City v Arsenal friendly post match thread

[tolmie's hairdoo]

United won the league at a canter with a defence which leaked for fun last season.

That was down to Van Persie's own strike rate and our own wastefulness in front of goal.

However, I don't see any real problems for us scoring goals from all areas of the pitch this season. That will certainly help on the road, where the margins for error were so fine under a Mancini set-up.

I do sense a real weakness from the diagonal ball played over our centre-backs and towards Clichy's side, though.

Can see us picking up a few red cards as a result.

Perhaps 4-5-1 away from home?

Is that down to personnel, or the high line we're now playing.

Hopefully we'll get used to the new system quickly

Will not be good if we can dominate a game for 20 mins, and then one ball in behind leads to a one on one with our keeper.

Getting the balance right is key

I'd prefer to stick with Mancini's system and just a change in personnel.

I really don't see much of a higher line being played?

The majority of goals I have seen us concede this pre-season, and even towards the end of last season, (Spurs etc) are errors on the edge of our own penalty area.

Mancini's system is the reason he got the sack. It was beyond cautious. I do believe when Fernandinho gets up-to-speed, there will be much more assurance.

Komps is such a good footballer, I sometimes get the impression he over-estimates what he can and can't do. That ball over the top has always been a problem for him.

He started last season like Bambi on ice if we can recall, a sense of panic every time he was turned or dragged out of the middle.

I still expect a much-improved proposal to Madrid this week for Pepe, someone of that ilk, we desperately still need it IMO.

 

[leewill31]

United won the league at a canter with a defence which leaked for fun last season.

That was down to Van Persie's own strike rate and our own wastefulness in front of goal.

However, I don't see any real problems for us scoring goals from all areas of the pitch this season. That will certainly help on the road, where the margins for error were so fine under a Mancini set-up.

I do sense a real weakness from the diagonal ball played over our centre-backs and towards Clichy's side, though.

Can see us picking up a few red cards as a result.

Perhaps 4-5-1 away from home?

Is that down to personnel, or the high line we're now playing.

Hopefully we'll get used to the new system quickly

Will not be good if we can dominate a game for 20 mins, and then one ball in behind leads to a one on one with our keeper.

Getting the balance right is key

I'd prefer to stick with Mancini's system and just a change in personnel.

I really don't see much of a higher line being played?

The majority of goals I have seen us concede this pre-season, and even towards the end of last season, (Spurs etc) are errors on the edge of our own penalty area.

Mancini's system is the reason he got the sack. It was beyond cautious. I do believe when Fernandinho gets up-to-speed, there will be much more assurance.

Komps is such a good footballer, I sometimes get the impression he over-estimates what he can and can't do. That ball over the top has always been a problem for him.

He started last season like Bambi on ice if we can recall, a sense of panic every time he was turned or dragged out of the middle.

I still expect a much-improved proposal to Madrid this week for Pepe, someone of that ilk, we desperately still need it IMO.

Getting another quality center half has to be priority and sorted by next week some ways it will take pressure off Kompany as the main defender(in honesty that's how we all see him)..if we can manage to get this priority sorted i think we can all relax a little more.

 

[dave_blue12]

Not had the chance to read the thread in its entirety, but can imagine the way it's gone. Those expressing concern are dismissed as hyperbolic idiots, those saying everything is alright ridiculed as happy clappers.

The truth, as always, is somewhere in between.

I always believe you should never read too much into pre-season friendlies; good results don't always suggest a good season, nor do bad results necessarily hint at wider problems. They are ultimately fitness exercises, and the result is often immaterial.

However, there is a bit of concern over the way we're shipping goals at present. Much has been made of Pellegrini's attacking approach, but the high line and pressing we've employed pre-season haven't been a resounding success, it's fair to say. Both Arsenal and Milan before them have cut through our back line with alarming ease at times.

From an attacking point of view, I thought we looked reasonably threatening today. We dominated possession and created chances but the sharpness wasn't there. Both Negredo and Dzeko (as is often the case) seemed to possess a heavy touch, and the final ball was frequently lacking.

Still, I remain positive about the season ahead. It was always going to take time to implement a new style of play, and Pellegrini is an astute manager. I'm sure the defensive lapses will be addressed; expect a senior centre half arriving before the window closes.

