Yeah and we picked 52 points in 31 games. And we are 5th in the table. Its far from our standards, but Im not gonna cry every game as I would have unrealistic standards from a fantasy or Fifa world.We have picked up less points than Wolves over the last 22 (TWENTY TWO) games.
Yes we are fucking shocking
So expecting to get more points than a team in 17th over 22 games is now an unrealistic standard from a fantasy world.Yeah and we picked 52 points in 31 games. And we are 5th in the table. Its far from our standards, but Im not gonna cry every game as I would have unrealistic standards from a fantasy or Fifa world.
A bit sentimental from Pep playing KDB for 90 minutes. He's ineffective in big matches. The one exception was Bournemouth when he was OK. We could have played Kovacic deep and Nico Gonzalez in front of Kovacic. I am not sure Doku and Savinho would have changed anything in this game without Haaland. Had they played we'd have likely been counter-attacked a lot more.Not picking Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, Savinho and Doku from the start was truly baffling from Pep! Reverted back to type and the old guard, even worse playing them all at the same time!
There wasn't actually that much wrong with the defence today, Dias, Gvardiol and Nunes all played well enough .... personally I would have had Savinho on as an outlet from the start, he would have kept the rags busy with his movement and pace, supplied a bit of width, and he probably has a slightly better end product than Doku ..... we were far to narrow in the first half especially, and constantly trying to play through the middle.Not picking Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, Savinho and Doku from the start was truly baffling from Pep! Reverted back to type and the old guard, even worse playing them all at the same time!
There used to be a saying along the lines of "pick the team your opponents wouldn't wish to see."Not picking Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, Savinho and Doku from the start was truly baffling from Pep! Reverted back to type and the old guard, even worse playing them all at the same time!
The main problem is the lack of goals from midfield, as opposed to those scored in previous seasons ...... De Bruyne, Bernardo and Rodri were all good for goals, yet we just aren't seeing that same goal return now, albeit Rodri has been out with injury .... and it doesn't matter where you stick Grealish, he's never been a prolific scorer.The major point for me was how ineffective our attacking play is without Haaland. And Haaland is out for a month at least. Do we have enough to win our home games without him?
I agree 2 shite teams it wasWe didn’t make them look good.. they were shit and we were shit as well
He's got bogged down with the state of our season , all the defeats, the injuries, the loss of form, the mistakes .... he hasn't known it before, and it's depressed and worried him, his health was suffering, and he's still struggling for ideas on how to turn things around ..... but he's been buying players over the last few seasons who aren't as good as what we already had, never mind better, and that hasn't helped his cause ... the squad is lacking enough real quality within its ranks, and its also lacking a 'togetherness' and team spirit that were once our main strengths throughout the times when we totally expected to win matches... and not just turn up 'hoping' we'll win them, like we do now!There used to be a saying along the lines of "pick the team your opponents wouldn't wish to see."
Pep did the exact opposite today.
I never thought Pep would lose the plot before me, but, I think he has.
Doku and Savinho are hardly robotic.I have to say I agree with Ratface's analysis of the game and football in general. Players have become robotic and have lost their freedom to express themselves, constantly recycling the ball. Seemed to have a good memory of our front six after Peps' first season, saying how great they were to watch.
I'm sorry that we are so far away in what we see. I see shocking play. No inventiveness from an individual and no coordinated attack with 2 or 3 players who are in sync and at the top of their game."we are shocking"; "its a football philosophy":D we have 5th place in the Premier League, out of Cl to Real, semi final FA cup, shot for the club WC. United fans would kill for this. And we are on top of 4 PL's in a row, treble 2 seasons ago.
We out of Rodri, Stones, Akanji, whole defensive stability been disrupted whole season. KDB, Grealish were injured or ouf of form, as so Foden and to the slightly lesser extent Bernardo. Gundogan and Kovacic can lead us so far, they are no longer world class. Still we have been playing in quite dominant fashion, even when loosing. Its obvious we gonna get better, we are already in the middle of major reshuffle.
We have not been shocking against United. Our forwards bar Omar had an off day, otherwise we tried to control and mostly we did. They have few dangerous breaks each half, but we were unlucky few times as well (Foden had really the best chance of the game). We got away with a point at the end, but now the schedule is promising.
And You say we were shocking or would consider sacking coach? Fortunately with these lines of thinking it will never be your call to make. Its just stupid, lacks any perspective and any respectable club and any board wouldn't change Pep with one relatively poor season, unless Pep says so.
Agree. We've pointed to injuries and that has had a devastating impact this season. But it hasn't been the sole reason for why we haven't beem more successful. We've had Ake, Akanji, Dias and Gvardiol on the pitch at the same time at various times on the season. Stones less so. But we've still gotten burned. To me, we lack a pivot man. So, yes, of course we miss Rodri. But that only tells part of the tale. As you said, once we get across the halfway line, imagination goes out the window in favor of safety. No one dares lose the ball because that would invite a counter attack - something we lack pace to defend.I'm sorry that we are so far away in what we see. I see shocking play. No inventiveness from an individual and no coordinated attack with 2 or 3 players who are in sync and at the top of their game.
Even under Pearce we had signs of hope.
This problem up front was there before any injury crisis. It was even there to some degree while we were winning things.
Once we get past the half way line we are devoid of adventure.
I wouldn't mind that so much if it was because we were knitting a new team together. But in that case we'd be playing all of Gonzalez, Khusonov, Reiss, Echeverri, Bobb, McAtee, Savinho, Doku, etc.
Let them fail. Or let them learn.
Instead we are plodding along neither here or there.
cause one game against possibly the worst team in the league (Leicester) at home, is very different to a game away in a derby. He aint all the brains behind al the success (which Ive never stated)...Txixi has certainly played his part in that as well.So if you go for control why would you not play an in form Grealish? I'd have played him over KDB as he played well midweek and in his cameo at Bouremouth. If Pep is the brains behind all of the success, he must be accountable for this season too, or does it only work one way? I love how people seek answers from simple football fans, I would rather our handsomely paid manager, the one who is deemed one of, if not the best manager in the league to find the solutions. His solutions are rinse and repeat shite.