Fans moaning about booing fans is the modern fan.The booing is the result of the emergence of the modern fan unfortunately.
I remember booing in 80s and the 90s and mainly due to us yo-yoing the divisions and it being shite half the time. Booing a draw at home and being top of the league with arguably one of THE best managers in europe at the helm and us having played some fantastic football this season stinks of us having spoilt bastard fans. Just my personal opinion of course.Booing happened as far back as the early 70's just from my own recollection - just to put this into context.
I'd say it's a bit simple as Southampton played in Milan on Thursday. Perhaps it's worse for our lot as they aren't used to the all action style required by the boss.Sorry to introduce some sensible rationale but is it just coincidence that our two most sluggish performances, Spuds and today, both came after tough CL games or is that too simple?
Bollocks, in my day the Kippax used scare the shit out of away team :-)Fans moaning about booing fans is the modern fan.
At Maine Rd it was really hostile towards the home team for many years. Because we were rubbish. Opposition just had to frustrate us for 20 mins and then it was "You're not fit to wear the shirt" etc.
Good analysis. Thought Vincent added something.Including the one's he's just bought? You know my fears about playing this system in this league and I haven't seen a great deal yet to change my mind. Chelsea set up similarly today, but when they needed to put a foot through it, they did. We try to play it out almost regardless of how dangerous the circumstances are, and that directive can only be coming from Pep. To that end better defenders would help, but surely a system has to be more robust than only being capable of working with top international players to implement it?
Pep's also going to have to find an answer to our longstanding mental and physical weakness in the face of deep lying, aggressive, 9 man defences. Sunderland, Everton and Southampton have all thwarted us this season simply by being organised, and I think we may need to see more of Kelechi on that score. I can't remember the last time we beat any side of note (our record against the top 8 last season was appalling, and it's not shaping up any better this time around so far). Our finishing from distance, 18-25 yards, in particular is diabolical with Kun as guilty as anyone of scuffing/dragging shot after shot. Whatever, Barca, Spurs, Everton, Southampton. 4 games, no wins, 2 goals.
What was most pleasing today, apart from the fuck up for the goal, was the return of Kompany. No coincidence that this afternoon was the first time a big opposition striker was unable to hold the ball up with ease or win everything in the air. I actually think Otamendi's got the edge over Vinny in terms of bringing the ball out, but Kompers is composed enough to pass muster and far more effective in physical contests. The other plus (again) was Sterling, the only real individual threat we possessed.
Pep's got a far harder job on his hands than most people thought IMO, and quite honestly I'd take top 4 right now, and go again next season with 2 new full backs, another centre half, and a really dynamic powerhouse defensive midfielder (just don't ask me who). That may not satisfy everyone on here though.... ;-)
Drives me absolutely up the wall seeing players making 10 yard passes and either astray, or even more infuriating today was under hitting them with no pace on the ball giving them the chance to nick the ball. They need a rocket up their arse today for that.There might have been a tactical problem but the much bigger problems were:
1) Players like Silva and De Bruyne being unable to make simple passes
2) Not enough effort in the 1st half. I could see after 3-4 mins that the attitude was wrong, and I really expected Guardiola to sort it out but he waited until half time. Should have subbed off one of the midfielders after 15 mins.
My biggest disappointment for today's game was the complete lack of fluid movement off the ball right from the kick off.
It was easy to see after the first minute that the players were just not running and creating options for the man on the ball, no matter where they were on the pitch.
It seemed every player who had the ball at their feet wanted to take 2 or 3 touches before releasing the ball, this simply slowed down our approach significantly and also meant that the players who did make runs were eventually tracked and marked by an opposition player by the time the ball did come to them.
We just seemed to lack any serious energy right from the start.
In theory I would have thought having more midfielders in the central areas would create more options for passing and movement, but this all requires the players to actually run! This was the core of our problem today.
Perhaps the players were feeling tired from the Barcelona game?
Didn't win eitherWe didn't lose.
Southampton played Inter the day after us, so whilst there's an argument that the Barca game took something out of us, Southampton managed pretty well (yes I know we played with 10 men for a while) but still...
Plenty of teams struggle after CL football in midweek. Happens all the time. What was unacceptable was that I thogut after a 4-0 stinging defeat we'd come out guns blazing. Giving the ball away, and players having a bad day is one thing, but there was just no desire in that first half. Last home game we had the immense frustration of missing two pens. Then we have barcelona where we play well, but make some stupid errors. So I thought our attitude would look after itself. But it was the attitude that was all wrongDrives me absolutely up the wall seeing players making 10 yard passes and either astray, or even more infuriating today was under hitting them with no pace on the ball giving them the chance to nick the ball. They need a rocket up their arse today for that.
They were knackered and just wasted time and defended well. I think most teams would have taken a point or more off us today.Southampton played at the top of there game today we onthe other hand didn't that's what makes football special we don't known the result beforehand give your heads a wobble and watch something beautiful being created before your eyes when everyone is settled on what pep wants it will be SPECIAL
I was so nervous for him today, spent most of the first half just watching him running and preying he'd be fine. Small steps for him, but will be so good to have him back fully fit.Plenty of teams struggle after CL football in midweek. Happens all the time. What was unacceptable was that I thogut after a 4-0 stinging defeat we'd come out guns blazing. Giving the ball away, and players having a bad day is one thing, but there was just no desire in that first half. Last home game we had the immense frustration of missing two pens. Then we have barcelona where we play well, but make some stupid errors. So I thought our attitude would look after itself. But it was the attitude that was all wrong
Only good thing is that Vinny got 70 odd minutes under his belt. That could be really important.
You would have to be blinkered to think that performance to day was anything but poor.
It was a complete contrast to the Everton game in which we played wonderfully well up to the final pass and also the inability to convert two penalties.
Does anybody think we can go 90 minutes without conceding?
I was surprised that Pep wasn't more animated in the first half as everything we did was so slow and predictable.
We need a hard man in midfield, all our midfielders are too nice.