Rolling Teams Over

[CheethamHillBlue]

Obviously a lot of upset over the Stoke result yesterday in spite of all our injuries and players just returning. Tin hat time but why do we EXPECT to go to places like Stoke and win? They are in the same position WE were in 10 years ago when we used to raise our game against the big boys and get a result now and then. Obviously also not helped by the defence being changed on a regular basis for most of the season.
The rags were ripped apart 4-1 by Liverpool around 6 years ago but i'm sure they still went on to win the league. Let's put this down to a couple of blips and remember it was only 3 or 4 weeks ago when we tore Sevilla a new one in their own stadium.
The future is STILL Blue.

 

[tonea2003]

It was the manner of the defeat mate
We weren't just rolled over we were ripped apart by an average Premiership side
That is a concern, forget the injuries and fixture pile up there were enough talent on the pitch that that result and performance should not have happened

 

[pete1970]

It was the manner of the defeat mate
We weren't just rolled over we were ripped apart by an average Premiership side
That is a concern, forget the injuries and fixture pile up there were enough talent on the pitch that that result and performance should not have happened

Agreed

 

[CheethamHillBlue]

But take the equivalent of Zabba, Vinny, Yaya, Aguero out of any team and they would at best struggle. Shirley? With the best will in the world, Bony is not up to the standard of Sergio, Fernando is not Yaya and Demichellis is certainly not Vinny. Sterling is still blowing hot and cold and hasn't been able to play with Merlin and De Bruyne for a couple of months.
To me, if De Bruyne had scored that chance at 1-0, we wouldn't be having this inquest today.
Fine margins in the Premier League....just like at Chelsea yesterday.

 

[Cityfan]

To me, if De Bruyne had scored that chance at 1-0, we wouldn't be having this inquest today.
Fine margins in the Premier League....just like at Chelsea yesterday.

That sounds a bit like Mourinho when we beat Chelsea, if they'd have scored the one chance out of one the result would have been different.
Stoke missed many chances not just one. In a game like football the better team will not always win and some results you just have to take on the chin like the West Ham one.
What is concerning is that we have been outplayed twice recently and in the second half against Spurs in a manner which we have not really seen since Hughes' tenure.
Once may be unlucky three times in a fairly short period and remembering some of our pre season frailties is a major concern.
There is the opportunity to rectify it but to deny there is a problem is burying your head in the sand.

 

[CheethamHillBlue]

That sounds a bit like Mourinho when we beat Chelsea, if they'd have scored the one chance out of one the result would have been different.
Stoke missed many chances not just one. In a game like football the better team will not always win and some results you just have to take on the chin like the West Ham one.
What is concerning is that we have been outplayed twice recently and in the second half against Spurs in a manner which we have not really seen since Hughes' tenure.
Once may be unlucky three times in a fairly short period and remembering some of our pre season frailties is a major concern.
There is the opportunity to rectify it but to deny there is a problem is burying your head in the sand.

Hardly burying heads in the sand moments. I highlighted the injuries of our top players first and foremost. Add to that the fine margins. You mentioned Spurs. Were Spurs better than us to the tune of 4-1? Their equaliser with the last kick of the first half was TWO yards offside. Do you not think that affected their mindset, never mind the result? I do.
Here's MP after yesterday's defeat.

Manchester City's run of one win in their last four league games is down to having only "13 or 14" fit players, says manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Samir Nasri missed Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Stoke, while Fernando injured his hamstring.

City named a Premier League squad of 21 players in September, four short of the maximum of 25.

"Maybe it's the reason we didn't play with the energy that we need to win."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35017218

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

It was the manner of the defeat mate
We weren't just rolled over we were ripped apart by an average Premiership side
That is a concern, forget the injuries and fixture pile up there were enough talent on the pitch that that result and performance should not have happened

Sums it up. Not winning happens but being effectively out of the game 15 minutes in or so is fucking shocking (and with bony up front and us playing like that, we were out of the game after that second went in). Quite a lot of these supposed blips happening

 

[Cityfan]

Add to that the fine margins

The oint is that the margins in the Liverpool and Stoke match were not fine, they were massive The second half of the Spurs game the margin was not fine . If we are completely rocked by one bad decision (our goal was off side as well just by a smaller margin) that is a problem.
Liverpool had all their strikers injured and Henderson and Sakho and possibly others who I forget. Our injury list is unfortunate but the margins are not small and they cannot really excuse our performances.

