Crystal Palace (H) - Post Match

Pep wants to be here next season and I hope it works out that way - maybe he'll stay a year or two longer than that. He does more than coach the team - he's implementing a club philosophy through all levels. If he was unhappy, he'd just go.

I always worry about a manager whose contract is running down. Going into next year without an extension is a worry. If he signs another contract and we back him heavily in the summer that is a good scenario for me. If not it becomes a hard decision. I have a bad feeling about this especially as the owners and pep have mentioned 3 to 4 year cycles.
 
I know it's a rarity, but I spoke to a relatively sensible Liverpool fan in the week, my new boss unfortunately!
He mentioned he was surprised how inconsistent City had been this season, so I posed him this scenario:

Imagine Lovren had gone to Klopp in the summer and said I'm retiring, and Liverpool said OK, then didn't replace him. Then at the start of August Firmino gets an injury that keeps him out for 7/8 months. Then at the beginning of September Van Dijk gets a 6 month injury. And during that period Klopp takes your best midfielder, Henderson or Wijnaldum and sticks him at centre back, effectively worsening the midfield. How do you think Liverpool would be doing this season?

His response.... they probably would be fighting for a top 4 spot.

Well that's just what has happened at City. Some of it our own fault, some just bad luck.
Well said - although I think you've got the Lovren/VvD thing the wrong way round.
 
I would be very worried about keeping players happy to the detriment of the team. Are García and Foden good enough to take us far in the champions league? Who knows but you might have a better idea if you actually played them before the Madrid game. Stones for example has had plenty of opportunities to show us if they were good enough. We ain’t winning the league obviously so what can we learn from playing 4 3 3 with stones and gundogan?

We don’t even know how long Pep is going to be here for. If he is staying he should be signed up by now. The scousers won’t fall off a cliff next year and we have never looked like winning the champions league. It’s a big decision and a tough one but the best see what’s coming before the majority do. I don’t think pep will be manager the season after next and if I’m right I wonder what the point is for next season.
I see where you’re coming from. That team needs overhauling especially defensively. We have wasted fortunes on terrible fullbacks while letting a decent one in Danilo leave, AND I think your right if Pep isn’t up for a long stint to do the surgery required it might be best to change things. Stones, Otta, Cancelo, Bravo, Dinho, Angelino, Mendy, Silva, all need replacing for one reason or another. Sane may leave, hope he doesn’t, Laporte may not recover his level from injury. There is a lot of work to be done.
 
Attacking wise; no pace, no width and no running in behind.
Defensively; no pressing, no intensity and no aggression.

Sterling on the left doesn't work, a lack of a true left winger kills the balance of the team and the lack of width is the root of all our problems.

Until Sane is back and Sterling recovers some form, we have to go 3 at the back to give us that width. Get Bernardo's energy back in central midfield and two strikers up front while they're both in form.
 
Poor from the manager, and our defence is awful, can’t even do basic defending, two chances two goals.

Most of us could tell in the first 15 that we would find it very difficult to score given their formation around the 18yd box. Why did he wait so long to change it ?

I thought Walker might have done a job for at least 30 mins, getting in behind on the right.
Why start Raz in such a tough fixture as this when his form is awful ?
Why not start Mahrez, he’s in great form, bring Raz on for 10 at the end
Phil Foden must be thinking wtf watching some of this shit


Hopefully selective recruitment of top quality players in the summer
 
Attacking wise; no pace, no width and no running in behind.
Defensively; no pressing, no intensity and no aggression.

Sterling on the left doesn't work, a lack of a true left winger kills the balance of the team and the lack of width is the root of all our problems.

Until Sane is back and Sterling recovers some form, we have to go 3 at the back to give us that width. Get Bernardo's energy back in central midfield and two strikers up front while they're both in form.

I think he should go 3 at the back for sure with Rodri at the centre would love to see walker Rodri Laporte or fern Rodri Laporte. We could have it finely tuned by Madrid if he had played it regularly. Even get Garcia in the mix. The future of Sane is a big concern.
 
