City v Arsenal Post Match

[I'm With Stupid]

Bit of a smash and grab job by Arsenal. They suddenly turned into Chelsea at the back against us. We looked much better when Jovetic came on. I think Aguero needs a strike partner to get the best out of him. But I think we struggled to dominate the midfield without Yaya, and we struggled to create many great chances without Nasri. I was surprised Milner came off, because I thought Navas was having a bit of a mare, and it was more of a Milner game (even if he was in the game less). But the decision to bring Dzeko on was a bad one, I thought. We were actually playing well at that point and it just completely ruined the shape. Fair enough if you're gonna lump it up to him, but we tried to continue playing the same way with no midfield, so Silva was picking up the ball in his own half and couldn't do anything with it.

But yeah, I think that answered the question about why Yaya always starts even when he's not playing well. I was hoping that Fernandino would step up a bit, but it didn't really happen.

And you just know Chelsea will play exactly the same way next week.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Fernandinho played superbly,while Fernando also did ok.Our problem lay predominantly with our lack of cohesion at the back and the fact our front four were largely anonymous.

I wasn't confident when I saw the team sheet,given the key personnel missing and a lack of fitness to two others,it was always going to be a big ask if the opposition were in the mood,which,unfortunately,they very much were.

Maybe this was a huge wake up call as regards our frailties,perhaps we have been papering over the cracks for a tad too long.

 

[bluechampion7891]

Just realised we have conceded more than United in the league.

Not a good sign considering the shambles they have had defensively this season.

well clubs dont treat games against them as their cup finals.

then we have the likes of hughes and bruce willing to take one.

and then we have tactical turtle who plays with the most defensive of tactics.

No excuse on our part though, we've gone backwards defensively in spite of spending 44M on defensive players

 

[bluechampion7891]

Marking Silva out of the game only really works with Nasri missing too.

The only players to come out of today with credit are Yaya and Nasri (possibly Clichy too)

I thought Clichy was immense at times, some of his dribbles were top notch, his turn around from his shambles of October/ Novemeber has been inspiring.

yep. superb come back. his first quarter of this season and sporadic parts of last season were shit but credit to him e has turned back in a huge way. he has almost made LB not a position of weakness for us for the moment

 

[bluechampion7891]

Bit of a smash and grab job by Arsenal. They suddenly turned into Chelsea at the back against us. We looked much better when Jovetic came on. I think Aguero needs a strike partner to get the best out of him. But I think we struggled to dominate the midfield without Yaya, and we struggled to create many great chances without Nasri. I was surprised Milner came off, because I thought Navas was having a bit of a mare, and it was more of a Milner game (even if he was in the game less). But the decision to bring Dzeko on was a bad one, I thought. We were actually playing well at that point and it just completely ruined the shape. Fair enough if you're gonna lump it up to him, but we tried to continue playing the same way with no midfield, so Silva was picking up the ball in his own half and couldn't do anything with it.

But yeah, I think that answered the question about why Yaya always starts even when he's not playing well. I was hoping that Fernandino would step up a bit, but it didn't really happen.

And you just know Chelsea will play exactly the same way next week.

I dont know, he has a reputation of being a super sub and theoretically he should provide a much needed aerial out let which thanks to our set pieces we failed miserablely.

the lampard substitution killed he game for us IMO. if he has to play it should be as #10. he and fernando basically mean our midfield can get over run easily and their is no energy there. Infact right before we took fernandinho off the game was going in our favor, pulling him off killed the openness that the game had.

i can understand the need for lampard as a goal threat, but not at the expense of exposing the midfield for arsenal quicker more mobile midfielders (who were also 3 v 2)

 

[bluechampion7891]

Fernandinho played superbly,while Fernando also did ok.Our problem lay predominantly with our lack of cohesion at the back and the fact our front four were largely anonymous.

I wasn't confident when I saw the team sheet,given the key personnel missing and a lack of fitness to two others,it was always going to be a big ask if the opposition were in the mood,which,unfortunately,they very much were.

Maybe this was a huge wake up call as regards our frailties,perhaps we have been papering over the cracks for a tad too long.

i think both of them had 6/10 games.

fernandinho was lively and apart from couple of passes that he didnt make, he we OK. I would say though that those two passes on the counter that he missed if he had made them it may have been 8/10. those were really good opportunities.

fernando - well his mstake on the free kick and the way he went to ground is really cause of concern.

 

[Victoria-bahs]

MDM was the same one as the first few months we had last year..but with shit passes.

Kompany normaly leads by example yes first game back etc but he is the capt there to organise and lead from the front yesterday he left all that out of his game.

Think fernandion was taken off due to his booking ?

Navas why does he Always need the 2nd touch.. on quite a few moves they ran out in the sand due to hi 2nd touch first time and we would have opened up a few more chances.

First half not one shot on goal (not may in the 2nd half) why when on the edge of their box not have a pop?

Now they are away i hope they lick the wounds and come back energised,yesterday could be the perfect kick up the arse for them.. just a shame we
gave two Points away v Burnley.. thats the killer..

I do hope he has that kid Brandon on the bench v Boro.

Feel a bit better today just look were we are and moaning ???? are we all mad

Its so much nicer with the TV off.. really it is.. just do like the team have a week off. forget football till Friday that way you will heal,.Think positive...

 

[bluechampion7891]

MDM was the same one as the first few months we had last year..but with shit passes.

Kompany normaly leads by example yes first game back etc but he is the capt there to organise and lead from the front yesterday he left all that out of his game.

Think fernandion was taken off due to his booking ?

Navas why does he Always need the 2nd touch.. on quite a few moves they ran out in the sand due to hi 2nd touch first time and we would have opened up a few more chances.

First half not one shot on goal (not may in the 2nd half) why when on the edge of their box not have a pop?

Now they are away i hope they lick the wounds and come back energised,yesterday could be the perfect kick up the arse for them.. just a shame we
gave two Points away v Burnley.. thats the killer..

I do hope he has that kid Brandon on the bench v Boro.

Feel a bit better today just look were we are and moaning ???? are we all mad

if Manuel didnt have a history of making the same substituion, I would agree but he has done this more often then not. Whenever one of the ferns has to be taken off, its usually fernandinho

 

[Suze9320]

I feel for Navas... It seems to me that he is being asked to play differently this season.

Last season he was much more offensive but was not always in the side. This season he has been asked to develop his defensive duties and he has done that very well but it may have come at too high a cost. His effectiveness as an impact player has been lost..,

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I feel for Navas... It seems to me that he is being asked to play differently this season.

Last season he was much more offensive but was not always in the side. This season he has been asked to develop his defensive duties and he has done that very well but it may have come at too high a cost. His effectiveness as an impact player has been lost..,

He can't be one dimensional in a team of attacking midfielders. Either he puts in a defensive shift or we get over exposed.

That said, even his one dimension yesterday was dire! The number of chances he had to get a decent ball in versus the number of decent balls he actually put in was pathetic! He had one decent shot and one decent cross....including every corner he took!

And, when we out Dzeko on, who is going to live on crosses, we take Navas off?!?!

UFB!