 

[ninjamonkey]

We're not getting beat by fine margins, we're not being unlucky, Stoke genuinely should of won that 4/5-0 yesterday and it wouldn't of flattered them. we're getting absolutely hammered. out-scored, out-played, out-thought, half of the time we're not even dominating possession anymore either. We've got a team built for counter attacking football but slow the ball down whenever possible and can't play possession based football because nobody actually moves.

 

[Tricky Dickys Right Foot Shot]

But take the equivalent of Zabba, Vinny, Yaya, Aguero out of any team and they would at best struggle. Shirley? With the best will in the world, Bony is not up to the standard of Sergio, Fernando is not Yaya and Demichellis is certainly not Vinny. Sterling is still blowing hot and cold and hasn't been able to play with Merlin and De Bruyne for a couple of months.
To me, if De Bruyne had scored that chance at 1-0, we wouldn't be having this inquest today.
Fine margins in the Premier League....just like at Chelsea yesterday.

But add players like De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Sterling and Otamendi into any team and you'd expect them to comfortably perform well against teams like Stoke.

 

[ONTHERUNWITHTHAKSIN]

The only thing going in our favour at the moment is no one is taking this league by the scruff of its neck and running away with it

We should be the ones running away with it

The problem is Pellegrini

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Great
Blip theory.
Ignore what you actually witness.

 

[sir baconface]

But take the equivalent of Zabba, Vinny, Yaya, Aguero out of any team and they would at best struggle. Shirley? With the best will in the world, Bony is not up to the standard of Sergio, Fernando is not Yaya and Demichellis is certainly not Vinny. Sterling is still blowing hot and cold and hasn't been able to play with Merlin and De Bruyne for a couple of months.
To me, if De Bruyne had scored that chance at 1-0, we wouldn't be having this inquest today.
Fine margins in the Premier League....just like at Chelsea yesterday.

Instead of "if only", why don't you compare City's residual squad with those of teams we've struggled against?

 

[Deleted member 58678]

Obviously a lot of upset over the Stoke result yesterday in spite of all our injuries and players just returning. Tin hat time but why do we EXPECT to go to places like Stoke and win? They are in the same position WE were in 10 years ago when we used to raise our game against the big boys and get a result now and then. Obviously also not helped by the defence being changed on a regular basis for most of the season.
The rags were ripped apart 4-1 by Liverpool around 6 years ago but i'm sure they still went on to win the league. Let's put this down to a couple of blips and remember it was only 3 or 4 weeks ago when we tore Sevilla a new one in their own stadium.
The future is STILL Blue.

The only thing i expect is to compete. 4-0 wouldn't have been an unfair result on Saturday and we have been stuffed by Spurs and Liverpool already this season too. What we expect is for us not to be rolled over.

 

[Dunne's own goal]

The only thing i expect is to compete. 4-0 wouldn't have been an unfair result on Saturday and we have been stuffed by Spurs and Liverpool already this season too. What we expect is for us not to be rolled over.

What I expect is at least a fucking proper effort instead of half hearted noone gives a shit display we've just witnessed.

If I see our lads giving their all to the shirt I can take even a 10-0 loss. but I do not see that...

 

[onceabluealways]

Instead of "if only", why don't you compare City's residual squad with those of teams we've struggled against?

This is spot on - Look at our starting 11 v Stoke, would anyone have swapped them (I doubt it). The manager has to get the best out of what he has by getting 100% effort and the best tactically out of them. Does anybody really believe Pellers is doing this?

 

[bitterblue]

What I see is the players have a lack of confidence in the way the manager sets up the team in certain situations, where the team is missing influential players. Maybe they feel we should play deeper and sit back with two banks of four to protect the defence and let the other team come at us and frustrate them then pick them off, as we have pace up front. Pellers seems to think you can play the same way with half a team missing, showing a complete lack of judgement and realism.

 

[lancs blue]

I don't EXPECT us to win every game but I do expect a decent level of application whatever division we're in and I didn't see that at Stoke.

Their performance suggested they didn't really fancy playing in a howling gale, well tough shit that's what they get well paid for - Stoke on the other hand just got on with the game.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

This is spot on - Look at our starting 11 v Stoke, would anyone have swapped them (I doubt it). The manager has to get the best out of what he has by getting 100% effort and the best tactically out of them. Does anybody really believe Pellers is doing this?

We made Barcelona's equivalent of Luke Chadwick and Ricardo Queresma Mk2 look like Messi and CRonaldo

 

[kunaguero10]

Rolling teams over? We got rolled over ourselves! And against Tottenham, Liverpool too!

No one expects to win every game but I expect us to give ourselves the greatest chance of doing so, by doing the right preparation and putting the effort in, both of which I feel have been lacking in pretty much all of our defeats this season.