Are we clearly suffering from a lack of striker this season? Have midtable sides figured us out?

[mccity]

But maybe we arent creating the chances for a striker to miss because the striker isnt there to create the chance for?
(If that makes any sense at all)

It's a sort of yes and a sort of no thing I think.

Having some sort of out and out goalscorer always is better than not. ESPECIALLY as a sub for games like this to confuse a defence. And even as a starter there will definitely be games where someone running around in the box has its upsides galore.


The thing is, we've had games like yesterday with strikers playing which people generally pretend never happened in this discussion. Also, we've broken down many parked buses without an established striker playing.

Under Pep at least, whenever this City side has had problems you can usually look back and pin it on fitness, mentality, and the Pep basics before anything like a single player issue.


In each of our 3 title wins under Pep we've had a long run of wins at some stage. Momentum is a significant thing for a team like this. That feeling of inevitability is what makes us our consistent best. Hopefully something clicks in the next 6 weeks and sets us on our way.

 

[hertsblue]

Yes but its the lack of finishing from others thats an issue. Do we even have goalposts on the training ground as our overall awful finishing and the high percentage of shots on target against us that results in a goal are baffling and its been the same for years but finishing this season seems to have got worse.

We miss so many sitters, from defenders with clear headers from set pieces, to midfielders blazing wide or over and non clinical attackers.

Even a lot of the goals we have scored this season have an element of luck to them ie deflections v Chelsea, Dippers, Brighton and i cannot believe so called international players miss so much so often so you wonder if its a lack of training/practice in this regard

 

[lasereyes]

especially weaker teams. maybe this false 9 provides us with greater control against stronger teams but against weaker teams they love us not having a deadly striker against them.

I think this is valid. Also suggests, we don't necessarily need to break the bank on (say) Haaland if his agent continues to be an arsewipe and he anyway might choose another club. Just someone who knows where the net is. Maybe this Vladohic dude for instance who we prob could get in Jan. Could be a difference maker in these park the bus games, even if he starts on the bench in bigger games as he develops

 

[Deleted member 77198]

We are also missing a creative midfielder. Arguably more than the striker.

Against packed defences, we don’t have anyone who can really thread balls through to our front three. de Bruyne is so off the boil his water is frosty, Gundogan hasn’t been playing and isn’t fully matchfit yet, and Bernardo isn’t really that sort of player (despite being our best this season).

 

[citymad]

I maybe way off base here but I think one of our main problems is that we don't have a centre forward.

 

[Gumzy97]

I’m struggling to think why do we cross so much. Watching the training videos on city’s YouTube as well there’s a lot of crossing practice, our attackers are not the tallest so they are not going to get onto those crosses up against big opposition defenders. We don’t have a target man. So why cross so much? its really easy for defences to negate it if they just pack the box.

We have some very good defenders and one of the best creative midfielders in the world. Plus Rodri is immense this season in midfield. I’m not going to question the manager but why have we never set up as a counter attack team? the counter attack against Brighton was incredible. We have players that could punish any team on the break.

 

[Lavinda Past]

Maybe that unpredictability has been coached out of him?

I think we're getting very close to the truth of the matter here. The 'system' doesn't seem to allow for moments of individual magic, it's just too rigid and predictable.

People won't want to hear it, but Pep's methods tend to turn players into robots... As long as they are successful robots, fans will put up with it. When it goes wrong, like yesterday, it looks shite.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

We didn’t think this when we beat Chelsea or drew with Liverpool, I think we can play at pace in the big games but I think in games like soton and crystal palace I think the thinking is different, not as much urgency or movement and take more touches , more side passes, slower build up. I think it’s attitude.However kdb is out of form( maybe injured) and we don’t seem to know where jack fits in yet. Sterling is out of form and Laporte always has a bad game in him.Hope we turn it around in next two games

The other difference is that when we play Liverpool and Chelsea - particularly at their places - they at least try and play their own game. Virtually everyone else, including the rags, shoves everyone behind the ball, denies us any space, and hopes merely to capitalise on the odd counter. Some we win, some we don't, but Spurs 0, Southampton 0, Palace 0 and Leicester 0 (albeit with a much weakened team) in the Charity Shield, suggests we find it a particularly difficult tactic to circumvent

 

[Agueroooo9320]

The other difference is that when we play Liverpool and Chelsea - particularly at their places - they at least try and play their own game. Virtually everyone else, including the rags, shoves everyone behind the ball, denies us any space, and hopes merely to capitalise on the odd counter. Some we win, some we don't, but Spurs 0, Southampton 0, Palace 0 and Leicester 0 (albeit with a much weakened team) in the Charity Shield, suggests we find it a particularly difficult tactic to circumvent

this is where having a plan B. a target man would help.

 

[Lavinda Past]

Massive overreaction. We're suddenly flawed because we're one-paced?

We made some bad mistakes defensively yesterday and went down to 10 men hence we lost. There are offensive problems. Sterling is out of form (because he's not playing), KDB is not fit, and Grealish has been ineffective so far.

I don't our basic speed has got anything to do with these issues.

We didn't lose because we went down to 10 men. We lost because we were crap on the day.

A collection of tired and/or out of sorts players tied to a slow, overthought system lacking pace, a focal point or individuality.

We miss Leroy Sane, a midfield powerhouse in the mould of prime Yaya, and a proper line leader like Haaland.