Crystal Palace (H) - Post Match

[Tim of the Oak]

Wasn't at the game yesterday decided to have acute kidney failure instead so my son went with son in law and took my grandson for his first City game, (we didn't lose so he's not banned from going) had the game on a dodgy stream on my tablet and it really wasn't good for my blood pressure.

Sorry to hear about your condition.

I think a lot of young Blues were at their first game yesterday. There were a couple of families travelling with our Supporters Club and brining youngesters to their first game. Maybe this was the first Prem match people could buy tickets together for quite a while, I’m not sure.

I think we played plenty of good football but the final touches or passes of Raheem, Silva and Gundogan thwarted our end product - at times. It was good to see Mendy getting so many decent crosses / pull backs into the box and Aguero’s finishing almost neon is the 3 points.

We could really do with somebody in defence that excels on one on one defending and is powerful in the air.

 

[Kenward Garg]

We have never been media savvy and I like it way as we always show by deed why the media are irrelevant in the bigger picture.

I thought again we were unlucky with the result and on the balance of play should have got the win but that's football.

Chelsea should have got at worst a point and got nothing and again you don't always get the result you deserve on the day.

To qualify for next years Chump League again is the aim and we begin again next decade when we have been far an away the best team of the past decade in England.

Well said, my man. Watched the City game and then the Chelsea game afterwards and I thought the same.

One game that sticks in my mind for similarities was the 99 CL final. Bayern were sublime and controlled United. Alas, they relax as is natural when you’re in control, and Bobs your Uncle, Solskjaer and Sheringham win the game late, late on. I will always have that abiding memory of Samuel Kouffour banging the pitch in rage.

 

[lazza10]

Pep's stubborn rotation feels just for the sake it.

Mahrez in top form - dropped , Rodri playing well , dropped.

Bernardo and sterling out of form - picked

Hate the dippers and they have been lucky wih injuries , but u can easily name their team every week.

Salah, Mane, firmino hardly ever dropped. Just rotates the fullbacks from time to time. If you aren’t playing good enough, you aren’t playing in that side. Simple as that. Our team reminds me of a primary school, everything has to be fair, everyone will get a turn. No, if you’re being a shit ****, you aren’t playing. Simple as that.

 

[Kenward Garg]

Sadly I dont see us winning the Champions League with Pep.

His inability to be pragmatic in Europe was his undoing at Bayern Munich in the Champions League.And so far has been his undoing with us.

3 campaigns in the Champions League have all been undermined by Pep inability to be pragmatic/defensive when needed.The suicide at Monaco away when we neither attacked or defended.And lost a healthy home leg advantage.That first leg at Liverpool the following season was another example of Pep shortcomings in Europe,conceding those goals by refusing to change our style.A gallant display in the second leg was not enough.The damage was done in the first Leg..

Last season we should have been European Champions.Yet again Pep inexplicably left our best player out the first leg.

This season minus Vinny and with La Porte injury we have been conceding to nearly every counter attack from shite teams like Wolves,Crystal Palace,Norwich,Newcastle.

Anyone who thinks we stand a chance in Europe with our defense is deluded.

Agree. He’s taken some real beatings in the CL because of his refusal to compromise on his ideals. His “Achilles Heal”.

 

[lazza10]

I can't believe some people think we deserve to have lost that and that we were poor. I thought we played well and were very unlucky.

Palace should not be scoring 2 at the Etihad. Not saying we deserved to lose. Defensively the teams a let down

 

[Kenward Garg]

No way. With one injury after another (we had injuries last season as well) .......we've dropped to second to a team that currently can't lose if they try to, and remain in every cup comp. Pep sees the players all week (we don't), he knows how to coach good players (we as fans don't), he's the greatest coach on the planet (some of us might coach a Sunday team). Speak to ten of the loudest near me in the North Stand and you get ten different opinions. Thankfully, Pep's in charge and not some guy who posts on Blue Moon.

Bingo!

 

[Kenward Garg]

Nah mate all the bald frauds fault. The mob want his head.

Bizarre isn’t it?

 

[Fordyboy46]

Never seen Pep looking so fucked off in a post match press conference for ages. I reckon Stones got a right bollicking for his lame defending at the end.

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

I thought they were checking to see if his hand was in an unnatural position or not. If that is the new law, I don't know why they bothered as it obviously came off his body first.

Given that the ref was on the other side of the pitch he couldn’t possibly have seen what had happened and I don’t think the liner flagged. Just another inept ref.

