Chairman's Interview

[Centurions]

He was above me at the brighton title game , so close

And yet so far?

;)

 

[applecentral]

I have been really close to him and he is so handsome in the flesh

Thank you x

 

[Saddleworth2]

1 in 60 games it’s been him as DM and not Rodri or Dinho. And it was the CL final.

Recently, true. Couple of seasons ago he played there for quite a spell and was lauded for his performances. It’s not like Pep playing Mendy at CF for heavens sake. Comments like Pep threw it away and the team were stunned by his selection is just way over the top. We got beaten by the better team on the night. Some find that hard to come to grips with.

 

[KS55]

Good to see us recruiting Keith Curle back to the club

We already have plenty of CBs

 

[Maly]

Recently, true. Couple of seasons ago he played there for quite a spell and was lauded for his performances. It’s not like Pep playing Mendy at CF for heavens sake. Comments like Pep threw it away and the team were stunned by his selection is just way over the top. We got beaten by the better team on the night. Some find that hard to come to grips with.

I’m not disagreeing with anything you’ve said there, but it was definitely a strange selection. I’ve got a mate who’s a Liverpool fan who messaged me before the game asking why no Rodders or Fernandinho & I work with a Chelsea fan who said exactly the same. I’ve not spoken to a single City fan that didn’t think it was a strange selection.

The biggest head scratcher for me was Foden not playing on the left as he’s been murdering teams all season playing there.

But totally agree, just beaten by the better team

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Excellent observations Columbo;)

I noticed that myself, not sure if we should read too much into it. If the owners are not pissed off by that abject performance then they are in the wrong sport. Privately I would expect a robust review but publicly it will be calm and supportive imo.

That sounds about right.

 

[manc_macca]

Remarkable to think that Khaldoon's been our Chairman since he was 32 years old. Thirty-two! Christ that's how old I am and I still feel half like a kid.

Could easily be at the helm for at least another 20 years.

man, I'm 31 and your post has managed to make me feel like a failure. :(

 

[Saddleworth2]

I’m not disagreeing with anything you’ve said there, but it was definitely a strange selection. I’ve got a mate who’s a Liverpool fan who messaged me before the game asking why no Rodders or Fernandinho & I work with a Chelsea fan who said exactly the same. I’ve not spoken to a single City fan that didn’t think it was a strange selection.

The biggest head scratcher for me was Foden not playing on the left as he’s been murdering teams all season playing there.

But totally agree, just beaten by the better team

I also wish to hell he had just played our best team. Then at least folk wouldn’t look for excuses. Mentally they were more focused, they had some outstanding performances and to me, it’s a case of well done fair play. We need to be better next time When at least they will have experienced the pressure.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Recently, true. Couple of seasons ago he played there for quite a spell and was lauded for his performances. It’s not like Pep playing Mendy at CF for heavens sake. Comments like Pep threw it away and the team were stunned by his selection is just way over the top. We got beaten by the better team on the night. Some find that hard to come to grips with.

You are missing the “WHY were they the better team?” question.

The answer: We were not able to nullify their dominance in the middle of the park, while they nullified our normal dominance out wide.

This brings the second question:

“Why were we so easily dominated in the middle of the park?”

And this is where the obvious point arises.

It is one thing to be go Mano a Mano, best against best, and lose. It is a completely different thing to feel like we were vested because we didn’t put out our best, and thus list many Mano a Mano battles on the park.

Also of note is the fact that with time slipping away, Pep went back to the players and formation that had achieved so much of our success, and we dominated the closing stages of the game, putting their box under siege.

It’s fine to feel like you want to make a pedantic point about Ferna or Rodri as a DM, but ignores the reality that most Blues (and many in the media) recognize: The Starting XI and formation was a BIG SHOCK that quickly proved to be a mistake. It was not corrected quickly enough and Pep’s emphasis on attack harmed our defence in ways that SHOULD have been clear from the outset.

I believe these are ALL FACTS NOT IN QUESTION.

You may believe otherwise, but you’re swimming upstream against a very strong tidal wave of opinion.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Opinions are facts nowadays

 

[Saddleworth2]

You are missing the “WHY were they the better team?” question.

The answer: We were not able to nullify their dominance in the middle of the park, while they nullified our normal dominance out wide.

This brings the second question:

“Why were we so easily dominated in the middle of the park?”

And this is where the obvious point arises.

It is one thing to be go Mano a Mano, best against best, and lose. It is a completely different thing to feel like we were vested because we didn’t put out our best, and thus list many Mano a Mano battles on the park.

Also of note is the fact that with time slipping away, Pep went back to the players and formation that had achieved so much of our success, and we dominated the closing stages of the game, putting their box under siege.

