Does today show we are still short?

[The Black Shed]

Yes

We are short of understanding what is important and when.

Pep mumbling on after the Everton game last week about what team he’ll select for the derby to win the league depending on how we’re shaping up for the second leg against Liverpool - no no no, Pep! He was thinking two games too far ahead there. His only priority after Everton should have been the first Liverpool game, nothing else exists until after that game is over. Then the CL should be forgotten about because we had a derby to win the league so you focus on that and that only. Even as fans we had that all wrong, the threads on here the day before the derby were all about Liverpool.

We are short of strikers.

We once had Kun Tevez Džeko and Balotelli, we then had Kun Džeko Negredo and Jovetic. Now we have Kun and a young kid... and that’s it. That means we’re relying on people who aren’t specialist finishers to finish chances.

We are short of mental toughness.

We are short of composure.

We are short of players in their prime years (26-29). Too many younger players who don’t have the bollocks for the biggest games or biggest moments in the biggest games and older players who don’t have the legs for them.

I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Franny 1234]

It shows we are short of a striker.

We had two strickers watching on the bench.one of them is the best in the league
Pep got it wrong simply as that.
But he as got it right for the other 40 odd games this season.
C.T.I.D

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Yep, definitely lacking a decent referee.

We'll never get one, I fear. We've had a few passable ones in some of the CL ties, and we have had some PL games where the refs performance beyond the application of the Laws didn't have a bearing on the result, but the system as it stands for arbitrating football matches worldwide is a mockery of what the game should be about!

 

[stan bowles]

It's hard to determine what the issues have been in the last 2 games as earlier in the season we did handle high presses well and we showed the ability to bring ourselves from the brink on several occasions when we looked like dropping points. The defeats against Wigan, Dippers (twice) and the Rags are not, in themselves, just blips. I'd say it's a mixture of complacency, fatigue and a lack of good game management. The issues in front of goal remain from last season and make the purchase of another top striker in the summer essential. I'm an undecided about whether Ederson could have been more about the second and third goals yesterday.

 

[PW]

Yes

We are short of understanding what is important and when.

Pep mumbling on after the Everton game last week about what team he’ll select for the derby to win the league depending on how we’re shaping up for the second leg against Liverpool - no no no, Pep! He was thinking two games too far ahead there. His only priority after Everton should have been the first Liverpool game, nothing else exists until after that game is over. Then the CL should be forgotten about because we had a derby to win the league so you focus on that and that only. Even as fans we had that all wrong, the threads on here the day before the derby were all about Liverpool.

We are short of strikers.

We once had Kun Tevez Džeko and Balotelli, we then had Kun Džeko Negredo and Jovetic. Now we have Kun and a young kid... and that’s it. That means we’re relying on people who aren’t specialist finishers to finish chances.

We are short of mental toughness.

We are short of composure.

We are short of players in their prime years (26-29). Too many younger players who don’t have the bollocks for the biggest games or biggest moments in the biggest games and older players who don’t have the legs for them.

A fine post and despite the goals we've scored this has been with as you say with only two forwards. I still think we need another out and out forward and another defensive minded midfielder to help close games like yesterday.

 

[Bozzie]

No ....just tough fixtures on the bounce that’s all.
We’ve been tactically beaten at anfield and lost 2 league games all season......short?? Pffffttt

It's been a bizarre last three games hasn't it. 90 minutes of arguably the best football we've seen all season, 90 minutes of easily the worst football we've seen and 90 minutes of average nothingness. I'm not tactically knowledgeable (or interested tbh) to analyse what happened yesterday but somehow, an apparently' 'weakened' side, who hadn't let the 2nd placed team in the league team have a kick for 45 minutes and should have been four nil up disintegrated into eleven gibbering wrecks who looked like they'd only just met, all in the space of the half time interval. Yes, the referee had an influence to some extent but both the players and manager has got to accept responsibility for our part in yesterday's collapse.

 

[tony adcock]

Yesterday It smacked of Bournemouth at home in Mel Mavhins days.....

Thought it was won at half time.

Nothing more nothing less.

But it could be a blessing in disguise for some younger players learning nothing is ever over until final whistle.

First half was as good as we have been - but 2 nil is always a dangerous score with plenty of time to play.

For me the mistake was the intensity we started second half - we took our foot off their throats and let them breathe.....next time we keep it firmly planted on the throat.

 

[bondsman]

Yep cf, lb and Dm. Above all, as someone else put, short on character.

 

[Magicpole]

Yesterday, Sterling missed four sitters. Does he not have a left leg? Leaving the ball to connect with his right meant the chances were gone.

Defensively, in the bigger games you still look vulnerable.

The simple fact remains that the two biggest games of the season so far, you folded. Self inflicted or not, you folded.

Neville was gloating how this will be a crushing blow for Tuesday. It may well be, if it is, then that will tell you everything. They need to stand up and be counted. They are capable of scoring five if Stirling stays out of the way and Aguero is playing.

I was watching it with my partners son who is a Blue. Poor lad looked as if he had been mugged of his most cherished possessions.

They need to show the world they have bottle as well as talent on Tuesday.

I still think they will do it. They have to also.

Game on

 

[uwe rosler 28]

New captain? And maybe at the very top level Otamendi Vinny and possibly fernandinho need replacing even though all have had a excellent season. But for me defo a new leader would love us to get vidal.