The Quality of Our Press Has Gone Down - Agree / Disagree?

Totally agree about pre season.
Thats why the dippers are on fire right now because they're streets ahead of anyone in terms of fitness, coaching and understanding tactics. For some annoying reason they seem to have players who are happy to come back early pre season and get down to business. Players like Merlin, Aguero and Fern have to be eased in gradually which is why we tend to be slow starters. Trouble is, by the time we come good again the dippers lead may be too much to pull back. Of course the glimmer of hope is that we have Pep the worlds greatest coach and the master of creating new systems to win games. If can manage to hang on the scums coat tails until Eric come s back you just never know.
 
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The intensity has definitely dropped. I use to marvel at how tenacious we were to get the ball back. Not sure why thats happened. On a side note I really miss Sane.
 
Before writing off our press, it is worth just looking at how good Norwich were



That's football we would be proud of.


the second one is one I mentioned in my post in this thread. It's as good as we ever did that. I was stunned how good they were.
 
Not sure David Silva and Gundogan are capable of a high press, KDB to me still looks a little off the pace and Bernardo has not yet come back off his holidays, added to Rodri getting up to speed in the Premiership.
 
the second one is one I mentioned in my post in this thread. It's as good as we ever did that. I was stunned how good they were.

It's excellent by Norwich, but our players are there because they are supposed to be, rather than there to actually win the ball. Even Bernardo is more going through the motions rather than his normal Paul Dickov style full tilt. That's what happened, albeit much worse, with Pellegrini's team; not fully committed press & rubbish at defending when it breaks.

Then look at Gundogan on each one.

Doesn't read anything, close anything, he's a slow **** but he doesn't even bother to try & sprint. Take him out of the picture & the picture is no different.

Swap for Fernandinho & we win the ball with the spare man, he even covers the goal, easily by reading it & coming across behind Rodri, probably nicking the ball, but otherwise flattening the opponent.

We are getting the bodies there, but they are not hunting at full speed & we are carrying some players.
 
Not sure David Silva and Gundogan are capable of a high press, KDB to me still looks a little off the pace and Bernardo has not yet come back off his holidays, added to Rodri getting up to speed in the Premiership.

KDB has looked almost as bad as Gundogan in that regard, difference being, he does something with the ball.
 
I think the key strength that we are missing is Fernandinho's tactical foul.

I love Rhodri he will be a fantastic player for us, Fernandinho sets the tone in a game. You see it when he goes crashing into people early doors and that filters out to everyone else to get the ball back. There is going to be a period of adjustment as the baton is handed over to Rhodri but from what I’ve seen of him he certainly has it in his locker.
 

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