It's Quiet thread 14 - 'do one' edition

[oldhamblue]

Absolutely. And in season FIVE still crying about low blocks is NOT a good look.

Correct. Basically admitted it's the blueprint to beat his team

 

[pudge]

Have we signed a central midfielder yet?

 

[BillyShears]

Teams are defending better against us than anyone & we are defending worse agsinst them than anyone.

The goals we let in, are often amongst the worst conceded by anyone, each matchday.

It has wrecked the confidence of the team.

One decent opposition attack & our standard drops immediately, because we are expecting disaster. It was clear v Wolves.

You can't keep swaggering around backheeling the ball to each other & flicking it over the keeper, if you think one wrong move means a shot on goal at the other end.

The defence is destroying the attack.

I've dedicated countless hours on podcasts to this very principle. City are at their most vulnerable when they have anaemic possession without threatening the opposition, because inevitably when their chance comes, they bury it either because one of our defenders makes a glaring error, or because collectively the backline shits itself. Either way, that lack of confidence starts with the attackers not taking chances as crazy as that sounds.

Also the oppositions confidence in counter attacks comes from us not threatening them when we attack. If you're Leicester, after the goal you watch us keep the ball with no real purpose for fifteen minutes and you realise "okay we're still in this game, they're just playing keep ball without laying a glove on us".

 

[Keeper!]

I disagree because fundamentally we need to be able to score goals and create chances more importantly than we need to be able to defend counter attacks. Too much emphasis is being placed on a defence which hasn't had a stable partner for Laporte almost since he joined.

Our attacking play has been too patchy for too long and we are too quickly frustrated by a low block. One of the big reasons that we are suddenly so susecptible to goals on the counter is that we can't fucking score or create at the other end. City are at their worst, their most weak, when they aren't threatening the opposition goal.

The loss of Sane to injury and now transfer was a huge blow.

He on the left and Sterling on the right were a devastating combination, pace, power, directness , creativity and finishing power.

Sane has not been replaced, Mahrez, great footballer but so predictable and one paced.

 

[Mogadon]

With respect to the Mendy conversation, I think that it's very easy to sit on the outside and say "well I don't rate him and I think he's shit so we need a replacement surely". But to the people who work with Mendy everyday they still want to give him a chance. So it's not as black and white as you're making out. The 'issue' if you can call it that, is that currently there's no one to rotate Mendy with and when he's not fit we don't have a natural left back who can step in. We could do with that as an option, but I'm fairly convinced that we'll see Ake there whenever Mendy isn't fit.

I see people keep listing positions we should be buying in, but nobody is taking into account how squad numbers, and that the players who people want to discard are proven internationals on massive wages. It doesn't work like that. Clubs rarely just keep adding players without any regard for what they already have. City made it crystal clear at the start of the window there would be no midfielders brought in. They have KDB, Rodri, Ferna, Foden, Bernardo, Gundo. Six players for three positions and they're happy with those options regardless of how sexy that lad at Lyon looks right now.

I'd like to believe they've had a re-think since Sunday.. 3 of the 6 lack the required dynamism for various reasons (Ferna - age, Gundo - injuries, Rodri - physique?), Foden's still raw and Bernardo needs to re-discover his mojo. We're beginning to rely on Kev to provide the creative drive far too much for my liking and his exasperation is becoming more evident.

Aouar would help relieve that burden and, given Ferna won't be around next year, Foden needs nurturing and I suspect Gundo hasn't got much longer at this level beyond this season, would appear to be prudent succession-planning. He looked sexy enough against us in the CL.. he looks a damn-sight more so right now.

 

[ljones15]

I thought it was quite clear on Sunday that Leicester literally let Mendy have the ball because they identified that the duel between Castagne and Mendy is one they could come out on top. They happily set up their two banks of five but slightly overloading the right side giving us an outlet ball to Mendy pretty much every time we built our attacks. They identified triggers to counter from Mendy receiving the ball, particularly that long diagonal - heavy touch, or he'd either pass backwards or put hopeful balls into the box which was food and drink for the likes of Evans and Soyuncu. Not sure if Tagliafico is the answer (depends on the price), I'd like to see Ake in there for a while.

 

[Marvin]

Teams are defending better against us than anyone & we are defending worse agsinst them than anyone.

