Mistake, After Mistake, After mistake! Why Can't We See Games Out?

We spent 200 m in the window and Pep reverted to the same players that have lost games from winning positions. He has lost all confidence in playing new players and spontaneity on the pitch. I'm still baffled why we didn't sign a fullback, but he probably wouldn't have played last night.

It's been a fantastic ten years with him with some glorious moments and records no one will touch for a long time, but he needs a rest as much as any of the players. Tbh, I think a new manager should be in charge of a re build.
Ake's substitution was planned but the other two were enforced, but to take John out of central midfield was crazy and it was clear what would happen if he didn't put Gonzalez in there. Khuzanov would have been a better fit than Rico. Erl was starved of big chances but it is cruel to put Kev through a game like that let alone lower league opposition.

Our strength was always the team, not one individual. Take out Rodri and we could cope, we've coped without Kev before and John but here are too many broken or missing parts, now. Anyway, suck it up blues and make no mistake - we will be back.
 
We're you calling it that in 2023?
Our approach is right - but the personnel is either no longer capable of playing it, or isn't good enough to.
No because it wasn't rubbish, it had a purpose, there is no purpose now, it's just waiting for some miracle After 100 sideway passes.
 
We're getting punished late in the game as players don't have the legs to get back, but we're fucking up all over the pitch and getting away with it; see many of the early RM chances last night.
Players on the ball have three options: hold on to it, pass it, or hoof it up the pitch or out of play. On too many occasions they are trying the first option but are tackled as there's no-one to pass to and hoofing it loses precious possession. Consequently we concede possession in the middle of the pitch with players out of position and we don't have enough quick players to defend a fast counter.
David Silva could keep the ball with four people kicking him and then play a great pass, and Yaya just let opponents bounce off him. But we don't have players of that calibre, and those approaching that level are simply knackered from four years without a proper break.
Other teams also have knackered players, of course they do, but they have larger squads and play a simpler game. Also, it's easier to integrate young players and new signings when you play simple systems.
 
We spent 200 m in the window and Pep reverted to the same players that have lost games from winning positions. He has lost all confidence in playing new players and spontaneity on the pitch. I'm still baffled why we didn't sign a fullback, but he probably wouldn't have played last night.

It's been a fantastic ten years with him with some glorious moments and records no one will touch for a long time, but he needs a rest as much as any of the players. Tbh, I think a new manager should be in charge of a re build.
Ake's substitution was planned but the other two were enforced, but to take John out of central midfield was crazy and it was clear what would happen if he didn't put Gonzalez in there. Khuzanov would have been a better fit than Rico. Erl was starved of big chances but it is cruel to put Kev through a game like that let alone lower league opposition.

Our strength was always the team, not one individual. Take out Rodri and we could cope, we've coped without Kev before and John but here are too many broken or missing parts, now. Anyway, suck it up blues and make no mistake - we will be back.
We didn't' cope without Rodri at all when he got suspended last season
 
We’re a 75 minute team playing 90 minute games.

Our lack of fitness is a massive issue.

If games lasted 75 minutes, we’d probably be in for quite a few trophies this season. Unfortunately for us, they aren’t. It’d genuinely do us good to go out of the CL and even the FA Cup and just concentrate on getting enough points from our 75 minutes we have in us each week and see if we can get that 5th spot in the league.

I feel sorry for the lads. Some of them only have an hour in them.

We were even hanging on late on against Leyton Orient the other day. Their fitness shone through over ours towards the end.

We’re Man City, we fight til the end has never been so far away from this team.
"Edison and Ake, Walker and Akanji, Reuben Dias, Johnny Stones ... Best defence in Europe" etc

Watching them individually and collectively this season, being another example.
 
We spent 200 m in the window and Pep reverted to the same players that have lost games from winning positions. He has lost all confidence in playing new players and spontaneity on the pitch. I'm still baffled why we didn't sign a fullback, but he probably wouldn't have played last night.

