A great post. There is nothing worse than psychological pressure. The players look very mentally fatigued (to be fair so do many other teams). But there is a lack of spontaneity about how they are playing.It's not often I wake up still fuming about a football performance these days but last night has really irked me. I know some won't like this because we're seen as babies spitting dummies out etc, feel free to scroll past.
But there was something very different about last night. No energy, no spirit, no desire. I absolutely hate this word and the context it gets used in but we showed no real passion to go and get the win. I remember when Mancini was in charge and if we were drawing in the second half at some point we would throw the kitchen sink at the opposition. He would make subs, move players around and even have 3/4 strikers on the pitch. The desire, effort and quality would always get us over the line. In these past 18 months under Pep we don't have that. If we're drawing after an hour, or god forbid losing, no one has any confidence that we'll do enough to go force a win.
Now don't get me wrong we have lost a lot of quality from the squad. We are bare in positions we were once loaded.
But that doesn't excuse the lack of passion, will to win and all the other intangibles you inevetibly need to progress to get from our current level to the next.
So what's the reason? Well we've had all the excuses. If only we bench Mahrez. If only we had a competent centre back. Wait until our full backs are fit. It's the inverted wingers. It's Jesus. Bla bla bla we could go on forever but the reality is this has been a slow regression for 18 months culminating in performances that are so soulless we have to start looking beyond team selections. There are only so many variations of players and formations you can try.
So my conclusion is that we are crippled by control. The players look like they are worn down playing like they're robots where they are expected to keep possession and position 100% of the time. What happened to our fluidity? I was watching Foden play last night and after a shit first half he began to play well in the second. He was buzzing around, moving laterally and looking to play through balls in tight spaces. What happened? He was hooked off. Can't do that I'm afraid, Mr Foden. We must keep possession at all times. We have become a no risk low reward team. What happened to our intuition? What happened to our players fizzing around and creating chances through their genius? They look hamstrung to me. Devoid of ideas and playing without any fun. In fact they look pained. Pained by control and pained by what happens if they go against what they're told and god forbid give the ball away on the opposition's 18 yard line. They are playing without any expression.
The other side of crippled by control is covid. If we know one thing about Pep it's that he gasses players out after a few years. Covid must multiply this tenfold. Not only are the players controlled by government guidelines as to what they can and cannot do I can only imagine what the club are relaying to them about their responsibilities. Don't go out, don't go to a restaurant, don't take your kids to a park, don't go on holiday etc. I'm sure being a player for Pep there are times when you need a break, to get away and don't think about football. They obviously can't do that.
I know that we're all in the same position with the last part. Life is shit right now and we can't blame Pep or the club for that.
But Pep can help with the control on the field by allowing the players to express themselves. Trust them, they're half decent. Play De Bruyne deeper, lose the double pivot, get an extra attacker on the pitch and start showing the desire to go and win a game. Don't sit around after the game and say only one team wanted to win, we had 20 chances, we controlled the game etc. Trust your defence, this is the best one we've had for a long time with more options than ever. Allow your players to make mistakes in the search to unlocking doors.
Take the shackles off, we have nothing to lose.
You are right.It's not often I wake up still fuming about a football performance these days but last night has really irked me. I know some won't like this because we're seen as babies spitting dummies out etc, feel free to scroll past.
But there was something very different about last night. No energy, no spirit, no desire. I absolutely hate this word and the context it gets used in but we showed no real passion to go and get the win. I remember when Mancini was in charge and if we were drawing in the second half at some point we would throw the kitchen sink at the opposition. He would make subs, move players around and even have 3/4 strikers on the pitch. The desire, effort and quality would always get us over the line. In these past 18 months under Pep we don't have that. If we're drawing after an hour, or god forbid losing, no one has any confidence that we'll do enough to go force a win.
Now don't get me wrong we have lost a lot of quality from the squad. We are bare in positions we were once loaded.
But that doesn't excuse the lack of passion, will to win and all the other intangibles you inevetibly need to progress to get from our current level to the next.
