That’s a good post.A number of the goals we let in last season were down to individual errors caused by loss of concentration following breakdowns in possession. Previously that was a large part of Fern's job as defensive midfielder. He covered for others brilliantly, read the game really well and, as some might say, was a master of the technical foul. Rodri and Gundo are good players but in that position neither is as good as Fern was in previous seasons. Stones.Walker, Ota and Mendy all had lapses in concentration that led to goals last season and Garcia and even Laporte had moments too. So for me, any new defensive additions must have that single minded level of concentration that only the best have. However, we would all praise VK as our best defender in recent years and he too was prone occasionally. Its a conundrum really. Maybe if we had bought Kante a few years ago we wouldn't be talking about it?
You can see it has 9 league losses and on paper it is, I see it has we lost the game by the odd goal because our forwards didn't do there jobs.We lost 9 league games and lost against Lyon with Pep frightened to expose his defence to a handful of counter-attacks we'd have faced against Lyon. Our defence was weak. The job over the Summer was to rebuild it and one signing isn't enough imo. I'd love to be proved wrong, and hope to be.
It's easy saying we can wins games by outscoring the oppositions but there are days when it just doesn't go in. And City are a soft touch defensively.You can see it has 9 league losses and on paper it is, I see it has we lost the game by the odd goal because our forwards didn't do there jobs.
Look at the games after lockdown, lost away at Chelsea n Southampton, without doubt we should of won both games.
I could go on Wolves away, Norwich away, Spurs away where we missed a pen.
That's 5 of the 9 league loses we should of won.
If our forwards keep missing chances we will lose games this season, with or without KK.
You can see it has 9 league losses and on paper it is, I see it has we lost the game by the odd goal because our forwards didn't do there jobs.
Look at the games after lockdown, lost away at Chelsea n Southampton, without doubt we should of won both games.
I could go on Wolves away, Norwich away, Spurs away where we missed a pen.
That's 5 of the 9 league loses we should of won.
If our forwards keep missing chances we will lose games this season, with or without KK.
It's easy saying we can wins games by outscoring the oppositions but there are days when it just doesn't go in. And City are a soft touch defensively.
Some will argue Ake is enough. I don't want to hope. I want to go into this season feeling that the opposition is going to have to do really well to score. We aren't there yet.
This was the Summer with Covid and a rich owner to get the job done. Barca, Real Madrid, Liverpool all got their horns in. There's few teams spending-only Chelsea. We can still do the job.
There's not much point grumbling now but there's even less point when the season has started
I didn't mention the word "out scoring" you did and I didn't mean that, so on your reply we have to agree to disagree.It's easy saying we can wins games by outscoring the oppositions but there are days when it just doesn't go in. And City are a soft touch defensively.
Some will argue Ake is enough. I don't want to hope. I want to go into this season feeling that the opposition is going to have to do really well to score. We aren't there yet.
This was the Summer with Covid and a rich owner to get the job done. Barca, Real Madrid, Liverpool all got their horns in. There's few teams spending-only Chelsea. We can still do the job.
There's not much point grumbling now but there's even less point when the season has started
We actually score the amount of goals we are expected to overall believe it or not. The problem is that where we underperform tends to be in crucial moments particularly when we are behind. I have no idea why this is...we should be used to the pressure.
Given the above I’d prioritise a Fern replacement. A DM that has an engine on him and breaks up counters before they reach an exposed defence.
You can see it has 9 league losses and on paper it is, I see it has we lost the game by the odd goal because our forwards didn't do there jobs.
Look at the games after lockdown, lost away at Chelsea n Southampton, without doubt we should of won both games.
I could go on Wolves away, Norwich away, Spurs away where we missed a pen.
That's 5 of the 9 league loses we should of won.
If our forwards keep missing chances we will lose games this season, with or without KK.
Agreed that finding a good replacement for Fern is the key. So many of the issues last season hinged on the breakdown of the midfield defensive set-up.
Ndidi?