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

[14aguero]

What is to figure out? It is always:

1. don't play football;
2. accept 0 1 loss as the base; and
3. anything else is a bonus.

United, and the rest. In comparison, the Liverpool and the Chelsea games were more straightforward. It was quality vs quality, and City would come out on top in these.

The inverted winger play used to work, but even these aren't working anymore. The opposition teams no longer challenge the ball carrier. They place 8 in the six yard box in a static formation and wait until a City player takes a shot. Guardiola has resorted to having the midfielders taking low shots on target and creating rebound situations. This creates some movements in the defensive shapes and has been working, but this is not a strategy. It is just going to be a slog.

 

[Petetheblu]

We have to score first or an organised defense will make for a very tough game.

 

[Keeper!]

We lack a striker. FACT. We have 2 teams(Liverpool and Chelsea) who are going to be challenging us all the way this year and I just feel it could have been a lot more straightforward had we signed a striker in the summer. Instead, when we are playing the likes of Southampton and Palace we are having to rely on one of our midfielders or defenders to come up with the goods. I agree that against certain opposition it is prudent to have no recognised striker, as it gives us more strength in midfield and a better chance of retaining the ball. However, we are not playing the top 6 week in week out. Even having a striker on the bench, ready to unleash when needed would be better than what we have currently. We spent too long in the summer pursuing Kane, when we should have been prepared for a plan B.

Very true and the fact that we have a lot of players who simply are not a goal threat, Rodri, Grealish, and badly out of form in Sterling, KDB, that's a huge blow to our goal scoring.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

Jesus last game played as a striker but his best moment came from the wing lol. and when he did get the ball in the box one time to make it 3-1 he completely fluffed his lines and we had to endure pressure till end. those are the kind of moments we really miss someone like aguero who was so clinical and made our life easy.

 

[grim up north]

Jesus last game played as a striker but his best moment came from the wing lol. and when he did get the ball in the box one time to make it 3-1 he completely fluffed his lines and we had to endure pressure till end. those are the kind of moments we really miss someone like aguero who was so clinical and made our life easy.

We won quite comfortably Villa put us under pressure created very few chances

 

[trevorriley]

we are playing better football without a striker, it creates more and we are back to dictating games more. I dont think we would be any better off in the league with a striker.

I would like us to sign one of course, but the right one.

 

[Saddleworth2]

We won quite comfortably Villa put us under pressure created very few chances

Whilst that is true, it’s also true to say that Gabby fluffed a chance that many strikers would have buried to make the game safe. He is one of my favourite players but he isn’t a natural striker.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

we are playing better football without a striker, it creates more and we are back to dictating games more. I dont think we would be any better off in the league with a striker.

I would like us to sign one of course, but the right one.

not really we can be even better. we are using a mid to play as a false 9 and arrive at the box. but if we use an actual striker as the false 9 who can drop deep and create we will be even better I believe. we can the have both the overload in the midfield but also a clinical edge to finish the chances.

 

[Gremlin]

We have to score first or an organised defense will make for a very tough game.

You could say that about pretty much every game. How many teams play open and expansive football against us?

 

[Petetheblu]

You could say that about pretty much every game. How many teams play open and expansive football against us?

I think it affects us mentally and we lose some bite when we go a goal down, plus teams just defend better. Even Phil Jones will become Phil Maldini.


Okay, I've taken it a bit to far with the Phil Jones analogy....