Why can't we score?

[SWP's back]

whenever it is an easy opportunity the opposition simply foul us because they know the refs won't give it.

Three times at home to top four sides.

Should have been three reds and two penalties in those three games alone. It can't be a fucking coincidence.

 

[SWP's back]

It's all Peps fault imo.

1. He has us playing too predictably and our opposition is almost always as prepared as they could be
2. He floods the players minds with too many options so they all panic rather than focus when opportunities arise
3.His system is too greatly dependent on "confidence" which withers away easily (though to be fair to the players they keep trying so can't be faulted usually).
4. He wastes so much time building from the back
5. He has us whizzing crosses in so hard and fast that it's almost impossible to get on the end of or do anything with if you do get there.

Christ

 

[Akiva]

Someone actually blaming Pep for world class footballers missing tap-ins here. It's insane.

 

[Ska Blue]

Don't forget to add into the equation the audacity of our opponents having their players in the way, hindering vision, blocking shots etc.

Then factor in the weather, condition of the pitch, player A's option v player B's and there's a whole host of reasons and decisions to be considered and it'll either end up in the net or it won't.

Players were slipping all over the pitch yesterday and I think that was the major factor behind misses at both ends.

One day soon, we'll give a team a double figure thrashing but that still won't be enough for some. Stop feeling so entitled, that's the rags mantra.

 

[Phil1]

It's all Peps fault imo.

1. He has us playing too predictably and our opposition is almost always as prepared as they could be
2. He floods the players minds with too many options so they all panic rather than focus when opportunities arise
3.His system is too greatly dependent on "confidence" which withers away easily (though to be fair to the players they keep trying so can't be faulted usually).
4. He wastes so much time building from the back
5. He has us whizzing crosses in so hard and fast that it's almost impossible to get on the end of or do anything with if you do get there.

But then I always blame the manager. Whether it was Keegan/Sven types or Hughes/Royle types or Pep today the buck stops with him over a season. We can blame individual players or not signing players or missing players but the manager knows his available squad and has to have a plan A, B and C. He has to live and die by results.

It's Peps hole to dig us out of and I hope he does. Thankfully he should be given sufficient time. I just hope he has the ability to adapt too.

In answer to point 1. That predictable way has us getting chances to win games almost every game. Not half chances but golden chances that have been made by virtue of great football up until that point and football that is far from predicable.
In answer to point 2. What evidence have you got for this? I just see players missing chances like they have for the last 120 years or so and will do for as long as football exists.
In answer to point 3. The confidence doesn't wither away easily. Frustration can kick in and this can lead to players snatching at shots or being impatient but I don't think it's a confidence thing. We still get ourselves in positions to score late on in games and we've scored our fair share of late goals. Sadly we've also missed the same again if not more, but still, I don't see it as confidence withering away.
In answer to point 4. The building from the back is a mainstay of his game plan. It's what eventually gets us in the positions to score that we find ourselves in. It may seem slow and when you prefer the route one way of playing I can see why people would get annoyed but it's not going to change whilst Pep is here. It's the foundations upon which his whole way of looking at football is built upon. In any case, it works far more often than it fails.
In answer to point 5. That kind of cross saw us get our equaliser and has seen us score a fair few this season. They're the kind of deliveries we are desperate for as opposed to the floaty lobbed ones which are easily cleared or gobbled up by the keeper. We give ourselves our best chance by hard drilled crosses in dangerous areas.

Like I said in my first post. People tend to overthink things.

 

[Marvin]

Not getting pens is a small aspect of it. I know we had two shouts in this game, but you're not going to get every decision.

If feel this season that we are creating more chances, or good attacking situations and scoring less goals. That's down to a number of things:

KDB getting less goals. He needs a rest.
Aguero - he is slowing up.
Silva, Sterling are not the best in front of goal.

But this can be seen as a plus. Sane is creating chances for us against all standards of teams (except Stoke) and I think Jesus might be the answer. In other words our approach play is good and we have the answer to the missed chances in Jesus.

 

[Marvin]

Someone actually blaming Pep for world class footballers missing tap-ins here. It's insane.

I thought city deserved massive credit for the performance yesterday and I put that down in part to Guardiola.

