Wigan FA Cup post-match thread

[Neville Kneville]

He did have a hamstring injury, but I'm pretty sure the yard slower is a mental problem. The old Cruyff quote comes to mind "What is speed? If I start running 2 seconds earlier than someone else I seem faster".

I think Stones is doing the opposite to that at the moment.

Yes, he's not right full stop. One quality game could turn it round though.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

Stones & Walker out of form. Bravo hopeless at shot stopping.
Gundogan and Bernardo to much of a luxury so start together. Team generally out of form in recent weeks, especially away.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

A healthy Sané and the result would've long been determined but you can see he's still lacking the burst that has made him so successful up until the injury. No Sterling hurt equally

I'd also be interested in your take on Aguero?

Plenty think I have something personal against our club legend, but it was again clear last night that his overall decision making and picking the ball up in withdrawn areas is also a contributory factor about our lack of presence and penetration inside the penalty area when we move into the final third.

We don't have a single focal point inside the penalty area to even make the distinction between promising opportunities and clear cut chances.

The Wigan keeper hardly had a shot of note to save in the second half.

At least Sane and Sterling take us closer to goal between the angle of the goal and the six yard box.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I'd also be interested in your take on Aguero?

Plenty think I have something personal against our club legend, but it was again clear last night that his overall decision making and picking the ball up in withdrawn areas is also a contributory factor about our lack of presence and penetration inside the penalty area when we move into the final third.

We don't have a single focal point inside the penalty area to even make the distinction between promising opportunities and clear cut chances.

The Wigan keeper hardly had a shot of note to save in the second half.

At least Sane and Sterling take us closer to goal between the angle of the goal and the six yard box.

Aguero is in the middle of a quite ridiculous scoring spell which didn't quite work last night & he fluffed a couple of chances.

He didn't prevent any of our other players from scoring though & he produced probably the only bit of real quality from any attacking City player other than KDB. Unfortunately a great save denied him a world class goal.

There was no reason for the rest of the team to avoid hitting the target last night. The positions were there.

 

[OB1]

Massive disappointment. Worrying how dependent we are on KdB (and Sterling too) going forward, but their goal was staggeringly incompetent. I don't blame Bravo in any way at all, but I would like to ask Kyle Walker what he was doing and John Stones what he wasn't. Presumably Kyle was trying to play off side, but you can't take the risk these days in that situation because his man was not going to play the ball. Presumably John thought Kyle was going to clear the ball instead of stepping over it so he let his man go and gave Grigg a clear run. If Kyle had simply cleared the ball we would have been fine and I'll never understand why he took such a risk on this referee giving us a free kick we didn't need.

I'm left hoping Sterling, David Silva and Leroy are all match sharp for Sunday because we were well short last night.

Walker probably should just have put that ball into touch. However, having looked at it several times, I believe he sprung the offside and was entitled to do so and have the AR's flag go up.

Of course, if he gets the offside decision, we keep possession; if he boots it into touch, we don't.

 

[blue ranger]

Still angry at what I thought was an incredible chance to get the domestic treble this season.

We lack zero penetration in these type of games and when Gundogan and Bernardo are attempting to support Aguero.

We had nothing in the box and it just goes to show again that we desperately needed to bring in another forward in January.

It also went to show as we slung balls into the penalty box that we could definitely do with a target man of some description.

Pep perhaps got it wrong with taking off Silva and should have pulled Gundogan, but I said to the wife as the game went on that Wigan would steal it and win 1-0, the elements were there, compounded by a referee who clearly took his instruction for the sending off from the fourth official and Cook getting in his ear.

Agree on all counts. Am worried about the defence though. Not including walker as despite his error he has been fantastic, but Stones and Danilo were dreadful.

 

[blue ranger]

Laporte has not impressed me at all so far. Touch of the David Brightwells about him. Will give him time.

I agree and will give him time. But he doesn’t seem to make any tackles!

 

[K.Reeves right foot]

Just watched the Wigan goal and what the fuck is Bravo doing positionally? He's way too far to his right. Griggs falls as he hits out from outside the box and it bounces twice before going in.

Bravo is absolutely useless.

Have to agree. When the wigan player went through you just knew he'd score. One job of a keeper is to make himself big. Make it tough for the striker. Bravo doesn't intimidate at all, wasn't in the position angle wise and when dives looks smaller ffs. Ederson would have been out quicker, made himself bigger and made it far harder to score. Fuck sentiment. I dont want Bravo in goal in the final. Yeah Walker royally messsed up but Bravo offered no defence of his goal.

 

[San Tropez]

I'd also be interested in your take on Aguero?

You didn't ask me but here goes: If I was Argentina football fan I'd have pulled my teeth out already at the thought of Higuain and Ageuro. Both can and do score bucketloads of amazing goals but at the crucial moment when you need them to kill off a game, they will vanish.

Give me Sterling any day of the week. He keeps trying till the very end. Always getting in the right places to score.

Fake Ronaldo will score with his knee when all else fails.

Having said that I will always love Aguero. He more than most has done a lot to push City into elite level.

 

[Peggy's a blue]

Have to agree. When the wigan player went through you just knew he'd score. One job of a keeper is to make himself big. Make it tough for the striker. Bravo doesn't intimidate at all, wasn't in the position angle wise and when dives looks smaller ffs. Ederson would have been out quicker, made himself bigger and made it far harder to score. Fuck sentiment. I dont want Bravo in goal in the final. Yeah Walker royally messsed up but Bravo offered no defence of his goal.

You are correct about positioning, and making harder for the striker, but what worries me most is the affect Bravo has on the defence. They seem to be nervous wrecks when he plays. Also Ederson helps build attacks faster, we have struggled to beat Wolves, Leicester and Bristol with this set up, no coincidence is it?