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

[Marvin]

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 players out there(Sane, Sterling, Hazard). Sterling trying to force things from out there simply meant coming inside constantly where it was already congested.

He has not been at his best but that is his position imo. Mahrez will never be a right winger ever.

Sterling may well eventually play down the middle.

I am not sure really where you are coming from because Bernardo and Sterling have been exceptional as wide forwards. To say they are not suited to these roles is to ignore the last 18 months.

 

[Marvin]

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.

yes but Pep wont do it.

There is an air of arrogance about City at the moment. I don't like it. We should be humble and be aware of our deficiencies. Everyone in football will wonder why Foden isn't starting when you see the lethargy in our midfileld play.

 

[manchester blue]

Every time Gundogan got the ball he went backwards yesterday. Every time Silva gets it he goes forwards. Gundogan offers little for me. We must start using Foden more for some dynamism in midfield. It's almost criminal.

The last two games have bored me to tears.

 

[waspish]

2 years of so so high standard winning everything apart from champs league I thought sooner or later we will have a drop of its just Liverpool standard has stayed the same plus with Var favours no ones going to touch them this season unless vvd and mane gets injured and out for the rest of the season! So top four and any trophy we should be happy. A refresh in the summer plus our injured players back we go all out for the league again.

 

[give it to gordon]

As much as it hurts me to say this but David Silva has lost his legs abit to play him alongside Gundogan criminal. Silva deserves better. A midfield of those two has zero pace. We know its David's last season so we need to start preparing for his replacement who I believe is Foden so Foden should be starting and should he start to run out of steam David is his perfect replacement against a tiring team.
Start looking at next season now get Bernardo back to himself,by playing him, play Phil to a midfield of Sterling, Foden, Bernardo, KDB,along with Jesus is an attacking force with speed. KDB David and Gundogan has no pace .......

 

[Platt Lane veteran]

Perhaps for ‘lack of intensity’ read ‘lack of desire’. There just doesn’t seem the hunger to go toe to toe with the Dippers for another 9 months. Understandable perhaps. Liverpool have the same desire we had in the Centurion season, whereby they get the job done, even when playing shite. History shows how difficult it is to win two titles in a row, let alone three.

 

[red 2 hats]

We're lacking intensity, but for me the problem is the shape of the team.
We are playing far too narrow, yesterday's game highlighted this, how many times were we around the edge of their box tip tapping to each other within 5 yards not be able to break through a resolute defence only option that horrible little dink chip pass which rarely comes off.
We need to switch our wingers to their natural wings that would give us some width which we are desperately lacking, fed up of seeing Raz having to cut back inside and join an already congested space, then running into a defender.
Bernardo isn't a winger, not got the pace and playing on his weaker foot, again forcing him inside to the same conjested area.
We are leaking silly goals, I would pick defenders who can stay back and actually defend, let the wingers work the flanks.
Play a solid back four, Kev as the holding midfielder but playing like a quarterback dictating the pace, play Phil and Bernardo alongside him, there the engine/energy.
Raz on the right, Mahrez on the left and Jesus down the middle till Kun returns.
Job done.

 

[Craig]

He has not been at his best but that is his position imo. Mahrez will never be a right winger ever.

Sterling may well eventually play down the middle.

I am not sure really where you are coming from because Bernardo and Sterling have been exceptional as wide forwards. To say they are not suited to these roles is to ignore the last 18 months.

I'm saying Sterling is better on the right especially in a team that is currently in desperate need of some width. Bernado is not a top class wide attacker in a top front 3 and never will be. Salah is, Sane is,Sterling is,Hazard is,Robben was and Mane is. Bernado has had one very good season in almost 2 and a half now and even in that season his assists and goal returns were nothing special. Not slating Bernado here I'm a big fan but his popularity is almost masking 18 very average months whilst here and I think he'd be much better centrally.

 

[waspish]

Sane and Laporte didnt get injured the table be totally different.

 

[Gray]

We have had two superb seasons on the run and it seems to have eventually caught up with everybody at the club. We will have to accept that this season will be not as good as those two but we have the quality to win a cup competition with the right team selections and luck on the injury front.

Several things have caused the problems:

• Kompany leaving and not being replaced - both as a player and the colossus he was behind the scenes.
• New players taking time to bed in - Rodri and Cancelo will be OK when they have settled.
• Ageing stars in the twilight of their careers - David Sila and Sergio Aguero can not play every match any more and we shouldn't espect them to.
• Players who have gone backward - Stones (not upped his game), Otemendi (age catching up with him) and Mendy (injuries have done for him).
• Injuries to Sane, Laporte and Zinchenko - that is almost a third of a team you are bound to miss them.
• Players with inconsistent form - Sterling, Bernado, De Bruyne and Jesus - all played well but not consistently.
• Players who will never have intensity, Gundogan and Mahrez- both good footballers but the biggest pair of plodders at our club.

The one player who I think would be able to up the overall intensity and take pressure off De Bruyne is Phil Foden and Pep has shown a stuborn reluctance to play him from the start. Surely after the Newcastle match he must now be given the chance.

I am now completely relaxed about the rest of the season and expect more of the same with some really good displays mixed in with the type of turgid dross on show at Newcastle.