Is there a lack of intensity in our game? If so, how do we solve it?

Yes need some jounger legs in midfield if only we had a player like Foden, or Bernardo to complement Sterling, Jesus. Our midfield at present is abit old and slow !!! Or just slow !!The biggest miss is Fernandinho from midfield. And it just goes to show what a big influence Kompany was around the club.
I don't think playing Fernandinho in midfield at 34 is an answer. I would put Garcia in defence, Rodri at the base of midfield, where he was bought to play, Bernado on the wing instead of Mahrez, and I'd play Foden alongside de Bruyne in midfield.

I have decided in my own mind that Mahrez is not a winger. He wants to come inside almost every single time. Occasionally we get some magic but he's not suited to that role. It was a mistake to sign him. He's best as a no. 10 in my opinion but Pep will not give him that freedom.
 
Loads of different reasons

using Mendy on the left as width but he offers nothing going forward and is a liability going backward
The 442 press when out of position is leaving us vulnerable to the counter attack, this is exacerbated when Gundogan and Silva play in the same team

Lack of movement from the forwards and midfield , only de Bruyne is running in behind from midfield

Get back to a solid 2323 shape without the ball, this will involve dropping mendy and playing two inverted full backs

drop Silva and move Foden into midfield , younger legs and more running in behind

play Otamendi and Stones at the back , move Fernandinho back into midfield , get Rodri to learn the position by watching the master at it
 
I don't think playing Fernandinho in midfield at 34 is an answer. I would put Garcia in defence, Rodri at the base of midfield, where he was bought to play, Bernado on the wing instead of Mahrez, and I'd play Foden alongside de Bruyne in midfield.

I have decided in my own mind that Mahrez is not a winger. He wants to come inside almost every single time. Occasionally we get some magic but he's not suited to that role. It was a mistake to sign him. He's best as a no. 10 in my opinion but Pep will not give him that freedom.

The problem with what you're saying is Rodri is possibly the slowest player at the club(Garcia also lacks pace too) and Bernado cuts inside all the time just like Mahrez. Also on the other side Sterling's goals are masking very average performances for weeks as he rarely takes a fullback on whilst on the left. It's no wonder our play has become so slow and narrow.
 
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The problem with what you're saying is Rodri is possibly the slowest player at the club(Garcia also lacks pace too) and Bernado cuts inside all the time just like Mahrez. Also on the other side Sterling's goals are masking very average performances for weeks as he rarely takes a fullback on whilst one the left. It's no wonder our play has become so slow and narrow.
Bernardo may well cut back inside but he always takes his man on. Mahrez doesn't do that.

Sterling was trying to force the game yesterday running into brick walls at times.

Gundogan, Mendy, Mahrez, Fernandinho needn't be in the side. These are all choices Pep makes. He's too loyal to his senior players. My heart sank when I saw that line-up. I knew Fern would be in defence, but there was no need at all to put Gundogan and Silva together, start mahrez and start Mendy. That starting selection produced an inevitable first half.

I guess I have just worked out what I think about the lack of intensity in our game. It's due to individual players playing in roles they can't play in.
 
There has to be a reason for it; tactical, focus on the Champions League, adapting to aging players or just physical and mental fatigue from the last two seasons I don't know.

I hate writing the league off because to me it's the most important one of the lot but I think we need to use the remainder of the season as an opportunity to really allow the younger players to flourish.

Garcia, THB, Angelino, Foden and Doyle especially. I'm not avadocating them all playing at once before anyone jumps down my throat, two at a time maybe to inject some youth, energy and excitement back into the team.
 
When we beat Liverpool at home last season we have Fern and Bernado in midfield, these days we’ve got Rodders, Gundogen and sometimes David Silva - the drop off from a pace and aggression perspective is clear and obvious
 
Bernado largely flatters to deceive out there and rarely beats his man, not a right sided player in a front 3 and will never get the goals or assists we should be after from a player out there(Sane, Sterling, Hazard). Sterling trying to force things from out there simply meant coming inside constantly where it was already congested.
 
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Fuck gundogan off. He's playing a position where he sets the tempo. He's too slow both in and out of possession.

I'd play KDB there instead if he insists on keeping Fernandinho centre back. And play Bernardo in kdb current position.


This is absolutely the answer.

The biggest change for us is the amount of minutes Gundogan is playing in the 8 and how Pep can’t see it I don’t know.
 
loads of things missing from our game from the last 2 seasons. The main one is the legs in midfield, we really need ferna (I know he is 34) at the base, with legs around him, it’s got to be Bernardo but then who plays on the right?
Another problem is the width in our game, our success has come from 2 wide front men hugging the touchline, stretching the play for space to play and getting in behind when balls are won high up the pitch. At the minute we are playing inverted wide men when they are coming inside and playing narrow, we are struggling to find space and teams are having success shutting us down. With this system we are currently providing our width from the full backs which is leaving us with massive gaps at the back and we are getting caught out especially when we have a midfielder sat in at centre half.
We need to get back to what we are good at.
2 flying wide men providing width,
Lots of energy and legs in the middle pressing high,
and the full backs tucking in out of possession providing a solid base not being caught flagging 40
Yards up the touchline.
 

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