 

[Kenward Garg]

Well said - although I think you've got the Lovren/VvD thing the wrong way round.

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. May I add VAR to that scenario?

 

[stonerblue]

What a pisser.
We did more than enough to win the game.

 

[Kenward Garg]

We didn’t win today because we didn’t commit the tactical foul on 90 minutes on the halfway line that we are renowned for. I though our passing for most of the game was crisp and we were wearing out the Palace Team.

it was our control of the ball that seemed to let us down and the fact that we don’t have power in the air. Sterling’s control in the first half was poor as was Gundo’s passing. Our most reliable player, Fernandinho, made a mistake. They happens sometimes.

I think we are looking good overall.

Yep. This is a quality team we get to watch and I’m sure every fan would want most of the team to play in their colours and to enjoy seasons we are now unfortunately taking for granted. Sigh.

 

[kinky's boots]

Yep... did somebody hack Colin's profile because this is a very strange post?

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I'm completely calm unlike many on here who after a set back completely overreact.

Stones does his job and its a masterstroke by Pep whose subs turn the game around, he doesn't and we need to replace the manager.

What does it say about elements of our fanbase when they want to replace a manager who is 2nd in the league, favourite to win one cup and deep into two others.

He is likely to win SIX domestic trophies on the trot, its fucking madness.

The team needs a slight rebuild, once that is done then Pep can be judged if he is the man to take us forward, not before.

For all the doubters I would be very interested who they think can do a better job, they probably want Mancini back...

No one that I can see is saying the board should be meeting today or Monday to decide whether to sack him this week because we fucked up against Palace again. But you seem to think people are saying that as you've got so uptight about it that you're not reading what people are writing. What people are saying is that we might need to accept that, as good a manager as he is, there's a possibility that he's reached his peak with us or he's burned himself out. He might think he's at that stage and decide to go at the end of next season, when his contract ends.

As you've mentioned Mancini, there was a great example of a manager who gave us a kick up the backside when we needed it. But eventually the players got tired of his angry man schtick and many were threatening to walk. That was Mancini, for better or worse, and that's why he had a short shelf-life at a club. We also had a sense of misguided loyalty to him as we should have let him walk in the summer of 2012 as he was threatening to do.

So unless something dramatic and unforeseen happens, Pep has another season and a half here. There is currently no better manager in the world than Pep but if things have gone stale and he can't or doesn't want to turn things round then he won't be here in 2021/22. We may not get a "better" manager but we might get one who's better for us at that time. And so the cycle starts again.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

Jesus - I generally give this place a swerve after a poor result, but coming on here this morning and reading some of this thread is genuinely depressing.

When did our fan base become such a reactionary, entitled, melodramatic, disloyal bunch of prima donnas!

This is a man who, just 6 months ago, won a clean sweep of domestic trophies and built a side which entertained us with the best football this club has ever witnessed. He achieved all this to a backdrop of constant attacks from our parasitic, corrupt, elitist media, retaining a dignity through it all that is a credit to our club.

Clearly this season has seen a drop in form, and there are a number of reasons for this - not least the well documented injuries to key players, loss of form/appetite amongst others and at best bafflingly inconsistent - at worst corrupt - officiating.

It’s clear we’re looking at a rebuild - the spine of the team responsible for all our recent success has grown old and left under Pep - Vinny, Yaya, Joe, Zabba, Fernandinho, David and Kun - next season, we’ll only have two of those still with us, and only Zabba and Joe have been properly replaced. Some players need moving on too - I would include Stones, Otamendi and Sane in that list. That’s a huge squad overhaul, whichever way you look at it.

Who else out there has more clearly demonstrated they deserve the responsibility for that rebuild than the greatest Manager that most of us have been lucky enough to see at our club?

Surely he’s earned the right for a bit of faith and belief from our fan base after what he’s achieved here.

 

[Marvin]

No one that I can see is saying the board should be meeting today or Monday to decide whether to sack him this week because we fucked up against Palace again. But you seem to think people are saying that as you've got so uptight about it that you're not reading what people are writing. What people are saying is that we might need to accept that, as good a manager as he is, there's a possibility that he's reached his peak with us or he's burned himself out. He might think he's at that stage and decide to go at the end of next season, when his contract ends.

