Brentford (A) | PL | Post Match Thread

[Eaststander1]

Always happy with a 1-0 win, but I am interested in what's the current plan in games, it feels like we get an early goal and then half attempt to get another 1 or 2 in the first half while also not fully going for it, only to then just play timid in the second half.

I know today we played well enough to not really give brentford anything, but you still leave yourself open to the chance of something stupid happening (see monaco) when it felt like today if the players really wanted too, they could of had the game done by half time.

Yep, it's like walking on a tightrope watching City at times .... stressful, nervy, and you never quite know if you're gonna reach end of the walk unscathed or not!

 

[mattcity5]

One other thought about our game....

Maybe this kind of performance will be our new 'normal' now that Ederson has gone. Maybe that's a big part of why we struggled to keep the ball.

2nd half it felt like most of Donnarumma's kicks were to the sidelines and either straight out, or resulted in a fight for the ball.

Maybe the extra saves we get do balance things out, but games may seem more of a battle. Just as well we've got so many big guys in the team though, so that should help.

 

[paulchapo]

Another crazy thing is this. As much as all the pundits have written us off and derided our performances, while lauding Arsenal and Liverpool's, we were four minutes away from a win that would have us sitting top of the league right now.

 

[Mr Fraser]

There's someone in the top picture who is the son of ex physics teacher of mine. His dad used to give me loads of grief when we lost but was always at Maine Road; Platt Lane, then Kippax.
We played Coventry in an afternoon game during some power cuts (1973-74?) and he told the headmaster plenty of boys would play truant to go to the game and he "volunteered" to stand at the ground and spot them.

Dad skived off work for that game. I had to go to school at xaverian just down the road

 

[nico04]

The biggest problem we face is everybody is looking for perfection and over-analysing everything. You'll never find it. EVERY team will be worse off if they have an injury to one or two key players, that's just the way it is not a "serious issue". If we haven't learnt that from last season there's something wrong

Liverpool got lucky last season in that they had no serious challengers, Arsenal weren't up to the task again and we had too many long term injuries to hope to compete. They only finished with 84 points, that's 30 points dropped and it wouldn't have been enough to get past us in any of our last 6 title winning seasons. Now he's got some serious competition as both we and Arsenal have improved and things aren't quite going their way now Arne Slot looks a little lost to me, he's not sure what to do.

Arsenal dropped 40 points and although they have bought well and continue to improve a little, so have we and I think we have the better squad overall. They still have the same kick and rush style, they're a one trick pony who don't know what to do when the going gets tough and although I see them as our closest challenger again, that IS what I see, they're still challenging us, not the other way around.

we're more of a 'one trick pony' then them. They can score from set-pieces, long balls and short passes plus they share their goals across the team, Haaland scores 90% of our goals and We have one style; possession-control-short passes.

They are favourites but have a strong 'bottle gene'

 

[Eaststander1]

There's someone in the top picture who is the son of ex physics teacher of mine. His dad used to give me loads of grief when we lost but was always at Maine Road; Platt Lane, then Kippax.
We played Coventry in an afternoon game during some power cuts (1973-74?) and he told the headmaster plenty of boys would play truant to go to the game and he "volunteered" to stand at the ground and spot them.

Lol, I seem to recall ducking out of school lessons during those power cuts to go to watch one or two games myself, but I cared more about City than school, that's for sure!

 

[East Level 2]

I would also add general fitness. We’re way behind at the minute, probably by design after cwc. We should have legs for 90 come winter.

Could it be we are getting physically tired in second halves ar is it all tactical?

I like the idea that our fitness will improve to previous levels but I'm worried that the CWC and bugger all rest will take its toll in the long term.
I've made this point many times and still believe it's worth repeating:
Summer 2020 - Wrecked by Covid
Summer 2021 - Euro 2020 tournament
Summer 2022 - Shorter break due to mid-season World Cup
Summer 2023 - Shorter break as season finished late due to World Cup. The FA Cup final was 3rd June and Istanbul was a week later.
Summer 2024 - Euro 2024 tournament
Summer 2025 - CWC
Summer 2026 - World Cup
And stupid post-season internationals in many years.
The vast majority of our players are internationals and get bugger all rest. These guys aren't machines and it's about time the players union got involved to stop exploitation by UEFA, FIFA and the bloody broadcasters.