So what's the reason? Well we've had all the excuses. If only we bench Mahrez. If only we had a competent centre back. Wait until our full backs are fit. It's the inverted wingers. It's Jesus. Bla bla bla we could go on forever but the reality is this has been a slow regression for 18 months culminating in performances that are so soulless we have to start looking beyond team selections. There are only so many variations of players and formations you can try.
So my conclusion is that we are crippled by control. The players look like they are worn down playing like they're robots where they are expected to keep possession and position 100% of the time. What happened to our fluidity? I was watching Foden play last night and after a shit first half he began to play well in the second. He was buzzing around, moving laterally and looking to play through balls in tight spaces. What happened? He was hooked off. Can't do that I'm afraid, Mr Foden. We must keep possession at all times. We have become a no risk low reward team. What happened to our intuition? What happened to our players fizzing around and creating chances through their genius? They look hamstrung to me. Devoid of ideas and playing without any fun. In fact they look pained. Pained by control and pained by what happens if they go against what they're told and god forbid give the ball away on the opposition's 18 yard line. They are playing without any expression.
The other side of crippled by control is covid. If we know one thing about Pep it's that he gasses players out after a few years. Covid must multiply this tenfold. Not only are the players controlled by government guidelines as to what they can and cannot do I can only imagine what the club are relaying to them about their responsibilities. Don't go out, don't go to a restaurant, don't take your kids to a park, don't go on holiday etc. I'm sure being a player for Pep there are times when you need a break, to get away and don't think about football. They obviously can't do that.
I know that we're all in the same position with the last part. Life is shit right now and we can't blame Pep or the club for that.
But Pep can help with the control on the field by allowing the players to express themselves. Trust them, they're half decent. Play De Bruyne deeper, lose the double pivot, get an extra attacker on the pitch and start showing the desire to go and win a game. Don't sit around after the game and say only one team wanted to win, we had 20 chances, we controlled the game etc. Trust your defence, this is the best one we've had for a long time with more options than ever. Allow your players to make mistakes in the search to unlocking doors.
Take the shackles off, we have nothing to lose.
You can use whatever word you like but it all comes back to control. We play a double pivot to control the game. We don’t play Phil in 8 because of control. Our wingers cut back inside so we can keep control. We don’t make changes when we’re in control, even if drawing or losing.I agree in the main.
The points are valid but I do not agree with Pep stifling their ability to create and score goals.
The same manager had us scoring 100 plus goal not long ago.
The same manager has us creating 10-20 chances per game.
The plan is not wrong-The execution and the players not being good enough is the reason.
Pep is guilty of not playing players in the correct position and the positions they take up on the pitch.
If you look at Kevs heatmap you will see he is everywhere but not where he should be when it matters. His pass accuracy is well off due to the amount of work he is doing all over the pitch.
The passion and will to win is coming from Pep not the players.
So although he is partly responsible; it is the players who are not doing the job and maybe they are tired of Peps methods but I would rather keep the boss and lose 3-4 players who are mentally shot.
I think it is... Raspberry Cripple isn'tIs the use of the word "crippled" allowed nowadays?
;)
Ok name me the last player to take games like yesterday by the scruff and get us over the line? You are letting them off far too easily. The players get their instructions from Pep but once they go on the pitch it is on them to win individual battles and carry out said instructions. They can’t even string 2 passes together.You can use whatever word you like but it all comes back to control. We play a double pivot to control the game. We don’t play Phil in 8 because of control. Our wingers cut back inside so we can keep control. We don’t make changes when we’re in control, even if drawing or losing.
I like controlling the game as the no.1 concept. I like possession. But when there’s a gradual decline for 18 months which culminates in the kind of performances we see now something has to change. When three quarters of your squad are under performing something has to change. You can blame the players when 1- there are 2/3 under performing or making big mistakes and 2- If they’re not doing what he wants them to do. But they are doing what he currently wants them to do without the end product. Maybe we have to find a different way to getting the end product.