As you've mentioned Mancini, there was a great example of a manager who gave us a kick up the backside when we needed it. But eventually the players got tired of his angry man schtick and many were threatening to walk. That was Mancini, for better or worse, and that's why he had a short shelf-life at a club. We also had a sense of misguided loyalty to him as we should have let him walk in the summer of 2012 as he was threatening to do.

So unless something dramatic and unforeseen happens, Pep has another season and a half here. There is currently no better manager in the world than Pep but if things have gone stale and he can't or doesn't want to turn things round then he won't be here in 2021/22. We may not get a "better" manager but we might get one who's better for us at that time. And so the cycle starts again.

If things have gone stale. The evidence suggests that we have not gone stale but that we can not handle injury to Laporte.

Anyone can argue that if x happens we should do y. You need to say whether you think x has happened i.e. Pep has lost the players. We can all agree with a generality that once a coach loses the dressing room he is done. If you claim that Pep has indeed lost the players, and should be doing a better job at defensively drilling the team, then I think this argument will indeed get criticism. There's no justification for it. We know the side's struggling but there are more obvious explanations than putting it down to the coaching

 

[chesterbells]

No one that I can see is saying the board should be meeting today or Monday to decide whether to sack him this week because we fucked up against Palace again. But you seem to think people are saying that as you've got so uptight about it that you're not reading what people are writing. What people are saying is that we might need to accept that, as good a manager as he is, there's a possibility that he's reached his peak with us or he's burned himself out. He might think he's at that stage and decide to go at the end of next season, when his contract ends.

As you've mentioned Mancini, there was a great example of a manager who gave us a kick up the backside when we needed it. But eventually the players got tired of his angry man schtick and many were threatening to walk. That was Mancini, for better or worse, and that's why he had a short shelf-life at a club. We also had a sense of misguided loyalty to him as we should have let him walk in the summer of 2012 as he was threatening to do.

So unless something dramatic and unforeseen happens, Pep has another season and a half here. There is currently no better manager in the world than Pep but if things have gone stale and he can't or doesn't want to turn things round then he won't be here in 2021/22. We may not get a "better" manager but we might get one who's better for us at that time. And so the cycle starts again.

I like that, a balanced and more importantly realistic take.

 

[BaldyBoy68]

Can’t understand some on here wanting Pep to get the sack. Most successful manager in England the past few years. Last year won the domestic treble plus back to back titles holding off tremendous pressure from Liverpool to win it. This season was always going to be a down turn, counter that with Kompany leaving, Laporte injury. Not getting another centre half was an error. Pep deserves a lot of credit and much more importantly support now.

 

[ShaunMCFC]

Seen that said so many times this season. Not a dig at what you’ve said by any means.

Love the bloke to bits, just think he got a couple things wrong yesterday.

 

[hgblue]

No one that I can see is saying the board should be meeting today or Monday to decide whether to sack him this week because we fucked up against Palace again. But you seem to think people are saying that as you've got so uptight about it that you're not reading what people are writing. What people are saying is that we might need to accept that, as good a manager as he is, there's a possibility that he's reached his peak with us or he's burned himself out. He might think he's at that stage and decide to go at the end of next season, when his contract ends.

As you've mentioned Mancini, there was a great example of a manager who gave us a kick up the backside when we needed it. But eventually the players got tired of his angry man schtick and many were threatening to walk. That was Mancini, for better or worse, and that's why he had a short shelf-life at a club. We also had a sense of misguided loyalty to him as we should have let him walk in the summer of 2012 as he was threatening to do.

So unless something dramatic and unforeseen happens, Pep has another season and a half here. There is currently no better manager in the world than Pep but if things have gone stale and he can't or doesn't want to turn things round then he won't be here in 2021/22. We may not get a "better" manager but we might get one who's better for us at that time. And so the cycle starts again.

I’ve questioned every manager we’ve ever had, but even I draw the line with Pep. You talk about defensive frailties and Pep being held accountable for them, but you have to take into account the context. Kompany gone, our best defender injured, Otamendi struggling, Stones struggling, Fernandinho playing out of position. Those who were pointing out our over reliance on Laporte before a ball was kicked have been vindicated. You think Pep can’t see these problems? It’s clear a rebuild is required and I’m desperate for Pep to be the man in charge whilst this happens. I understand he’s probably off soon, but I’m convinced he understands what is needed and is the man to deliver it before he hands over the reins. We may well end up looking back on the Pep era as out best ever period in terms of trophies and performance levels, I doubt we’ll replace him with a better manager.