Just watched the game on Sky's game of the day. That second Palace goal came from our goal-kick. Normally Ederson would have Stones and Fern in the area and play it to one of those two, retaining possession. Yet instead he hoofed it upfield and it was headed straight back by a Palace player. At that point everyone bar Fernandinho is in the Palace half. When De Bruyne fails in a feeble attempt to win the ball and it's played to Zaha, Cancelo & Stones are ahead of him instead of double-teaming him.

I don't care what stick I get but someone should be ripping a new arsehole in whoever decided that was a good way to protect a hard-won lead in the last few minutes of the game. That might not have been Pep but it neatly underlines my point about what the hell has he been telling them about how to manage these situations? Not that they, among some of the best players in the world, should need telling. It was fucking criminal.
 
Got a point more than we deserved today.
I'd say a point is more than palace deserved playing such utter hoofball fall over shit and time wasting in the 8th minute of the first half....!

We were poor defensively but that was in part because we were trying to play football..... Some criticising John Stones, I though he was rock solid in the main today......
 
Just watched the game on Sky's game of the day. That second Palace goal came from our goal-kick. Normally Ederson would have Stones and Fern in the area and play it to one of those two, retaining possession. Yet instead he hoofed it upfield and it was headed straight back by a Palace player. At that point everyone bar Fernandinho is in the Palace half. When De Bruyne fails in a feeble attempt to win the ball and it's played to Zaha, Cancelo & Stones are ahead of him instead of double-teaming him.

I don't care what stick I get but someone should be ripping a new arsehole in whoever decided that was a good way to protect a hard-won lead in the last few minutes of the game. That might not have been Pep but it neatly underlines my point about what the hell has he been telling them about how to manage these situations? Not that they, among some of the best players in the world, should need telling. It was fucking criminal.

Wow, are you my dad on the interweb? He said the same!
 
Just watched the game on Sky's game of the day. That second Palace goal came from our goal-kick. Normally Ederson would have Stones and Fern in the area and play it to one of those two, retaining possession. Yet instead he hoofed it upfield and it was headed straight back by a Palace player. At that point everyone bar Fernandinho is in the Palace half. When De Bruyne fails in a feeble attempt to win the ball and it's played to Zaha, Cancelo & Stones are ahead of him instead of double-teaming him.

I don't care what stick I get but someone should be ripping a new arsehole in whoever decided that was a good way to protect a hard-won lead in the last few minutes of the game. That might not have been Pep but it neatly underlines my point about what the hell has he been telling them about how to manage these situations? Not that they, among some of the best players in the world, should need telling. It was fucking criminal.
I thought the same during the game, why hoof it up. We are excellent at retaining it at the back.
 
I'll have to watch the game again on MOTD if I can be bothered but I saw the Zaha goal as very unlucky. The player who can't defend is Fernandinho.

The media and rival players have had a go at Stones,and it's sad that City fans seem to join in with this. Stones problem is not weak defending but a frail body that keeps letting him down. He was limping again at the end.

Fernandinho can’t defend? Seriously???

He’s twice the defender Stones is and he’s only played there for 6 months
 
How about displaying a small amount of loyalty to our amazing Manager and Team.
Saddeneds me that our fanbase is now as entitled as the Rags and Dippers.
Saddens me too. We are an amazing team and current champions only 2nd to an amazing Liverpool team that haven't lost a game yet. Try getting behind this wonderful team instead of staying quiet or moaning
 
Just watched the game on Sky's game of the day. That second Palace goal came from our goal-kick. Normally Ederson would have Stones and Fern in the area and play it to one of those two, retaining possession. Yet instead he hoofed it upfield and it was headed straight back by a Palace player. At that point everyone bar Fernandinho is in the Palace half. When De Bruyne fails in a feeble attempt to win the ball and it's played to Zaha, Cancelo & Stones are ahead of him instead of double-teaming him.

I don't care what stick I get but someone should be ripping a new arsehole in whoever decided that was a good way to protect a hard-won lead in the last few minutes of the game. That might not have been Pep but it neatly underlines my point about what the hell has he been telling them about how to manage these situations? Not that they, among some of the best players in the world, should need telling. It was fucking criminal.
I felt exactly the same why didn’t we just keep hold of the ball. We didn’t kick it long from any other dead ball- not that we had many. Hard to blame the manager as he made the right sub and he will be as pissed off as the rest of us
 

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