A very thoughtful and insightful posting Ric and I agree with you about being concerned about the goals going in. My main concern however tonight was Vincent Kompany's interview on the OS. 'The team are tired, ............they've had a busy week.' I am sorry but I cannot accept that sort of an excuse from our Captain. If they are tired after 2 matches and an appearance at the City live thing the other night how are they going to cope with a full season with Cup matches, League matches and Champions League matches?

You know, better than most on here Ric, that VK is my hero but toward the end of last season, after the debacle of the FA Cup, he made the same excuse and I don't think it is good enough. These players are paid to be professionals and if they can't be professional and look at their performance in a professional manner and say 'We are sorry, we made a hash of that but we will improve' then why are they turning out? I never thought I would see the day when I was so disappointed in Vincent Kompany.

My half full glass is rapidly emptying!! Not because I don't think we will do well this season, I am sure that this is a wake up call, but because I cannot accept those sort of excuses. I make no comment about the match itself or how we played because I didn't see any of it, just commenting on VK's excuses. Just my humble opinion.

Onwards and upwards with Manchester City. The Boys in Blue never (used to) give in.

Whilst I have no idea of what level of physical training City have done this week it is totally wrong to dismiss what Vinny has said.

I have a son who is a pro Rugby player and he fully understands what Vinny is talking about. There was actually an incident a couple of years ago where he was in a televised tournament which his team was just using as a pre-season build up. I asked him why he had seemed so lacklustre and lacking in sharpness. His answer was that the level of physical training meant he had no snap in his legs and it was impossible to properly compete with teams who had tailored their training differently.

It looks like Arsenal prepared to win the game and City used the game as preparation for next week.

I know which approach I think is best and I think we will see a fully sharp and vibrant City against Newcastle.

 

[cibaman]

VK was atrocious in pre season two years ago, especially in the CS. I seem to remember he had an ok season.

The same fitness issues were also raised after the CS defeat in 2011. Those concerns also turned out to be groundless. Its completely misleading to make judgements on fitness levels based on pre season friendlies. The players don't prepare for them like league matches. They don't taper the training to be fresh on the day of the match. They will train hard the day before the match. Apparently Spurs had a full training session on the morning of their game against Sunderland.

City's first league game kicks off two days after Arsenal's. That fact alone will make a difference in the sharpness and apparent fitness of the two teams.

 

[Plaything of the gods]

Clichy needs to learn to use his pace in the attacking phase. Knock it past the full back and whip a cross in. 90% of the time he 'checks back' and slows (or stops) potential counter attacks. Very frustrating.

This struck me too. What with him doing that and Nasri doing his usual of dribbling across the field, checking and passing back there was very little action down the left side. What is it with Nasri and his inability to dribble though defences since he joined us?

Still, lots for Pellegrini to work on and get right. In that respect, a good beating and glaring problems in a non-important game will, hopefully, be good for us. Much better to have the weaknesses exposed now.

 

[bluethunder]

pellegrini is preparing the team for a new playing style, he made the most of the pre-season training sessions, the result was that players got tired and couldn't give 100% vs arsenal.

 

[East Level 2]

Clichy needs to learn to use his pace in the attacking phase. Knock it past the full back and whip a cross in. 90% of the time he 'checks back' and slows (or stops) potential counter attacks. Very frustrating.

But does he check back because there isn't anybody in the box for him to cross to? It might not be his fault of course, but there is no point crossing to a load of defenders and a keeper.

 

[ped]

I remember fergie made a comment after the charity shield,about our lack of fitness,,maybe its not relevant to this topic,just saying ,until it all kicks of in ernest,we are all just clueless.i don't expect us to rip up trees right from the first whistle,hopefully we stay in touch at the top as the second half of the season we see us come into our own,lets try not to panic

 

[afro2007]

i blame r V.Kompany for not able to command is back line,i don't really see him as an excellent defender but he's a good defender alright.i want us to see the way we give praises to our players. he was great last seasons but he hasn't been consistent with is leadership and also minimizing the mistakes we do at the back.well i know some of u will definitely protect him whenever he does something wrong. there's no need in putting my frustration across.

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

^^^^

fuck me.