It's been a fantastic ten years with him with some glorious moments and records no one will touch for a long time, but he needs a rest as much as any of the players. Tbh, I think a new manager should be in charge of a re build.
Ake's substitution was planned but the other two were enforced, but to take John out of central midfield was crazy and it was clear what would happen if he didn't put Gonzalez in there. Khuzanov would have been a better fit than Rico. Erl was starved of big chances but it is cruel to put Kev through a game like that let alone lower league opposition.

Our strength was always the team, not one individual. Take out Rodri and we could cope, we've coped without Kev before and John but here are too many broken or missing parts, now. Anyway, suck it up blues and make no mistake - we will be back.
They couldn't get the deal over the line for the full back. One will be coming.

We lost, somewhat unluckily to Real Madrid.
 
We didn't' cope without Rodri at all when he got suspended last season
I get your point, but overall it wasn't a death blow and ended up winning the league, and were were top in October this season.
The re build has to be around him (and Ruben, Phil and Erl) but with less reliance, imho.
 
I liked the way we set up, but before the game started I wondered how many would make it through 90 minutes. Well not Grealish, Ake or Akanji. I think we might have got a result if we’d managed to keep those three on the pitch, especially Akanji. Real problem is we need at least one full back, and a defence that can play the whole game. Stones did great in centre mid, but it was a miracle he lasted the game out too.
 
We had more control last night than we’ve had for months.

Individual mistakes and shit decision making cost us the result.
We didn't, we barely had more possession than them and they created more big chances, Stones looked good in midfield on the ball, but off the ball we had the same problems we've had all season.
 
I think it's a combination of the players mentality and lack of leaders on the pitch. When Pep arrived we had top quality players at or coming into their peak years. We are talking world class players. We have replaced the majority with players below that level.

The mentality is not there, they look afraid at times, and then we have the type of mistakes that are being made, Eddy was having a great game and then brain farts take over. Pep & Vianna have a serious job on their hands. I wonder what Pep was doing in Abu Dhabi last week. Either agreeing a plan for the next few seasons or an exit plan. The next 5 weeks are going to be hard work
 
Maybe they thought they needed more than a 2-1 lead going into the 2nd leg.

But our squad is fucked. So maybe they need to start doing some of the dark arts like Arsenal and Newcastle when we are winning late on instead of trying to score more goals or trying to keep the ball by passing it around
If you can't win it make sure you don't lose it .....pragmatism !!
 
14 individual errors leading to goals this season - not good enough.

Parts of the performance were excellent and some parts a bit shaky, but for the fifth time this season we've been carrying a lead into the last 10 minutes and blown it through pub league play.

It's unacceptable at any professional level to be kicking the ball head height from your hands in that way. Then Lewis should be putting Vinicius on his arse, or taking a red card if needs be.

I feel sorry for Pep and the rest of the squad. The team can be set up in any formation with any personnel, but if you're going to pretty much gift the opposition goals then it's irrelevant.

The errors have to stop now to salvage anything from this season.
 
What is this constant need and urge to want to attack and to play out from the back, even when we are leading and there are a few minutes of the game left?

2-1 up. Ederson has the ball. Instead of holding on to the ball, wasting a bit of time, telling the players to get up the pitch, wasting a bit more time, forcing the Real Madrid players back up the pitch, out of our half, he takes a quick and short kick, and...

What has happened to us seeing games out, slowing games down, and taking our time at the end of the game when we're winning?

There's no need to constantly chase another goal. We're already winning! See the fucking game out. Waste time. Hoof the fucking ball into row Z. Do anything to not give the ball away, and to waste some time.

Frustrated rant over.
after last night 4 other games its happened , the standout 1 for me was Feyernoord 3 -0 with 15 minutes to go illustrates your points we were cruising yet played such a high line ( see it out and last nights play off doesnt happen), Brighton 1 up with 12 minutes to go away from home we lose it , rags probably one of the worst game management 1 up with 1 minute of normal time , and drawing to brentford 2 up with 8 minutes to go , do we need a new defensive coach ?
 

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