play well for a run of about 10 games I'll be convinced. They've both been made to look like bumbling idiots in some games and then in the next game look like world beaters. Consistency is required before I'll start singing their praises.

Peter, Ancoats (03/10/2006 at 10:08)

I am worried and concerned about the number of ligament and hamstring strains we are accumulating. Do other clubs have as many as this? Are you doing the wrong sort of training? Is Carrington a curse? The neurosis of a city fan. I've had 50 years of this so should know what to expect by now. Come on you blues.

Shaun, My desk (03/10/2006 at 10:30)

Both are prone to making amatuer mistakes,but by and large they are the backbone of the side and have saved more games than they've lost. The defence is pretty sound,it's the forwards I'm worried about.

ablueneville, somewhere in yorkshire (03/10/2006 at 10:36)

Still waitng for news about this press conference regarding new investment or did I miss it somewhere?

Al, Macc (03/10/2006 at 10:38)

Pigeon scarer, come on mate, Dunne and Distin have been our best players for the past 3 years (except SWP perhaps). You don't get much more consistent than that. I'm with SP - lets see them swagger!

Ollie, Guernsey (03/10/2006 at 10:44)

They are a great pairing but I will still reserve my full opinion of the team until 10 games in. By the way, there is absolutely nothing concrete out there about a conference called for today. If something major was going to be announced don't you think there would be speculation in the press? Or at least a line BBC or Sky or MEN that there is a conference today? And as I mentioned yesterday, if something major was going to happen re investment etc I understand that the club are bound by their listing regulations and as such most make a statement to the market even if they are simply in talks. No statement has been made so I think we can kiss goodbye to a major announcement. If there is a conference today perhaps Beanie is being signed on a deal until the end of the season!

DJ (not Jamo), Chorlton (03/10/2006 at 10:49)

Instead of asking them to be arrogant I think we should be asking them to concentrate on the basics and not get carried away. When Distin starts to swagger that is when he get caught up the pitch trying to be beckenbauer. Pearce seems to forget the way that Andy Johnson was left unmarked for the throw in that led up to his goal. Until we are concentrating better we can't be arrogant in defence.

Jon, At Work (03/10/2006 at 10:52)

I think Distin is an outstanding centre half. But I can't help feeling that his contract situation is undermining what the club is trying to achieve.

nick, bradford (03/10/2006 at 10:57)

where is this press conference then? any one know?

Paul, City Cntre (03/10/2006 at 10:59)

Dunney and Distin have been great for city over the past couple of years. They do occasionally make stupid mistakes but on the whole they are a great pairing. I agree that our defence does look strong at the moment but concentration has been their main problem this season, especially at set pieces. Jordan defends well, Richards is a cracking player and will play for england sooner rather than later and with Nedum nearing full fitness we do look stronger at the back than anywhere else.

kev, da Shaw (wythenshawe) (03/10/2006 at 11:06)

Does anyone know what time the press conference is?

Nick, Burnage (03/10/2006 at 11:06)

ablueneville - the press conference you are referring to was a wind up by another poster. the anouncement is actually nothing to do with mcfc, but it is by manchester city council regarding funding of there new IT dept.

ts, longsight (03/10/2006 at 11:11)

nick bradford - i think you should know about this press conference, if memory serves me right , its you that started the rumour in the first place!!!

kev, da Shaw (wythenshawe) (03/10/2006 at 11:20)

The person who started the roomer needs kicking....

Milan Mandaric, On the M6 (03/10/2006 at 11:28)

Look, can you lot be patient? I'll be there for my conference at 2 o'clock, OK?

Simon Brown, London, UK (03/10/2006 at 11:36)

But not too much swagger or they'll forget to do the basics. All things in moderation, a little bit of swagger but LOTS of concentration :) Also to those saying "yeah our defence is ok but we need to think about our forwards" whilst it's true that games are won by scoring goals, it's also true that they're lost by letting them in. It takes seconds to score a goal but it takes 90+ minutes to keep a clean sheet. Especially when money is at a premium and players can't just be wafted into the club like certain better funded teams in this division, the common sense approach of building from the back seems appropriate. Also, it is good to learn from your own mistakes but sometimes it's nice when others make the mistakes and you can learn from them. What Everton did by dropping deeper and deeper and deeper on Saturday is something we need to learn not to do. One of the best ways to defend a 1-0 lead is to score a second goal.

