Crystal Palace (H) - Post Match

[WallyA]

I think if Bernardo and Sterling are going to play that 3-4-3 works better for us.

Cancelo doesn't have to be hesistant going out wide as he was today.

Have to swap David for Rodri to make a back 3.

 

[Odd socks]

We need to draw defenders out but we keep passing until we run out of pitch and their defence is back in place. We looked undefendable against Villa when forwards had something to run on to and defenders running backwards, today it just got crowded.
Dippers will pass it between each other until opposition steps up with a good line then launch it for those f**kers up front to run into.
We have the player's to play this way but running to the line is far easier to defend in my opinion and yes we do score this way but KDB is not as effective short passing as when he splits defenders back pedaling.
League well gone but still like us to open teams up and bring confidence for the cups

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Forget about how weak Stones was, how do you allow a 2 on 2 to happen with 1 minute to go when you’re leading a match. That’s criminal, there should have been at least majority of the team behind the ball and kill the game off.

That happened because KDB lost a tackle that was at least 80/20 in his favour & that allowed Palace to break. The number of tackles we lost that we should have won was criminal. There was one where Zara had 3 City players around him, all capable of winning the ball, but somehow came away with it unchallenged.

Having got into a winning position with minutes to go, yet again we didn't show the drive or desire to defend that lead. Soriano and Begiristain should be asking the same hard questions of Pep that Cook & Marwood asked of Hughes when his team went through a patch where we couldn't hold onto a lead. And if Pep can't answer those questions satisfactorily then he can have no complaints if he suffers the same fate.

 

[simon23]

Pathetic defensively display.
There’s zero excuses for that display.
Gundogan should never be in this team again, he’s destroying our tempo. There needs to be some serious questions asked about those goals we gifted today. Inexcusable.

Pep will NEVER learn, the team that ‘gelled’ against Villa, should have played again, stop FCUKING tinkering.

fully agree on Gundogan - all our below par performaces (even when we lost to Palace last season at home) have a common thread and its him starting in midfield - thers were poor today as well but its a consistent problem withn Ilky and its Pep's blind spot imho)

 

[Roy Hamilton]

Why did Ederson lump it upfield near the end.. why not pass to a defender and keep possession FFS

was thinking the same. Hadnt kicked it long all match

 

[super_city_si]

Playing away against us shouldn’t be the piece of piss tactically, it appears to be this season. Opposition managers should have to do more than say to their players “XI men behind the ball and then a long ball over the centre backs”. It shouldn’t be that easy against any side in the Prem, let alone a team that has secured 198 points in the previous two seasons.

It’s a joke isn’t it. Pretty much every manager knows they will get at least one golden chance. And I mean you’d have to completely fuck it up not to score. Makes team talks easy.

 

[Marvin]

That happened because KDB lost a tackle that was at least 80/20 in his favour & that allowed Palace to break. The number of tackles we lost that we should have won was criminal. There was one where Zara had 3 City players around him, all capable of winning the ball, but somehow came away with it unchallenged.

Having got into a winning position with minutes to go, yet again we didn't show the drive or desire to defend that lead. Soriano and Begiristain should be asking the same hard questions of Pep that Cook & Marwood asked of Hughes when his team went through a patch where we couldn't hold onto a lead. And if Pep can't answer those questions satisfactorily then he can have no complaints if he suffers the same fate.

Don't agree with that.

If I was critical of Pep it would be in starting David Silva and in playing Fernandinho persistently in central defence but he does not have many options in defence

 

[fathellensbellend]

That happened because KDB lost a tackle that was at least 80/20 in his favour & that allowed Palace to break. The number of tackles we lost that we should have won was criminal. There was one where Zara had 3 City players around him, all capable of winning the ball, but somehow came away with it unchallenged.

Having got into a winning position with minutes to go, yet again we didn't show the drive or desire to defend that lead. Soriano and Begiristain should be asking the same hard questions of Pep that Cook & Marwood asked of Hughes when his team went through a patch where we couldn't hold onto a lead. And if Pep can't answer those questions satisfactorily then he can have no complaints if he suffers the same fate.

That last paragraph is the biggest load of drivel I have read on here.

