Firstly, we need 11 players on the pitch who give 110% to play the Pep way, it’s a successful ethos.
We don’t have those players, or is it too many of them who don’t possess the nouse to implement the strategy?!
I watched individual players closely today, Nunes, Marmoush, Haaland, Stones, Reijnders, Silva, Bobb., they all made poor decision on and off the ball, lost possession, poor passes, the handball.
We made two decisive drives into their box all day.
Then there was no pace, drive, fight, ideas, runs.
The subs were ineffective, Doku, wtaf.
We were worse after the subs.
We are weaker physically and mentally, too static and defensively poor with a disappearing midfield.
So all in all, it’s not working individually or as a team.
Worst effective squad in three years and we’re supposed to be rebuilding.
God knows what’s going on with Foden, possible mental health stuff, Grealish leaving, players who should perform in an offensive roll just vanish, create nowt and pull faces.
In my 55 years of watching football, I’ve seen when coaching staff are struggling to get it working as they want, players body language all at sea, but I’m not convinced this is where we are at.
The year after the treble, I resigned myself to the fact we were physically and mentally broken with all the recent seasons epic efforts, then no rest in between seasons since, but we still aren’t turning the corner.
So, where have City gone, it’s not crept up, it’s steadily got worse.
Is it fatigue still, in its various forms, is Pep struggling with the dressing room and players, who aren’t responding, taking it all in and doing it on the pitch.
The Wolves win got my attention, then we get Spursed and now today.
It’s going to be a frustrating season and, on the last two showings, coupled with last seasons showing, I again think we’ll be dissapointing.
If by the new year, we are not turning it around, they’ll be changes, not the one we all want, but the club owners won’t like us falling off the pace, which is top 4 and a cup win.
