Crystal Palace (H) - Post Match

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Not a scrap of luck today. Every pinball in the Palace area dropped to one of theirs, and the desperate hoofs seemed to land on the toe of the only player they didn't have crammed in their defensive third. But I'm gonna carry out a scientific experiment to determine which is the shittier - our defensive capabilities, VAR or the atrocious reffing that keeps turning up at our ground. I've just got to find a shiny penny!

 

[Blue Maverick]

Why is Pep changing a winning team, Liverpool play essentially the same 11 every week, momentum is a major factor with players, I’m not Mahrez biggest fan but he’s in form, Sterling isn’t, it’s an easy choice. The way we play high will always give teams like Palace a chance that’s why we need to score 3 a game to ensure we win.

 

[alexmcity]

Yeah I mean I understand why people are pissed, but I have already written off winning the league, I never thought it we had even a 1% chance of winning it.

So I understand rotating Jesus and Mahrez and hence being forced to play Bernardo out there. It's also good (but really bad) to know Stones can't really be relied on consistently.

So now we know, against Real Madrid for example the starting line up MUST include Mahrez, Jesus, Laporte and Dinho, rest about in other games to get these 4 fit for important games. Hopefully the other players can get in form with the rotation. I would also probably go Bernardo over David in midfield, as he provides more protection with Gundogan.

On Gundogan, how did people not notice how great his passing was? Honestly shocked how people can blame him for anything, he isn't a defensive midfielder, he is a deep lying playmker.

Cancelo also had a terrible 2nd half but I can forgive that somewhat as he only started playing more, but something must have happened either instruction or onfield, because he was quite more erratic in that 2nd half.

David shouldn't start CL games, legs are gone. The idea today was that he is stil good against deep sitting defences but he's not in form, we should play Foden there. Bernie over Dave any day of the week.

 

[Zenmanc]

We needed a striker like Haaland today .....

We scored 2 amazing goals that were both top class. We NEEDED defense.

 

[come-on-barney]

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

Hence the problems

 

[1.618034]

Got to learn how to close games out. It's pathetic to be done like that after going ahead, again!

 

[chesterbells]

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

Absolutely. All systems have a potential weakness somewhere, and I prefer our system under Pep to any other system I’ve ever watched, for city or anyone else.
(Well maybe apart from Brazil’s 82 World Cup team ;-)

 

[OntarioBlue]

I’m

Their equaliser was a fluke.

We need to stop playing Fernandinho in Central defence. I know most will blame Stones but for me he did OK. He pushed zaha wide and Zaha smashed it across and it hit Fern and went in. Yet to see it on TV.

Stones looked like he got injured again.

I’m with you about Stones and I refuse to jump on the Stones hating bandwagon. He did the right thing shepherding Zaha away from the danger zone but Zaha managed to get a completely speculative cross in that shouldn’t have been any trouble but unfortunately it hit Fern.

When Laporte gets back we have to play him with Stones and switch Fern back to midfield.

Trouble is Pep is so effing stubborn I think we all know what will happen.

 

[paulchapo]

Too frustrating for words. No way should we be winning with three minutes to go and throw it away it's just criminal. Stones time here is done. He is still making the same mistakes he did when he first came, also he is weak mentally and physically. He's fine strolling around passing the ball under no pressure and that's it. Cancello.....not sure he fits in here or wants to. For Gundogan see Stones, although he isn't as bad.

Big rebuild is needed in the summer, especially at the back. We thought we had it done with Mendy, Laporte and Stones being young and of top potential, unfortunately it hasn't worked out.

The crazy thing is that as inconsistent and woeful we have been at times we would be top of the league but for Liverpool having such an exceptional season. The worrying thing is I think they will be as good for a few years yet and they have some top class youth players coming through.

 

[Semper aggressus]

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.

I'd turn the last paragraph around and say Pep should be asking to see the money! Look how our turnover and commercial income and wealth keep increasing, yet for some reason we still don't seem to have the cahunas at board level or as a club to spend what it takes to match our supposed ambition.

 

[Blumers Bloomers]

I seem to remember @tolmie's hairdoo being lambasted on here for the mere suggestion that we listen to Real Madrid’s offer of £125m for Sterling or whatever it was. Doesn’t seem so daft now although if they’ve been watching him of late I reckon they might re-evaluate the price tag

 

[the talisman]

I’m

I’m with you about Stones and I refuse to jump on the Stones hating bandwagon. He did the right thing shepherding Zaha away from the danger zone but Zaha managed to get a completely speculative cross in that shouldn’t have been any trouble but unfortunately it hit Fern.

When Laporte gets back we have to play him with Stones and switch Fern back to midfield.

Trouble is Pep is so effing stubborn I think we all know what will happen.

Fernandinho is a centre half now. He was moved there before Laporte was injured.

 

[Gordyola]

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.

Hughes never won a trophy never mind 5, he never provided a team than broken all the records, produced some of the best most football ever seen in the PL, to compare him with Hughes is frankly laughable and I’m surprised at you Colin

 

[Gordyola]

I seem to remember @tolmie's hairdoo being lambasted on here for the mere suggestion that we listen to Real Madrid’s offer of £125m for Sterling or whatever it was. Doesn’t seem so daft now although if they’ve been watching him of late I reckon they might re-evaluate the price tag

I’d drive him myself based on his recent form

 

[come-on-barney]

I’m

I’m with you about Stones and I refuse to jump on the Stones hating bandwagon. He did the right thing shepherding Zaha away from the danger zone but Zaha managed to get a completely speculative cross in that shouldn’t have been any trouble but unfortunately it hit Fern.

When Laporte gets back we have to play him with Stones and switch Fern back to midfield.

Trouble is Pep is so effing stubborn I think we all know what will happen.

What game were you watching? He did not shepherd him out that was the problem.

 

[blueinsa]

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]

People need to understand that we are fast approaching the business end with 3 trophies to play for.
Of course he’s going to rotate - today on paper was the perfect game to do so.
We were the better team but like so often this season we let ourselves down in both boxes.
We didn’t drop points because of Pep fucking up, however some would like to believe it.

why was today teh perfect game to do so - yes Villa was but Palace were the only team to takepoints off us at home last season so clearly are a decent team and know how to play against us.....d say today was the day NOT to rotate togive you the best chance to win.....if you are sacrificinf the league then fine bu we are in a battle for top 4 make no mistake about it.

 

[Gray]

We are a team that gift the opposition goals from minimum chances so we need to be more clinical in our finishing. First half today was basically half arsed by the team, we only got some urgency in the last 15 minutes. Sterling is frankly awful at present and has been for weeks, Gundogan improved second half but was shocking in the first half. Poor David Silva his best years are behind him surely time to put our trust in Foden. Not a cat in Hells chance of winning the Chumps we must go for the two domestic Cups.

 

[mosssideblue]

I am totally confused wrt the handball rule. When the ref gave it, I said to myself there is no way VAR can overturn it as it defo hit his hand and I was convinced we were all playing to the tune of "if it hits your hand in the box, even if unintentional" then a penalty ensues.

So, can anyone state what is the exact rule that VAR are working to (gen Q) and not looking for only applies for everyone else​

 

[sir baconface]

I'd turn the last paragraph around and say Pep should be asking to see the money! Look how our turnover and commercial income and wealth keep increasing, yet for some reason we still don't seem to have the cahunas at board level or as a club to spend what it takes to match our supposed ambition.

How many billions more than everyone else do you think it will take?