Why the suprise. We are a team in major transition. New coach,new players,new tactics etc etc.
There are some dreamers on here that think it's all just going to click into place & that other teams can't or won't be able to stop us.
Get real people. We're under prepared & the next 5 months will be choppy.
BTW......before the apologists & attack dogs pipe up,not a rag,not a flapper,not a wummer
Fine by me. Better than Fernando who does nothing except pass backwards or give it away. I expect Kolarov or Clichy to start at CB given that Ota is injured, Manuals not ready and Pep doesn't like Denayer.
Fine by me. Better than Fernando who does nothing except pass backwards or give it away. I expect Kolarov or Clichy to start at CB given that Ota is injured, Manuals not ready and Pep doesn't like Denayer.
Good run out.
I do think we will have a bit of a slow start in the PL, not from being undercooked as such, but just from the players still learning the style that Guardiola wants them to play (which takes a while to pick up anyway, let alone in a preseason post an international tournament).
I have a feeling we will click after 10 or so games and not feel the full benefits until next season, when we have a couple more additions and the players know Guardiola and he knows the PL. As a consequence, I'm expecting us to finish top 3 this year and any more is a bonus.
That's fine by me though as watching this team evolve into what he wants them to be (even if it fails at times, which I'm sure it will do) will be fascinating to watch.
Law of averages would tell us he's 18years old, never played a full 90 minutes in the prem and Pep is telling us (the fans) he has alot to learn and isnt ready. That all points to the fact this is likely to happen again, while Pep teaches him how to be a Prem league CB. I'm not saying he shouldnt be in the squad but at the most I would only want/expect to see him in a few Cup games while he learns under Pep this season...We got enough problems at the CB position without counting on an inexperienced 18 year old to hold things together in my opinion!
Need a goalkeeper as an absolute priority.
We played it out the back reasonably well in the first half, but there were a couple of major sloppy moments. Willy isn't good enough overall.
When Joe came on we hardly played it out the back at all, and he was at fault for two of the goals. Easily beaten on his left again for the equaliser, and a poor starting position for the 3rd, slow to react and come out as well.
Ter Stegen is a must, IMO.
Other than that I was impressed with our energy and the manner in which we kept possession in the first half. Promising signs there.
Looks like we'll be going 4-3-3 against Sunderland, Fernandinho holding and Delph and Silva in front of him.
Just desperately need to get Stones in, and fingers crossed, Ter Stegen. Pivotal as the foundation of the side and the way we're seeking to play.
Can't do much about the international calendar although we know it in advance so why organise trips to China. Don't want to side track the topic, but we really need to work hard on the training pitch to get this right. And central defenders are key. Where are they? Some news would be nice.Been a shambolic pre season. Allways feels this way. Players arriving late / not fit. Why have Otamendi and Mangala not played? No improvement at full backs?
Strange.