I am going to watch a recording of last nights match, does anyone have the Benny Hill tune I can download to accompany it ? I actually enjoyed the match, great football by both sides but I am left with a feeling that I shouldn't have enjoyed it !! Sloppy defending and a lucky deflection cost us but wow what an entertaining match.
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Our honeymoon period is finally over. Which is a good thing. Now no more talks of silly " little records". Time to get back to basics and start grinding.
We played well against Celtics. They just played well too. They showed lots of energy and drive. We matched it in bits and parts but it was back and forth. This is what I expect games with Arsenal, Tothenham and Liverpool to look like.
Again our defensive passing while greatly improved is still not as smooth in transition. Especially without Stones, it looks a lot weaker. But even with Stones it still labors under intense pressure.
Zaba, Sagna, Clichy and Kola when playing LB are simply not as efficient or as effective as it seems Pep would like it.
I know it is unpopular now but so long as DeBryune is absent, I think Dihno is the best player to take His place as the free 8 and I also think Gundogan is a better passer than Dihno and would probably do a better Job at the 6 position. However, I'd rather Nando starts against Spurs. Until the switch has gotten a whole week of practice time.
Finally, I'm having a bit of an issue with our pressure game. And the problem frankly is Aguero. He is not help our gengenpressing with his soft pressure on their defense. I mean compare the work on defense Aguero put in to the work Dembele and the ex City boy who seemed to be on drugs yesterday. Chasing everything and making us work. Sterling and Nolito pressure hard and often. So if two press and it's still soft, it's clear Aguero wasn't working as hard.
Pep has hinted at this part of his game 2ice "Help us in the process, the build up to keep possession..." It's clear what Pep is saying. He need Aguero to work harder when we don't have the ball. I see it too.
Anyway, looking forward to Spurs. I reckon Navas's hustle will earn him a spot over Sane, and Nando comes in for someone in the middle.
We played well against Celtics. They just played well too. They showed lots of energy and drive. We matched it in bits and parts but it was back and forth. This is what I expect games with Arsenal, Tothenham and Liverpool to look like.
Again our defensive passing while greatly improved is still not as smooth in transition. Especially without Stones, it looks a lot weaker. But even with Stones it still labors under intense pressure.
Zaba, Sagna, Clichy and Kola when playing LB are simply not as efficient or as effective as it seems Pep would like it.
I know it is unpopular now but so long as DeBryune is absent, I think Dihno is the best player to take His place as the free 8 and I also think Gundogan is a better passer than Dihno and would probably do a better Job at the 6 position. However, I'd rather Nando starts against Spurs. Until the switch has gotten a whole week of practice time.
Finally, I'm having a bit of an issue with our pressure game. And the problem frankly is Aguero. He is not help our gengenpressing with his soft pressure on their defense. I mean compare the work on defense Aguero put in to the work Dembele and the ex City boy who seemed to be on drugs yesterday. Chasing everything and making us work. Sterling and Nolito pressure hard and often. So if two press and it's still soft, it's clear Aguero wasn't working as hard.
Pep has hinted at this part of his game 2ice "Help us in the process, the build up to keep possession..." It's clear what Pep is saying. He need Aguero to work harder when we don't have the ball. I see it too.
Anyway, looking forward to Spurs. I reckon Navas's hustle will earn him a spot over Sane, and Nando comes in for someone in the middle.
City Glory While Others Fade
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We cannot rest John Stones away from home and expect to have an effective CB pairing that are comfortable enough on the ball to get our plays started. Of all of our defence we only have Stones and Bravo that are truly comfortable with the ball at their feet when being pressed. The rest are too nervous and tend to hoof the ball long. BR can see this and im sure other managers will have seen this. Celtic fully deserved a draw on the night.....if John Stones plays we win the game.....Pep not on his game last night.
