Burnley (A) - Pre-Match Thread

[OntarioBlue]

A bit off topic but I’ve just read the article on the BBC where Pep says there will be no new players in January and Fern stays at centre back.

This is the kind of stubbornness that costs titles and cups and loses Managers their jobs (ok maybe not Pep but ordinary Managers). Surely I am not the only one who can see we are not a patch on the team of last season and desperately need a little strengthening. The league may be out of reach for us but we are still in three competitions although there does seem to be a consensus on here that we are not winning the Champions League with that defence.

 

[BosnianBlue]

I'd want us to try new things. Let's shake up some things for starters.

Ederson
Walker Rodri Otamendi Mendy
Fernandinho
De Bruyne Bernardo
Mahrez Sterling Jesus
​

Don't be shy. YOu just want Fernandinho in midfield, you couldn't give a flying one for new things, hahaha

 

[lmhblue1]

John Stones: “We’re still the champions. We should have that healthy arrogance about it. It’s so unique and we should have every confidence in everyone, and I think we do that, we trust each other and play for each other.” [via @StuBrennanMEN]

John, mate......

 

[lasereyes]

I think the last 2 seasons has shown we are a much better team with dinho in the middle,neither gundy or at the moment rodders can mop up and do the dirty work,i just can't see what him changing it like this is hoping to achieve,i never see the point of changing it for the sake of it,we are a shadow of ourselves now,how long does he continue with it or is he seeing this as a transion season?

Maybe he thinks we are even worse with Otamendi as CB?

 

[mancity1]

A bit off topic but I’ve just read the article on the BBC where Pep says there will be no new players in January and Fern stays at centre back.

This is the kind of stubbornness that costs titles and cups and loses Managers their jobs (ok maybe not Pep but ordinary Managers). Surely I am not the only one who can see we are not a patch on the team of last season and desperately need a little strengthening. The league may be out of reach for us but we are still in three competitions although there does seem to be a consensus on here that we are not winning the Champions League with that defence.

Team needs a lot of strengthening in a number of ways over the coming windows , we need to improve our rate of soft tissue injuries the right way , we need targets to join us that will replace stalwarts like Silva , Kun , Ferny and we need to get more out of what we have without replacements both in consistency of effort , press , combination play with speed and finishing on a more consistent basis.

I don't think we are too far short of another season like two seasons ago if we get the right replacements at the right age for longer term top line success seriously challenging for both the big titles on a consistent basis.

Our history is slowly evolving and its positive overall , you will always have blips in a competitive league and each year this year Liverpool and Leicester for example performing beyond expectation of result.

 

[bluemc1]

We are 11 points behind a very very good side, back to back champions league finals and 3rd highest league points total in history last year, they are flying and unbeaten so far this year

we are not the same side as when we managed to hold them off last year, we are weakened massively losing Kompany ( player and presence). We’ve lost our best defender and our most exciting attacker in LaPorte and Sane and this has also resulted in us losing the best holding midfielder in the league.

can people not see this ? It’s not cos Peps stubborn or Gundagans and Rhodris fault, the only thing annoying me is that we could’ve won all these games if we just took our chances,
Injuries and our strikers not firing is what will cost us the league

 

[Fred_Quimby]

I dont have bias when judging players...i just call it as `i see it (rightly or wrongly)...they are all my favourites as they are city players.

Every manager makes mistakes...even the best so the old comments about maybe certain managers know bests doesnt hold any water...if so there would be little point in forums like this as well

Positives:

passing between the lines (at times)
Retaining possession in the middle third...
occasionally weighs in with the odd goal (not as much as he should and not as much as others - though probably more than rodri or ferna would)

Negatives

Poor at tackling (actually backs out of challenges) - the worst of ANY of our midfielders
Slow - gets bypassed with players on the ball all too easily. also means he is slow at pressing - especially compared to the rest of the midfield
Poor defensive awareness - gets bypassed by players running off the ball and doesnt track the runners.
Doesnt create enough (certainly less than all our other creative midfielders)
Long distance passing is no better than anyone else - he is a professional footballer -id expect him to make a 30-40 yd pass with consumat ease 9/10
Poor at heading/winning headers (especially when compared to Rodri and Ferna)
NO leadership qualities that have been visable so far.
~Gives the ball away trying to make creative passes a lot of the time
Doesnt break up play anywhere near as well as Ferna and Rodri

Its not just about a physical presence as can be seen above -he is a poor creative midfielder when compared to the rest of our midfield and a poor defenisve midfielder when compared to the other options. Simply put without the injuries he would be nowhere near the starting 11 on a regular basis

Ferna is stil a far superior defensive midfilder and all around footballer -can you imagine Gundogan trying to play centre half!

You really have lost your true vocation Simon. With your outstanding insight into the how the game is played and abilities of players is outstanding. Why are you not a top, top manager?

I have been a supporter for about 65 years and when I go to games I watch and support MY team. I don't dissect, analyse to death games I just support them. Yes, every player makes mistakes; yes, they may even disappoint BUT I come back for more each week. Some people on here must be real saddoes down the pub. Always complaining about the team. As soon as someone misplaces a pass he's sh1t and it doesn't matter what he does next as some people's bias on here knows no bounds.

Sorry Simon, you caught me on a bad day and you are not alone.

 

[ancoats]

burnley away is the hardest game of the season for me and add it being played on cold night in December its just about the worse game and at the wrong time, this is a nightmare game and with the derby at the weekend ?? city need to show fight tonight and if i was pep ban gloves and tights and long sleeves shirts, because burnley will be thinking they are not up for this tonight and fancy it if we wrap up with gloves and other stuff

have not got a clue what sort of the team tonight but gundogan will be out with picking up 5 yellows so rodri will start, that's it from me and it could be anything from whats available ? mendy maybe rested and walker could return i just don't know tonight

 

[Blue Llama]

We have some great players who won two Championships back to back and a squad does not become rubbish 'overnight'. However, for the last 15 or so years of the EPL the successful teams have had two qualities, pace and accuracy. We appear to have lost both at a time when the dippers and Leicester are showing these strengths.

 

[lionheart]

Are any more City players near a suspension through accummulation of yellow cards? Most worried about Fernandinho missing a biggy.