 

[wattle]

I love the man and hope he stays another decade bit I can’t understand what pep is doing atm. We stumbled upon a formation that was working with a young lad playing really well at the back, with Mahrez shining and Phil getting vital game time. Then he changes it again to what wasn’t working just so he can get gundagon back in and brings stones back in when he’s clearly fucked in the head atm. Stones is a mess and miles off the pace. I’m all for sticking by your players but he cost us both goals with shit defending. Raheem needs to stop thinking he’s Messi and go back to basics. He shouldn’t have been picked ahead of Mahrez today full stop. Maybe pep is deciding to play weaker teams in the league now but I don’t get why he’s abandoned the three at the back formation. Oh well. The game is fucked anyway so don’t know why I should be arsed.

 

[simon23]

The fact this happens over and over again suggests that it's a design fault in the way Pep plays football.

We all know that and Pep knows it and has even mentioned it. But will ALL systems there are strengths and weaknesses - ours relies on defenders being able to defend one vs one and numerous of them cannt (Stones, Mendy and Otto all be ing vulnerable at times). It relies on a mobile/clever defensive midfielder (Ferna) but at present we have at times got Gundogan who aint defensive minded and certainly aint mobile )

You have to weigh up the positives and negatives and there are far more positives to playing the way Pep does than negatives

My onlyslight criticism would be adapting that style of play when needed - Pep rarely if ever sacrifices this (you could see this as a huge positive as well - ie commitment to what he believes) but there is the odd game (Dippers away for instance) where i thikn he could do it but doesnt

 

[come-on-barney]

And he plays there like it's been his natural position. Mad isn't it.

and vacated the position that protected us for the last few seasons

 

[alexmcity]

We were playing well. We just didn't score and they scored from their first attack. Football can be like that

I felt we were lacking in urgency and concentration. We still have the quality to create chance but something was missing and it wasn't just bad luck. The performance was levels bellow the once against Leicester and manure away . When we don't move the ball quickly, we ask for troubles and this season they almost never fail to materialise.

 

[@BluePhil8]

VAR and ref endorsed cheating every week. Oppo 'keepers taking 60 seconds on every goal kick, never booked. Handball is fairgame as long as the outcome goes against City, the rule changes every week in the games we play. City defending like clowns and conceding from the only 2 Palace approaches in our half. It's crazy what is happening this season.

 

[Zenmanc]

Did you actually watch the game my friend ? Gundogan ran the midfield and had an excellent game - to say he slowed the tempo is not the case today there were many others doing that
Try and see if you can watch it later and watch more carefully

He fell asleep on the first goal.

 

[manimanc]

and vacated the position that protected us for the last few seasons

Only to be replaced with rodri and gundog on the odd occasion.

 

[Zenmanc]

Ederson - 5
Cancels -4
Fern -6
Stones - 4
Mendy - 5
Gundog - 5
Sterling - 5
Bernardo - 6
Serg - 8
Sterling - 4
De Bruyne - 6

4 or 5 out there who I just don’t rate. Been a flat season. Atmosphere was shocking.

Mendy played one of the better games he has played for us.

 

[Rammy Blue]

That happened because KDB lost a tackle that was at least 80/20 in his favour & that allowed Palace to break. The number of tackles we lost that we should have won was criminal. There was one where Zara had 3 City players around him, all capable of winning the ball, but somehow came away with it unchallenged.

Having got into a winning position with minutes to go, yet again we didn't show the drive or desire to defend that lead. Soriano and Begiristain should be asking the same hard questions of Pep that Cook & Marwood asked of Hughes when his team went through a patch where we couldn't hold onto a lead. And if Pep can't answer those questions satisfactorily then he can have no complaints if he suffers the same fate.

He also shouldn’t have picked the same shitty starting 11 either. Fucking annoying, and funnily enough every player that shouldn’t have been on starting 11 stunk the place out - Sterling garbage, Gundogan pathetic, and Dave Silva just shouldn’t be starting games any more.
And Stones is just pony, but we all know that.

 

[come-on-barney]

Was our best defensive midfielder. Who do you play alongside Stones? Garcia?

no point in going over old ground. We never strengthened.

 

[bluevalley]

Until Laporte comes back we should be playing with 3 at the back as we are very vulnerable at the back, they have a 50/50 of scoring on each counter. Also other teams are now well versed at defending against our 433.

 

[Bluemanc100]

was thinking the same. Hadnt kicked it long all match

If it was a dispute because of what their keeper did all game it backfired spectacularly