OB1
Well-Known Member
Think the players were a bit complacent going into the game, so hopefully its a wake up call ahead of Sunday. Celtic were in our faces right from the off in both halves, not letting us settle into the game, and it paid dividends for them.
Felt throughout the game that if we could just get in front that that would be it.
Credit to the team for coming back three times. I'd say they haven't played in an atmosphere like that this season, or many times in their careers!
Think it was a mistake not starting Stones. He was calmness personified in his short spell on the pitch, we defended badly for the three goals. Kolarov wasn't great.
Tired of hearing this complacent comment. I don't think the team were complacent at all. City matched them for work-rate, both teams ran 110km.
I have watched the game for a second time and it brought home how hysterical some of the reactions I have seen are. There's no doubt Celtic were, at times, quick and strong in the challenge and that probably was a factor in some of the errors City made and City did make some errors, especially in conceding three goals but all the Celtic goals included a big slice of luck. Celtic made a fast aggressive start but after the first 15 minutes, they barely had an attempt on goal. After their third goal, City totally dominated and they got nowhere near testing Bravo whilst City created numerous opportunities. Across the game there must have been at least 5 crosses that were just a fraction away from presenting a great opportunity for one of our players.
I've seen lots of criticism of Kolarov but for the most part he had a decent game and did plenty of good defensive work; he made one bad mistake and Dembele managed to fox Bravo by shinning it in completely the opposite side of the goal to what he intended.
I do not believe that not starting Stones was the reason we did not win.
remember arthur mann
Well-Known Member
Agreed.We cannot rest John Stones away from home and expect to have an effective CB pairing that are comfortable enough on the ball to get our plays started. Of all of our defence we only have Stones and Bravo that are truly comfortable with the ball at their feet when being pressed. The rest are too nervous and tend to hoof the ball long. BR can see this and im sure other managers will have seen this. Celtic fully deserved a draw on the night.....if John Stones plays we win the game.....Pep not on his game last night.
Thought we did well last night and dealt with the pressure of the crowd and also ignored the stupid unbeatable tag the media has given us by responding to everything asked of us. I've seen us being slated for not winning today but as Pep said the most crucial thing was we didn't lose, we would of lost that game 3-1 or something under Pellegrini.
The media circus around Celtic was a bit ridiculous though, they put in the effort but they weren't that good, they were totally knackered and barely got in our half after 60 minutes. Their style of play was pretty much hoofball and given we ran more miles than they did, no-one can say we didn't put a proper shift in either. Usually in these games the media likes to play it like Celtic ran their socks off and took it to us but I don't think it went that way. Their first goal was offside, the 2nd was a fluke and the 3rd an even bigger fluke.
Not to say they didn't deserve a goal but they played just like most of Rodgers teams, they go hell to leather for the 1st 20 minutes of each half and then bed in and do nothing else for the rest. After those 20 minute periods there was virtually no pressure on our back line and then Pep just filled up our midfield later on to ensure we kept the ball.
I just think the only reason we did not win this game was because of us not taking chances and not because of some massive effort from Celtic.
The media circus around Celtic was a bit ridiculous though, they put in the effort but they weren't that good, they were totally knackered and barely got in our half after 60 minutes. Their style of play was pretty much hoofball and given we ran more miles than they did, no-one can say we didn't put a proper shift in either. Usually in these games the media likes to play it like Celtic ran their socks off and took it to us but I don't think it went that way. Their first goal was offside, the 2nd was a fluke and the 3rd an even bigger fluke.
Not to say they didn't deserve a goal but they played just like most of Rodgers teams, they go hell to leather for the 1st 20 minutes of each half and then bed in and do nothing else for the rest. After those 20 minute periods there was virtually no pressure on our back line and then Pep just filled up our midfield later on to ensure we kept the ball.
I just think the only reason we did not win this game was because of us not taking chances and not because of some massive effort from Celtic.
Millwallawayveteran1988
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Our honeymoon period is finally over. Which is a good thing. Now no more talks of silly " little records". Time to get back to basics and start grinding.