It’s fine to feel like you want to make a pedantic point about Ferna or Rodri as a DM, but ignores the reality that most Blues (and many in the media) recognize: The Starting XI and formation was a BIG SHOCK that quickly proved to be a mistake. It was not corrected quickly enough and Pep’s emphasis on attack harmed our defence in ways that SHOULD have been clear from the outset.

I believe these are ALL FACTS NIT IN QUESTION.

You may believe otherwise, but you’re swimming upstream against a very strong tidal wave of opinion.

And I will continue to swim mate. Your facts are opinions of what might have happened. My opinion is that playing Fern at DM would not have made an appreciable difference because of the tactics Chelsea employed.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I also wish to hell he had just played our best team. Then at least folk wouldn’t look for excuses. Mentally they were more focused, they had some outstanding performances and to me, it’s a case of well done fair play. We need to be better next time When at least they will have experienced the pressure.

For me, the “mentality” issue all stemmed from the fact that Chilwell and Reese James were given clear instructions on how to nullify Mahrez and Sterling, and in the first 10-15 minutes of the game it was clearly working. That bred the confidence that our very aggressively attacking formation was not nearly as formidable as it might have seemed on paper.

Couple that with the fact that Kante & Jorginho then took control of midfield and their 3 attackers and roving FBs (esp Chilwell, who wasn’t being defended by Mahrez) started pulling our back four around with their overload, and it didn’t bode well.

Their game is fast, direct AMs and FBs getting forward to overload a back four, especially when opposition midfielders are half-hearted defenders. We gave them about 4 or 5 of those to exploit.

This then leaves defenders one on one, or even worse, 2 on 1 as a last line of defence. Generally, attackers are quicker than defenders, especially when they’re already on the run…and Bob’s yer uncle!

THAT ALL FLOWS FROM THE CONFIDENCE (or greater mentality) THAT YOUR GAME PLAN IS WORKING AND THE EXPLOITATION OF YOUR OPPONENT IS GOING TO PAY DIVIDENDS.

Juxtapose that against a City team whose formation was almost immediately nullified, with no muscle memory of succeeding against the opposition tactics and no base of superiority from which to build, and you can see we had to then try to make it up on the fly.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I see we are now at the “opinions are not facts” and “you can’t see what might have been” part of the discussion.

That usually indicates a tortured last hurrah of opposing views and sniping or a natural end. I’ll go with the latter for myself.

 

[decmancity]

Pt2 been delayed. Just waiting on Chappy to do the shirt for Kane.

 

[mexico1970]

Pt2 been delayed. Just waiting on Chappy to do the shirt for Kane.

Has our leader done an Osaka?

 

[john blue]

How many times will he say important?

more chance of mr lescott saying , " defiantly"

 

[mat]

The technical issue is trying to edit out his views on Liverpool and the scum.

I hope it gets released; Especially the bit where he says "So sue me. I'm personally richer than both you fucking cunts combined!"

 

[BertTrautmann'sParachute]

Pt2 been delayed. Just waiting on Chappy to do the shirt for Kane.

Sounds like it's gone to VAR.

 

[Saddleworth2]

For me, the “mentality” issue all stemmed from the fact that Chilwell and Reese James were given clear instructions on how to nullify Mahrez and Sterling, and in the first 10-15 minutes of the game it was clearly working. That bred the confidence that our very aggressively attacking formation was not nearly as formidable as it might have seemed on paper.

Couple that with the fact that Kante & Jorginho then took control of midfield and their 3 attackers and roving FBs (esp Chilwell, who wasn’t being defended by Mahrez) started pulling our back four around with their overload, and it didn’t bode well.

Their game is fast, direct AMs and FBs getting forward to overload a back four, especially when opposition midfielders are half-hearted defenders. We gave them about 4 or 5 of those to exploit.

This then leaves defenders one on one, or even worse, 2 on 1 as a last line of defence. Generally, attackers are quicker than defenders, especially when they’re already on the run…and Bob’s yer uncle!

THAT ALL FLOWS FROM THE CONFIDENCE (or greater mentality) THAT YOUR GAME PLAN IS WORKING AND THE EXPLOITATION OF YOUR OPPONENT IS GOING TO PAY DIVIDENDS.

Juxtapose that against a City team whose formation was almost immediately nullified, with no muscle memory of succeeding against the opposition tactics and no base of superiority from which to build, and you can see we had to then try to make it up on the fly.

You make a very good case on why they won, one that I agree with and have been describing since Saturday. Where I don’t agree is that we have midfielders that are half hearted defenders. First time I have heard that. We attack and defend as a team. Anyhow mate, I respect your opinion which is at variance with mine. We probably shouldn’t try and convince one another. I’m sure both of us has better things to do :-).

 

[BlueDejong]

wow Khaldoon..