Is Pep ever going to address the defensive side of our game?

[Marvin]

But if we'd bought Luiz, Azpilicueta and Cahill in the summer and decided to buy and play Moses as a wing back, this forum would have melted quicker than a toblerone in a volcano. What's missing is a proper defensive midfielder. With Kante in this team, assuming we took a few of the chances created, and we would be much closer to the top. Busquets, Alonso, De Rossi, Lahm, Vidal, Matic, Kroos and Koke. These are exactly the type of player we don't have.

That was the point I was making in a rather than long-winded manner. Chelsea play Kante and Matic. They don't have better defenders, they just have a more defence minded midfield. Perhaps that is where we need to strengthen. I don't think we should be looking to replace Fernandinho, but we should be playing Fernandinho and replace Toure

 

[Marvin]

Pep has had the best defensive record everywhere he has been in his seven or eight seasons as a manager.

It would be surprising to say the least if he suddenly decided that this doesn't matter and there's no need for improvements to our defence, wouldn't it.

yes it would, but so far all the talk from City fans, or most of it has focused on replacing individual defenders rather than looking at the whole team.

I think we have been very unlucky at times to more or less concede from every single opposition attack, but then if you are wide open at the back, it's much easier to score than when faced with a 10 man defence The 6 shots 6 goals stats should therefore not come as that much of a surprise and perhaps reflect how wide open we are to counter-attacks when we lose the ball.

I am not criticising Guardiola. I think we have progressed this season. I am just getting frustrated watching City dominate games and not pick up the points our play deserves, The next thing he has to do is to sort out the defensive weakness in our game

It's a fair argument that defensively, one for one, our players aren't as good as we think, but as I said, I think the bigger issue is that too often our players get caught one on one because it's too easy to break through our midfield.

 

[Marvin]

Indeed.

My initial thought was,what a strange thread title? Then i realised who the author was......

All you seem capable of is deriding City players and abusing other supporters. Seems to be a theme amongst some. Grow up.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

That was the point I was making in a rather than long-winded manner. Chelsea play Kante and Matic. They don't have better defenders, they just have a more defence minded midfield. Perhaps that is where we need to strengthen. I don't think we should be looking to replace Fernandinho, but we should be playing Fernandinho and replace Toure

In reality, Fernandinho isn't really a defensive minded midfielder. The ones I mentioned rarely get in the box, whereas Fernandinho (and even Fernando) have often been found high up the pitch, enabling swift counter attacks. Toure looks like he gets it but it's 3 or 4 years to late, sadly.

 

[Marvin]

In reality, Fernandinho isn't really a defensive minded midfielder. The ones I mentioned rarely get in the box, whereas Fernandinho (and even Fernando) have often been found high up the pitch, enabling swift counter attacks. Toure looks like he gets it but it's 3 or 4 years to late, sadly.

I agree

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I looked at the Chelsea defence and they have Marcos Alonsoo, Azpilcueta, Cahill, Luiz, Terry and Zouma. Are they really better than our defenders?

Yes, they are.

 

[Southern]

Probably not, well not to the level that we would all like. Heres the thing, Pep likes his teams to dominate possesion for 90 minutes and work hard to get the ball back at all times. If you can do that and score goals then you don't really need a good defence as such because your entire team is both your defence and attack. If you look at how high our defensive line is when we have the ball its clear to see that as far as Pep is concerned you have a team of 11 players who have 100% responsibility to cover all aspects of the game not just their specific role. It is an interesting concept and one that is new to many but in theory it should work. When we were losing Pep never put the blame on his defensive line and instead pointed the finger at the attackers inability to put the ball in the net and make that possession count. In Spain and Germany there were lots of easy games where you could get away with defensive mistakes, in the PL you get punished and I think Pep has learned that now. Interesting though isn't it that since Bravo has been dropped we are winning again lol

Pep will buy some defenders in the summer but he certainly won't be looking at them just for their defensive ability so I wouldn't be surprised to see some interesting buys.

Agreed, he will want defenders who have have some good physical attributes like height, strength. But ultimately, will want players who are good with their feet and won't give possession away

 

[Bozo]

Buy better defenders and more time for Pep to understand and adjust to the nature of the Premier League.

 

[Chippy_boy]

yes it would, but so far all the talk from City fans, or most of it has focused on replacing individual defenders rather than looking at the whole team.

I think we have been very unlucky at times to more or less concede from every single opposition attack, but then if you are wide open at the back, it's much easier to score than when faced with a 10 man defence The 6 shots 6 goals stats should therefore not come as that much of a surprise and perhaps reflect how wide open we are to counter-attacks when we lose the ball.

I am not criticising Guardiola. I think we have progressed this season. I am just getting frustrated watching City dominate games and not pick up the points our play deserves, The next thing he has to do is to sort out the defensive weakness in our game

It's a fair argument that defensively, one for one, our players aren't as good as we think, but as I said, I think the bigger issue is that too often our players get caught one on one because it's too easy to break through our midfield.

For sure Marvin - agree with all of that. In games where we are very dominant and yet haven't scored enough to shut up shop, we often press and press and press to the point of recklessness. Sometimes we have just one defender on his own at the back with everyone else far into the oppositions half, and all it takes is a crap corner or a blocked shot that deflects kindly for our opponents and they are through our midfield in a nanosecond and through on goal. One mistake from the defender and we've conceded again (bearing in mind Bravo rarely saves anything). We could make a step-change improvement by just being a bit less "cavalier".

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Walker and Rose would solve a lot though. I would also go after Ali.

Spurs are definitely ripe for a hostile approach. Much as Levy is so difficult to do business with, he is also a pragmatist. They are building a new stadium and if you offered them £150m right now, he would drive them here himself.

Ali is a superstar.