Spurs vs City post match

[Bob Hope]

I just think that lately managers have cottoned on to our high press under pep and figured out that putting us under a bit of pressure works whereas parking the bus let's us dictate play.

I get that but our high press was nowhere as good as it as been in previous games. The all round effort was missing today. They played with the intensity what i expected from us. And we couldn't cope with it.

 

[Andrew___K]

A good starting point would have been dropping Kolarov and starting A.Garcia over Fernando. Easy in hindsight but that's were he should be earning his dough.

Clichy is no better than Kolarov, don't you think so? And Garcia would be raped, I'm afraid. There's a reason why all youngsters are eased into the team so patiently.
The whole team struggled, no reason to bash single players, IMHO.

 

[cookster]

We did ok against Celtic coming back three times but come on that was Celtic

Yep, but still didn't convert to a win.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Tbf, Kola's brainfarts were not the main reason of our loss. The whole team lacked in different aspects - fitness, movement, aggression, collective pressing. He wasn't even our worst player today, I think.

Some players must have been really shit then if he wasn't the worst! Completely responsible for the first goal and heavily involved in the second. Offered zero going forward, kept giving the ball away under pressure and frankly just like he has been for 50% of the games he has played for us....shite

 

[cookster]

Clichy is no better than Kolarov, don't you think so? And Garcia would be raped, I'm afraid. There's a reason why all youngsters are eased into the team so patiently.

Clichy is twice the defender of Kolarov and that's what we needed. As for Garcia getting raped, you'll be eating your words end of season. This kid is ready now and after Today Pep will release his potential.

 

[argyle]

I think Pep knew something like today was going to happen.

He's been saying for a week or more that it will take a few years for us to get the right players and play the way he wants.

 

[Peggy's a blue]

Although pissed off, it could have been worse if rags had beat bummers Stoke ;-)

 

[garyCTID]

Was glad to see Fernando in the starting line up to strengthen up our midfield but then totally sanitised that impact by picking Navas to start. We're not Barcelona, yet. We cannot play 4-3-3 away from home to the likes of Spurs, Liverpool etc who are teams that will batter us and run us ragged. We've got to play 4-5-1 to win the midfield battle and to nullify the threat and the crowd. Should've also started with Gundogan in that midfield 5. Very surprised that Pep didn't realise that. Pellers was too ignorant of that fact and now Pep might be too. We cannot be that arrogant, like the swamp monsters, that we think we have a god-given right to beat all before us. Pep said they were just better. Zaba said we just weren't at it today. But the truth is our tactics were wrong. Hopefully Pep will learn from it.

 

[M18CTID]

I get that but our high press was nowhere as good as it as been in previous games. The all round effort was missing today. They played with the intensity what i expected from us. And we couldn't cope with it.

It's actually no surprise that a team managed by Pochettino pressed us so much today. I fully expected it and I'm sure Pep did too - after all, Pochettino took more points off him in La Liga than any other manager IIRC - but what I found a little concerning was that we didn't press them as much as I expected. When we did - normally later in the second half - we forced the kind of mistakes that they did out of us. It seemed to me that while Spurs deserve all the plaudits, it was actually quite a simple game today where there were no surprises in so much as one team turned up but the other didn't.

 

[silvasilva]

It's ok, we're going in the right direction. Can't win em all. Good news is there are only 2 teams in this league that press and play at that intensity. Excluding ourselves.

 

[Andrew___K]

Although pissed off, it could have been worse if rags had beat bummers Stoke ;-)

This. The press seem to be relatively tame about our loss thanks to United :)

 

[Peggy's a blue]

It's actually no surprise that a team managed by Pochettino pressed us so much today. I fully expected it and I'm sure Pep did too - after all, Pochettino took more points off him in La Liga than any other manager IIRC - but what I found a little concerning was that we didn't press them as much as I expected. When we did - normally later in the second half - we forced the kind of mistakes that they did out of us. It seemed to me that while Spurs deserve all the plaudits, it was actually quite a simple game today where there were no surprises in so much as one team turned up but the other didn't.

No he did not, Espanol only drew on and won one against Barca in Peps reign. Also am getting well pissed with this modern term "press" it is nothing new, teams in England in sixties were doing this, Shankly teams started it so there :-)

 

[BlueAnorak]

But what was Pep supposed to do to avoid such result, what 'obvious' solutions would you offer?

Not playing Kolarov or Zaba at fullback and certainly not playing Fernando as the pivot in a 4-1-4-1 formation - the guy can't pass forward to save his life! He should have put two in deep central midfield from the off as Fernando can only play as a stopper.
(Subject to injuries of course).

 

[Marvin]

Don't underestimate impact of Champions League.

You play away in the Champions League you are always vulnerable particularly in the next away league game. I said this earlier today, and I am repeating it now after looking at the european results:

Real Madrid drew 1-1 and Barcelona losing 3-2 (were 3-0 down). Beyern drew 1-1. It's very very rare that none of those 3 win (admittedly Barcelona still might)

 

[Bill]

just got back.
ok not brilliant but why all the doom and gloom. its one defeat, an unlucky one at that.

sorry but I have no concerns apart from Pep just needs to think very carefully about each starting 11 we use. he seems to think they can all do the job but in truth some clearly can't. I said i'd like to be there all there abouts at xmas so we can see what we need for January in order to kick on. well we are ahead of that, we are top. nothing to see here.

 

[Andrew___K]

Not playing Kolarov or Zaba at fullback and certainly not playing Fernando as the pivot in a 4-1-4-1 formation - the guy can't pass forward to save his life! He should have put two in deep central midfield from the off as Fernando can only play as a stopper.
(Subject to injuries of course).

Yes, it's obvious, but who would you use if Gundo can't play the full game, Garcia is young and inexperienced, and Dinho is needed in No8 role as KdB is injured? Pep just had no choice. He works with the players he has atm, he can't turn Nando into Busi. Our squad is very thin, but it's not a problem of Pep's abilities as a squad selector.

 

[FantasyIreland]

just got back.
ok not brilliant but why all the doom and gloom. its one defeat, an unlucky one at that.

sorry but I have no concerns apart from Pep just needs to think very carefully about each starting 11 we use. he seems to think they can all do the job but in truth some clearly can't. I said i'd like to be there all there abouts at xmas so we can see what we need for January in order to kick on. well we are ahead of that, we are top. nothing to see here.

Having had time to re-assess the game,thats a bloody good summary.

 

[BlumerMooner]

Need 2 new fullbacks! That's it.

 

[Peggy's a blue]

just got back.
ok not brilliant but why all the doom and gloom. its one defeat, an unlucky one at that.

sorry but I have no concerns apart from Pep just needs to think very carefully about each starting 11 we use. he seems to think they can all do the job but in truth some clearly can't. I said i'd like to be there all there abouts at xmas so we can see what we need for January in order to kick on. well we are ahead of that, we are top. nothing to see here.

Bill total respect as an old timer like you, but why do you think we were unlucky?

 

[Peggy's a blue]

Need 2 new fullbacks! That's it.

Yes and it's so obvious :-)