Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle, Villa, Brighton, Bournemouth.“More attractive, energetic expansive football”
Which several teams are they ?
Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle, Villa, Brighton, Bournemouth.
They might not have had consistency in terms of getting results over the course of the season but they were all capable of playing more fluid, incisive, energetic football than our pedestrian relentless passing game which achieved results by just wearing teams down.
In our defence virtually every team we faced simply parked the bus, which could be used as an excuse for our style of play, but it doesn't change the fact that there were teams playing more incisive football than us throughout the season.
And, I think, that in the last decade those teams between them have one Premier League win and one CL win.Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle, Villa, Brighton, Bournemouth.
They might not have had consistency in terms of getting results over the course of the season but they were all capable of playing more fluid, incisive, energetic football than our pedestrian relentless passing game which achieved results by just wearing teams down.
In our defence virtually every team we faced simply parked the bus, which could be used as an excuse for our style of play, but it doesn't change the fact that there were teams playing more incisive football than us throughout the season.
I can see your point in the excitement scenario for a lot of fans, but I would suspect the vast majority would choose a dull win over an exciting loss.Fair enough if that is your view, but then there must be a hell of a lot of bored football fans going to the grounds spending their hard earned money every week. For every winner at the end of the season, there 19 losers, of course.
I see it the other way round, tbh. New fans are the ones who will see excitement in winning. Any City fan who is older than about ten and has been going to watch City week after week has found plenty of excitement in the experience other than winning I imagine, luckily for them.
I fully agree with that assessment... up until last season.And, I think, that in the last decade those teams between them have one Premier League win and one CL win.
We have played some of the most intelligent football in PL history. It has featured moments of utter brilliance, of course, and has set the benchmark for the way that football has developed.
If you are judging purely on this season then you also have to acknowledge that for large parts of the season Rodri, Walker, Bobb, KDB, Foden, Grealish, Kovacic, Stones, Ake, Akanji, and Doku have been injured or ill. The same is now true of Dias. To judge Pep's tenure on this season would be flawed, IMO. We have won six of the last seven Premier League titles, the CL, treble winners, and have set a host of PL records.
Teams have developed the low block, fast counter, as a model of the way to beat us, but they have largely failed, until now. Why is that? Because we dominated the ball and achieved unheard of levels of possession which denied the opportunity for a counter. Now, without the fitness levels in our team, rivals are achieving temporary success and the media are all over it because they love to bring down a winner, especially a foreign winner, and rival fans are desperate for our success to end. They are emboldened so feel they have license to dismiss Pep as an also-ran, and the team as a cheque-book success. This is the tribalism of football and the culture of the British press. It is not objective truth.
You're conflating different points I was making.You’ve just answered the reason why we aren’t exciting playing teams with 10 behind the ball but I fail to see how all those teams parking the bus is considered expansive.
You're conflating different points I was making.
I didn't say any team when playing us and inevitably parking the bus was playing expansive, incisive football, far from it.
I said there were teams who when not playing us were capable of playing more fluid, expansive and incisive football than I ever saw from City last season.
There were some moments of brilliance - Bobb at Newcastle for example - but I agree the team seemed to have dropped a level from it's peak. Pep was able to get enough from the team to win the league and reach the FA Cup final which is great success in anyone's book but signs of emerging issues were evident.I fully agree with that assessment... up until last season.
Yes we won the league but I didn't see any particularly innovative, intelligent football or moments of brilliance from us, just a pedestrian possession based game that wore teams down.
Pinto was found guilty.What worries me the most is that Rui Pinto’s lawyer said, “the decision in the UK could be helpful for him in his defence,” and that he’s handed over more documents and data about European clubs – including stuff connected to the City case.
Nope. If you replaced your “practise” with another noun, for example “method” it would make sense. If you replaced it with another verb it doesn’t. The clue is the indefinite article before practice.Disagree. In this context I’d say it’s a verb.
Pep would rather lose games than change how he wants the team to play. We have been slowly getting more pedestrian each season. Either he abandons his philosophy or we buy players who can carry it out to a higher standard.I have to say that our football has become an increasingly hard watch this last couple of years. Whether that is due to teams working out how to play against us, or the squad being less and less capable of doing what Guardiola wants, or our more creative players getting injured more often, I don't think it can be denied that our play has become increasingly slow and "sideways".
I don't think it's unfair to say that many teams have played more "exciting" football the last couple of seasons.
All imho of course.
Yes, the utter twats are.Are people really talking about ‘Our boring football’ from last season, the season in which we made unprecedented history with 4 PL titles in a row?
That is probably my only issue with Pep. He’s trying to get the team back to tactics that we cannot play to and I’d like some pragmatism, being a little more defensive when needed.Pep would rather lose games than change how he wants the team to play. We have been slowly getting more pedestrian each season. Either he abandons his philosophy or we buy players who can carry it out to a higher standard.
The slow build up is now at a snails pace and ineffective.
Pep has been scarred by the 'gung ho' CL defeats of a few years back, culminating in the uneccessry final defeat agin Chavs.I fully agree with that assessment... up until last season.
Yes we won the league but I didn't see any particularly innovative, intelligent football or moments of brilliance from us, just a pedestrian possession based game that wore teams down.
I’m afraid this isn’t true
I could quote case law if you like?
Wonderful post. Thank you.I wish to disclose that I’ve had my pre Xmas brunch with my surviving family- niece and nephew. Enough booze to float a small battleship. Tons of banter about our crapness as they are both reds, my smugness as Bournemouth handed out another lesson at the swamp. Moral of post. I love my remaining family: I will be there next year our lord permitting and I will continue to bleed City blood. Life is short, Take some time off from speculation now for a week or so and concentrate on what’s really important and what you can actually touch and influence. And yes I am very pissed and emotional. God bless you all.
Fatigue & Physiological stress are probably the principle reasons for injuries following 4 seasons of 70 intense 'cup finals'There were some moments of brilliance - Bobb at Newcastle for example - but I agree the team seemed to have dropped a level from it's peak. Pep was able to get enough from the team to win the league and reach the FA Cup final which is great success in anyone's book but signs of emerging issues were evident.
Pep has been too loyal to players that have delivered success but now are struggling to deliver what his strategy demands. We also have too many players who just cannot stay fit. I love Stones, Ake, KdB etc. but we cannot rely on them and maybe it is time to ease them out? It will be a very sad day when we part company with Kev - probably the best player I have seen at City although it's great that others like Sergio, Dave and Yaya are in that conversation.
I also think Pep needs to rethink his small squad preference. In quite a few of our recent seasons we have stumbled to the finishing line and having two more genuine first team players in the squad would have helped immensely. This might make it even harder for youngsters to break through though - no simple solutions.
Finally is a review of our medical processes needed? The number of injured players we have is crazy. I know this tends to snowball with half fit players returning and getting crocked again.