 

[The Blue Eh]

Well done you blue boys! Only one team deserved to win that game, despite us not looking like the City of the winning years.

I can’t in good faith complain about the game management we saw in the second half. Certainly every blue on here would have taken that in the numerous games we lost last season. To me that’s a sign to build on.

With Marmoush, Cherki, Kova and Khusanov back in the squad after the international break, we’re a much better team.

 

[Cobwebcat]

I like the idea that our fitness will improve to previous levels but I'm worried that the CWC and bugger all rest will take its toll in the long term.
I've made this point many times and still believe it's worth repeating:
Summer 2020 - Wrecked by Covid
Summer 2021 - Euro 2020 tournament
Summer 2022 - Shorter break due to mid-season World Cup
Summer 2023 - Shorter break as season finished late due to World Cup. The FA Cup final was 3rd June and Istanbul was a week later.
Summer 2024 - Euro 2024 tournament
Summer 2025 - CWC
Summer 2026 - World Cup
And stupid post-season internationals in many years.
The vast majority of our players are internationals and get bugger all rest. These guys aren't machines and it's about time the players union got involved to stop exploitation by UEFA, FIFA and the bloody broadcasters.

We could start by having 18 teams in the PL and only one cup competition like most countries in Europe.

 

[come-on-barney]

This thread is bizarre. Very tough place to go to and we come away with three points without conceding many chances against us. Nico G was fine when he came on for Rodri, Bobb was lively first half as was Savinho and other boo boys like Nunes was fine apart from one stupid chip over a Brentford players head in his own 18 yard box.

Cheer up you bunch of miserable fuckers.

You started well, think Nico was excellent when he came on. Sav - stretching…

 

[come-on-barney]

Different keepers but his ball playing wasn't just about assists it was also about being a press resistant backline which allowed us to 'drop teams' more readily and maintain pressure. Must confess I was a little sceptical about Donna but delighted with him so far.

Points already on the table from Gigio.

 

[come-on-barney]

I'm guessing there's quite a few who were on the pre match thread, that will be disappointed this evening. There's some who were on there who I'm sceptical as to whether they're Citeh fans.

Citeh??

 

[iceman]

Teams not in Europe should play in league cup

 

[come-on-barney]

Haaland loves Donnarumma

And rightly so, solid, points saved.

 

[East Level 2]

Teams not in Europe should play in league cup

Be easy for teams not in Europe to get to the later rounds if they're drawn against Grimsby, for example.

 

[nico04]

Today's game made me realise Nico G is very limited as a lone DM. Body orientation is very average, receives a pass and usually passes it back in the same direction, doesn't open up his body and create angles for new passing lanes. I think Stones is actually the best back-up for Rodri.

 

[coolcity]

we're more of a 'one trick pony' then them. They can score from set-pieces, long balls and short passes plus they share their goals across the team, Haaland scores 90% of our goals and We have one style; possession-control-short passes.

They are favourites but have a strong 'bottle gene'

They're only favourites because they're currently top, it's decided by maths, the probability that the team with the most points currently are the most likely to win it. That's how the bookies decide on odds, set the favourites and the media use the positions they publish. Everybody else follows like sheep.

Haaland scores 90% of our goals currently but we've only played 7 matches and it's clear that we're now playing more to his strengths and trying to find him more often with longer balls. We're still top scorers, doesn't matter who gets them.

Had Marmoush been fit I would have expected them to weigh in with a few, and probably Ait-Nouri too but we haven't even played a quarter of the season yet and already everybody is changing their mind based on this week's results instead of looking at the bigger picture, the squad and it's capabilities and for me we have the best squad by far. Best manager, best striker, best keeper and the experience and know-how to get it done.

All that's missing is a little more faith from many on this board. If everybody else think's we're underdogs that's fine by me.

 

[melrose40yarder]

Shocking?

The latter three played well in my eyes. Savinho wasn't nearly as bad as some are saying, either.

He was

 

[melrose40yarder]

That second half was a tough watch

If John Stones is a Rolls Royce of a footballer, is Savinho an Austin Allegro?

Morris Mrina

 

[kunaguero10]

Marmoush 28 goals and 17 assists last season
Cherki 13 goals and 21 assists
So yeh

That’s two

That’s not “a lot” by any interpretation