The loss in midweek, and the energy/mental effects were massive. Radio 5 were totally bemused about Pep's post-match comments about him being so proud of the players and Stones, but I thought it was totally justified. Given the circumstances the players showed a lot of courage to dig that performance out and come back from a goal down.

I also liked Guardiola's sub bringing Fernandinho inside and putting Sagna at right back.

 

[Bozo]

Plenty agreeing with you but this simply isn't true at all.

Only 15% of our shots came from the 6 yard box yesterday while 77% were from the 16 yard box and 8% from outside the box. The dippers didn't have a single shot from outside the box at all. In fact the dippers have attempted far less shots from outside the box than we have all season.

The problem is conversion. The dippers are usually ruthless with their chances and lately we've missed 4-5 sitters per game.

Aguero is the chief culprit here, he's attempting more shots per game than any time in his career yet has managed only a startling 13 goals in 92 attempts. That's a marked decline from the Aguero of old and, if he was in keeping with career norms, we should really be doing better than what we are. We rely so much on him. Yes, he scored yesterday, but one goal in four goal scoring opportunities isn't good enough.

It is true, though - a quick look through highlights of the season shows it, especially recently. I'm trying to think of goals we've scored from more of a distance recently, Aguero vs. Monaco comes to mind, but not much else? Go back through our results and think of the goals - so many are close range or tap-ins.

We seemed to convert more from a distance earlier in the season, the away legs to Steaua and Celtic are great examples.

 

[TonyM]

In answer to point 1. That predictable way has us getting chances to win games almost every game. Not half chances but golden chances that have been made by virtue of great football up until that point and football that is far from predicable.
In answer to point 2. What evidence have you got for this? I just see players missing chances like they have for the last 120 years or so and will do for as long as football exists.
In answer to point 3. The confidence doesn't wither away easily. Frustration can kick in and this can lead to players snatching at shots or being impatient but I don't think it's a confidence thing. We still get ourselves in positions to score late on in games and we've scored our fair share of late goals. Sadly we've also missed the same again if not more, but still, I don't see it as confidence withering away.
In answer to point 4. The building from the back is a mainstay of his game plan. It's what eventually gets us in the positions to score that we find ourselves in. It may seem slow and when you prefer the route one way of playing I can see why people would get annoyed but it's not going to change whilst Pep is here. It's the foundations upon which his whole way of looking at football is built upon. In any case, it works far more often than it fails.
In answer to point 5. That kind of cross saw us get our equaliser and has seen us score a fair few this season. They're the kind of deliveries we are desperate for as opposed to the floaty lobbed ones which are easily cleared or gobbled up by the keeper. We give ourselves our best chance by hard drilled crosses in dangerous areas.

Like I said in my first post. People tend to overthink things.

I don't need evidence - I have my eyes and my mind. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything.... just stating my opinion on why we arent scoring more. And though some on here can't fathom it I always give the greatest credit/blame towards the manager over a string of games.

Pep is human and not some almighty god. Just like every manager he has faults.

IMO his success and ours obviously will be linked to how willing he is to adapt in order to forge a new system that suits us.

If we start scoring more without changing anything that I mentioned of course I'll be delighted (just like I was that Sterling improved greatly this season).

 

[Akiva]

@TonyM you're entitled to your opinion, but, frankly, it's absolutely insane.

It is true, though - a quick look through highlights of the season shows it, especially recently. I'm trying to think of goals we've scored from more of a distance recently, Aguero vs. Monaco comes to mind, but not much else? Go back through our results and think of the goals - so many are close range or tap-ins.

We seemed to convert more from a distance earlier in the season, the away legs to Steaua and Celtic are great examples.

I'm sorry, I literally provided statistics that contradict the anecdotal evidence you have produced from yesterday alone.

No, it's not true that our problem is we "try to walk the ball in". We make more efforts from within and outside the 16 yard box than many teams, Liverpool included, we simply haven't been as clinical as they have.

39% of all shots attempted by City this season have been from outside the box. Only 8% have been inside the 6 yard box. Meanwhile, we average 15 shots per game yet only 5 per game are on target and far less end up in a goal. If you honestly think we aren't scoring because we are "trying to walk the ball in", well, you're wrong.