Manchester City fans have taken to Twitter to savage Nicolas Otamendi for his performance in the first half of their clash with Watford on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s men were in rampant form, hitting five in the opening 18 minutes against the Hornets, with Otamendi registering the fifth.
But his exploits in front of goal weren’t enough to save him from a battering on social media at the hands of his own fans.
It says something that in a first half that saw one of the most dominant displays the Premier League has ever seen, City fans still saw fit to call out one of their own players for a poor performance.
Otamendi looked shaky in possession from the first minute, and while Watford appear to be something of a basket case this season, you have to worry about City going into games with more able opponents when they are relying a central defensive partnership of Otamendi and Fernandinho.
Here are some of the best tweets from fans.
https://twitter.com/ferrariIFROSS/status/1175410752087310338?s=20
Otamendi OMG ???
— TRA ? (@RoseMCFC) September 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/daandydan/status/1175410707489271809?s=20
A large part of Otamendi’s issues stem not from a lack of talent but from a lack of concentration.
On paper, the Argentine doesn’t look too bad.
So far this term, the 31-year-old has averaged 3.3 aerial duels won per match, as well as a pass completion rate of 91.6%, as per Whoscored.
He has also managed 3.8 clearances per game too.
Compared to Aymeric Laporte, City’s best defender at the moment, his stats actually measure up pretty well.
The Frenchman has only managed 2.5 aerial duels won per match, as well as making 2.3 clearances, as completing a pass success rate of 93.2%, as per Whoscored.
https://twitter.com/WorldofMak/status/1175411915000074242?s=20
Nah we have to go shopping in January. Otamendi is terrible.
— Micky Free Is Not A Girl (@WeavusChrist) September 21, 2019
Based on those numbers, you may be forgiven for thinking that Otamendi is given a rough ride by City fans for no real reason, but it is those calamitous moments that really make him such a liability.
Over the course of his Premier League career, Otamendi has made five errors leading directly to goals in 117 appearances, as well as putting the ball in his own net once, as per the league themselves.
By contrast, Vincent Kompany, City legend, made just two comparable errors during 265 outings [Premier League].
City demand the best, and Otamendi, to be blunt, is not it.
Otamendi still has me vexed man
— Dallas Dave (@pleighboipapi) September 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/SaneSzn_/status/1175410969213902848?s=20