Mr Proactive, Shareholder (03/10/2006 at 11:38)

Don't get hoodwinked into the rumours of a conference, it started on a Pompey messageboard then migrated to a City one and then took on a life of it's own There is no conference to announce anything major. When SWP was sold the club put out an immediate statement on OFEX, under their listing regulations they are required to do that. When Fowler was signed they were required to announce that (because of the cost of transfer). City have made no announcement to the stock exchange which they are required to do if they don't then they have broken the rules of their listing as governed by the Financial Services Authority. Don't get carried away with mischievious posting because none of it makes sense. I understand that City have denied there is conference, BBC Manchester are unaware of it, no paper or website is carrying this story¿¿¿it is just that a story. You are better than this don't get drawn into it.

Incredible Yas, Everywhere (03/10/2006 at 11:41)

Peter, Ancoats - Correct, it is estimated that as far as strength and conditioning goes, football is approximately 30 years behind other sports, which is ridiculous seeing as though it's the richest. Most ligament injuries are avoidable and injuries such as hamstring and groin strains should never happen. When you realise that even clubs like Real Madrid train in a prehistoric way, it's not surprising that city have problems to.

ablueneville, somewhere in yorkshire (03/10/2006 at 11:54)

Don't worry Nick from Burnage, I didn't really fall for all that investment tosh. There will be none until the club's finances are in a much more stable state.Whether the board is going about this in the right way ay the moment is another story.

Gary, Dudley (03/10/2006 at 12:00)

I think Pearce is saying that he realises the unfortunate "Zonal" marking used on Saturday, which handed the goal to Johnson, will not be encouraged. Nobody challenged the striker from a cross by Phil "The Genius" Neville, and then Distin turned his back on the shot, rather than doing a Dunnie and throwing himself in front of it.
Sure, these two have their accomplished games, it's just that nobody knows which versions of them will be turning up each week - good or bad. It might help if the keeper inspired confidence at set pieces, or the midfielders helped out successfully. It's all a matter of practice and organization, as other teams show us. They do well a lot of the time, but if the only way to get points is to chuck yourself in the way of shots, or look behind you and hope Weaver has saved you for the fourth time in a match - well it can't really last, can it? Just another example of the need to hire an old head to help out with the coaching and tactics. Wigley's only contribution so far was to recommend Matthew Mills, and to suggest using Reyna as a winger. Is anyone qualified out there twiddling their thumbs?

Ivor Bollockof, USSR (03/10/2006 at 12:32)

I'm glad someone else has noticed that Distin invariably turns his back on shots and crosses. In fact Johnson's shot was way off target until Distin half heartedly got in the way. For a big strapping lad I can't understand it. Besides, for ??30k a week I'd happily get smacked in the ******** every Saturday. Hopefully he'll look at Dunnes fantastic block and feel a teeny bit guilty.

OB1, Transmancunia (03/10/2006 at 13:02)

I would like to see us playing further up the park and pressing the oppostion more in their own half. Win the ball there and you don't have as far to go to score.

nick, bradford (03/10/2006 at 13:17)

t s longsight - if you take a look at the purely man city website, supposed to be for the city fans not to wind them up, you will find that they were my source and it is them who started the rumour, so back off old boy, i have only passed on the information.

Phil, Sheffield (03/10/2006 at 14:36)

I agree with what Pearce is saying. It sounds like he is learning the tactical side of the game. Yes, let's press and defend further up the pitch. We do need more creativity though, and I'd like to see Stevie Ireland playing more. As for Dunne and Distin they are more often than not a superb partnership, and let's face it, everyone makes mistakes - it's just that they don't make that many. I don't think that Distin's situation is a problem at all for now - it will be next summer when he goes, but even then we will hopefully have Richards and Nedum waiting to take his place. I find it hard to criticise a bloke like Distin who is actually honouring his contract!

Col Parker, Eastlands (03/10/2006 at 15:03)

The only thing I'd like to hear at a news conference would be 'Claudio Reyna has now left the building'

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