RedBull Salzburg v City (1700hrs BT sports)

I saw we can hold a good structure and are comfortable with the ball. Our issue seems to be we lose patience a bit when we can't pass it into the net. I have seen some of our most dangerous stuff from passes rifled through from midfield. The build up to that is decent but then some more movement across the front from the strikers and eyes up in midfield may help provide more chances like that. Often the lads have eyes down when a glance up may help.
 
Sad thing is, there is not even a point to debate player performances as we were outdone as a team badly. It would be easy to point out that why Diallo and Kongolo weren't flying in with tackles but that would be silly and totally false. Maybe the fact that the U18 just shit on everyone domestically created some sort of a limbo, that would explain why we can't really cope with pressint etc, but still, the main difference I think (only watched the first 60 mins then the penos) was how they did their transitions (both offensive and defensive!). They were quicker, more compact and more precise in it; just overall much, much better.

Something similar happened when we played that 'Porto B' side and somehow won that PL Cup but were outplayed badly at home under Vieira, while having quite some talented youngsters in our side already.

It's hardly the end of the world though as obviously if we are finally about to integrate someone, then under the strategical plan of Pep and co. and amongst seniors they could immediately fit the system, and this should be the main objective, but still it's a good warning sign that we our (second) 'oldest' youth team probably isn't being coached as good as the state-of-the-art European teams. Because make no mistake, Red Bull's now-second-team have the ideal facilities for youth development. And obviously we weren't *that* worse because there have been some tinkerings going on between our EDS and U18 and Youth Cup teams...

Simon Davies should fuck now off though, there's just no point in continuing with him. Surely City can do better. Maybe Pep. :)
 
I had read a lot about the youth teams on here but hadn't really watched much of their play so was looking forward to the game yesterday. Whilst there are obviously very talented individuals like Diaz and Sancho, it was a disappointing display. They were set up to play very wide and stretch play but Salzburg were compact and flooded the midfield with aggressive pressing and we didn't seem to have an answer tactically for that. Our central midfield came off second best throughout the game because of a lack of numbers although we didn't help ourselves with some really poor distribution. I didn't get the impression from that game that anyone is ready to make the transition to the first team squad other than Grimshaw who looked useful. Its unfair of me to say with so little experience of the team but it looked more of an issue with coaching, team set up and tactics rather than players capability. Didn't see much evidence of good chemistry between Davies and his young team either.
 
It wasn't a good representation of that teams capabilities.Both individually and collectively they were uncharacteristically poor,an intensity and cohesion was lacking,and they most certainly weren't helped by the uninspiring Davies making odd tactical decisions and strange subs.

@Saddleworth2 You make a valid point about the chemistry between coach and players,indeed it does appear to be missing.Many of those kids yesterday looked unhappy during that penalty shoot out,like they were simply going through the motions.I honestly dont think Davies has the charisma or ability to get the best out of them,and,at this crucial point in their development,thats not an encouraging situation.
 
I had read a lot about the youth teams on here but hadn't really watched much of their play so was looking forward to the game yesterday. Whilst there are obviously very talented individuals like Diaz and Sancho, it was a disappointing display. They were set up to play very wide and stretch play but Salzburg were compact and flooded the midfield with aggressive pressing and we didn't seem to have an answer tactically for that. Our central midfield came off second best throughout the game because of a lack of numbers although we didn't help ourselves with some really poor distribution. I didn't get the impression from that game that anyone is ready to make the transition to the first team squad other than Grimshaw who looked useful. Its unfair of me to say with so little experience of the team but it looked more of an issue with coaching, team set up and tactics rather than players capability. Didn't see much evidence of good chemistry between Davies and his young team either.

He was very good last night, probably the best game I've seen him in.
 
I had read a lot about the youth teams on here but hadn't really watched much of their play so was looking forward to the game yesterday. Whilst there are obviously very talented individuals like Diaz and Sancho, it was a disappointing display. They were set up to play very wide and stretch play but Salzburg were compact and flooded the midfield with aggressive pressing and we didn't seem to have an answer tactically for that. Our central midfield came off second best throughout the game because of a lack of numbers although we didn't help ourselves with some really poor distribution. I didn't get the impression from that game that anyone is ready to make the transition to the first team squad other than Grimshaw who looked useful. Its unfair of me to say with so little experience of the team but it looked more of an issue with coaching, team set up and tactics rather than players capability. Didn't see much evidence of good chemistry between Davies and his young team either.

This is something I thought when watching the game. It felt like the only pass any City player had, was 20 yards, usually wide or straight down the middle & in doing that, we were poor.

As you say, Salzburg were quick aggressive & had a plan which they were all comfortable with & knew exactly where they should be in each situation. The movement of their forward players was also far superior.

My question is, why were Salzburg so much better organised in their style than we were in ours ?

Imo, there are only two possible answers. One, the players lost it completely & changed from the way they normally play, to a complete mess, due to nerves/surprise etc. Or two, somebody came up with a plan for beating Salzburg, & asked the players to execute it, & they totally failed to adapt to it.

Now imo, there were certainly elements of (1) where some players were completely brainless, repeatedly, which reflects badly on them & also Salzburg won most 50/50 balls basically by going for more of a tackle whilst our players attemptd to 'nick' the ball & play. I don't mind that so much, as another ref would have given us 20 more free kicks & it's difficult for the kids to know what they are allowed to do.

But now to the 2nd part: If it was the coach, who set he team up like that, & not down to the players deviating from the normal style, imo, we should get rid.

We train these kids, year in, year out, to pass the ball & move in little midfield traingles, press, & basically never to stop believing in that method, same as Pep with the first team.

What we saw v Salzburg was the kind of wide open midfield, everyone out wide with huge gaps down the centre, isolated lazy striker, no pressing, kind of bollocks we saw from Pellegrini, not the kind of football we expect from our academy teams or from a Guardiola team, win lose or draw. When Utd put 4 past our EDS at the swamp some years ago, we still left the field having completely outplayed them at quality football & totally dominated possession. They had the winning plan, on the day, but we still showed that, on another day, we would turn them over, which we duly did, because our football was a higher standard.

Our football wasn't higher standard than Salzburg, or indeed than Utd's U 19s would be. It was dogshit.

Someone somewhere knows, whether that was down to a plan by the coach. If it wasn't, fair enough. If it was: sack him.
 
Every time I see Tosin and Humphreys play together I just can't see why everyone raves about them. Is it just me that thinks both are lazy, have no positional sense and just don't look like they will make it at City
 
Every time I see Tosin and Humphreys play together I just can't see why everyone raves about them. Is it just me that thinks both are lazy, have no positional sense and just don't look like they will make it at City

They have definitely both stalled in their development somewhat, I really think Tosin should have gone out on loan for the rest of the season. As it stands he'll be 20 later in the year with barely any first team experience behind him. Latibeaudiere is looking like a better prospect at the moment.
 

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top
  AdBlock Detected
Bluemoon relies on advertising to pay our hosting fees. Please support the site by disabling your ad blocking software to help keep the forum sustainable. Thanks.