The main thing we lack throughout the team is a physicality/reluctance to actually engage in the personal battles.
Even when we tackle, it's always with an attempt to nick-it, and counter, rather than taking the percentages completely out of the equation, clearing it out of play and giving the defence a time to actually fill back in.
Don't get me started on our throw-ins again - three times yesterday we even managed to throw the ball out of play.
Pep's mantra will always be if the opposition doesn't have the ball, then they can't hurt you.
But the same must also apply that always trying to keep the ball in play, reduces the margins for error when you can't keep it.
I'll say it again, it won't matter who the defenders are when you play as high a line as we do. It was the same under Pellegrini, it exposes any player.
We either now buy two world class sitters who also have the technical out ball of a Yaya, or we have to defend five yards further back and mix it up a bit more.
Our forwards can beat any team in the world in a foot race, shown by Sane yesterday.
It wouldn't hurt once in a while to by-pass the midfield and try and hit over the top.
I was screaming for us to do this. One reason, was to quiet thier crowd. All crowds like forwards chasing down defenders and we gave their crowd the excuse to get behind their team when there was a great opportunity by wasting time and playing in their half to get their crowd doing what they do best. BOO
YesCan we all agree that Clichy is past it and has cost us time and time again this season?
I felt exactly the same watching that game. What was even more disconcerting for me was that Monaco made us look in the first half of the 2nd leg like Barcelona made PSG look.
The key is midfield control. More and more and more I'm coming to the conclusion that as good as they can look there, neither Silva nor KDB long term should be playing in the number 8 roll. Certainly not together. They are both excellent when the wind is behind them, but as soon as they face physical/mental adversity in the centre and they need to show some bollocks, the pair of them wilt.
Good point every team in the world fancies they can score at least one goal against us and since we are rarely more than one goal ahead this has been a major shortcoming this season.Could not agree more. Zaba will give everything. Not sure I could trust some of the others who will be leaving. Setting that aside, we need a defence that demoralises the opposition, rather than encourage 'em as our defence tends to.
He was there because of doubts about the form and fitness of the two regulars and because the manager believed rightly as it turned out that Navas represented aI still cannot understand why Navas is playing in defence. Forget aging defenders, forget injuries. Wtf was Navas doing at right back ? Yes he's a grafter but that's about it, he's not a defender.
For me this was an experiment gone too far.
We're not improving at all, look clueless to me & no idea what our style of play is .4 transitional seasons on the bounce- is it some sort of premier league record ?
Pep out? Has the movement started?Under Mancini, we would have won that 5-1. First time Pep has arrived at a team which needs attention and he's looking lost. I don't disagree with his philosophy, but our results against the top teams prove that, in our league, you need to defend well and just trying to keep the ball is not enough. Pep must learn or....go.
I think this is one of the issues we have. If Gundogan was fit I don't think we'd see Dave and Kev on the pitch together.
With respect I could not disagree more. Our lack of intensity yesterday was an absolute disgrace in the 2nd half. We played like it was a friendly.
Five yards short.
This is the same defence (ok it's aged) that we had under Mancini or close to it.... he made it work... Pep doesn't make defending a priority and other teams know this... therefore I'd say that Pep and the team under his guidance have been found out....Found out? Please explain! With a squad that has under performed for a number of seasons he has over achieved with it this season, do you really believe that with any other manager we would be in a better place? With the previous manager we would be in serious trouble and not looking forward to a FAC semi
It was surreal to watch. Genuinely.
We have improved I think but not very much and it really is up in the air at present if we can improve enough to win the league next season.We're not improving at all, look clueless to me & no idea what our style of play is .
Change all the players & we'll be fine ...I'm told.
It was surreal to watch. Genuinely.
Just a general noticeI don't think Pep is the Messiah he was made out to be but he can not be blamed for the lack of basics the players display when crossing the white line.
Look at Yaya for example, he trotted on never broke a sweat and spent the first ten minutes passing to Arsenal. De Bruyne has been dreadful this season and, apart from the odd world class pass, he goes walk about for large portions of the game. Stirling has forgotten how to take his man on and always bottles a 50/50. Silva was innocuous yesterday and his shooting is abysmal - why doesn't he work on it in training?
You need 10 outfield players who put 100% effort in, something we do not have.
The neutral supporters must love our team though as you always get goalmouth action at both ends and 0-0 draws are few and far between.
Not sure you cn question sterlings mental strength mate, his figure can make it seem like hes bottling challenges but i lost count of how many times he made a good run and didnt get the ballGundogan won't solve the issue, he's not quick enough.
He'll give you the out ball but he's not able to screen.
The dynamic actually changed once Sane found his legs. The set-up was already starting to strain trying to accommodate all the players.
Sterling was able to switch to the other flank but once Sane showed what he could do, it meant Pep had to stay with KDB and Silva in the centre.
The conundrum is the right hand flank, as Sterling and KDB both bring their quality in different ways.
Both are flakes.