I read a comment on Wednesday that Gabby needed a hat trick to boost his confidence. I thought that he probably wouldn't even kick it forward three times. In the event, every pass/ movement was backwards, then he was subbed.
If that's what Pep wants, so be it.
Which begs the question do we need a Haaland or do we need a similar player to Gabby who could score more (not sure there is a forward out there that matches these requirements). Gabby’s stats are suffering by the way we are setting up and playing, if we change the type of CF we may lose our control and style.Jesus is an ok goal scorer. It is very easy to get annoyed with his shortcomings in front of goal.
Positive contribution include:
Aggressive press
Constant running
Athletic player
Runs all day
Pass, pass, pass
Ball retention is good
Plays in multiple positions
Defends for the team.
Jesus is similar to Bernardo. Goal scoring not great but they bring all of the above to the team. Ederson is not the best goalkeepers in the world but his kicking, composure, mental strength is far more important for us. The team has no standout forward but what we do have is a lot of players who contribute greatly to how we play. More the sum of its parts rather than a specific attribute.
Jesus is an ok goal scorer. It is very easy to get annoyed with his shortcomings in front of goal.
Positive contribution include:
Aggressive press
Constant running
Athletic player
Runs all day
Pass, pass, pass
Ball retention is good
Plays in multiple positions
Defends for the team.
Jesus is similar to Bernardo. Goal scoring not great but they bring all of the above to the team. Ederson is not the best goalkeepers in the world but his kicking, composure, mental strength is far more important for us. The team has no standout forward but what we do have is a lot of players who contribute greatly to how we play. More the sum of its parts rather than a specific attribute.
Perfect post. As you say fodens goal the other night was a joy, we need to do that more often.I think he'll score a lot more when/if we get back to our 2017-2019 style of play, with high, wide wingers, quicker transitions and more standard attacks.
Everything we're doing these days is so congested through the middle, so stifling, very improvised. You very rarely see our forwards get big chances on the end of flowing moves like we used to do 10x a match. That's one of the reasons I loved Foden's goal on Wednesday so much, it was a bit of a throwback. This season, a lot of it is from forcing our way through the low block with intricate passing. It's hurt Sterling a lot too.
If we're going to buy someone like Haaland...we'll need to revert our old style to get the best out of him, and I'm sure we will, and Jesus will have a much better time.
"It is a very contentious opinion but the team against villa felt close to the total domination team we had on the 28 run bar an inform Cancelo." I fully agree with this and would like an in form Cancelo at RB and supporting Rodri with Gundogan pushing forward. I think it is the most balanced and flexible defence/midfield combination. If Kevin was fit I would like to see him play false 9 or a roving forward, beside Phil & Mahrez.That team is defensively solid but still has flair and attacking variation.I do think the club has a bit of a dilemma on its hands. We need a forward that can work like Jesus but score regularly. Where does city find that type of footballer? We might have to sacrifice how we suffocate games.
It is a very contentious opinion but the team against villa felt close to the total domination team we had on the 28 run bar an inform Cancelo. Kev’s absence makes it easier for us to control and press teams into submission but we lack that killer/risky pass. No one is doubting his ability or his importance to the club. In a way we are seeing the difference in approach we take to games when debruyne starts. A new forward no matter who it it or how good he maybe, some games we will play better without. Is it better to have that option? Or will it only cause us to look weaker as a unit?
I think he'll score a lot more when/if we get back to our 2017-2019 style of play, with high, wide wingers, quicker transitions and more standard attacks.
Everything we're doing these days is so congested through the middle, so stifling, very improvised. You very rarely see our forwards get big chances on the end of flowing moves like we used to do 10x a match. That's one of the reasons I loved Foden's goal on Wednesday so much, it was a bit of a throwback. This season, a lot of it is from forcing our way through the low block with intricate passing. It's hurt Sterling a lot too.
If we're going to buy someone like Haaland...we'll need to revert our old style to get the best out of him, and I'm sure we will, and Jesus will have a much better time.
I think you make a lot of good points, but from my perspective it's a personnel thing.I would love to see us with pacy wingers in their strong foot but we don’t seem interested and we changed our style as a result of how teams have adapted to us as well. We rarely see anything other than a 5-4-1 or deep 4-5-1 shells in defense these days and many teams have adapted to our wing play by ensuring they can put both wingers in 1 v 2 situations. I think the idea earlier this year was to combat that with overlapping fullbacks and two holding midfielders but it never looks right. Now we have pushed the wingers even wider and use them more like midfielders while bombing the midfielders into the last man of the defensive line to try to cope with the wall of defenders we have been facing. I just don’t know that any return to our “old style” is possible unless teams get so concerned with us centrally that they prefer to gamble on our wingers in more 1 v 1
Agree he’s had more than enough opportunities. He works hard but very little end product. At our levels we need a goal scorerI think Pep has lost patient with him..
Wouldn't be surprised if GJ is used in a "player + cash" deal in the summer..
With all the people eating their words in the Mahrez thread you'd have hoped some would have learnt a thing or two..
Yeah of course, and with Jesus with particular there's always valid criticisms to be had!I think they’d rather eat it when they’ve been proved wrong. Nothing wrong if people keep criticising (if justified); opinions and such.
Nonetheless, everyone (you would hope and think) would love to have a firing Jesus with confidence running through his veins.
And won us the league at Southampton.Not even a year since he played a big part in seeing us through against Real Madrid.
You make it sound as if People actively don't want City players to perform well.With all the people eating their words in the Mahrez thread you'd have hoped some would have learnt a thing or two..
Much of what you say is true,but emotion and heart will always rule the head with many.In the moment plenty go full kneejerk and let off some built up steam.Yeah of course, and with Jesus with particular there's always valid criticisms to be had!
But there's a real mindset of, 'Player X is not good enough/will never be good enough' for too many posters. Every time certain players are criticised it's the extreme. And since 17/18, I can't think of a single player (ok Mendy..) that has been put on the transfer list by posters only for some time later to have those same posters coming back saying how wrong they were.
Since the start of last season, I've counted 4 spells where the Mahrez thread was filled with, 'Sorry I was wrong, he's actually great'. Which means there've been 4 spells where people thought he was no good and wanted him gone. Sterling and Jesus get it at the moment, but we've had it with Rodri, Gundogan, and Bernardo too up until December last year too. And practically every other player had it the year before that!
Look at Torres being written off. It's like people never learn. It's the same with so many players. It's a shame so many people are so afraid of backing a player to come good like literally every other player (bar Mendy.. so far..) that they'd rather be wrong over and over again about them.
You make it sound as if People actively don't want City players to perform well.