Fabian Delph - Signed for Manchester City

[PeterWithesShin]

Fabian Delph and Jores Okore were the main men against Liverpool when it came to statistics.

For the second game running, Delph did well in a host of categories, including attacking passes, interceptions and fouls suffered.

Okore, too, impressed in ball recoveries and take-ons.

Delph was No.3 for passes with 58 successful from 67 attempted. Okore was No.4 with 54 successful from 60 attempted. Lucas Leiva and Steven Gerrard were No.1 and No.2 respectively.

Delph was No.1 for attacking third passes with 14 successful from 19 attempted.

Gabriel Agbonlahor, Christian Benteke, Ashley Westwood and Okore were all joint No.2 for chances created with two.

Leandro Bacuna was No.3 for take-ons, with two successful from three created. Delph and Okore were joint No.4 with two successful from two attempted.

Okore was No.1 for ball recoveries with nine.

Bacuna was No.1 for tackles with six successful from seven attempted.

Delph was No.1 for interceptions with six. Ron Vlaar was No.5 with two.

Vlaar was No.2 for blocks with one.

Okore was No.3 for clearances with eight out of eight. Delph was No.4 with five from five.

Delph was No.1 for fouls suffered with three.

Christian Benteke was No.2 for shots, with three in total and two on target. Daniel Sturridge was No.1 with one in total, one on target and one goal.

Benteke was No.2 for aerial duels with five successful from 12 attempted. Glen Johnson was No.1.

Antonio Luna to Delph was the No.1 pass combination with 20 while No.2 was Delph to Luna with 19. Okore to Vlaar was No.4 with 14 while Vlaar to Okore was No.5 with 13.

[Matt Collins]

Delph's excellent form gives us some interesting options. We could demand more from him. Excellent though he's been, his chance creation still isn't huge. We could ask him to take on that mantle more as part of the 433 we've been playing. Surely it'd be KEA who came back in tho (cf posts above)

Or we could take the view that he's becoming dominant enough to allow us to play 4231, at least against the weaker sides. Ideally that'd mean buying a number 10. But it could allow Weimann or Tonev to play off benteke.

[Mortimer's Bear]

I thought Delph was superb yesterday, he looks so comfortable in posession and I can see him going on to become captain of our club in a few years.

[eastie]

I thought Delph was superb yesterday, he looks so comfortable in posession and I can see him going on to become captain of our club in a few years.

Agreed, not sure how long he has left on his contract but i would like to see an extension to it announced soon.

[Ads]

Two years left.

[Clampy]

He seems happy enough here and he's playing like a bloke who want's a new contract. I'm sure something will be sorted at some point.

[barrysleftfoot]

 Agree Matt C, he needs to develop the attacking part of his game.He has a good all round game, and has a good pass on him, he needs to assert himself more, and be more positive, and then he could be on the verge of an England call up.

 I'd renew his contract now as well.

[onje_villa]

I thought Delph was superb yesterday, he looks so comfortable in posession and I can see him going on to become captain of our club in a few years.

I think he's been excellent but not sure he'll ever be a player who looks comfortable on the ball for me. He always looks like he has a stick of dynamite up his arse and that can lead to moments when he takes on a whole team successfully but also moments when the ball bounces off his shin and he lunges into a kamikaze tackle or two.

I think if there's genuine room for improvement in our team it's in our technical ability. Liverpool passed the ball around very crisply, the ball rarely bobbling or behind the man. We never appeared to have it under control, especially in the first 40.

Our good performances come more from team spirit and hustle, as they did under MON.

[JUAN PABLO]

Its the only MON signing that's still left ?       

a year ago I thought it was a waste of £6 million but he's looking excellent value at the moment.

[eastie]

Its the only MON signing that's still left ?       

a year ago I thought it was a waste of £6 million but he's looking excellent value at the moment.

Mon signed  Guzan too.

[ChicagoLion]

Too often his technique lets him down,

[villa kicks]

Can be as good as Ramires or Kevin Prince Boateng

[Big Dick Edwards]

Its the only MON signing that's still left ?       

a year ago I thought it was a waste of £6 million but he's looking excellent value at the moment.

Mon signed  Guzan too.

Pedant alert. Lambert signed Guzan. He was a free agent after being released at the end of McLeish's season in charge.

[Toronto Villa]

Its the only MON signing that's still left ?       

a year ago I thought it was a waste of £6 million but he's looking excellent value at the moment.

Mon signed  Guzan too.

Pedant alert. Lambert signed Guzan. He was a free agent after being released at the end of McLeish's season in charge.

But MON initially signed him, TSM never played him and signed Given and nearly lost him and Lambert re-signed him. So technically saying MON signed him is correct.

[ozzjim]

With Townsend, Sterling and Barkley in the England squad, I would be well pissed off if I was Delph. He has been excellent both the back end of last and the start of this season.