City v Boro post match

[meltonblue]

A defence that doesn't concede is the main point of Guardiolas system that he is trying to implement (and why he has always had the best defensive record). It will take time though as the whole point behind it is it is reliant on all 11 players doing their roles rather than having a flat back four with midfield cover creating a back wall like some others do. He won't see the goal today as a Bravo or a Clichy error as some have been saying, he will see it as a midfield error for losing possession loosely.

I've never been sure we will win the league this year though,I've always thought next season would be the one we'd see sustained positive results in, particularly with the competition and the benefits they have in not having European football (training sessions will do us far more good than a long league cup run would have done, for example).

A leaky defence can still win the league if players take their chances though, proven by United last title win when they were defensively pants but Van Persie won it for them. I'm not sure we have the clinicality to do it though, we seem to be taking a fair few chances to convert one.

I'm personally not worried at all about the defence long term though.

 

[Peggy's a blue]

I think a lot of the frustration is coming from the fact we should be beating teams like boro at home which we should. Unfortunately if you do not score when you are on top of the game this will happen. If we score only one we should have a plan to close the game out, like the old Arsenal and Chelsea teams :-)

 

[Ed2607]

Don't get me wrong I can see the progress and after last seasons turgid crap I am excited about the future and for this season although I think the 10 wins raised everyone's expectations without really thinking too much about the clear issues we still have and that Pep is new to this league and he is making the odd mistake along the way too.

Tuesday was sublime though and if we are within 4/5 of the top after our December fixtures I will be very optimistic.

We/he will find a way to beat these negative anti football teams that frankly are boring the life out of me at home.

2 more transfer windows, more experience for the younger players and we will be the best we have ever been, I am sure of that. This season there will be ups and downs though I think.

Absolutely. Being the optimist I still believe we'll win the Prem and reach the final of the CL but I think the PL will be the toughest challenge as other contenders such as Chelski and L'pool don't have Europe to tire them. It wouldn't be City if we didn't have ups and downs )) but I'm more certain now than I've ever been that we'll have substantially more ups that downs ))

 

[the_game_161]

What a letdown after beating Barca

But it happens a lot after teams win in the CL

 

[DenisLawBackHeel74]

I was very frustrated watching us toil in the first half, piss poor finishing and lethargic build up play that looked like we were trying to score but was so slow and deliberate in the build up it was easy to defend against.

Second half was worse.....

One win in five does not a league winning performance make

 

[fredmont]

Really disappointed that we conceded at the death, however i'm more disappointed with some of our supporters including Paul Lake on radio Manchester who expected us to walk this game 3 or 4 nil
It was never going to be easy as Boro are a difficult side to break down and for us it was always going to be a hangover match following the effort and emotion of Tuesday

Onto the team selection and I was perplexed
Silva, DeBrune and Gundogan cannot play in the same team when the opposition defend deep. Navas was never the man for today and neither was Clichy
Chances were always going to be at a premium, so what was required was players who can get us a goal, so either Sterling or Nolito should have started. If one or both was not fit to start then Kelechi should have been in, at the expense of Gundogan
In tight games we require our full backs to overlap or make runs forward into the opposition penalty area to get behind their defense and also to create space for our more creative players. Zabba did this on numerous occasions, but only the one time in 85 minutes did Navas actually find a City player in the box (and it was a shocking miss from Aguero)
Meanwhile on the other side of the field, Clichy got a nosebleed if he went withing 40 yards of Boro's penalty area

Most of the time there was only Aguero in the box, can't blame the wingers for not finding a player or deciding not to cross when there is only little Kun to aim at. Pisses me off no end, as do our corners.

 

[Ed2607]

Just got in from the game had a few sherbets and can't be bothered reading all the FIFA 17 expert drama queens , first half we played some nice stuff and just needed the ball to drop for us in the area eventually Kun poached a good goal from KDB brilliant cross , 2nd half Boring Boro came out to make a game of it but Kun & KDB missed good chances to put the game to bed and we get hit with the injury time sucker punch which i was half expecting with our recent luck at home. In hindsight would have liked Vinny and Fernando(if he was on the bench) to come on for the last 15 minutes and take the 1-0 win , either way disappointing 2nd half and we need to learn to kill the lesser sides off , but Boro will take points off title rivals they are well organised (but you wouldnt want to watch them every week would you but smoggies are easily pleased , actually thought they had won a trophy with their celebration at the end). Expect the Candle lighters to go top tomorrow and claim their November Premiership title , i would rather have the real thing in May.

No need to read the rest as you're spot on with your post ))

 

[Chippy_boy]

Absolutely. Being the optimist I still believe we'll win the Prem and reach the final of the CL but I think the PL will be the toughest challenge as other contenders such as Chelski and L'pool don't have Europe to tire them. It wouldn't be City if we didn't have ups and downs )) but I'm more certain now than I've ever been that we'll have substantially more ups that downs ))

Agree mate and despite my post saying our defence concerns me, you'll notice my previous one said how it's good that Pep gets to experience our disappointments and can learn from them whilst we are still at or near the top of the table.

That said, just seen the Chelsea highlights and notwithstanding some iffy defending from Everton, they were on fire. Some of their play was electrifying. They are going to be real contenders this season.

 

[Peggy's a blue]

Agree mate and despite my post saying our defence concerns me, you'll notice my previous one said how it's good that Pep gets to experience our disappointments and can learn from them whilst we are still at or near the top of the table.

That said, just seen the Chelsea highlights and notwithstanding some iffy defending from Everton, they were on fire. Some of their play was electrifying. They are going to be real contenders this season.

Pity we did not experience the iffy Everton defending they were solid v us :-(

 

[Ed2607]

Agree mate and despite my post saying our defence concerns me, you'll notice my previous one said how it's good that Pep gets to experience our disappointments and can learn from them whilst we are still at or near the top of the table.

That said, just seen the Chelsea highlights and notwithstanding some iffy defending from Everton, they were on fire. Some of their play was electrifying. They are going to be real contenders this season.

Absolutely. Just so happens my next match is the Chelski game so it should be very interesting indeed ))