Ameliorating the Parked Bus Conundrum

[Josh_D]

I said something that came to mind after the match which was possession without penetration. Passing for the sake of it.

We have a crop of players who like it to feet and want to recycle possession. Not making quick moves so as to be an option for a pass or move opposition players away. It’s not incisive enough. It’s not pass and move.

For instance when Foden gets the ball, especially when he’s close to Kevin, he passes it and moves immediately to give Kev an option or drag an opponent away. There are a number of times KDB struggles as there’d be no runners into the box. Mahrez likes it to feet to jink past players which doesn’t work every time. Sterling doesn’t trust his left and has to cut in as well which the defenders know. Makes it easier for them to stop him or force him back (doesn’t work all the time on Sterling).

Nonetheless, the one touch football has to be quicker. Nothing wrong with possession but things need to be a bit more direct.

There are plothera or issues affecting the team as well but the play style is currently predictable and easy to set up against. Unless a certain group of players are playing, then it’d be hard to make things happen.

 

[Josh_D]

In this kind of game we need players that can run at players and go past them with speed and skill.
Mahrez can do it, but not enough.
Bernardo could do it, but not looked right since the racism claim.
Then we could also try having a shot instead of trying to walk it in.
Don’t get me wrong we’ve walked in some beautiful goals, but when it’s not working mix it up.

Exactly. It’s become a bit predictable. I’m sure Pep wants to find a way to get back to what used to work. Raz on the right and Left footed player on the left or someone insanely adept on the left (tough to find a good replacement for Sané).

 

[I'm Blue]

Exactly. It’s become a bit predictable. I’m sure Pep wants to find a way to get back to what used to work. Raz on the right and Left footed player on the left or someone insanely adept on the left (tough to find a good replacement for Sané).

I’d settle for a SWP replacement : )
That lad would run defenders all day long.

 

[Josh_D]

I’d settle for a SWP replacement : )
That lad would run defenders all day long.

Wouldn’t we all :).

 

[BLUEMATT23]

Sadly we've been sussed out by a lot of teams.

 

[Saddleworth2]

With Pep as manager, we'll never be a ball into the box team.

It was one of Bayern’s successful strategies when he managed them.

 

[Franny's toilet roll]

Parked buses are something any team would struggle with.

Crosses can destroy parked buses. They cause confusion. They test concentration. They cause players to lose their man. They cause janky goals, and more.

We don’t have anyone up front who can really muscle a defender or out jump them to win a header or shot, from a cross that’s not pinpoint perfect.

How important is it to you for us to start thinking about height up front?

This is not a post directly related to tonight’s result. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. I’d like to posit that if we had height up front, we’d have every weapon we need to attack when we go to war.

We have defensive issues, and that’s another topic. I think this attack can get even better. Like we’re super good going forward, we score for fun, but I think that we can be significantly more deadly. Scary thought.

Been saying we need a big lad upfront for a while. Dzeko was always a good alternative for us . I always thought Negredo was very good but then went off the boil after an injury and fell out off favour. Had very high hopes for Bony, as he destroyed us playing for Swansea one season , but he was a big disappointment and has not done anything since (a mystery). Just wondering if Traore can play in that position. He's another one in the Bony mould but Christ what a powerhouse he has been for Wolves. If he can play a little bit further up the park, he may be what we need.

 

[Gazza]

Yesterday's game was exactly like the recent Chelsea game where the opposition knew they couldn't match us so they sat back, let us have the ball and only attacked on the break. If we don't break these teams down early we concede and then it's uphill all the way.
Sometimes in these games I'd like City to take a less attacking approach (we didn't need the points versus Chelsea, they did and penalties would have done against Arsenal) and just pass the ball around midfield and defence and not try to go forward until the opposition commits more men forward.
We seem to have this mindset that we've got to be the entertainers all the time - Madrid will play exactly the same against us, but fuck em, it's them that need to attack, then we hit them on the break - It must be brilliant for strikers on opposition teams having all that room to play in against us while our forwards are packed like sardines in the area looking for a lucky ricochet or a rebound.

 

[Paul79mcfc118]

Inverted wingers don't work against a packed defence they just come into trouble either lose the ball or pass it backwards to center midfield and across . Need left footer on left right on the right take full back on cross it low and hard across goal for tap ins and far post knock in which was so successful when we had sterling sergio/jesus sane front three

 

[bluetonium]

Plenty of strategies to beating it, I fear our problem is a lack of different options in the squad, too many similar players, too many who want the ball played to them rather than for them. Five in most situations, our quality shines through, but when we need a change in thinking we don't seem to have the options on the bench.

Normally Pep would prefer against a tight defending team like arsenal yesterday, to use width and get beyond them. That needs patience to draw them out or force a hesitation, followed by incisive passing and pace. Having someone not afraid to take a longshot helps here too, but teams know were instructed to play into the box mostly.

Another option is a pure poacher, take the longshots, force set pieces, and go that route. We have no poacher when Aguero isn't playing.

Then there is countering their counter. Eddie is perfect for this, Sterling can be the target, but we don't always use this option and not sure why. Bad positioning? Lack of pace?

The target man option isn't one we should pursue, in my opinion, and won't under pep. Remember Bony. Two years ago we caused havoc with our crosses, low and fast from one speedy winger to the other. Floating higher balls in for us in open play is pointless.

We've lost our options over the past year or three, sane's pace, Vinny's leadership, but we're nowhere near being a bad team. Just need different options who are still great footballers.