Burnley (h) pre-match thread

[BringBackSwales]

I think Burnley will be a stiffer test, but it's a bit disingenuous to say we "really struggled" against Hull and Watford. They weren't vintage performances, but both ended up as comfortable wins.

The reality though is Ric that in both cases we started off as always with a really slow tempo, and in the case of Watford they had a huge chance to make it one all at about 80 mins, and hull we never looked like scoring til the pen. It would be nice to set about Burnley with a high tempo from the first minute, and to stop fucking about at the back. In neither case did it feel comfortable for the majority of the match

 

[UnknownGenius]

I'd go back to the team/formation that we started the season with. Fernandinho sitting with Sterling KDB SIlva Nolito and Kun ahead. Would play Sane ahead of Nolito when available.

The tempo needs lifted. We make it easy to play against us. To score a goal at the minute we have to work so so hard compared to other sides against. They seem to score without doing very much.

I know we don't defend well but the attackers have to take more of the criticism in my opinion. By not creating much/not being clinical when we do create chances, the defence then becomes under more pressure. With the attacking options we have we should be blowing teams away.

I've never understood why we shifted away from this just to accommodate Gundogan, who, to be fair to him, is a good player, but hasn't shone in the league. That formation solved the Silva-KDB problem by having them both in the middle, protected by Dinho, and able to thread passes to Aguero or a true winger on either side. And this formation actually worked even better with Sterling on the left and Navas on the right.

Silva is terrible on either wing, and putting KDB there takes him out of the game. I'm hoping Pep realizes this again.

 

[Ezra]

Well I am out of the country and most of the time that is a good omen, 6-1 v rags, 5-0 v wolves, 5-1 v charlton, 3-0 v dippers

Please take this the right way but could you not come back! ;0)

 

[jimharri]

Lee Mason ..... say no more.

Ah well. May as well give the three points to Burnley, eh? Even if Bob Lord came back from the dead and was reffing the game, we ought to be able to beat Burnley (1 away point so far this season) at our place. Not disrespecting Burnley, but let's be realistic about the game. Yes, they'll have two buses parked up, but we ought to have enough about us to get the win.

 

[Eccles Blue]

Not disrespecting Burnley, but let's be realistic about the game. Yes, they'll have two buses parked up, but we ought to have enough about us to get the win.

Maybe if we tried a few shots from outside the box, it couldn't hurt, after all I'd sooner we had a go than kept up the walking it into the goal strategy! I can forgive a lot if I see that they've tried for it. :-) JMHO

 

[Ric]

Got a feeling this will be a frustrating afternoon, but hopefully we'll do enough to get the win. Not expecting a vintage City performance though, with it being our second game in three days, and confidence low after the Liverpool defeat. I'm sure Mason will do us no favours either.

 

[eyejay51]

Ah well. May as well give the three points to Burnley, eh? Even if Bob Lord came back from the dead and was reffing the game, we ought to be able to beat Burnley (1 away point so far this season) at our place. Not disrespecting Burnley, but let's be realistic about the game. Yes, they'll have two buses parked up, but we ought to have enough about us to get the win.

Yeah, quite agree Jim - it just seems that virtually every referee name fills you with apprehension knowing they'll take every opportunity to stitch us up one way or another - be it pens, bad line calls or simply bookings. The standard of officiating in the PL, supposedly the richest league in the world, is abysmal compared to what we see in Europe.

Anyways - 3-1 City. ( even allowing for Bob Lord's return!)

 

[PaleBlue]

Last two at home vs Burnley have been draws with them equalising in the last 10 minutes - need more than that today.

 

[deano ou812]

Got a feeling this will be a frustrating afternoon, but hopefully we'll do enough to get the win. Not expecting a vintage City performance though, with it being our second game in three days, and confidence low after the Liverpool defeat. I'm sure Mason will do us no favours either.

Let's see what the line up is first,and secondly we usually know within the first ten minutes how things will go if it's high tempo or slow methodical build up..

 

[daztrueblue91]

352 might be the way forward eventually, but when of those 3 is one of our full backs, its not the answer for me.

I actually rate Kolarov as a CB and IMO he has outperformed Stones this season. As long as he has got cover then he is a useful option. He also has the ability to switch the play.

However, your post has highlighted a key flaw in this side and one that Txiki has to take full responsibility for and that is our CB situation.

Last season we had 4 CBs. Vinny was constantly injured which meant we rotated between Demichellis, Ota and Mangala. We just about got away with having 4 CBs last season and had to overly rely on a 35 year old at times.

So why on earth Txiki found in acceptable to go into the next season with only 3 CBs and 1 on them being Vinny is staggering. Basically we have 2 reliable CBs and have allowed Denayer to go out on loan. Whilst it is questionable whether Denayer is the answer, he is surely a better option at CB than Sagna or Zabaleta.