The goals we let in, are often amongst the worst conceded by anyone, each matchday.

It has wrecked the confidence of the team.

One decent opposition attack & our standard drops immediately, because we are expecting disaster. It was clear v Wolves.

You can't keep swaggering around backheeling the ball to each other & flicking it over the keeper, if you think one wrong move means a shot on goal at the other end.

The defence is destroying the attack.

Goals change games and as Pep says undermine belief. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with our forward-play. Ideally we could do with a young Aguero but unless his game has fallen off a cliff I think we'll score plenty this season. The problem is keeping them out at the other end.

City have done the business in the transfer market now (almost). Not it's Pep's job to get the defence organised.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Out of curiosity, if Ake plays there for example and against Leeds and plays well, will you then change your opinion?

On a more general note, anyone who watched the Leicester game should be painfully aware that our problems can't be solved in the transfer market. We have plenty of quality players. They have to be play better, be better organised, and be better coached.

Particularly true when we score early. Nothing wrong with dropping 20 yards deeper and trying to hit them on the break, now and again, rather than thinking we’ve got to score 3 because we are bound to concede 2 (or score 6, in Sunday’s case....).

 

[Keeper!]

Goals change games and as Pep says undermine belief. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with our forward-play. Ideally we could do with a young Aguero but unless his game has fallen off a cliff I think we'll score plenty this season. The problem is keeping them out at the other end.

City have done the business in the transfer market now (almost). Not it's Pep's job to get the defence organised.

It was his job 12 months ago and we still have the same issue, the team has to defend from front to back, you can't blame the back 4 individually.

Our back 4 are hung out to dry by our hung go attacking, it has to stop.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I've dedicated countless hours on podcasts to this very principle. City are at their most vulnerable when they have anaemic possession without threatening the opposition, because inevitably when their chance comes, they bury it either because one of our defenders makes a glaring error, or because collectively the backline shits itself. Either way, that lack of confidence starts with the attackers not taking chances as crazy as that sounds.

Also the oppositions confidence in counter attacks comes from us not threatening them when we attack. If you're Leicester, after the goal you watch us keep the ball with no real purpose for fifteen minutes and you realise "okay we're still in this game, they're just playing keep ball without laying a glove on us".

I agree, but, they know they can score two or 3 goals, without taking any risks at all if they can prevent us from scoring.

Leicester were the only team in the top section who didn't manage to score two or more v City last season. Now everybody has.

So to guarantee 3 points we need 3 goals or more.

That's too much pressure on the attacking game. We need to be confident to play the way we play. We aren't, we are having to force it.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It was his job 12 months ago and we still have the same issue, the team has to defend from front to back, you can't blame the back 4 individually.

Our back 4 are hung out to dry by our hung go attacking, it has to stop.

The back 4 has to be able to rescue stuff when things go wrong. They don't, ever.

 

[Craig]

Teams are defending better against us than anyone & we are defending worse agsinst them than anyone.

The goals we let in, are often amongst the worst conceded by anyone, each matchday.

It has wrecked the confidence of the team.

One decent opposition attack & our standard drops immediately, because we are expecting disaster. It was clear v Wolves.

You can't keep swaggering around backheeling the ball to each other & flicking it over the keeper, if you think one wrong move means a shot on goal at the other end.

The defence is destroying the attack.

I think Pep’s at fault for this too. We usually have 2 holders(if we class Gundo as that, he’s certainly not an attacking 8). With that we’re an attacking player down straight away and no less susceptible to a counter, I’m sure Pep loves that we now get extra square passes in though.

In forward positions we now have no width with inverted wingers and Sterling rarely taking anyone on from the left. It now means the fullbacks push up further offering next to fuck all creatively but leaving us even more open to the counter. Our style of play is now caught between 2 styles rather than being the great attacking side we were and it’s counterproductive. You watch the scousers and whilst nowhere near as good to watch as we were at our best their style works brilliantly and they stick to it. They’ve got 2 wide attackers regularly beating defenders to create space and opportunities when teams sit back against them. We now severely lack that. It’s gone now obviously but for God sake our manager completely changed our style against a 7th place French outfit.

