Easy fix, Torres wide left, Sterling wide right, no inverted winger shit that funnels everything to the D of the box and reduces the space to play in.The quiet triumphalism of Pep signing what is in effect (given that we’re only 8 games into this campaign) a 3 year deal on Thursday, lasted about 48 hours. As long as it took for Jose Mourinho to become the latest manager to exploit an Achilles Heel so large it would probably require a boot from the Apollo XI mission to cover it adequately, in fact.
Bus parking (and associated counterattacking) is not a new phenomenon, but the prevalence of it is, to the point that I’ve begun to relish match day about as much as a trip to the dentist. You know exactly what’s coming and you know it’s going to be painful = like pulling teeth in fact! At the back end of last season United did it to us and won, Chelsea did it to us and won, Southampton did it to us and won, Arsenal did it to us and won, Lyon did it to us and won. Following suit this season, Leicester did it to us and won, West Ham did it to us and drew, Spurs did it to us and won.
10 goals in 8 games tells its own story.
Two years ago we had a turbo charged generational talent in Sane hugging one flank, Sterling hugging the other, Dave sitting between the bank of 5 and the bank of 4. poking little balls inside the full backs, and if anyone managed to smuggle a pass out past the front line press, then Fernandinho would nail the recipient in the blink of an eye, and any parked buses would buckle under the strain eventually.
Those players and that balance have gone from the squad. It takes two men to do Fernandinho’s job, both of them chronically slow and incapable of pressing effectively (with the gormless free kick conceded for ‘shoves from behind’ tally off the scale), Kev looks knackered, Sergio’s another year older, we’ve got inverted wingers floating inswinging balls over to no-one (and harmlessly out over the dead ball line for goal kicks) and don’t even get me started on Mahrez. In short we’ve got a squad built for playing a particular way, but without the attributes to play that way effectively. And yet we keep trying to play that way, even though everyone now knows how to thwart us.
The question is what can we do about it? We can’t wave a magic wand and make Rodri and Gundogan quicker, we can’t force feed Mahrez a king sized tub of Creatine or get him a heart, we can’t prevent Mendy and Walker from making impulsive challenges. So what can we do given the players at our disposal? I don’t have an answer myself, but if we don’t come up with one soon we won’t be playing European football next season, with all the financial implications that will have, cos parked buses are all we’re going to face from here on in. If anyone’s got any ideas please tell Pep quick
The widespread frustration at the moment is that we are repeatedly failing to win games against inferior opposition. We are drawing and losing games which on quality we should be winning. I have had a season ticket for 40 years and I don’t recall this situation previously, generally we were getting beaten because we were not that great. This just feels like a waste of a great squad, even if we have downgraded a bit in the last couple of years.Can't believe the level of pessimism on here after a narrow defeat to a very good Spurs team. Football is not about winning every week and defeats make victories all the sweeter, let's not be entitlement junkies like the rags and dippers. As for last season being a disaster we won the league cup and came runners up in the league, any season between 76 and 11 we would have been delighted with that. A sense of proportion please blues can't win em all, just enjoy the ride.
Bus parking has been something we’ve had to face since 2011-12. People seem to think it’s a new thing, but it’s not.Bus parking has been here for the past three years, it’s nothing new and teams havent worked us out
the problem is that we have changed, we haven’t adequately replaced key players , especially in midfield. Silva and Fernandinho are massive losses, Rodri isn’t the answer and must be moved on at the end of the season, we need a more dynamic player in his place. Gundogan isn’t fit to lace Daves boots and also needs moving on
the second issue is that for some reason all our forwards now want the ball to feet , we need more movement in behind, what’s happeNed to the dink over the top or the ball played in between the fullback
this season is going to be a long one to endure but we must rebuild the squad and get players in that can play the football we want to play
hopefully Pep has the balls to get rid of some of his favourites
Mahrez, Rodri, mendy, stones and Gundogan should all be gone
I didn’t really see a great deal of difference in the quality of the two sides on Saturday at all.The widespread frustration at the moment is that we are repeatedly failing to win games against inferior opposition. We are drawing and losing games which on quality we should be winning. I have had a season ticket for 40 years and I don’t recall this situation previously, generally we were getting beaten because we were not that great. This just feels like a waste of a great squad, even if we have downgraded a bit in the last couple of years.
I cannot disagree with much of that, if any. The run of inferior teams I was referring to was more Arsenal in the semi, Lyon, Leicester, Leeds, West Ham, all in the last 12 or so fixtures. Spurs have bought well and Son is outstanding, so they are probably on a par now. We have clearly declined, but we should still not be losing and drawing regularly to the bulk of these teams.I didn’t really see a great deal of difference in the quality of the two sides on Saturday at all.
We have not got a great squad. The general quality of our midfielders and attackers is miles away from great.
If you asked a Spurs fan to swap Son for Sterling, Hjojberg for Rodri, Moura for Mahrez, and Kane for Jesus, they’d piss themselves for a week. (And I do rate Jesus, by the way, but he’s no Kane).
Bus parking has been something we’ve had to face since 2011-12. People seem to think it’s a new thing, but it’s not.
When we had excellent players we could score goals for fun against parked defences. Now we’ve not really got many/any (there’s only de Bruyne now and even he’s stinking the place out) excellent players in midfield and attack, and we’re struggling.
For me it’s nothing to do with the tactics of the opposition or our own tactics, it’s simply the quality of midfielders and attackers we have are nowhere near as good as we’ve had in the [recent] past.
Son is easily one of the best players in the prem, I'd have him in our starting line up over Sterling and Jesus any day of the weekI cannot disagree with much of that, if any. The run of inferior teams I was referring to was more Arsenal in the semi, Lyon, Leicester, Leeds, West Ham, all in the last 12 or so fixtures. Spurs have bought well and Son is outstanding, so they are probably on a par now. We have clearly declined, but we should still not be losing and drawing regularly to the bulk of these teams.
Certainly any of our wide men.Son is easily one of the best players in the prem, I'd have him in our starting line up over Sterling and Jesus any day of the week