We played well against Celtics. They just played well too. They showed lots of energy and drive. We matched it in bits and parts but it was back and forth. This is what I expect games with Arsenal, Tothenham and Liverpool to look like.
Again our defensive passing while greatly improved is still not as smooth in transition. Especially without Stones, it looks a lot weaker. But even with Stones it still labors under intense pressure.
Zaba, Sagna, Clichy and Kola when playing LB are simply not as efficient or as effective as it seems Pep would like it.
I know it is unpopular now but so long as DeBryune is absent, I think Dihno is the best player to take His place as the free 8 and I also think Gundogan is a better passer than Dihno and would probably do a better Job at the 6 position. However, I'd rather Nando starts against Spurs. Until the switch has gotten a whole week of practice time.
Finally, I'm having a bit of an issue with our pressure game. And the problem frankly is Aguero. He is not help our gengenpressing with his soft pressure on their defense. I mean compare the work on defense Aguero put in to the work Dembele and the ex City boy who seemed to be on drugs yesterday. Chasing everything and making us work. Sterling and Nolito pressure hard and often. So if two press and it's still soft, it's clear Aguero wasn't working as hard.
Pep has hinted at this part of his game 2ice "Help us in the process, the build up to keep possession..." It's clear what Pep is saying. He need Aguero to work harder when we don't have the ball. I see it too.
Anyway, looking forward to Spurs. I reckon Navas's hustle will earn him a spot over Sane, and Nando comes in for someone in the middle.
I agree with pretty much all of that. Hopefully better full backs are the next on the hit list for next summer as frankly none of them are at the top level anymore. We have got away with it so far but better sides will catch us out.
Aguero does need to work harder without the ball as does Silva for me.
Sane still hasn't shown enough in games to be starting but hopefully is showing more in training. The only problem with Navas playing is he can only play in one position and it affects where Sterling plays.
Millwallawayveteran1988
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I just think the only reason we did not win this game was because of us not taking chances and not because of some massive effort from Celtic.
Together with some questionable defending!
City Glory While Others Fade
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Tired of hearing this complacent comment. I don't think the team were complacent at all. City matched them for work-rate, both teams ran 110km.
I have watched the game for a second time and it brought home how hysterical some of the reactions I have seen are. There's no doubt Celtic were, at times, quick and strong in the challenge and that probably was a factor in some of the errors City made and City did make some errors, especially in conceding three goals but all the Celtic goals included a big slice of luck. Celtic made a fast aggressive start but after the first 15 minutes, they barely had an attempt on goal. After their third goal, City totally dominated and they got nowhere near testing Bravo whilst City created numerous opportunities. Across the game there must have been at least 5 crosses that were just a fraction away from presenting a great opportunity for one of our players.
I've seen lots of criticism of Kolarov but for the most part he had a decent game and did plenty of good defensive work; he made one bad mistake and Dembele managed to fox Bravo by shinning it in completely the opposite side of the goal to what he intended.
I do not believe that not starting Stones was the reason we did not win.
I agree we matched Celtic for effort and we were desperately unlucky not to win in the end. I cant agree hoofing the ball from defence when being pressed can be classed as good defensive work and is clearly not what Pep is looking for. The fact is too many of our players in defence and attack had an off night. I believe if we start Stones (who along with Bravo are the only comfirtable players with ball at feet being pressed) Celtics high press is less effective as we have 2 at the back who can pass rather than hoof and we keep possession. I bet we dont see that central defensive partnership again.
eversince 76
Well-Known Member
Making a point that is a fact! Last season when they were in Europa those wonderful European nights didn't exist. "SO" my point is its bit hypocritical the media going on and on about its bouncing on these great European nights! It bounces only when there in champs league playing top teams..
Not talking about the media mate. I'm talking about the actual atmosphere on the night. I don't care what media thinks or write.