 

[Marvin]

I thought it was quite clear on Sunday that Leicester literally let Mendy have the ball because they identified that the duel between Castagne and Mendy is one they could come out on top. They happily set up their two banks of five but slightly overloading the right side giving us an outlet ball to Mendy pretty much every time we built our attacks. They identified triggers to counter from Mendy receiving the ball, particularly that long diagonal - heavy touch, or he'd either pass backwards or put hopeful balls into the box which was food and drink for the likes of Evans and Soyuncu. Not sure if Tagliafico is the answer (depends on the price), I'd like to see Ake in there for a while.

I don't think there was a particular problem with Mendy offensively. It would be ideal for him to beat his man but we had 10 outfield players. Only really KDB got in behind.

The big offensive failure vs Leicester was playing Sterling down the middle and playing Foden wide right. Wasn't an unexpected selection as we had a genuine injury crisis but it didn't work. Blaming Mendy for City being unable to break down Leicester is a but much. I don't think he's good enough now. It's sad. But let's not blame him for everything. Leicester had a blinding game where absolutely everything they tried worked out. You get those types of games once a season. No point hiding behind bad luck or referees though. We definitely have an underlying problem. No one is arguing that. The hopeful thing is that we have Dias, Laporte, Bernardo, Jesus, Cancelo to come in and others. They will make a big difference.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Goals change games and as Pep says undermine belief. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with our forward-play. Ideally we could do with a young Aguero but unless his game has fallen off a cliff I think we'll score plenty this season. The problem is keeping them out at the other end.

City have done the business in the transfer market now (almost). Not it's Pep's job to get the defence organised.

If we win games like v Leicester 1 or 2 nil.

Then teams will know they have to come out, rather than just break away. Then we win 5-1 instead.

 

[Keeper!]

The back 4 has to be able to rescue stuff when things go wrong. They don't, ever.

Agreed, but the first Leicester goal came because we lost the ball in the near the opponents box , and two pases later Vardy is in on goal, the midfield was wide open. One past it 34yr old and a young immobile player , simply unacceptable with the way Pep sets the team up.

 

[walker_is_faster]

Under the Pep we were never good at defending we never look confident at defending our pressing was allowing us to get away with it. Last season our pressing wasn't good also we lack leadership at the back.

 

[BlueMoonz1977]

Any truth in the Tagliafico mutterings ?

Are we looking to get one last signing done?

 

[willipp]

I think teams have figured out how to beat us, just sit back and counter attack like leicester did. Peps got to change tactics or something.

I'm not even sure its teams countering us, its mainly our utter inability to defend that is costing us so many goals. Last season i can think of Chelsea, Southampton, Norwich, United, Wolves away, Lyon where we literally just gifted the opposition goals. Then two games into this season and we are at it again but even worse. Teams know now, keep it tight and stop us scoring and they have a great chance as they just wait for us to fuck it up.

 

[City Raider]

I just wonder where our focus as a club is. If it’s the CL, that’s a risky strategy, so many more different factors are in play when trying to win what is essentially a knockout competition. Kompany was great at setting out the vision for example after we won the league under Pep for the first time, he was relentless that no club had retained the prem for years. We were then relentless in our pursuit of it. I’m not sure I get a sense the league is our burning priority anymore. If it’s not we will get a drop off in results.

 

[blueparrot]

I think Pep’s at fault for this too. We usually have 2 holders(if we class Gundo as that, he’s certainly not an attacking 8). With that we’re an attacking player down straight away and no less susceptible to a counter, I’m sure Pep loves that we now get extra square passes in though.

In forward positions we now have no width with inverted wingers and Sterling rarely taking anyone on from the left. It now means the fullbacks push up further offering next to fuck all creatively but leaving us even more open to the counter. Our style of play is now caught between 2 styles rather than being the great attacking side we were and it’s counterproductive. You watch the scousers and whilst nowhere near as good to watch as we were at our best their style works brilliantly and they stick to it. They’ve got 2 wide attackers regularly beating defenders to create space and opportunities when teams sit back against them. We now severely lack that. It’s gone now obviously but for God sake our manager completely changed our style against a 7th place French outfit.

We had inverted wingers in the 18/19 season too, I think we need to wait until we have all our players to see just what formation is and how we play this season when we hve Jesus back and a first choice back 4.against Wolves it looked a much more energetic press. Too early to jump to conclusions based on the team out against Leicester.